Luke 3:3

3 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming ¹a baptism of repentance ²for the forgiveness of sins.

Luke 3:3 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 3:3

And he came into all the country about Jordan
He came out of the wilderness of Judea, where he first began his ministry, to some parts of the country that bordered on Jordan, and was near unto it, on either side the river; sometimes he was at Bethabara, and sometimes at Aenon, near Salim; for he did not take a tour round about all, the country that encompassed Jordan, but being at it, or in places adjacent to it, all the country round about came to him; see ( Matthew 3:5 ) .

Preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins:
this was the work and office of John, as signified by Elias, in ( Malachi 4:5 Malachi 4:6 ) the Jews say ^F14,

``the Israelites will not repent, till Elias comes; as it is said, ( Malachi 4:5 Malachi 4:6 ) in the land of Israel repentance delights.''

John came into this land, preaching this doctrine; (See Gill on Mark 1:4).

---

FOOTNOTES:

F14 Pirke Eliezer, c. 44.

Luke 3:3 In-Context

1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,

2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness.

3 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways,

Cross References

• 1. Acts 2:38
• 2. Matthew 26:28; [Luke 1:77]