Matthew 3
Christian Standard Bible
The Herald of the Messiah
3 In those days John the Baptist came,(A) preaching in the wilderness of Judea(B) 2 and saying, “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has come near!” (C) 3 For he is the one spoken of through the prophet Isaiah, who said:
A voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
Prepare the way for the Lord;
make his paths straight
4 Now John had a camel-hair garment with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then people from Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the vicinity of the Jordan were going out to him, 6 and they were baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.(E)
7 When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees(F) coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?(G) 8 Therefore produce fruit(H) consistent with[b] repentance. 9 And don’t presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’(I) For I tell you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones. 10 The ax is already at the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.(J)
11 “I baptize you with[c] water for repentance,(K) but the one who is coming after me is more powerful than I. I am not worthy to remove[d] his sandals. He himself will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.(L) 12 His winnowing shovel is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn. But the chaff he will burn with fire that never goes out.”(M)
The Baptism of Jesus
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him.(N) 14 But John tried to stop him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you come to me?”
15 Jesus answered him, “Allow it for now, because this is the way for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John allowed him to be baptized.
16 When Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water. The heavens(O) suddenly opened for him,[e] and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on him.(P) 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased.”(Q)
Psalm 115
Christian Standard Bible
Psalm 115
Glory to God Alone
1 Not to us, Lord, not to us,
but to your name give glory
because of your faithful love, because of your truth.(A)
2 Why should the nations say,
“Where is their God?” (B)
3 Our God is in heaven
and does whatever he pleases.(C)
4 Their idols are silver and gold,
made by human hands.(D)
5 They have mouths but cannot speak,
eyes, but cannot see.
6 They have ears but cannot hear,
noses, but cannot smell.(E)
7 They have hands but cannot feel,
feet, but cannot walk.(F)
They cannot make a sound with their throats.(G)
8 Those who make them are[a] just like them,
as are all who trust in them.(H)
9 Israel,[b] trust in the Lord!(I)
He is their help and shield.(J)
10 House of Aaron, trust in the Lord!(K)
He is their help and shield.(L)
11 You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord!(M)
He is their help and shield.
12 The Lord remembers us and will bless us.
He will bless the house of Israel;
he will bless the house of Aaron;(N)
13 he will bless those who fear the Lord—
small and great alike.(O)
14 May the Lord add to your numbers,
both yours and your children’s.(P)
15 May you be blessed by the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.(Q)
16 The heavens are the Lord’s,[c]
but the earth he has given to the human race.(R)
17 It is not the dead who praise the Lord,
nor any of those descending into the silence of death.(S)
18 But we will bless the Lord,
both now and forever.(T)
Hallelujah!
Proverbs 14:17-18
Christian Standard Bible
17 A quick-tempered person acts foolishly,
and one who schemes is hated.(A)
18 The inexperienced inherit foolishness,
but the sensible are crowned with knowledge.
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
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