Chapter 3

Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was procurator of Judea, and Herod tetrarch of Galilee, and Philip his brother tetrarch of the district of Iturea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,

during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiphas, the word of God came to John, the son of Zachary, in the desert.

And he went into all the region about the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,

as it is written in the book of the words of Isaias the prophet, "The voice of one crying in the desert, 'Make ready the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.

Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low, And the crooked ways shall be made straight, and the rough ways smooth;

and all mankind shall see the salvation of God. '"

He said therefore to the crowds that went out to be baptized by him, "Brood of vipers! who has shown you how to flee from the wrath to come?

Bring forth therefore fruits befitting repentance, and do not begin to say, 'We have Abraham for our father'; for I say to you that God is able out of these stones to raise up children to Abraham.

For even now the axe is laid at the root of the trees; every tree, therefore, that is not bringing forth fruit is to be cut down and thrown into the fire."

And the crowds asked him, saying, "What then are we to do? "

And he answered and said to them, "Let him who has two tunics share with him who has none; and let him who has food do likewise."

And the publicans also came to be baptized, and they said to him, "Master, what are we to do? "

But he said to them, "Exact no more than what has been appointed you."

And soldiers also asked him, saying, "And we---what are we to do?" And he said to them, "Plunder no one, accuse no one falsely, and be content with your pay."

Now as the people were in expectation, and all were wondering in their hearts about John, whether perhaps he might be the Christ,

John addressed them, saying to all, "I indeed baptize you with water. But one mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

His winnowing fan is in his hand, and he will clean out his threshing floor, and will gather the wheat into his barn; but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire."

So with many different exhortations he kept on preaching the gospel to the people.

But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him concerning Herodias, his brother's wife, and concerning all the evil things that Herod had done,

crowned all this by shutting up John in prison. The Baptism of Jesus

Now it came to pass when all the people had been baptized, Jesus also having been baptized and being in prayer, that heaven was opened,

and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form as a dove, and a voice came from heaven, "Thou art my beloved Son, in thee I am well pleased." Genealogy of Jesus

And Jesus himself, when he began his work, was about thirty years of age, being---as was supposed---the son of Joseph, the son of Heli, the son of Matthat,

the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Janne, the son of Joseph,

the son of Matthathias, the son of Amos, the son of Naum, the son of Esli, the son of Nagge,

the son of Maath, the son of Matthathias, the son of Semei, the son of Josech, the son of Joda,

the son of Joanna, the son of Resa, the son of Zorobabel, the son of Salathiel, the son of Neri,

the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Her,

the son of Jesus, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi,

the son of Simeon, the son of Judas, the son of Joseph, the son of Jona, the son of Eliachim,

the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Matthata, the son of Nathan, the son of David,

the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Booz, the son of Salmon, the son of Naasson,

the son of Aminadab, the son of Aram, the son of Esron, the son of Phares, the son of Judas,

the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Thare, the son of Nachor,

the son of Seruch, the son of Ragau, the son of Phalec, the son of Eber, the son of Sale,

the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Sem, the son of Noe, the son of Lamech,

the son of Mathusale, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Malaleel, the son of Cainan,

the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, who was of God.