Matthew 3:17 | 1143 two years old and un der , in ac cor dance with the time he had learned from the Magi . 17 Then what was said through the proph et Jer e mi ah was ful filled :
18
“ A voice is heard in Ramah , weeping and great mourning ,
Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted , because they are no more .” a
The Return to Nazareth
19
Af ter Her od died , an an gel of the Lord ap peared in a dream to Jo seph in Egypt
20 and said , “ Get up , take the child and his moth er and go to the land of Is ra el , for those who were try ing to take the child ’ s life are dead .”
21
So he got up , took the child and his moth er and went to the land of Is ra el .
22
But when he heard that Ar che la us was reign ing in Ju dea in place of his fa ther Her od , he was afraid to go there . Hav ing been warned in a dream , he with drew to the dis trict of Gal i lee , 23 and he went and lived in a town called Naz a reth . So was ful filled what was said through the proph ets , that he would be called a Naza rene .
John the Baptist Prepares the Way
3
In those days John the Bap tist came , preach ing in the wil der ness of Ju dea
2 and say ing , “ Re pent , for the king dom of heav en has come near .” 3 This is he who was spo ken of through the proph et Isa iah :
“ A voice of one calling in the wilderness , ‘ Prepare the way for the Lord , make straight paths for him .’ ” b
4
John ’ s clothes were made of cam el ’ s hair , and he had a leath er belt around his waist . His food was lo custs and wild hon ey . 5 Peo ple went out to him from Je rusa lem and all Ju dea and the whole re gion of the Jor dan . 6 Con fess ing their sins , they were bap tized by him in the Jor dan Riv er .
7
But when he saw many of the Phar i sees and Sad du cees com ing to where he was bap tiz ing , he said to them : “ You brood of vi pers ! Who warned you to flee from the com ing wrath ? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance .
9
And do not think you can say to your selves , ‘ We have Abra ham as our fa ther .’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up chil dren for Abra ham . 10 The ax is al ready at the root of the trees , and ev ery tree that does not pro duce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire .
11
“ I bap tize you with c wa ter for re pen tance . But af ter me comes one who is more pow er ful than I , whose san dals I am not wor thy to car ry . He will bap tize you with c the Holy Spir it and fire . 12 His win now ing fork is in his hand , and he will clear his thresh ing floor , gath er ing his wheat into the barn and burn ing up the chaff with unquenchable fire .”
The Baptism of Jesus
13
Then Jesus came from Gal i lee to the Jor dan to be bap tized by John . 14 But John tried to de ter him , say ing , “ I need to be bap tized by you , and do you come to me ?” 15
Jesus re plied , “ Let it be so now ; it is prop er for us to do this to ful fill all righteousness .” Then John consented .
16
As soon as Jesus was bap tized , he went up out of the wa ter . At that mo ment heav en was opened , and he saw the Spir it of God de scend ing like a dove and alight ing on him . 17 And a voice from heav en said , “ This is my Son , whom I love ; with him I am well pleased .”
a 18 Jer . 31:15 b 3 Isaiah 40:3 c 11 Or in