Matthew 3:5

An Understandable Version (2005 edition)

[People from] Jerusalem and all over Judea and the region around the Jordan River all went out [to the desert] to [hear] him,

Cross References

Mark 1:5

And people from throughout all the regions of Judea and all of Jerusalem went out to John [in the desert]. And he immersed them in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins.

John 5:35

John was the lamp that was burning and glowing and you people were willing to enjoy the light that he projected for awhile.

John 3:23

John [the Immerser] was also immersing people in Aenon, near Salem [Note: These locations are thought to have been in northeastern Judea, near the Jordan River], because there was a lot of water there; so people were coming to be immersed.

Luke 16:16

The Law of Moses and the prophets prophesied [See Matt. 11:13] until [the time of] John [the Immerser]. From that time onward the good news of the [coming] kingdom of God is [being] preached, and everyone is [attempting to] enter it forcibly [i.e., before its appointed time. See Acts 1:6-7].

Luke 3:7

He said to the crowds of people that went out [to the desert] to be immersed by him, “You children of snakes, who warned you to run away from the coming wrath [of God]?

Matthew 4:25

Large crowds followed Him from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and from beyond [i.e., the east side of] the Jordan River.

Matthew 2:1

Now Jesus was born in Bethlehem [a small town] in Judea during the time when Herod [the Great] was king [of Judea]. About that time some astrologer/sages from the east [i.e., Persia] came to Jerusalem, saying,

Luke 3:3

He went into the whole region around the Jordan River proclaiming that those immersed on the basis of their repentance [i.e., determining to change their hearts and lives] would receive the forgiveness of sins [from God].