Matthew 3:2
New International Version
and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

New Living Translation
“Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”

English Standard Version
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Berean Standard Bible
and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”

Berean Literal Bible
and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of the heavens has drawn near."

King James Bible
And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

New King James Version
and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”

New American Standard Bible
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

NASB 1995
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

NASB 1977
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Legacy Standard Bible
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Amplified Bible
“Repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret past sins, live your life in a way that proves repentance; seek God’s purpose for your life], for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Christian Standard Bible
and saying, “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has come near! ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
and saying, “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has come near!”

American Standard Version
Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And he said, “Return to God, the Kingdom of Heaven has come near.”

Contemporary English Version
He said, "Turn back to God! The kingdom of heaven will soon be here."

Douay-Rheims Bible
And saying: Do penance: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

English Revised Version
saying, Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"Turn to God and change the way you think and act, because the kingdom of heaven is near."

Good News Translation
"Turn away from your sins," he said, "because the Kingdom of heaven is near!"

International Standard Version
"Repent, because the kingdom from heaven is near!"

Literal Standard Version
and saying, “Convert, for the kingdom of the heavens has come near,”

Majority Standard Bible
and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”

New American Bible
[and] saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”

NET Bible
"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."

New Revised Standard Version
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

New Heart English Bible
and saying "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."

Webster's Bible Translation
And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Weymouth New Testament
"Repent," he said, "for the Kingdom of the Heavens is now close at hand."

World English Bible
“Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!”

Young's Literal Translation
and saying, 'Reform, for come nigh hath the reign of the heavens,'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Mission of John the Baptist
1In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea 2and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” 3This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.’ ”…

Cross References
Daniel 2:44
In the days of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will shatter all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, but will itself stand forever.

Matthew 4:17
From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."

Matthew 4:23
Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.

Matthew 6:10
Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Matthew 10:7
As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near.'

Mark 1:15
"The time is fulfilled," He said, "and the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe in the gospel!"

Luke 1:16
Many of the sons of Israel he will turn back to the Lord their God.


Treasury of Scripture

And saying, Repent you: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Repent.

Matthew 4:17
From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Matthew 11:20
Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not:

Matthew 12:41
The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.

for.

Matthew 5:3,10,19,20
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven…

Matthew 6:10,33
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven…

Matthew 10:7
And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

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Matthew 3
1. John preaches: his office, life, and baptism.
7. He reprimands the Pharisees,
13. and baptizes Jesus in Jordan.














(2) Repent.--Etymologically, the word "repent," which has as its root-meaning the sense of pain, is hardly adequate as a rendering for the Greek word, which implies change of mind and purpose. In the Greek version of the Old Testament, the word is used of divine rather than human repentance, i.e., of a change of purpose implying pity and regret (1Samuel 15:29; Jeremiah 4:28; Jeremiah 18:8). In Wisdom Of Solomon 5:3; Ecclesiasticus 17:24; Ecclesiasticus 48:15, it includes the sorrow out of which the change comes. . . . Verse 2. - And (omitted by the Revised Version) saying. The parallel passages give the substance of John's preaching - the baptism of repentance. St. Matthew takes, as it seems, a sentence that actually fell from his lips, and presents it as the kernel of his message ("preaching... saying"). This is the more interesting as nowhere else are we told any words uttered by him in this the first stage of his ministry before crowds flocked to hear him. Repent ye... at hand; said word for word by our Lord (Matthew 4:17, note). Repent ye (μετανοεῖτε) . The word expresses the central thought of true repentance, in speaking, as it does, of a change of mind. Contrast μεταμέλεσθαι (Matthew 27:3; 2 Corinthians 7:8-10). As such it goes deeper than the Old Testament summons "Turn ye" (שובו), or the rabbinic תשובה, for it points out in what part of man the alteration must be. (On your meaning more than the mere thinking power, and including also the willing faculty, cf. especially Delitzsch, 'Psych.,' p. 211, etc., Eng. trans., 1875.) It is noticeable that the LXX. never, as it seems, translate שוב by μετανοῖν, but often נחם (of man only in Jeremiah 8:6; Jeremiah 31:19; and possibly Joel 2:14; cf. 1 Samuel 15:29), which refers to repentance as a matter of feeling. As Messiah was coming, it was only natural that John should urge repentance. Similarly, we find late Jewish writers expounding Genesis 1:2, "'And the Spirit of God was moving [on the face of the waters].' This is the Spirit of King Messiah, like that which is said in Isaiah 11:2, 'And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him.' By what kind of merit does it draw near and come? It says, 'upon the face of the waters.' By the merit of repentance, which is compared to water, as it is written (Lain. 2:19), 'Pour out thy heart like water'" ('Bresh. R.,' § 2). But, unfortunately, they assign far too legal a meaning to the word, and their phrase, "do repentance" (עשה תשובה), becomes almost identical with the "do penance" (poeni-tentiam agite, Vulgate) of the Roman Catholics (cf. Talm. Dab., 'Sanh.,' 97 b). For the kingdom of heaven (see Introduction, p. 22.).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

saying,
λέγων (legōn)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3004: (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.

“Repent,
Μετανοεῖτε (Metanoeite)
Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 3340: From meta and noieo; to think differently or afterwards, i.e. Reconsider.

for
γὰρ (gar)
Conjunction
Strong's 1063: For. A primary particle; properly, assigning a reason.

the
(hē)
Article - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

kingdom
βασιλεία (basileia)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 932: From basileus; properly, royalty, i.e. rule, or a realm.

of
τῶν (tōn)
Article - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

heaven
οὐρανῶν (ouranōn)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3772: Perhaps from the same as oros; the sky; by extension, heaven; by implication, happiness, power, eternity; specially, the Gospel.

is near.”
ἤγγικεν (ēngiken)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1448: Trans: I bring near; intrans: I come near, approach. From eggus; to make near, i.e. approach.


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NT Gospels: Matthew 3:2 Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven (Matt. Mat Mt)
Matthew 3:1
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