ris3n's Apologetics Codex

Passage

Matthew 3.16

Book: Matthew · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

Immediate context (±2 verses)

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ASV (ASV)

"14. But John would have hindered him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? 15. But Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffereth him."

"16. And Jesus when he was baptized, went up straightway from the water: and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon him;"

"17. and lo, a voice out of the heavens, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (Matthew 3:14-17, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"14. But John would have hindered him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?” 15. But Jesus, answering, said to him, “Allow it now, for this is the fitting way for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed him."

"16. Jesus, when he was baptized, went up directly from the water: and behold, the heavens were opened to him. He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming on him."

"17. Behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”" (Matthew 3:14-17, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"14. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? 15. And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him."

"16. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:"

"17. And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (Matthew 3:14-17, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"14. but John was forbidding him, saying, 'I have need by thee to be baptized, and thou dost come unto me!' 15. But Jesus answering said to him, 'Suffer now, for thus it is becoming to us to fulfil all righteousness,' then he doth suffer him."

"16. And having been baptized, Jesus went up immediately from the water, and lo, opened to him were the heavens, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon him,"

"17. and lo, a voice out of the heavens, saying, 'This is My Son, the Beloved, in whom I did delight.'" (Matthew 3:14-17, YLT)

Setting

  • Speaker: Matthew (traditionally) the tax-collector-apostle / narrator + Jesus's direct teaching
  • Audience: Jewish-Christian audience (heavy OT-fulfillment emphasis)
  • Location: first-century Palestine (events); possibly Antioch (composition)
  • Time period: events c. 4 BC, AD 30/33; composed c. AD 60-80

Theological reading

Key words

Quoted in

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

  • ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
  • WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
  • KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
  • YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.