---
title: "Matthew 3 – Catholic Bible (CPDV) & Latin Vulgate · Bless"
url: https://blessbible.app/bible/matthew/3/
description: "The preaching of John: Christ is baptized. Matthew 3 in the Catholic Public Domain Version, with the Latin Vulgate."
---

# Matthew 3

Matthew 3 is chapter 3 of 28 in the Gospel of Matthew. Here are all 17 verses in the Catholic Public Domain Version, with the Latin of the Clementine Vulgate beside them.

> The preaching of John: Christ is baptized.
>
> — Bp. Richard Challoner, chapter summary

## Matthew 3 (Catholic Public Domain Version)

1. Now in those days, John the Baptist arrived, preaching in the desert of Judea,
2. and saying: “Repent. For the kingdom of heaven has drawn near.”
3. For this is the one who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah, saying: “A voice crying out in the desert: Prepare the way of the Lord. Make straight his paths.”
4. Now the same John had a garment made from the hair of camels, and a leather belt around his waist. And his food was locusts and wild honey.
5. Then Jerusalem, and all Judea, and the entire region around the Jordan went out to him.
6. And they were baptized by him in the Jordan, acknowledging their sins.
7. Then, seeing many of the Pharisees and Sadducees arriving for his baptism, he said to them: “Progeny of vipers, who warned you to flee from the approaching wrath?
8. Therefore, produce fruit worthy of repentance.
9. And do not choose to say within yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that God has the power to raise up sons to Abraham from these stones.
10. For even now the axe has been placed at the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree that does not produce good fruit shall be cut down and cast into the fire.
11. Indeed, I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who will come after me is more powerful than me. I am not worthy to carry his shoes. He will baptize you with the fire of the Holy Spirit.
12. His winnowing fan is in his hand. And he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor. And he will gather his wheat into the barn. But the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
13. Then Jesus came from Galilee, to John at the Jordan, in order to be baptized by him.
14. But John refused him, saying, “I ought to be baptized by you, and yet you come to me?”
15. And responding, Jesus said to him: “Permit this for now. For in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all justice.” Then he allowed him.
16. And Jesus, having been baptized, ascended from the water immediately, and behold, the heavens were opened to him. And he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him.
17. And behold, there was a voice from heaven, saying: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

## Matthew 3 in Latin (Clementine Vulgate, 1592)

1. In diebus autem illis venit Joannes Baptista prædicans in deserto Judææ,
2. et dicens: Pœnitentiam agite: appropinquavit enim regnum cælorum.
3. Hic est enim, qui dictus est per Isaiam prophetam dicentem: Vox clamantis in deserto: Parate viam Domini; rectas facite semitas ejus.
4. Ipse autem Joannes habebat vestimentum de pilis camelorum, et zonam pelliceam circa lumbos suos: esca autem ejus erat locustæ, et mel silvestre.
5. Tunc exibat ad eum Jerosolyma, et omnis Judæa, et omnis regio circa Jordanem;
6. et baptizabantur ab eo in Jordane, confitentes peccata sua.
7. Videns autem multos pharisæorum, et sadducæorum, venientes ad baptismum suum, dixit eis: Progenies viperarum, quis demonstravit vobis fugere a ventura ira?
8. Facite ergo fructum dignum pœnitentiæ.
9. Et ne velitis dicere intra vos: Patrem habemus Abraham. Dico enim vobis quoniam potens est Deus de lapidibus istis suscitare filios Abrahæ.
10. Jam enim securis ad radicem arborum posita est. Omnis ergo arbor, quæ non facit fructum bonum, excidetur, et in ignem mittetur.
11. Ego quidem baptizo vos in aqua in pœnitentiam: qui autem post me venturus est, fortior me est, cujus non sum dignus calceamenta portare: ipse vos baptizabit in Spiritu Sancto, et igni.
12. Cujus ventilabrum in manu sua: et permundabit aream suam: et congregabit triticum suum in horreum, paleas autem comburet igni inextinguibili.
13. Tunc venit Jesus a Galilæa in Jordanem ad Joannem, ut baptizaretur ab eo.
14. Joannes autem prohibebat eum, dicens: Ego a te debeo baptizari, et tu venis ad me?
15. Respondens autem Jesus, dixit ei: Sine modo: sic enim decet nos implere omnem justitiam. Tunc dimisit eum.
16. Baptizatus autem Jesus, confestim ascendit de aqua, et ecce aperti sunt ei cæli: et vidit Spiritum Dei descendentem sicut columbam, et venientem super se.
17. Et ecce vox de cælis dicens: Hic est Filius meus dilectus, in quo mihi complacui.

## Catechism of the Catholic Church

Paragraph numbers and the Catechism's own section headings (never quoted); text at vatican.va.
- CCC ¶ 523: The Mysteries of Christ's Life ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- CCC ¶ 535: The Mysteries of Christ's Life ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- CCC ¶ 678: To Judge the Living and the Dead ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- cf. CCC ¶ 1223: Baptism in the Economy of Salvation ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- cf. CCC ¶ 1286: Confirmation in the Economy of Salvation ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- CCC ¶ 608: Jesus Died Crucified ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- CCC ¶ 536: The Mysteries of Christ's Life ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- CCC ¶ 1224: Baptism in the Economy of Salvation ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- cf. CCC ¶ 701: The Name, Titles, and Symbols of the Holy Spirit ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- cf. CCC ¶ 444: The Only Son of God ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- cf. CCC ¶ 713: God's Spirit and Word in the Time of the Promises ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))

## The saints

- “Repent. For the kingdom of heaven has drawn near.” — St. John the Baptist, Matthew 3:2 (CPDV), c. 30 (On this theme: verse 2)

## Bishop Challoner's notes

Bp. Richard Challoner, notes on the Douay-Rheims (1750); they comment on its older wording.
- Verse 2: Paenitentiam agite. Which word, according to the use of the scriptures and the holy fathers, does not only signify repentance and amendment of life, but also punishing past sins by fasting, and such like penitential exercises.
- Verse 7: “Pharisees and Sadducees” … These were two sects among the Jews: of which the former were for the most part notorious hypocrites; the latter, a kind of freethinkers in matters of religion.

## Read at Mass (US)

- Sun, Dec 10, 2028 (computed): Second Sunday of Advent — Gospel, Matthew 3:1-12

Dates after May 31, 2027 are computed by Bless from the US Lectionary cycle — confirm with your parish.

Source: Catholic Public Domain Version (Ronald L. Conte Jr., 2009), public domain; Latin: Clementine Vulgate (1592).