Matthew 3:14

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

King James Version (KJV)

Other Translations

But Iohn forbade him, saying, I haue need to bee baptized of thee, and commest thou to me?
- King James Version (1611) - View 1611 Bible Scan

But John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?"
- New American Standard Version (1995)

But John would have hindered him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
- American Standard Version (1901)

But John would have kept him back, saying, It is I who have need of baptism from you, and do you come to me?
- Basic English Bible

but John urgently forbad him, saying, *I* have need to be baptised of thee; and comest *thou* to me?
- Darby Bible

But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized by thee, and comest thou to me?
- Webster's Bible

John protested. "It is I," he said, "who have need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?"
- Weymouth Bible

But John would have hindered him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?"
- World English Bible

And Joon forbede him, and seide, Y owe to be baptisid of thee, and thou comest to me?
- Wycliffe Bible

but John was forbidding him, saying, `I have need by thee to be baptized -- and thou dost come unto me!'
- Youngs Literal Bible

Bible commentary

Wesley's Notes for Matthew 3:14


3:12 Whose fan - That is, the word of the Gospel. His floor - That is, his Church, which is now covered with a mixture of wheat and chaff. He will gather the wheat into the garner - Will lay up those who are truly good in heaven.

3:13 #Mark 1:9; Luke 3:21|

3:15 It becometh us to fulfil all righteousness - It becometh every messenger of God to observe all his righteous ordinances. But the particular meaning of our Lord seems to be, that it becometh us to do (me to receive baptism, and you to administer it) in order to fulfil, that is, that I may fully perform every part of the righteous law of God, and the commission he hath given me.

3:16 And Jesus being baptized - Let our Lord's submitting to baptism teach us a holy exactness in the observance of those institutions which owe their obligation merely to a Divine command. Surely thus it becometh all his followers to fulfil all righteousness. Jesus had no sin to wash away. And yet he was baptized. And God owned his ordinance, so as to make it the season of pouring forth the Holy Spirit upon him. And where can we expect this sacred effusion, but in an humble attendance on Divine appointments? Lo, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God - St. Luke adds, in a bodily form - Probably in a glorious appearance of fire, perhaps in the shape of a dove, descending with a hovering motion, till it rested upon him. This was a visible token of those secret operations of the blessed Spirit, by which he was anointed in a peculiar manner; and abundantly fitted for his public work.


People's Bible Notes for Matthew 3:14


Mt 3:14 John forbad him. The objection that John made to the baptism of Christ implies some knowledge of him. Their mothers were cousins, but there is no evidence that Jesus and John had ever met. The Spirit had told John to proclaim the Redeemer and had given him a sign by which he should know him. When Jesus came before him, he perhaps knew, by the Spirit, his purity, and may have believed that he was the Messiah, but as yet he "knew him not" (Joh 1:33). He could not be certain until he saw the Divine sign. I have need to be baptized of thee. These words were uttered under the conviction, not certainty, that Jesus was the Christ.

Discussion for Matthew 3:14

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