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MATTHEW 3
in and around Bethlehem who were two
years old and under, based on the wise
men’s report of the star’s first appear
ance. 17Herod’s brutal action fulfilled
what God had spoken through the
prophet Jeremiah:
18
“A cry was heard in Ramah—
weeping and great mourning.
Rachel weeps for her children,
refusing to be comforted,
for they are dead.”
The Return to Nazareth
19When Herod died, an angel of the Lord
appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt.
20 “Get up!” the angel said. “Take the
child and his mother back to the land of
Israel, because those who were trying
to kill the child are dead.”
21So Joseph got up and returned to
the land of Israel with Jesus and his
mother. 22But when he learned that the
new ruler of Judea was Herod’s son Ar
chelaus, he was afraid to go there. Then,
after being warned in a dream, he left
for the region of Galilee. 23So the fam
ily went and lived in a town called Naz
areth. This fulfilled what the prophets
had said: “He will be called a Nazarene.”
John the Baptist Prepares
the Way
3 to the Judean wilderness and began
In those days John the Baptist came
preaching. His message was, 2“Repent of
your sins and turn to God, for the King
dom of Heaven is near.” 3The prophet
Isaiah was speaking about John when
he said,
“He is a voice shouting in the
wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s
coming!
Clear the road for him!’”
4 John’s clothes were woven from
coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather
belt around his waist. For food he ate
locusts and wild honey. 5People from
Know, Grow, and Go
A Really Good Thing Read Matthew 3.
Munching on locusts and challenging
all the people in charge, John the
Baptist definitely didn’t blend in with
the crowd. Plenty of people thought
he was weird, but he was doing exactly
what God wanted him to do. When
you follow Jesus, you won’t always
blend in either. That’s because he will
help you do things his way instead of
what’s easy and popular. Some people
might think you’re a little weird too. But
you know what? That’s a good thing
(Romans 12:2).
Jerusalem and from all of Judea and all
over the Jordan Valley went out to see
and hear John. 6And when they con
fessed their sins, he baptized them in
the Jordan River.
7But when he saw many Pharisees
and Sadducees coming to watch him
baptize, he denounced them. “You
brood of snakes!” he exclaimed. “Who
warned you to flee the coming wrath?
8Prove by the way you live that you
have repented of your sins and turned
to God. 9Don’t just say to each other,
‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of
Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell
you, God can create children of Abra
ham from these very stones. 10Even
now the ax of God’s judgment is poised,
ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes,
every tree that does not produce good
fruit will be chopped down and thrown
into the fire.
11“I baptize with water those who
repent of their sins and turn to God.
But someone is coming soon who is
greater than I am—so much greater
