NOW in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius
Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod tetrarch of Galilee, and
Philip his brother tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis,
and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene: (2)when Annas and Caiaphas were
high-priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the
wilderness; (3)and he came into all the country on the confines of
Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;
(4)as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah,
saying, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way
of the Lord, make his paths strait: (5)every valley shall be filled up,
and every mountain and hill shall be levelled, and the crooked ways
made strait, and the rough roads smooth: (6)and all flesh shall see the
salvation of God." (7)He said, therefore, to the multitudes who came
out to be baptised by him, Ye broods of vipers, who hath warned you to
fly from the approaching wrath? (8)Produce then fruits worthy of
repentance, and begin not to say in yourselves, We have a father, even
Abraham; for I say unto you, That God is able out of these stones to
raise up children to Abraham. (9)But now is the ax laid even to the
root of the trees; every tree therefore that produceth not good fruit,
is cut down and cast into the fire.
(10)And the multitudes asked him, saying, What then shall we do?
(11)And he answering said to them, He that hath two coats, let him give
to him that hath none; and he that hath provisions, let him do in like
manner. (12)Then came also the farmers of the taxes to be baptised, and
they said unto him, Master, what shall we do? (13)He said unto them,
Exact nothing more than is appointed for you. (14)And the military men
also asked him, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Extort
nothing by force; nor turn informers; and be content with your pay.
(15)Now when the people were in expectation, and many reasoned in their
hearts respecting John, whether he were the Messiah, (16)John addressed
himself to them all, saying, I indeed baptise you with water; but one
mightier than I is coming, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy
to untie: he shall baptise you with the Holy Ghost and with fire;
(17)whose winnowing fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse
his threshing-floor, and collect the wheat into his granary; but the
chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable. (18)Thus in many and various
discourses exhorting them, he preached the glad tidings of the gospel
to the people.
(19)Now Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him, on account of
Herodias his brother Philip's wife, and for all the other wicked
actions which he had done, (20)added this also to all the rest, and
shut up John in prison.
(21)Now it came to pass, at the time when John was baptising all the
people, that Jesus also was baptised, and as he prayed, the heaven was
opened, (22)and the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily form, like a dove,
upon him, and a voice came from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved
Son, in thee I am well pleased.
(23)And Jesus himself was about thirty years of age when he began his
ministry, being (as was supposed the son of Joseph) of Heli, (24)of
Matthat, of Levi, of Melchi, of Janna, of Joseph, (25)of Mattathias, of
Amos, of Naum, of Esli, of Nagge, (26)of Maath, of Mattathias, of
Semei, of Joseph, of Juda, (27)of Joanna, of Rhesa, of Zerubbabel, of
Salathiel, of Neri, (28)of Melchi, of Addi, of Cosam, of Elmodam, of
Er, (29)of Jose, of Eliezer, of Jorim, of Matthat, of Levi, (30)of
Simeon, of Judah, of Joseph, of Jonan, of Eliakim, (31)of Melea, of
Menan, of Mattatha, of Nathan, of David, (32)of Jesse, of Obed, of
Booz, of Salmon, of Naasson, (33)of Aminadab, of Aram, of Esrom, of
Phares, of Judah, (34)of Jacob, of Isaac, of Abraham, of Terah, of
Nachor, (35)of Saruch, of Ragau, of Phalec, of Heber, of Sala, (36)of
Cainan, of Arphaxad, of Sem, of Noe, of Lamech, (37)of Methusaleh, of
Enoch, of Jared, of Maleleel, of Cainan, (38)of Enos, of Seth, of Adam,
_the son_ of God.