Matthew 3
New Testament · English Majority Text Version with Greek parallel
Matthew chapter 3 is given here in full, verse by verse, in the English Majority Text Version (EMTV), with the Byzantine Majority Text set beneath each verse. The text follows the Byzantine textual tradition used in the Orthodox Church.
20 patristic excerpts are attached to this chapter, from 4 Fathers — Saint John Chrysostom, Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid, Saint Augustine, and Saint Gregory of Nyssa.
Matthew 3
1In those days John the Baptist arrived preaching in the wilderness of Judea,Ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις παραγίνεται Ἰωάννης ὁ βαπτιστής, κηρύσσων ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ τῆς Ἰουδαίας,
2and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”καὶ λέγων, Μετανοεῖτε· ἤγγικε γὰρ ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν.
3For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: “A voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make His paths straight.’ ”οὗτος γάρ ἐστιν ὁ ῥηθεὶς ὑπὸ Ἡσαΐου τοῦ προφήτου, λέγοντος, Φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, Ἑτοιμάσατε τὴν ὁδὸν Κυρίου· εὐθείας ποιεῖτε τὰς τρίβους αὐτοῦ.
4And John himself had his clothing made from camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ Ἰωάννης εἶχε τὸ ἔνδυμα αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τριχῶν καμήλου, καὶ ζώνην δερματίνην περὶ τὴν ὀσφὺν αὐτοῦ· ἡ δὲ τροφὴ αὐτοῦ ἦν ἀκρίδες καὶ μέλι ἄγριον.
5Then Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan were going out to himτότε ἐξεπορεύετο πρὸς αὐτὸν Ἱεροσόλυμα καὶ πᾶσα ἡ Ἰουδαία καὶ πᾶσα ἡ περίχωρος τοῦ Ἰορδάνου·
6and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.καὶ ἐβαπτίζοντο ἐν τῷ Ἰορδάνῃ ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ, ἐξομολογούμενοι τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν.
7But seeing many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?Ἰδὼν δὲ πολλοὺς τῶν Φαρισαίων καὶ Σαδδουκαίων ἐρχομένους ἐπὶ τὸ βάπτισμα αὐτοῦ, εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, Γεννήματα ἐχιδνῶν, τίς ὑπέδειξεν ὑμῖν φυγεῖν ἀπὸ τῆς μελλούσης ὀργῆς;
8Therefore produce fruits worthy of repentance,ποιήσατε οὖν καρπὸν ἄξιον τῆς μετανοίας·
9and do not think to say among yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham out of these stones.καὶ μὴ δόξητε λέγειν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς, Πατέρα ἔχομεν τὸν Ἁβραάμ· λέγω γὰρ ὑμῖν ὅτι δύναται ὁ Θεὸς ἐκ τῶν λίθων τούτων ἐγεῖραι τέκνα τῷ Ἁβραάμ.
10But even now, the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree not producing good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire.ἤδη δὲ καὶ ἡ ἀξίνη πρὸς τὴν ῥίζαν τῶν δένδρων κεῖται· πᾶν οὖν δένδρον μὴ ποιοῦν καρπὸν καλὸν ἐκκόπτεται καὶ εἰς πῦρ βάλλεται.
11I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit,Ἐγὼ μὲν βαπτίζω ὑμᾶς ἐν ὕδατι εἰς μετάνοιαν· ὁ δὲ ὀπίσω μου ἐρχόμενος ἰσχυρότερός μού ἐστιν, οὗ οὐκ εἰμὶ ἱκανὸς τὰ ὑποδήματα βαστάσαι· αὐτὸς ὑμᾶς βαπτίσει ἐν Πνεύματι Ἁγίῳ.
12whose winnowing shovel is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His threshing floor, and He will gather His wheat into the barn; but the chaff He will burn up with unquenchable fire.”οὗ τὸ πτύον ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ διακαθαριεῖ τὴν ἅλωνα αὐτοῦ, καὶ συνάξει τὸν σῖτον αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν ἀποθήκην, τὸ δὲ ἄχυρον κατακαύσει πυρὶ ἀσβέστῳ.
13Then Jesus arrived from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him.Τότε παραγίνεται ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἀπὸ τῆς Γαλιλαίας ἐπὶ τὸν Ἰορδάνην πρὸς τὸν Ἰωάννην, τοῦ βαπτισθῆναι ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ.
14But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I have need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?”ὁ δὲ Ἰωάννης διεκώλυεν αὐτόν, λέγων, Ἐγὼ χρείαν ἔχω ὑπὸ σοῦ βαπτισθῆναι, καὶ σὺ ἔρχῃ πρός με;
15But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he permitted Him.ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπε πρὸς αὐτόν, Ἄφες ἄρτι· οὕτω γὰρ πρέπον ἐστὶν ἡμῖν πληρῶσαι πᾶσαν δικαιοσύνην. τότε ἀφίησιν αὐτόν.
16And having been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on Him.καὶ βαπτισθεὶς ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἀνέβη εὐθὺς ἀπὸ τοῦ ὕδατος· καὶ ἰδού, ἀνεῴχθησαν αὐτῷ οἱ οὐρανοί, καὶ εἶδε τὸ Πνεῦμα τοῦ Θεοῦ καταβαῖνον ὡσεὶ περιστερὰν καὶ ἐρχόμενον ἐπ᾽ αὐτόν.
17And behold, a voice came out of the heavens, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”καὶ ἰδού, φωνὴ ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν, λέγουσα, Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητός, ἐν ᾧ εὐδόκησα.
The Fathers on Matthew 3
Saint John Chrysostom, Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid, Saint Augustine, and Saint Gregory of Nyssa comment on this chapter. Each excerpt below is drawn from the full text held in the Fathers Library; follow the link on any entry to read the whole work.
On Matthew 3:1–2Saint John ChrysostomHow “in those days”? For not then, surely, when He was a child, and came to Nazareth, but thirty years after, John cometh; as Luke also testifies. How then is it said, “in those days”? The Scripture is always wont to use this manner of speech, not only when it is mentioning what occurs in the time immediately after, but also of things which are to come to pass many years later. Thus also, for example, when His disciples came unto Him as He sat on the Mount of Olives, and sought to learn about His coming, and the taking of Jerusalem:408and yet ye know how great is the interval between those several periods. I mean, that having spoken of the subversion of the mother city, 59 and completed His discourse on that subject, and being about to pass to that on the consummation, he inserted, “Then shall these things also come to pass;”409not bringing together the times by the word then, but…
Read Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew →
On Matthew 3:1Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid1. In those days. Not when the Lord was a child and was living in Nazareth, but rather the evangelist makes this simple statement, "at that time, before the present generation." Came John the Baptist. John was sent by God to reprove the Jews and to persuade them to come to a...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 3:1–2Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid1-2. Preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, Repent ye. The Jews were arrogant, and so he urges them to repent. For the kingdom of heaven is at hand. The kingdom of heaven means the first and second comings of Christ, and also the virtuous life. For when we walk on...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 3:7Saint John ChrysostomHow then doth Christ say, that they did not believe John?456 Because this was not believing, to decline receiving Him whom he preached. For so they thought they regarded their prophets and their lawgiver, nevertheless He said they had not regarded them, forasmuch as they received not Him, that was foretold by them. “For if ye had 65 believed Moses,” saith He, “ye would have believed Me.”457 And after this again, being asked by Christ, “The baptism of John, whence is it?”458they said, “If we shall say, Of earth, we fear the people; if we shall say, From heaven, He will say unto us, How then did ye not believe him?”
Read Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew →
On Matthew 3:7Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid7. But when he saw many of the Pharisees. "Pharisee" means "one who is set apart," for they appeared to be set apart by their life and knowledge, and to be superior to others. And Sadducees. These believed neither in the resurrection, nor in angels, nor in the spirit. Their...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 3:13Saint John ChrysostomWith the servants the Lord, with the criminals the Judge, cometh to be baptized. But be not thou troubled; for in these humiliations His exaltation doth most shine forth. For He who vouchsafed to be borne so long in a Virgin’s womb, and to come forth thence with our nature, and to be smitten with rods, and crucified, and to suffer all the rest which He suffered;—why marvellest thou if He vouchsafed also to be baptized, and to come with the rest to His servant. For the amazement lay in that one thing, that being God, He would be made Man; but the rest after this all follows in course of reason.
Read Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew →
On Matthew 3:13Saint AugustineThe lesson of the Gospel hath set before me a subject whereof to speak to you, beloved, as though by the Lord’s command, and by His command in very deed.
Read Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament →
On Matthew 3:13, 16–17Saint Gregory of Nyssa514On the Baptism of Christ. ———————————— A Sermon for the Day of the Lights. Now I recognize my own flock: to-day I behold the wonted figure of the Church, when, turning with aversion from the occupation even of the cares of the flesh, you come together in y…
Read On the Baptism of Christ →
On Matthew 3:13–14Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid13-14. Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbade Him. Jesus is pure, yet He is baptized in order to wash us, and to show us that if we intend to be baptized we must first be cleansed. Otherwise we might stain our baptism,...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 3:15–16Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid15-16. Then he permitted Him; and Jesus, when He was baptized. He was baptized at the age of thirty; for by this age one has experienced all the sins. In the first ten years, there is great foolishness; in the second, during adolescence, the great flame of desire and anger;...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 3:16–17Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid16-17. And he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon Him; and, lo, a voice from heaven, saying. The Spirit came down to bear witness that He Who is baptized is greater than he who baptizes. For the Jews held John in high regard, but they did not...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 3:3Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid3. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His paths straight (Is. 40:3). "The way," that is, the highway, means the Gospel. The "paths" are the ordinances of the law,...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 3:4Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid4. Now this John wore a garment of camel’s hair. Even by his appearance John called them to repentance, for he wore the garb of mourning. It is said that the camel is somewhere between a clean and unclean animal: it is clean in that it chews its cud, but it is unclean in that...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 3:5–6Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid5-6. Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan. And they were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. They were baptized, but the baptism of John did not have the power to forgive sins; for John was only preaching...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 3:8Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid8. Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance. Do you see what he is saying? One must not only flee from wickedness, but also bring forth fruits of virtue. For it is written, "Turn away from evil and do good" (Ps. 33:14).
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 3:9Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid9. And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham as our father. This was to their destruction, that they put their trust in their noble lineage. For I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. The "stones" mean the Gentiles,...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 3:10Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid10. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees. The axe means the judgement of Christ, and the trees stand for each one of us. Therefore he who has not believed, and thus is rooted only in himself, is now and henceforward being cut down and cast into gehenna....
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 3:11Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid11. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance; but He that cometh after me is mightier than I. He had told them to bring forth fruit; now he shows them what fruit to bring forth: to believe in Him that is coming after John. After him came Christ. For just as Christ came...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 3:12Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid12. His winnowing fan is in His hand. Do not think, if you are baptized by Him and then remain an unrepentant sinner, that He will forgive you. For He also has a winnowing fan, that is, judgement and examination. He will clean His threshing floor, namely, the Church, which...
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On Matthew 3:15Open Matthew 3 in the interactive reader Switch translations, hear the chapter read aloud, tap any verse for its patristic commentary, and study the Greek word by word.Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid15. And Jesus answering said unto him, Let it be so now. Permit it now, He says. For there will be a time for us to have the glory that is befitting, even if we do not appear in such glory now. For thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. "Righteousness" means the...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →