Luke 3

¹In 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 ,

²during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas , the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness .

³And he went into all the region around the Jordan , proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins .

⁴As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet , The voice of one crying in the wilderness : Prepare the way of the Lord , make his paths straight .

⁵Every valley shall be filled , and every mountain and hill shall be made low , and the crooked shall become straight , and the rough places shall become level ways ,

⁶and all flesh shall see the salvation of God .

⁷He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him , You brood of vipers ! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come ?

⁸Bear fruits in keeping with repentance . And do not begin to say to yourselves , We have Abraham as our father . For I tell you , God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham .

⁹Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees . Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire .

¹⁰And the crowds asked him , What then shall we do ?

¹¹And he answered them , Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none , and whoever has food is to do likewise .

¹²Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him , Teacher , what shall we do ?

¹³And he said to them , Collect no more than you are authorized to do.

¹⁴Soldiers also asked him , And we, what shall we do ? And he said to them , Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation , and be content with your wages .

¹⁵As the people were in expectation , and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John , whether he might be the Christ ,

¹⁶John answered them all , saying , I baptize you with water , but he who is mightier than I is coming , the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie . He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire .

¹⁷His winnowing fork is in his hand , to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn , but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire .

¹⁸So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people .

¹⁹But Herod the tetrarch , who had been reproved by him for Herodias , his brother’s wife , and for all the evil things that Herod had done ,

²⁰added this to them all , that he locked up John in prison .

²¹Now when all the people were baptized , and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying , the heavens were opened ,

²²and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form , like a dove ; and a voice came from heaven , You are my beloved Son ; with you I am well pleased .

²³Jesus , when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age , being the son ( as was supposed ) of Joseph , the son of Heli ,

²⁴the son of Matthat , the son of Levi , the son of Melchi , the son of Jannai , the son of Joseph ,

²⁵the son of Mattathias , the son of Amos , the son of Nahum , the son of Esli , the son of Naggai ,

²⁶the son of Maath , the son of Mattathias , the son of Semein , the son of Josech , the son of Joda ,

²⁷the son of Joanan , the son of Rhesa , the son of Zerubbabel , the son of Shealtiel , the son of Neri ,

²⁸the son of Melchi , the son of Addi , the son of Cosam , the son of Elmadam , the son of Er ,

²⁹the son of Joshua , the son of Eliezer , the son of Jorim , the son of Matthat , the son of Levi ,

³⁰the son of Simeon , the son of Judah , the son of Joseph , the son of Jonam , the son of Eliakim ,

³¹the son of Melea , the son of Menna , the son of Mattatha , the son of Nathan , the son of David ,

³²the son of Jesse , the son of Obed , the son of Boaz , the son of Sala , the son of Nahshon ,

³³the son of Amminadab , the son of Admin , the son of Arni, the son of Hezron , the son of Perez , the son of Judah ,

³⁴the son of Jacob , the son of Isaac , the son of Abraham , the son of Terah , the son of Nahor ,

³⁵the son of Serug , the son of Reu , the son of Peleg , the son of Eber , the son of Shelah ,

³⁶the son of Cainan , the son of Arphaxad , the son of Shem , the son of Noah , the son of Lamech ,

³⁷the son of Methuselah , the son of Enoch , the son of Jared , the son of Mahalaleel , the son of Cainan ,

³⁸the son of Enos , the son of Seth , the son of Adam , the son of God .