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!Analysis

!Analysis

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|1

|<span id="3:1">1</span>

|In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,

|In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,

|In those times there was a man called [[John the Baptist]], who preached in the deserts of [[Judea]].

|In those times there was a man called [[John the Baptist]], who preached in the deserts of [[Judea]].

|Literally, "John the Baptizer."

|Literally, "John the Baptizer."

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|2

|<span id="3:2">2</span>

|And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

|And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

|He would say, "You must repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near!"

|He would say, "You must repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near!"

|The Greek verb '''μετανοεω''' literally means "I change my mind." Repentance means a change of heart and mind, and a turning away from a prior path.

|The Greek verb '''μετανοεω''' literally means "I change my mind." Repentance means a change of heart and mind, and a turning away from a prior path.

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|3

|<span id="3:3">3</span>

|For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

|For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

|John the Baptist was the man prophesied by [[Isaiah]], who spoke of "the voice of a man crying out in the desert, 'Prepare the path of the Lord!'"

|John the Baptist was the man prophesied by [[Isaiah]], who spoke of "the voice of a man crying out in the desert, 'Prepare the path of the Lord!'"

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|4

|<span id="3:4">4</span>

|And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.

|And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.

|John the Baptist had a shirt made of camel's hair and a leather loincloth, and he ate [[grasshopper]]s and wild [[honey]].

|John the Baptist had a shirt made of camel's hair and a leather loincloth, and he ate [[grasshopper]]s and wild [[honey]].

|"Locusts" refers to a swarm of any of various grass-eating insects, most commonly the [[grasshopper]], but also (in America) the [[cicada]]. "Wild honey" is honey taken from any hive that is not specifically maintained and entails getting stung. These descriptions of the clothing and diet of John the Baptist emphasize his character as "roughing it" and living quite literally off the land. A hairshirt is uncomfortable and the act of wearing a hairshirt, or cilice, as an act of penance persists among Catholics today. This eccentric description of John shows him in a state of literally physical discomfort, wearing poor clothing and eating poor food, as an act of penance as he wanders the desert preaching.  

|"Locusts" refers to a swarm of any of various grass-eating insects, most commonly the [[grasshopper]], but also (in America) the [[cicada]]. "Wild honey" is honey taken from any hive that is not specifically maintained and entails getting stung. These descriptions of the clothing and diet of John the Baptist emphasize his character as "roughing it" and living quite literally off the land. A hairshirt is uncomfortable and the act of wearing a hairshirt, or cilice, as an act of penance persists among Catholics today. This eccentric description of John shows him in a state of literally physical discomfort, wearing poor clothing and eating poor food, as an act of penance as he wanders the desert preaching.  

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|5

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|Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,

|Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,

|And many citizens of Jerusalem, and of all the neighboring regions, went out to John the Baptist,

|And many citizens of Jerusalem, and of all the neighboring regions, went out to John the Baptist,

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|6

|<span id="3:6">6</span>

|And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

|And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

|and were baptized by him in the Jordan river as they confessed their sins.

|and were baptized by him in the Jordan river as they confessed their sins.

|"Baptism" literally means washing by total body immersion.

|"Baptism" literally means washing by total body immersion.

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|7

|<span id="3:7">7</span>

|But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

|But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

|When John saw how many Pharisees and Sadducees came to be baptized by him, he said to them, "You jerks! Who has warned you to flee from the ''divine'' sentence that's coming ''to you''?

|When John saw how many Pharisees and Sadducees came to be baptized by him, he said to them, "You jerks! Who has warned you to flee from the ''divine'' sentence that's coming ''to you''?

The word rendered "wrath" is '''οργη''', which refers to the attitude of a magistrate before whom a convict appears for sentencing. In this context, they are clearly attempting to flee from God's justice by baptism. John finds this richly ironic, because he knows that Pharisees and Sadducees would be united in their "citified" contempt of him, because he's a roughneck who doesn't "dress properly," and everyone in Jerusalem surely knows it.

The word rendered "wrath" is '''οργη''', which refers to the attitude of a magistrate before whom a convict appears for sentencing. In this context, they are clearly attempting to flee from God's justice by baptism. John finds this richly ironic, because he knows that Pharisees and Sadducees would be united in their "citified" contempt of him, because he's a roughneck who doesn't "dress properly," and everyone in Jerusalem surely knows it.

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|8

|<span id="3:8">8</span>

|Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:

|Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:

|"''If you want to escape that fate,'' show ''in your lives'' fruits that deserve to be called fruits of repentance.

|"''If you want to escape that fate,'' show ''in your lives'' fruits that deserve to be called fruits of repentance.

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|9

|<span id="3:9">9</span>

|And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

|And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

|"Do not think to yourself, 'We have [[Abraham]] as our patriarch, ''and are saved on that account''." For I tell you now that God could make these stones into children of Abraham ''if He wanted to''."

|"Do not think to yourself, 'We have [[Abraham]] as our patriarch, ''and are saved on that account''." For I tell you now that God could make these stones into children of Abraham ''if He wanted to''."

|God is no Respecter of persons, or of their races or national or clannish origins.

|God is no Respecter of persons, or of their races or national or clannish origins.

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|10

|<span id="3:10">10</span>

|And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

|And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

|"Already the ax is about to fall on the roots of the trees. So every tree that does not bring forth good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

|"Already the ax is about to fall on the roots of the trees. So every tree that does not bring forth good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

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|11

|<span id="3:11">11</span>

|I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

|I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

|On the one hand, I baptize you with water, as you repent: but on the other hand he who will come after me is far mightier, and I don't deserve to carry his shoes.  He will immerse you in God's will, and in fire.

|On the one hand, I baptize you with water, as you repent: but on the other hand he who will come after me is far mightier, and I don't deserve to carry his shoes.  He will immerse you in God's will, and in fire.

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|12

|<span id="3:12">12</span>

|Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

|Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

|His winnowing shovel is in his hand, and he will rid his threshing-floor ''of all impure elements'', and gather his wheat into his barn; and he will burn  the chaff with a fire that cannot be quenched.

|His winnowing shovel is in his hand, and he will rid his threshing-floor ''of all impure elements'', and gather his wheat into his barn; and he will burn  the chaff with a fire that cannot be quenched.

|The Greek word '''ασβεστος''', meaning "unquenchable", survives as the term [[asbestos]], a mineral once prized as a flame-retardant.

|The Greek word '''ασβεστος''', meaning "unquenchable", survives as the term [[asbestos]], a mineral once prized as a flame-retardant.

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|13

|<span id="3:13">13</span>

|Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.

|Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.

|Now Jesus came from Galilee to Jordan, to be baptized by John.

|Now Jesus came from Galilee to Jordan, to be baptized by John.

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|14

|<span id="3:14">14</span>

|But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?

|But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?

|But John begged Him to stop, saying, "No, I need to be baptized by you, not you by me."

|But John begged Him to stop, saying, "No, I need to be baptized by you, not you by me."

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|15

|<span id="3:15">15</span>

|And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.

|And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.

|And Jesus in answer said to him, "Allow yourself to baptize me, for it is necessary and proper."  So John allowed it.

|And Jesus in answer said to him, "Allow yourself to baptize me, for it is necessary and proper."  So John allowed it.

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|16

|<span id="3:16">16</span>

|And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:

|And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:

|And Jesus, once He was baptized, rose out of the water and the heavens opened for him, and the spirit of God descended like a dove upon Him.

|And Jesus, once He was baptized, rose out of the water and the heavens opened for him, and the spirit of God descended like a dove upon Him.

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|17

|<span id="3:17">17</span>

|And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

|And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

|And a voice spoke from heaven, saying, "This my beloved Son, with whom I am very pleased."

|And a voice spoke from heaven, saying, "This my beloved Son, with whom I am very pleased."