3
1 Now
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 Zacharias,
in the wilderness.
3 He
came into all
the region around
the Jordan,
preaching the baptism
of repentance
for remission 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,
‘Make ready the
way of the
Lord.
Make his paths
straight.
5 Every
valley will be
filled.
Every mountain
and hill will
be brought low.
The crooked will
become straight,
and the rough
ways smooth.
6 All
flesh will see
God’s salvation.’ ”
7 He
said therefore to
the multitudes who
went out to
be baptized by him,
“You offspring of
vipers, who warned
you to flee
from the wrath
to come?
8 Therefore
produce fruits worthy
of repentance,
and don’t begin to
say among
yourselves, ‘We
have Abraham for
our father;’ for
I tell you
that God is
able to raise
up children
to Abraham from
these stones!
9 Even
now the ax also
lies at the
root of the
trees. Every tree
therefore that doesn’t
produce good fruit
is cut down
and thrown into
the fire.”
10 The
multitudes asked
him, “What then
must we do?”
11 He
answered them, “He
who has two
coats, let him
give to him
who has none.
He who has
food, let him
do likewise.”
12 Tax
collectors also
came to
be baptized, and
they said to
him, “Teacher,
what must we
do?”
13 He
said to them, “Collect
no more than
that which is
appointed to you.”
14 Soldiers
also asked him,
saying, “What
about us? What
must we do?”
He said to
them, “Extort from
no one by violence,
neither accuse
anyone wrongfully. Be
content with your
wages.”
15 As
the people were
in expectation,
and all men
reasoned in their
hearts concerning
John, whether
perhaps he was
the Christ,
16 John
answered them all,
“I indeed baptize
you with water,
but he comes
who is mightier
than I, the strap
of whose sandals
I am not
worthy to loosen.
He will baptize
you in the
Holy Spirit and
fire.
17 His
winnowing fan is
in his hand,
and he will
thoroughly cleanse his threshing
floor, and will
gather the wheat
into his barn; but
he will burn
up the chaff
with unquenchable fire.”
18 Then
with many other
exhortations he
preached good news
to the people,
19 but
Herod the
tetrarch,
being reproved by
him for Herodias,
his brother’s
wife, and for
all the evil
things which Herod
had done,
20 added
this also to
them all, that
he shut up John
in prison.
21 Now
when all the
people were baptized,
Jesus also had
been baptized and
was praying. The
sky was opened,
22 and
the Holy Spirit
descended in a
bodily form like
a dove on
him; and a
voice came out
of the sky, saying
“You are my beloved
Son. In you
I am well
pleased.”
23 Jesus himself, when
he began to teach,
was about thirty
years old, being
the son (as
was supposed) of
Joseph, the son
of Heli,
24 the son
of Matthat, the son
of Levi, the son
of Melchi, the son
of Jannai, the son
of Joseph,
25 the son
of Mattathias,
the son of Amos,
the son of Nahum,
the son of Esli,
the son of Naggai,
26 the son
of Maath, the son
of Mattathias,
the son of Semein,
the son of Joseph,
the son of Judah,
27 the son
of Joanan, the son
of Rhesa, the son
of Zerubbabel,
the son of
Shealtiel, the son
of Neri,
28 the son
of Melchi, the son
of Addi, the son
of Cosam, the son
of Elmodam, the son
of Er,
29 the son
of Jose, the son
of Eliezer, the son
of Jorim, the son
of Matthat, the son
of Levi,
30 the son
of Simeon, the son
of Judah, the son
of Joseph, the son
of Jonan, the son
of Eliakim,
31 the son
of Melea, the son
of Menan, the son
of Mattatha,
the son of Nathan,
the son of David,
32 the son
of Jesse, the son
of Obed, the son
of Boaz, the son
of Salmon, the son
of Nahshon,
33 the son
of Amminadab, the son
of Aram,
the son of Hezron,
the son of Perez,
the son of Judah,
34 the son
of Jacob, the son
of Isaac, the son
of Abraham, the son
of Terah, the son
of Nahor,
35 the son
of Serug, the son
of Reu, the son
of Peleg, the son
of Eber, the son
of Shelah,
36 the son
of Cainan, the son
of Arphaxad, the son
of Shem, the son
of Noah, the son
of Lamech,
37 the son
of Methuselah,
the son of Enoch,
the son of Jared,
the son of
Mahalaleel, the son
of Cainan,
38 the son
of Enos, the son
of Seth, the son
of Adam, the son
of God.