[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] in 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 to 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] Bring forth therefore 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 bring forth 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, "Extort no more than that which is
appointed 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 latchet of
whose sandals I am not worthy to loosen. He will baptize you in the Holy
Spirit and fire, [17] whose 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 it happened, when all the people
were baptized, that, Jesus also having been baptized, and praying, the sky
was opened, [22] and the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily form, as 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 Josa, 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 Joram, 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.
