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| 1 And in those days cometh John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, |
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| 2 Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. |
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3 For this is he that was spoken of through Isaiah the prophet, saying,The voice of one crying in the wilderness,
Make ye ready the way of the Lord,
Make his paths straight. |
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| 4 Now John himself had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his food was locusts and wild honey. |
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| 5 Then went out unto him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round about the Jordan; |
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| 6 and they were baptized of him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. |
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| 7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said unto them, Ye offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? |
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| 8 Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of repentance: |
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| 9 and think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham for our father: for I say unto you that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. |
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| 10 And even now the axe lieth at the root of the trees: every tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. |
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| 11 I indeed baptize you in water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is stronger than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire: |
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| 12 whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor; and he will gather his wheat into the garner, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire. |
Fan – "Winnowing fork" - Strong's 4425 (Darby, ISV, Weymouth, NASB)
His floor – His threshing floor. This is where the stalks of wheat was broken up to where the wheat and chaff were separated from the stalk.
Unquenchable fire – The Greek word "unquenchable" here (according to the Wescott and Hort text) is "asbestos." |
| 13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to the Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. |
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| 14 But John was hindering him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? |
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| 15 But Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.
Then he suffereth him. |
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| 16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway from the water: and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon him; |
The heavens were opened unto him – The knowledge of Spiritual things. This is the same phrase used to describe what takes place with the followers of the Lord when they make full consecration of themselves to Him. see Mal. 3:10
Matthew 5:19
Shall break one of these least commandments – Rotherham translates this as: "shall relax one of these commandments, the least.."
Matthew 5:22
Without a cause – These words are not found in the oldest Greek MSS. This makes our Lord's words even more searching. This then suggests that if we are angry with our brother, even if there be a legitimate cause, we are placing ourselves in danger.
Raca – Worthless one.G4469
ῥακά
rhaka
rhak-ah'
Of Chaldee origin (compare [H7386]); O empty one, that is, thou worthless (as a term of utter vilification): - Raca.
Matthew 5:23
Therefore – Because, as just described, the standard is not what you do outwardly but rather what is in your heart (Prov. 23:7) ..
Matthew 5:39
Smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also – Apparently quoting from Lam. 3:30. |
| 17 and lo, a voice out of the heavens, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I was well pleased. |
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