THE MINISTRY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST, CHRIST'S BAPTISM AND GENEALOGY.
1 [3:1]AND in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar,
Pontius Pilate being procurator of Judea, and Herod tetrarch of
Galilee, and Philip his brother tetrarch of Ituria and the country of
Trachonitis, and Lysanias being tetrarch of Abilene, [3:2]under the
chief priest Annas, and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son
of Zachariah, in the wilderness. [3:3]And he went into all the region
about the Jordan, preaching the baptism of a change of mind for the
forgiveness of sins; [3:4]as it is written in the book of the words of
Isaiah the prophet; A voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare
the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. [3:5]Every ravine shall
be filled up, and every mountain and hill shall be made low; and the
crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways smooth; [3:6]and all
flesh shall see the salvation of God.
2 [3:7]Then John said to the multitudes who went out to be baptized by
him, Offspring of vipers, who has warned you to flee from the wrath to
come? [3:8] Bear fruits, therefore, worthy of a change of mind. And say
not within yourselves, We have Abraham for a father; for I tell you
that God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham.
[3:9]And already also the axe lies at the root of the trees; every tree
therefore which bears not good fruit, is cut down and cast into the
fire. [3:10]And the multitudes asked him, saying, What then shall we
do? [3:11]And he answered and said to them, Let him that has two coats
give to him that has none; and let him that has food do the same.
[3:12]And publicans, also, came to be baptized, and said to him,
Teacher, what shall we do? [3:13]And he said to them, Do nothing more
than is appointed for you. [3:14]And the soldiers asked him, saying,
And what shall we do? And he said to them, Oppress, and falsely accuse,
no one; and be contented with your wages.
3 [3:15]And the people being in expectation, and all doubting in their
minds concerning John, whether he was the Christ, [3:16]John answered
all, saying, I indeed baptize you with water, but a mightier than I is
coming, the strings of whose shoes I am not fit to untie; he shall
baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. [3:17]His winnowing shovel
is in his hand, and he will thoroughly clean his threshing floor, and
gather the wheat into his storehouse; but the chaff he will burn with
an inextinguishable fire.
4 [3:18]With many other exhortations, also, he preached the good news
to the people. [3:19]But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him on
account of Herodias his brother's wife and for all the evil deeds which
Herod had done, [3:20]added also this to all, and shut up John in
prison.
5 [3:21]And when all the people were baptized, Jesus also being
baptized, and praying, heaven was opened, [3:22]and the Holy Spirit
descended in a bodily form like a dove upon him; and there was a voice
from heaven, saying, You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.
6 [3:23]And Jesus was about thirty years old, being, as was supposed,
the son of Joseph, the son of Eli, [3:24]the son of Matthat, the son of
Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph,
[3:25]the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son
of Esli, the son of Naggai, [3:26] the son of Maath, the son of
Mattathias, the son of Shimei, the son of Josech, the son of Juda,
[3:27]the son of Joannas, the son of Resa, the son of Zerubabel, the
son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, [3:28]the son of Melchi, the son of
Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmodam, the son of Er, [3:29]the
son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of
Matthat, the son of Levi, [3:30]the son of Simeon, the son of Judah,
the son of Joseph, the son of Jonan, the son of Eliakim, [3:31]the son
of Meleas, the son of Mennas, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan,
the son of David, [3:32]the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of
Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Naason, [3:33]the son of Aminadab,
the son of Admein, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of
Pharez, the son of Judah, [3:34]the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the
son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, [3:35]the son of
Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Heber, the son of
Selah, [3:36]the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem,
the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, [3:37]the son of Methusaleh, the
son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahaleel, the son of Cainan,
[3:38]the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the Son of God.