< Matthew 3 >

1 About that time John the Baptist first appeared, proclaiming in the wilderness of Judea:
εν δε ταις ημεραις εκειναις παραγινεται ιωαννης ο βαπτιστης κηρυσσων εν τη ερημω της ιουδαιας
2 ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
και λεγων μετανοειτε ηγγικεν γαρ η βασιλεια των ουρανων
3 John was the one who was spoken of in the prophet Isaiah, where he says – “The voice of one crying aloud in the wilderness: ‘Make ready the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’”
ουτος γαρ εστιν ο ρηθεις υπο ησαιου του προφητου λεγοντος φωνη βοωντος εν τη ερημω ετοιμασατε την οδον κυριου ευθειας ποιειτε τας τριβους αυτου
4 John’s clothes were made of camels’ hair, with a leather strap round his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.
αυτος δε ο ιωαννης ειχεν το ενδυμα αυτου απο τριχων καμηλου και ζωνην δερματινην περι την οσφυν αυτου η δε τροφη αυτου ην ακριδες και μελι αγριον
5 At that time Jerusalem, and all Judea, as well as the whole district of the Jordan, went out to him
τοτε εξεπορευετο προς αυτον ιεροσολυμα και πασα η ιουδαια και πασα η περιχωρος του ιορδανου
6 and were baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.
και εβαπτιζοντο εν τω ιορδανη υπ αυτου εξομολογουμενοι τας αμαρτιας αυτων
7 But when John saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to receive his baptism, he said to them, ‘You children of snakes! Who has prompted you to seek refuge from the coming judgment?
ιδων δε πολλους των φαρισαιων και σαδδουκαιων ερχομενους επι το βαπτισμα αυτου ειπεν αυτοις γεννηματα εχιδνων τις υπεδειξεν υμιν φυγειν απο της μελλουσης οργης
8 Let your life, then, prove your repentance;
ποιησατε ουν καρπον αξιον της μετανοιας
9 and do not think that you can say among yourselves “Abraham is our ancestor,” for I tell you that out of these stones God is able to raise descendants for Abraham!
και μη δοξητε λεγειν εν εαυτοις πατερα εχομεν τον αβρααμ λεγω γαρ υμιν οτι δυναται ο θεος εκ των λιθων τουτων εγειραι τεκνα τω αβρααμ
10 Already the axe is lying at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that fails to bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
ηδη δε και η αξινη προς την ριζαν των δενδρων κειται παν ουν δενδρον μη ποιουν καρπον καλον εκκοπτεται και εις πυρ βαλλεται
11 I, indeed, baptize you with water to teach repentance; but he who is coming after me is more powerful than I, and I am not fit even to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
εγω μεν βαπτιζω υμας εν υδατι εις μετανοιαν ο δε οπισω μου ερχομενος ισχυροτερος μου εστιν ου ουκ ειμι ικανος τα υποδηματα βαστασαι αυτος υμας βαπτισει εν πνευματι αγιω και πυρι
12 His winnowing-fan is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing-floor, and store his grain in the barn, but the chaff he will burn with a fire that cannot be put out.’
ου το πτυον εν τη χειρι αυτου και διακαθαριει την αλωνα αυτου και συναξει τον σιτον αυτου εις την αποθηκην το δε αχυρον κατακαυσει πυρι ασβεστω
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan, to John, to be baptized by him.
τοτε παραγινεται ο ιησους απο της γαλιλαιας επι τον ιορδανην προς τον ιωαννην του βαπτισθηναι υπ αυτου
14 But John tried to prevent him. ‘I need to be baptized by you,’ he said, ‘so why have you come to me?’
ο δε ιωαννης διεκωλυεν αυτον λεγων εγω χρειαν εχω υπο σου βαπτισθηναι και συ ερχη προς με
15 ‘This is the way it should be for now,’ Jesus answered, ‘because we should do everything that God requires.’ So John agreed.
αποκριθεις δε ο ιησους ειπεν προς αυτον αφες αρτι ουτως γαρ πρεπον εστιν ημιν πληρωσαι πασαν δικαιοσυνην τοτε αφιησιν αυτον
16 After the baptism of Jesus, and just as he came up from the water, the heavens opened, and he saw the Spirit of God coming down like a dove and resting on him,
και βαπτισθεις ο ιησους ανεβη ευθυς απο του υδατος και ιδου ανεωχθησαν αυτω οι ουρανοι και ειδεν το πνευμα του θεου καταβαινον ωσει περιστεραν και ερχομενον επ αυτον
17 and from the heavens there came a voice which said, ‘This is my dearly loved son, who brings me great joy.’
και ιδου φωνη εκ των ουρανων λεγουσα ουτος εστιν ο υιος μου ο αγαπητος εν ω ευδοκησα

< Matthew 3 >