John's mission and preaching. Christ is baptized by him.
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
Philip his brother tetrarch of Iturea and the country of Trachonitis,
and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilina:
3:2. Under the high priests Anna and Caiphas: the word of the Lord was
made unto John, the son of Zachary, in the desert.
3:3. And he came into all the country about the Jordan, preaching the
baptism of penance for the remission of sins.
3:4. As it was written in the book of the sayings of Isaias the prophet:
A voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare ye the way of the Lord,
make straight his paths.
3:5. Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be
brought low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways
plain.
3:6. And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
3:7. He said therefore to the multitudes that went forth to be baptized
by him: Ye offspring of vipers, who hath shewed you to flee from the
wrath to come?
3:8. Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of penance: and do not begin to
say, We have Abraham for our father. For I say unto you that God is able
of these stones, to raise up children to Abraham.
3:9. For now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree
therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be cut down and cast
into the fire.
3:10. And the people asked him, saying: What then shall we do?
3:11. And he answering, said to them: He that hath two coats, let him
give to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do in like
manner.
3:12. And the publicans also came to be baptized and said to him:
Master, what shall we do?
3:13. But he said to them: Do nothing more than that which is appointed
you.
3:14. And the soldiers also asked him, saying: And what shall we do? And
he said to them: Do violence to no man, neither calumniate any man; and
be content with your pay.
3:15. And as the people were of opinion, and all were thinking in their
hearts of John, that perhaps he might be the Christ:
3:16. John answered, saying unto all: I indeed baptize you with water:
but there shall come one mightier than I, the latchet of whose shoes I
am not worthy to loose. He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and
with fire;
3:17. Whose fan is in his hand: and he will purge his floor and will
gather the wheat into his barn: but the chaff he will burn with
unquenchable fire.
3:18. And many other things exhorting did he preach to the people.
3:19. But Herod the tetrarch, when he was reproved by him for Herodias,
his brother's wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done:
3:20. He added this also above all and shut up John in prison.
3:21. Now it came to pass, when all the people were baptized, that Jesus
also being baptized and praying, heaven was opened.
3:22. And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape, as a dove, upon
him. And a voice came from heaven: Thou art my beloved Son. In thee I am
well pleased.
3:23. And Jesus himself was beginning about the age of thirty years:
being (as it was supposed) the son of Joseph, who was of Heli, who was
of Mathat,
Who was of Heli... St. Joseph, who by nature was the son of Jacob, (St.
Matt. 1. 16,) in the account of the law, was son of Heli. For Heli and
Jacob were brothers, by the same mother; and Heli, who was the elder,
dying without issue, Jacob, as the law directed, married his widow: in
consequence of such marriage, his son Joseph was reputed in the law the
son of Heli.
3:24. Who was of Levi, who was of Melchi, who was of Janne, who was of
Joseph,
3:25. Who was of Mathathias, who was of Amos, who was of Nahum, who was
of Hesli, who was of Nagge,
3:26. Who was of Mahath, who was of Mathathias, who was of Semei, who
was of Joseph, who was of Juda,
3:27. Who was of Joanna, who was of Reza, who was of Zorobabel, who was
of Salathiel, who was of Neri,
3:28. Who was of Melchi, who was of Addi, who was of Cosan, who was of
Helmadan, who was of Her,
3:29. Who was of Jesus, who was of Eliezer, who was of Jorim, who was of
Mathat, who was of Levi,
3:30. Who was of Simeon, who was of Judas, who was of Joseph, who was of
Jona, who was of Eliakim,
3:31. Who was of Melea, who was of Menna, who was of Mathatha, who was
of Nathan, who was of David,
3:32. Who was of Jesse, who was of Obed, who was of Booz, who was of
Salmon, who was of Naasson,
3:33. Who was of Aminadab, who was of Aram, who was of Esron, who was of
Phares, who was of Judas,
3:34. Who was of Jacob, who was of Isaac, who was of Abraham, who was of
Thare, who was of Nachor,
3:35. Who was of Sarug, who was of Ragau, who was of Phaleg, who was of
Heber, who was of Sale,
3:36. Who was of Cainan, who was of Arphaxad, who was of Sem, who was Of
Noe, who was of Lamech,
3:37. Who was of Mathusale, who was of Henoch, who was of Jared, who was
of Malaleel, who was of Cainan,
3:38. Who was of Henos, who was of Seth, who was of Adam, who was of
God.