Anakalypsis / Unveiling the Word

Matthew 3:7

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

KJV

ἰδὼν δὲ πολλοὺς τῶν Φαρισαίων καὶ Σαδδουκαίων ἐρχομένους ἐπὶ τὸ βάπτισμα εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, γεννήματα ἐχιδνῶν, τίς ὑπέδειξεν ὑμῖν φυγεῖν ἀπὸ τῆς μελλούσης ὀργῆς;

Greek NT

Videns autem multos pharisæorum, et sadducæorum, venientes ad baptismum suum, dixit eis : Progenies viperarum, quis demonstravit vobis fugere a ventura ira ?

Vulgate

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said unto them, Ye offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

ASV

And seeing many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them: Ye brood of vipers, who hath shewed you to flee from the wrath to come?

Douay-Rheims

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In the original Greek

21 distinct Greek words appear in this verse.

Σαδδουκαῖος
saddoukaios
noun · 15×
Φαρισαῖος
pharisaios
noun · 101×
αὐτός
autos
pronoun · 5564×
βάπτισμα
baptisma
noun · 20×
γέννημα
gennema
noun · 9×
δέ
de
conjunction · 2781×
καί
kai
conjunction · 8973×
λέγω
lego
verb · 2256×
μέλλω
mello
verb · 110×
πολύς
polus
adjective · 412×
τίς
tis
interrogative_pronoun · 533×
φεύγω
pheugo
verb · 30×
ἀπό
apo
preposition · 640×
ἐπί
epi
preposition · 888×
ἔρχομαι
erchomai
verb · 627×
ἔχιδνα
echidna
noun · 5×
ὀργή
orge
noun · 36×
ὁ
o
article · 19778×
ὁράω
orao
verb · 682×
ὑμεῖς
umeis
pronoun · 1828×
ὑποδείκνυμι
upodeiknumi
verb · 6×

Textual variants

1 variant unit attested by manuscript witnesses and modern critical editions.

trivial
SBLGNT: αὐτοῦ | Treg/NIV/RP: αὐτοῦ
  • αὐτοῦ — SBLGNT
  • αὐτοῦ — Tregelles, Reader's GNT (NA27), Robinson-Pierpont
source: sblgnt-apparatus

Themes

Historic Christian voices

14 passages from patristic writers, Reformers, and church catechisms citing this verse.

§535Jesus' public life begins with his baptism by John in the Jordan.228 John preaches "a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins".229 A crowd of sinners230 - tax collectors and soldiers, Pharisees and Sadducees, and prostitutes - come to be baptized by him. "Then Jesus appears." the Baptist hesitates, but Jesus insists and receives baptism. Then the Holy Spirit, in the f…
§678Following in the steps of the prophets and John the Baptist, Jesus announced the judgement of the Last Day in his preaching.581 Then will the conduct of each one and the secrets of hearts be brought to light.582 Then will the culpable unbelief that counted the offer of God's grace as nothing be condemned.583 Our attitude to our neighbour will disclose acceptance or refusal of g…
One and the same God, the Creator of heaven and earth, is He whom the prophets foretold, and who was declared by the Gospel. Proof of this, at the outset, from St. Matthew's Gospel. 1. This, therefore, having been clearly demonstrated here (and it shall yet be so still more clearly), that neither the prophets, nor the apostles, nor the Lord Christ in His own person, did acknowl…
Homilies on Matthew · 4 passages
2. Now that on this account Christ came to His baptism, is from this evident. But wherefore was this baptism devised for Him? For that not of himself did the son of Zacharias proceed to this, but of God who moved him — this Luke also declares, when he says, The word of the Lord came unto him, Luke 3:2 that is, His commandment. And he himself too says, He that sent me to baptize…
2. Yea, says one; he speaks plainly enough, but the question is if there be any reason in this plainness. For he did not see them sinning, but in the act of change; wherefore they did not deserve blame, but rather praise and approbation, for having left city and houses, and making haste to hear his preaching. What then shall we say? That he had not things present, and even now …
3. Having now, you see, finished all, having discoursed accurately of all virtue, and pointed out the pretenders to it, of various kinds, both such as for display fast and make prayers, and such as come in the sheep's hide; and them too that spoil it, whom He also called swine and dogs: He proceeds to signify how great is the profit of virtue even here, and how great the mischi…
…and 1 more from this source.
Source. Translated by J. Walker, J. Sheppard and H. Browne, and revised by George B. Stevens. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 11. Edited by Philip Schaff. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1889.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/210217.htm>. Contact information. The editor of New Adven…
1. The Work is Taken Up After a Violent Interruption, Which Has Driven the Writer from Alexandria. He Addresses Himself to It Again, with Thanks for His Deliverance, and Prayer for Guidance. When a house is being built which is to be made as strong as possible, the building takes place in fine weather and in calm, so that nothing may hinder the structure from acquiring the need…
And now you have an extraordinary opportunity, a day wherein Christ has thrown the door of mercy wide open, and stands in the door calling and crying with a loud voice to poor sinners. Many that were in the same miserable condition that you are in, are now in a happy state, with their hearts filled with love to Him who loved them. Therefore, let every one that is out of Christ,…
Covers the Hasmonean dynasty from Jonathan Maccabeus through Alexander Jannaeus and Salome Alexandra. Describes the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes as distinct Jewish schools. Provides essential background for understanding the religious parties encountered in the Gospels.

Cross-references

  • 1John 3:10 — In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
  • 1Thess 1:10 — And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
  • 1Thess 1:10 — And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
  • 1Thess 2:16 — Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.
  • 2Thess 1:9 — Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
  • Acts 2:40 — And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
  • Acts 4:1 — And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them,
  • Acts 13:10 — And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?
  • Col 1:28 — Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
  • Deut 32:5 — They have corrupted themselves, their spot is not the spot of his children: they are a perverse and crooked generation.
  • Eccl 12:11 — The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.
  • Gen 3:15 — And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
  • Gen 19:17 — And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed
  • Heb 6:18 — That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
  • Heb 11:7 — By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness whi
  • Isa 1:4 — Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away
  • Isa 57:3 — But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore.
  • Isa 58:1 — Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.
  • Isa 59:5 — They hatch cockatrice’ eggs, and weave the spider’s web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper.
  • Jer 6:10 — To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in
  • Jer 6:10 — To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in
  • Jer 51:6 — Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity; for this is the time of the LORD’s vengeance; he will render unto her a recompence.
  • Job 36:18 — Because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with his stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee.
  • John 9:40 — And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?
  • Luke 1:17 — And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the L
  • Luke 3:7 — Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
  • Luke 11:29 — And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.
  • Mal 3:2 — But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap:
  • Matt 12:34 — O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
  • Matt 12:34 — O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
  • Matt 16:6 — Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
  • Matt 16:11 — How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?
  • Matt 22:23 — The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him,
  • Matt 22:23 — The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him,
  • Matt 23:13 — But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
  • Matt 23:33 — Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?
  • Matt 23:33 — Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?
  • Prov 28:4 — They that forsake the law praise the wicked: but such as keep the law contend with them.
  • Ps 19:11 — Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.
  • Rom 1:18 — For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;