But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?”
Parallel translations
- WEB But John would have hindered him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?”
- KJV But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
- NKJV And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?”
- NASB But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I have the need to be baptized by You, and yet You are coming to me?”
- NLT But John tried to talk him out of it. “I am the one who needs to be baptized by you,” he said, “so why are you coming to me?”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
John tries to prevent it, saying he needs to be baptized by Jesus. He recognizes Jesus' superiority.
Overview
John rightly perceives that Jesus is the greater One and that the roles seem reversed. His protest highlights both his humility and his recognition of Jesus' sinlessness and authority. The exchange underscores the unique nature of what Jesus is about to do.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- John 3:3–7Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”
- John 13:6–8He came to Simon Peter, who asked Him, “Lord, are You going to wash my feet?”
- Acts 1:5–8For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
- Gal 4:6And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”
- Eph 2:3–5All of us also lived among them at one time, fulfilling the cravings of our flesh and indulging its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature children of wrath.
- Luke 1:43And why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
- Gal 3:22But the Scripture pronounces all things confined by sin, so that by faith in Jesus Christ the promise might be given to those who believe.
- Rom 3:25God presented Him as the atoning sacrifice through faith in His blood, in order to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had passed over the sins committed beforehand.
- Gal 3:27–29For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
- John 1:16From His fullness we have all received grace upon grace.
- Rom 3:23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
- Rev 7:9–17After this I looked and saw a multitude too large to count, from every nation and tribe and people and tongue, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 3:14 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.