Matthew 3:8

Amplified Bible

"So produce fruit that is consistent with repentance [demonstrating new behavior that proves a change of heart, and a conscious decision to turn away from sin];

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Therefore produce fruit consistent with repentance.

King James Version (1611)
Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance.

King James Version
Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:

English Standard Version
Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.

New American Standard Bible
"Therefore produce fruit consistent with repentance;

New Century Version
Do the things that show you really have changed your hearts and lives.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Bring foorth therefore fruite worthy amendement of life.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance;

Legacy Standard Bible
Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance;

Berean Standard Bible
Produce fruit worthy of repentance.

Contemporary English Version
Do something to show that you have really given up your sins.

Complete Jewish Bible
If you have really turned from your sins to God, produce fruit that will prove it!

Darby Translation
Produce therefore fruit worthy of repentance.

Easy-to-Read Version
Change your hearts! And show by the way you live that you have changed.

George Lamsa Translation
Bring forth therefore fruits which are worthy of repentance;

Good News Translation
Do those things that will show that you have turned from your sins.

Lexham English Bible
Therefore produce fruit worthy of repentance!

Literal Translation
Therefore, bring forth fruits worthy of repentance.

American Standard Version
Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of repentance:

Bible in Basic English
Let your change of heart be seen in your works:

Hebrew Names Version
Therefore bring forth fruit worthy of repentance!

International Standard Version
Produce fruit that is consistent with repentance!

Etheridge Translation
Work, therefore, fruits which are suitable to repentance.

Murdock Translation
Bring forth the fruits therefore, that accord with repentance.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Bryng foorth therefore fruites meete for repentaunce.

English Revised Version
Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of repentance:

World English Bible
Therefore bring forth fruit worthy of repentance!

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of repentance:

Weymouth's New Testament
Therefore let your lives prove your change of heart;

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor do ye worthi fruyte of penaunce,

Update Bible Version
Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of repentance:

Webster's Bible Translation
Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:

New English Translation
Therefore produce fruit that proves your repentance,

New King James Version
Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance,

New Living Translation
Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God.

New Life Bible
Do something to show me that your hearts are changed.

New Revised Standard
Bear fruit worthy of repentance.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Bring forth, therefore, fruit worthy of repentance;

Douay-Rheims Bible
Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of penance.

Revised Standard Version
Bear fruit that befits repentance,

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Brynge forth therfore the frutes belongynge to repentauce.

Young's Literal Translation
bear, therefore, fruits worthy of the reformation,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Bewarre, brynge forth due frutes of pennaunce.

Mace New Testament (1729)
Let your actions then show your repentance:

Simplified Cowboy Version
You gotta change the way you live your life if you want what God is offerin' folks here!

Contextual Overview

⁷But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the [divine] wrath and judgment to come? ⁸"So produce fruit that is consistent with repentance [demonstrating new behavior that proves a change of heart, and a conscious decision to turn away from sin];⁹and do not presume to say to yourselves [as a defense], 'We have Abraham for our father [so our inheritance assures us of salvation]'; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children (descendants) for Abraham. ¹⁰"And already the axe [of God's judgment] is swinging toward the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ¹¹"As for me, I baptize you with water because of [your] repentance [that is, because you are willing to change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret your sin and live a changed life], but He (the Messiah) who is coming after me is mightier [more powerful, more noble] than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to remove [even as His slave]; He will baptize you [who truly repent] with the Holy Spirit and [you who remain unrepentant] with fire (judgment). ¹²"His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear out His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat (believers) into His barn (kingdom), but He will burn up the chaff (the unrepentant) with unquenchable fire."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

forth: Matthew 21:28-30, Matthew 21:32, Isaiah 1:16, Isaiah 1:17, Luke 3:8, Luke 3:10-14, Acts 26:20, Romans 2:4-7, 2 Corinthians 7:10, 2 Corinthians 7:11, 2 Peter 1:4-8

fruits: Galatians 5:22, Galatians 5:23, Ephesians 5:9, Philippians 1:11

meet: etc. or, answerable to amendment of life, Jeremiah 7:3-7, Jeremiah 26:13, Jeremiah 36:3

Reciprocal: Genesis 38:26 - And he knew 2 Chronicles 33:15 - he took Job 36:10 - commandeth Isaiah 5:7 - he looked Ezekiel 14:6 - Repent Ezekiel 18:30 - Repent Daniel 4:27 - break Jonah 3:2 - preach Jonah 3:8 - let Micah 2:7 - named Micah 6:8 - to do Haggai 1:8 - and build Zechariah 1:4 - Turn Matthew 7:13 - at Matthew 9:13 - but Matthew 12:33 - and his fruit good Matthew 13:23 - beareth Matthew 15:22 - a woman Matthew 16:1 - Sadducees Mark 6:12 - preached Acts 2:38 - Repent Acts 16:30 - brought Titus 2:12 - denying

Cross-References

Genesis 3:1
Now the serpent was more crafty (subtle, skilled in deceit) than any living creature of the field which the LORD God had made. And the serpent (Satan) said to the woman, "Can it really be that God has said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?"

Genesis 3:2
And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees of the garden,

Genesis 3:3
except the fruit from the tree which is in the middle of the garden. God said, 'You shall not eat from it nor touch it, otherwise you will die.'"

Genesis 3:9
But the LORD God called to Adam, and said to him, "Where are you?"

Genesis 3:10
He said, "I heard the sound of You [walking] in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself."

Genesis 3:12
And the man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me—she gave me [fruit] from the tree, and I ate it."

Genesis 3:21
The LORD God made tunics of [animal] skins for Adam and his wife and clothed them.

Genesis 3:22
And the LORD God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of Us (Father, Son, Holy Spirit), knowing [how to distinguish between] good and evil; and now, he might stretch out his hand, and take from the tree of life as well, and eat [its fruit], and live [in this fallen, sinful condition] forever"—

Deuteronomy 4:33
"Did [any] people ever hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you heard, and [still] live?

Deuteronomy 5:25
'Now then why should we die? For this great fire will consume us; if we hear the voice of the LORD our God any longer, then we will die.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Bring forth therefore fruits,.... That is, if you are truly penitent, if you have a proper sense of sin, and true repentance for it, do such works as are suitable to it, and will show the genuineness of it; for

fruits meet for repentance are the same as "works meet for repentance", Acts 26:20 and as a tree is known by its fruit, so repentance is known by good works; these are the fruits and effects of repentance, and which are proofs with men of the sincerity of it. Those which follow upon evangelical repentance are such as are mentioned in 2 Corinthians 7:11. Now let it be observed, that John insisted upon repentance, and a good conversation, attesting the truth of it as necessary prerequisites to the ordinance of baptism; and so Peter first urged repentance; and then proposed baptism, Acts 2:38 from whence one should think it may be rationally and strongly concluded, that none but truly repenting sinners, and such who have given proofs that they are so, are to be admitted to this ordinance.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Bring forth therefore fruits ... - That is, the proper fruits of reformation; the proper evidence that you are sincere. Do not bring your cunning and dissimulation to this work; do not carry your hypocrisy into your professed repentance, but evince your sincerity by forsaking sin, and thus give evidence that this coming to Jordan to be baptized is not an act of dissimulation. No discourse could have been more appropriate or more cutting.

Fruits - Conduct. See Matthew 7:16-19.

Meet for repentance - Fit for repentance; appropriate to it the proper expression of repentance.