Matthew 3

1In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the desert of Judea.

2John said: Turn away from your sins, because the kingdom of heaven is near.

3John is the one the prophet Isaiah spoke about: A voice is calling out in the desert: Get the way ready for the Lord. Make a straight road for Him.

4John's clothes were made of camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.

5People went out to John from Jerusalem, all Judea, and the whole area around the Jordan River.

6The people admitted their sins, and John baptized them in the Jordan River.

7But when John saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to be baptized, he said to them: You family of snakes! Who warned you to run away from the coming anger of God?

8Do the things that show you have really turned away from your sins.

9Do not think you can say to yourselves: Abraham is our father. I tell you, God can make children for Abraham out of these stones.

10The ax is already lying at the root of the trees. Every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

11I baptize you with water to show you have turned from your sins. But someone is coming after me who is greater than I am. I am not good enough even to carry His sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

12The Messiah has His shovel in His hand. He will clean off the threshing floor, gathering His wheat into the barn and burning up the useless husks with a fire that never goes out.

13Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John.

14But John tried to stop Him. He said: I need to be baptized by You. Why do You come to me?

15Jesus answered: Let it be this way for now. We should do all that God asks. Then John agreed.

16As soon as Jesus was baptized, He came up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and He saw the Spirit of God coming down like a dove and resting on Him.

17And a voice from heaven said: This is my Son, whom I love. I am very pleased with Him.