24-00
John Baptizes Jesus
This title can also be translated as: “About what happened when John the Baptist baptized Jesus” or “What happened when John the Baptist baptized Jesus?”
24-01
John, the son of Zechariah and Elizabeth, grew up and became a prophet.
This introduces a new event—John preaching as an adult. (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/writing-newevent/01.md]])
He lived in the wilderness, ate wild honey and locusts, and wore clothes made from camel hair
This is background information about how John lived. (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/writing-background/01.md]])
the wilderness
This could mean the desert or a remote, desert-like place. There were few people living out in this area.
wild honey
This honey was the natural product of bees in the wilderness; it was not cultivated by people. If that is what people would understand by the word honey, you may not need to call it wild.
locusts
These were large, hopping insects with wings, like very large grasshoppers. Some people who live in the desert eat them.
wore clothes made from camel hair
This clothing symbolizes that John was a prophet like the prophets from long ago, especially the prophet Elijah. (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/translate-symaction/01.md]])
clothes made from camel hair
This could mean coarse clothes made of camel hair. These clothes would not quickly wear out in the wilderness as other clothes would.
camel hair
A camel is an animal that has very rough hair. People could make clothing out of it. This could be translated as: “rough animal hair.”
24-02
the wilderness
See how you translated this word in 24:01.
He preached to them, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of God is near!”
This is direct quotation. It can also be stated as an indirect quotation: “He preached to them, telling them to repent, for the kingdom of God was near!” (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/figs-quotations/01.md]])
Repent, for the kingdom of God is near!
This sentence emphasizes the urgent reason for them to repent—the kingdom of God was near! (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/figs-exclamations/01.md]])
Repent
This is a command. It might be better to say: “Repent from your sins.”
the kingdom of God is near
This could mean the kingdom of God is ready to appear or the kingdom of God will arrive soon. This refers to God’s ruling over people. This can also be translated as: “God’s reign is about to begin” or “God will soon rule over us as king.”
24-03
When people heard John’s message, many of them repented from their sins, and John baptized them
The connecting word When introduces a sequential clause. First, they heard John’s message, then they would repent and John would baptize them. (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/grammar-connect-time-sequential/01.md]])
repented from their sins
This could also be translated as: “repented concerning their sins” or “changed their minds about their sins” or “turned away from their sins.”
did not repent
This could mean did not turn away from their sins.
confess their sins
To confess is to acknowledge that something is true. These leaders did not want to acknowledge that they had sinned. This may be translated as: “confess that they had sinned.”
24-04
You poisonous snakes
John speaks of the religious leaders as if they were poisonous snakes. Poisonous snakes are dangerous and represent evil. Alternate translation: “You are evil like poisonous snakes!” (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/figs-metaphor/01.md]])
God will cut down every tree that does not bear good fruit, and he will throw them into the fire
John speaks of the religious leaders as if they were trees that bear bad fruit. This metaphor means God is ready to punish sinners. Alternate translation: “God has his axe and he is ready to cut down and burn any tree that grows bad fruit” or “As a person gets his axe ready to cut down and burn a tree that grows bad fruit, God is ready to punish you for your sins” (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/figs-metaphor/01.md]])
God will cut down every tree that does not bear good fruit, and he will throw them into the fire
This means: He will judge them person who does not do good deeds and punish them.
every tree that does not bear good fruit
John is not really talking about trees. This is an expression that compares good fruit to good actions and attitudes that come from God.
John fulfilled what the prophets had said, “See, I will soon send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way.”
In some languages it would be more natural to use an indirect quote for this sentence, such as: John fulfilled what the prophets had said. They told of God’s promise to send his messenger ahead of Jesus to prepare his way.
John fulfilled
This could mean John was doing what the prophet said God’s messenger would do.
See
This could be translated as: “Look and see” or “Pay attention!”
my messenger
This could mean I, Yahweh, will send my messenger.
ahead of you
In this phrase, the word you refers to the Messiah.
prepare your way
God’s messenger will prepare the people to listen to the Messiah.
24-05
He is so great
This could be translated as: “He is so important.”
I am not even worthy to untie his sandals
Untying the straps of sandals was a duty of a slave. John was saying that the one who would come is so great that John was not even worthy to be his slave. (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/figs-explicit/01.md]])
24-06
Look!
This sentence emphasizes the importance of the statement that follows. (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/figs-exclamations/01.md]])
There is
For some languages, this would be translated as: “Here is” or “That man is.”
the Lamb of God
John speaks of Jesus as if Jesus is a lamb from God. This is a metaphor that represents God’s perfect sacrifice. Jesus is called the “Lamb of God” because he was sacrificed to pay for people’s sins. (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/figs-metaphor/01.md]])
will take away
The sacrifice of Jesus causes God to look at our sin as if it never existed.
world
The word world is a metonym and refers to all the people in the world. Alternate translation: “all the people in the world” or “every person in the world” (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/figs-metonymy/01.md]])
the sin of the world
This could mean the sin of the people in the world.
24-07
John said to Jesus, “I am not worthy to baptize you. You should baptize me instead.”
This is direct quotation. It can also be stated as an indirect quotation: “John told Jesus that he was not worthy to baptize him, but that Jesus should baptize John instead.” (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/figs-quotations/01.md]])
I am not worthy to baptize you
This could be translated as: “I am not good enough to baptize you” or “I am sinful, so I should not baptize you.”
But Jesus said, “You should baptize me, because it is the right thing to do.”
This is direct quotation. It can also be stated as an indirect quotation: “But Jesus said that John should baptize him because it was the right thing to do.” (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/figs-quotations/01.md]])
it is the right thing to do
This might also be translated as: “it is the proper thing to do” or “this is what God wants me to do.”
even though Jesus had never sinned
The connecting words even though introduce a factual condition. Baptism is sign of repentance, but Jesus never sinned, so he had no need to repent. Jesus’ sinlessness was not questioned even though the evidence, his baptism, would seem to say he had repented of sin. (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/grammar-connect-condition-fact/01.md]])
24-08
after being baptized
This can be stated in active form: “After John baptized Jesus” (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/figs-activepassive/01.md]])
Spirit of God appeared in the form of a dove and came down and rested on him
Possible meanings are 1. this is a simile, and the Spirit descended upon Jesus as a bird descends from the sky toward the ground or 2. the Spirit literally looked like a dove as he descended upon Jesus. (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/figs-simile/01.md]])
This is my Son
This is an important title for Jesus. (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/guidelines-sonofgodprinciples/01.md]])
24-09
God had told John, “The Holy Spirit will come down and stay on someone you baptize. That person is the Son of God.”
This is direct quotation. It can also be stated as an indirect quotation: “God had told John that the Holy Spirit would come down and stay on someone he baptized, and that that person would be the Son of God.” (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/figs-quotations/01.md]])
God had told John
This could mean Before this, God had told John or Before Jesus came to be baptized, God had told John.
Son of God
This is an important title for Jesus. (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/guidelines-sonofgodprinciples/01.md]])
But when John baptized Jesus
The connecting word But contrasts the fact that there is only one God, with the fact that there is God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/grammar-connect-logic-contrast/01.md]])
A Bible story from
These references may be slightly different in some Bible translations.