MAT 3:14 Parallel Verse View

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Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT But John was hindering him, saying, “I have need to be baptized by you, and yet you come to me?”

UST However, John did not want to baptize him. He said to Jesus, “You should not want me to baptize you. Actually, I need you to baptize me!”

BLB But John was hindering Him, saying, "I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?"

AICNT But [John][fn] tried to prevent him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?”

3:14, John: Absent from some manuscripts which read “he.” ℵ(01) B(03)

OEB But John tried to prevent him.
¶ ‘I need to be baptised by you,’ he said, ‘so why have you come to me?’

WEBBE But John would have hindered him, saying, “I need to be baptised by you, and you come to me?”

WMBB But Yochanan would have hindered him, saying, “I need to be immersed by you, and you come to me?”

NET But John tried to prevent him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you come to me?”

LSV but John was forbidding Him, saying, “I have need to be immersed by You—and You come to me?”

FBV But John tried to change his mind. He told Jesus, “I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me to baptize you?”

TCNT But John tried to prevent him, saying, “I need to be baptized by yoʋ, and yet yoʋ are coming to me?”

T4T When Jesus asked John to baptize him, John objected, saying, “I need to be baptized by you {you to baptize me} because you are superior to me. Since you are not a sinner, ◄you(sg) should not come to me to be baptized by me {to ask that I baptize you(sg)}!/why do you come to me to be baptized by me {ask that I baptize you(sg)} [RHQ]?►”

LEB But John tried to prevent[fn] him, saying, “_⌊I need_⌋[fn] to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”

3:14 *The imperfect verb is understood as conative (“tried to”)

3:14 Literally “I have need”

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

Moff John tried to prevent him; "I need to get baptized by you," he said, "and you come to me!"

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

ASV But John would have hindered him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?

DRA But John stayed him, saying: I ought to be baptized by thee, and comest thou to me?

YLT but John was forbidding him, saying, 'I have need by thee to be baptized — and thou dost come unto me!'

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

RV But John would have hindered him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
(But John would have hindered him, saying, I have need to be baptised of thee/you, and comest/come thou/you to me? )

SLT And John hindered him, saying, I have need to be immersed by thee, and dost thou come to me?

Wbstr But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized by thee, and comest thou to me?

KJB-1769 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
(But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptised of thee/you, and comest/come thou/you to me? )

KJB-1611 But Iohn forbade him, saying, I haue need to bee baptized of thee, and commest thou to me?
(But Yohn forbade him, saying, I have need to be baptised of thee/you, and comest/come thou/you to me?)

Bshps But Iohn forbad hym, saying. I haue nede to be baptized of thee, and commest thou to me?
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Gnva But Iohn earnestly put him backe, saying, I haue neede to be baptized of thee, and commest thou to me?
(But Yohn earnestly put him back, saying, I have need to be baptised of thee/you, and comest/come thou/you to me? )

Cvdl But Iho forbade hym, saynge: I haue nede to be baptysed of the: and commest thou to me?
(But Iho forbade him, saying: I have need to be baptised of them: and comest/come thou/you to me?)

TNT But Ihon forbade hym saynge: I ought to be baptysed of the: and comest thou to me?
(But Yohn forbade him saying: I ought to be baptised of them: and comest/come thou/you to me? )

Wycl And Joon forbede him, and seide, Y owe to be baptisid of thee, and thou comest to me?
(And Yohn forbid him, and said, I owe to be baptised of thee/you, and thou/you comest/come to me?)

Luth Aber Johannes wehrete ihm und sprach: Ich bedarf wohl, daß ich von dir getauft werde, und du kommest zu mir?
(But Yohannes fought_back him and spoke: I requirement/demand probably/well, that I from you/to_you(sg) baptised become, and you(sg) come to/for to_me?)

ClVg Joannes autem prohibebat eum, dicens: Ego a te debeo baptizari, et tu venis ad me?
(Yoannes however prohibebat him, saying: I from you(sg) debeo baptizari, and you(sg) you_come to me? )

UGNT ὁ δὲ Ἰωάννης διεκώλυεν αὐτὸν λέγων, ἐγὼ χρείαν ἔχω ὑπὸ σοῦ βαπτισθῆναι, καὶ σὺ ἔρχῃ πρός με?
(ho de Yōannaʸs diekōluen auton legōn, egō ⱪreian eⱪō hupo sou baptisthaʸnai, kai su erⱪaʸ pros me?)

SBL-GNT ὁ δὲ ⸀Ἰωάννης διεκώλυεν αὐτὸν λέγων· Ἐγὼ χρείαν ἔχω ὑπὸ σοῦ βαπτισθῆναι, καὶ σὺ ἔρχῃ πρός με;
(ho de ⸀Yōannaʸs diekōluen auton legōn; Egō ⱪreian eⱪō hupo sou baptisthaʸnai, kai su erⱪaʸ pros me;)

RP-GNT Ὁ δὲ Ἰωάννης διεκώλυεν αὐτόν, λέγων, Ἐγὼ χρείαν ἔχω ὑπὸ σοῦ βαπτισθῆναι, καὶ σὺ ἔρχῃ πρός με;
(Ho de Yōannaʸs diekōluen auton, legōn, Egō ⱪreian eⱪō hupo sou baptisthaʸnai, kai su erⱪaʸ pros me;)

TC-GNT Ὁ δὲ [fn]Ἰωάννης διεκώλυεν αὐτόν, λέγων, Ἐγὼ χρείαν ἔχω ὑπὸ σοῦ βαπτισθῆναι, καὶ σὺ ἔρχῃ πρός με;
(Ho de Yōannaʸs diekōluen auton, legōn, Egō ⱪreian eⱪō hupo sou baptisthaʸnai, kai su erⱪaʸ pros me; )

3:14 ιωαννης ¦ — WH

Key for above GNTs: red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 3:13–17: John baptized Jesus

In this section, Jesus came to John the Baptist and asked John to baptize him. John thought that the man who was greater (Jesus) should baptize the man who was not as great (John). This is why John at first did not think that it was right for him to baptize Jesus. But Jesus said that it was the right thing at that time. So John agreed to do it.

Here are some other possible headings for this section:

The Baptism of Jesus (NIV)

Jesus is Baptized by John (NCV)

John baptizes Jesus (GW)

There are parallel passages for this section in Mark 1:9–11 and Luke 3:21–22.

3:14a

But John tried to prevent Him, saying,

But John refused. He said,
But John did not want to baptize Jesus. He said to him,

But: There is a contrast between 3:13b and 3:14a. The contrast is between what Jesus wanted and what John wanted. Many English versions indicate this contrast by translating the Greek conjunction here with the English conjunction “But.”

John tried to prevent Him: The Greek verb that the BSB translates as tried to prevent refers to attempting to stop something from happening. John did not want to baptize Jesus because he felt unworthy.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

John tried to make him change his mind (GNT)

John did not want/agree to do it

John refused

saying: The verb saying introduces a direct quote. For examples of how this can be translated with an indirect quotation, see the General Comment following the note on 3:14c.

3:14b

“I need to be baptized by You,

“I am the one who needs to be baptized by you!
“It is you who should baptize me!

I need to be baptized by You: John thought that Jesus should baptize him. He understood that Jesus was the Messiah/Christ and was much greater than he.

The pronouns I and You are emphasized in the Greek. If you have a way to emphasize these pronouns in a natural way, you should do so. Some examples are below.

The verb baptized is passive. Here are some other ways to translate this verb:

As a passive verb. For example:
I ought to be baptized by you (CEV)
I am the one who needs to be baptized by you (NLT)
As an active verb. For example:
I need you to baptize me.
On the contrary you are the one who ought to baptize me.
It is I who need baptism from you

You: The pronoun You is singular and refers to Jesus.

3:14c

and do You come to me?”

Why do you come to me to be baptized?” (NCV)
I am surprised that you are coming to me.”
You should not come to me to be baptized!”

do You come to me?: This is a rhetorical question. It expresses both surprise and protest. John was surprised that Jesus would ask him to baptize him, and he tried to prevent it.

Here are some other ways to translate this surprise and protest:

As a rhetorical question. For example:
What? You are coming to me to be baptized?
Why do you come to me for baptism?
As a statement. For example:
You should not be coming to me to get baptized!
No, no, no! It is not proper that you come to me to baptize you!

Translate this surprise and protest in a way that is natural in your language.

You…me: As in the previous clause (3:14b), the Greek words for the pronouns You and me in this clause are emphatic. In your language, you will want to translate them here in a way that is consistent with 3:14b.

General Comment on 3:14b–c

In some languages, it will be more natural to put the rhetorical question in 3:14c before 3:14b. For example:

^14c What? You are coming to me to be baptized? ^14bIt is I who should be baptized by you!

General Comment on 3:14a–c

Verse 3:14 is a direct quotation. In some languages, it is more natural to translate this as an indirect quotation, For example:

^14aBut John tried to deter him by saying that ^14bhe needed to be baptized by Jesus. ^14cHe told him that he was surprised that Jesus had come to him for baptism.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

διεκώλυεν αὐτὸν

˓was˒_forbidding (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὁ Δέ διεκώλυεν αὐτόν λέγων Ἐγώ χρείαν ἔχω ὑπό σοῦ βαπτισθῆναι καί σύ ἔρχῃ πρός μέ)

Matthew means that John did not want to baptize Jesus and tried to stop Jesus from asking him to do it. You could include this information if that would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [was trying to prevent Jesus from wanting to be baptized] or [was resisting Jesus’ request to be baptized]

Note 2 topic: writing-quotations

λέγων

saying

Consider natural ways of introducing direct quotations in your language. Alternate translation: [and he declared]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

ὑπὸ σοῦ βαπτισθῆναι

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὁ Δέ διεκώλυεν αὐτόν λέγων Ἐγώ χρείαν ἔχω ὑπό σοῦ βαπτισθῆναι καί σύ ἔρχῃ πρός μέ)

If your language does not use this passive form, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: [for you to baptize me]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / yousingular

σοῦ & σὺ

you & (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὁ Δέ διεκώλυεν αὐτόν λέγων Ἐγώ χρείαν ἔχω ὑπό σοῦ βαπτισθῆναι καί σύ ἔρχῃ πρός μέ)

Since John is speaking to Jesus, the word you is singular throughout this verse.

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

καὶ σὺ ἔρχῃ πρός με?

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὁ Δέ διεκώλυεν αὐτόν λέγων Ἐγώ χρείαν ἔχω ὑπό σοῦ βαπτισθῆναι καί σύ ἔρχῃ πρός μέ)

John is using the question form to show surprise at Jesus’ request to be baptized. He wants to show that the request does not make sense. If you would not use the question form for this purpose in your language, you could translate this as a statement or an exclamation. Alternate translation: [so you should not come to me!] or [so it does not make sense for you to come to me.]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ἔρχῃ πρός με

˓are˒_coming to (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὁ Δέ διεκώλυεν αὐτόν λέγων Ἐγώ χρείαν ἔχω ὑπό σοῦ βαπτισθῆναι καί σύ ἔρχῃ πρός μέ)