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Matthew 3:7-4:11
Contemporary English Version
Matthew 3:7-4:11
Contemporary English Version
7 (A) Many Pharisees and Sadducees also came to be baptized. But John said to them:
You bunch of snakes! Who warned you to run from the coming judgment? 8 Do something to show you have really given up your sins. 9 (B) And don't start telling yourselves that you belong to Abraham's family. I tell you that God can turn these stones into children for Abraham. 10 (C) An ax is ready to cut the trees down at their roots. Any tree that doesn't produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into a fire.
11 I baptize you with water so you will give up your sins.[a] But someone more powerful is going to come, and I am not good enough even to carry his sandals.[b] He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 12 (D) His threshing fork is in his hand, and he is ready to separate the wheat from the husks.[c] He will store the wheat in a barn and burn the husks in a fire that never goes out.
The Baptism of Jesus
(Mark 1.9-11; Luke 3.21,22)
13 Jesus left Galilee and went to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. 14 But John kept objecting and said, “I ought to be baptized by you. Why have you come to me?”
15 Jesus answered, “For now this is how it should be, because we must do all God wants us to do.” Then John agreed.
16 So Jesus was baptized. And as soon as he came out of the water, the sky opened, and he saw the Spirit of God coming down on him like a dove. 17 (E) Then a voice from heaven said, “This is my own dear Son, and I am pleased with him.”
Jesus and the Devil
(Mark 1.12,13; Luke 4.1-13)
4 (F) The Holy Spirit led Jesus into the desert, so that the devil could test him. 2 After Jesus had gone without eating[d] for 40 days and nights, he was very hungry. 3 Then the devil came to him and said, “If you are God's Son, tell these stones to turn into bread.”
4 (G) Jesus answered, “The Scriptures say:
‘No one can live only on food.
People need every word
that God has spoken.’ ”
5 Next, the devil took Jesus into the holy city to the highest part of the temple. 6 (H) The devil said, “If you are God's Son, jump off. The Scriptures say:
‘God will give his angels
orders about you.
They will catch you
in their arms,
and you won't hurt
your feet on the stones.’ ”
7 (I) Jesus answered, “The Scriptures also say, ‘Don't try to test the Lord your God!’ ”
8 Finally, the devil took Jesus up on a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms on earth and their power. 9 The devil said to him, “I will give all this to you, if you will bow down and worship me.”
10 (J) Jesus answered, “Go away Satan! The Scriptures say:
‘Worship the Lord your God
and serve only him.’ ”
11 Then the devil left Jesus, and angels came to help him.
Footnotes
- 3.11 so you will give up your sins: Or “because you have given up your sins.”
- 3.11 carry his sandals: This was one of the duties of a slave.
- 3.12 His threshing fork is in his hand, and he is ready to separate the wheat from the husks: After Jewish farmers had trampled out the grain, they used a large fork to pitch the grain and the husks into the air. Wind would blow away the light husks, and the grain would fall back to the ground, where it could be gathered up.
- 4.2 without eating: The Jewish people sometimes went without eating (also called “fasting”) to show their love for God or to show sorrow for their sins.
Matthew 3:7-4:11
New International Version
Matthew 3:7-4:11
New International Version
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers!(A) Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?(B) 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.(C) 9 And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’(D) I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 10 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.(E)
11 “I baptize you with[a] water for repentance.(F) But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with[b] the Holy Spirit(G) and fire.(H) 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”(I)
The Baptism of Jesus(J)
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John.(K) 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”
15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.
16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened,(L) and he saw the Spirit of God(M) descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven(N) said, “This is my Son,(O) whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”(P)
Jesus Is Tested in the Wilderness(Q)
4 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted[c](R) by the devil.(S) 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights,(T) he was hungry. 3 The tempter(U) came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God,(V) tell these stones to become bread.”
4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’[d]”(W)
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city(X) and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,”(Y) he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:
“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’[e]”(Z)
7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’[f]”(AA)
8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan!(AB) For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’[g]”(AC)
11 Then the devil left him,(AD) and angels came and attended him.(AE)
Footnotes
- Matthew 3:11 Or in
- Matthew 3:11 Or in
- Matthew 4:1 The Greek for tempted can also mean tested.
- Matthew 4:4 Deut. 8:3
- Matthew 4:6 Psalm 91:11,12
- Matthew 4:7 Deut. 6:16
- Matthew 4:10 Deut. 6:13
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