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Matthew 3

John prepares the Lord’s way through a call to repentance, and Jesus’ baptism reveals him as God’s beloved Son.

John the Baptizer preaches in Judea’s wilderness, calling people to repent because the Kingdom of Heaven is near. Crowds come to the Jordan, confessing their sins and receiving baptism. John warns the Pharisees and Sadducees that descent from Abraham offers no shelter from judgment, and he announces someone mightier who will baptize in the Holy Spirit. Jesus then comes for baptism; John objects, Jesus explains, and the Spirit descends as a heavenly voice identifies Jesus as God’s beloved Son.

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1In those days, John the Baptizer came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying,
2“Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!”
3For this is he who was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, make the way of the Lord ready! Make his paths straight!”
4Now John himself wore clothing made of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.
5Then people from Jerusalem, all of Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him.
6They were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.
7But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his baptism, he said to them, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8Therefore produce fruit worthy of repentance!
9Don’t think to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father,’ for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.
10Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down, and cast into the fire.
11“I indeed baptize you in water for repentance, but he who comes after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.
12His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.”
13Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him.
14But John would have hindered him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?”
15But Jesus, answering, said to him, “Allow it now, for this is the fitting way for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed him.
16Jesus, when he was baptized, went up directly from the water: and behold, the heavens were opened to him. He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming on him.
17Behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
World English BibleRead in NIV in Psalmlog →Highlighted verses are the most connected.
Key verses
Matthew 3:2The nearness of the Kingdom of Heaven gives urgency to John’s call for repentance and frames his warnings.
Matthew 3:11John distinguishes his water baptism from the coming one’s gift of the Holy Spirit, placing himself beneath Jesus.
Matthew 3:17The heavenly voice identifies Jesus as God’s beloved Son and declares divine pleasure in him at his baptism.
Where this chapter reaches

Matthew quotes Isaiah’s wilderness voice to identify John’s work of preparing the Lord’s way; Mark and Luke share the account of Jesus’ baptism and the heavenly declaration. John shares the witness to the Spirit descending on Jesus, while Acts carries forward the promise of baptism in the Holy Spirit.

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Questions people ask about Matthew 3

Why was Jesus baptized in Matthew 3?

Jesus says his baptism is fitting to “fulfill all righteousness.” John’s objection shows that Jesus’ coming for baptism surprises him. The passage presents Jesus as carrying out God’s righteous purpose, without describing him as confessing sins. It does not explain every aspect of that purpose; the Spirit’s descent and heavenly voice confirm his identity.

What does “fruit worthy of repentance” mean in Matthew 3?

John calls for conduct that matches repentance. His tree imagery makes the demand concrete: a tree without good fruit faces judgment. He also rejects reliance on descent from Abraham as protection. Matthew 3 does not list particular deeds, but it makes clear that ancestry cannot replace a changed response to God.

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Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).