3:1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar - when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene -
3:2 during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness.
3:3 He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance 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 calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.
3:5 Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth.
3:6 And all people will see God’s salvation.’”* / *Isaiah 40:3-5
3:7 John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
3:8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.
3:9 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”
3:10 “What should we do then?” the crowd asked.
3:11 John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.”
3:12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?”
3:13 “Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” he told them.
3:14 Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?” He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely - be content with your pay.”
3:15 The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah.
3:16 John answered them all, “I baptize you with* water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with* the Holy Spirit and fire. / *Or in
3:17 His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
3:18 And with many other words John exhorted the people and proclaimed the good news to them.
3:19 But when John rebuked Herod the tetrarch because of his marriage to Herodias, his brother’s wife, and all the other evil things he had done,
3:20 Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison.
3:21 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened
3:22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
3:23 Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph, the son of Heli,
3:24 the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melki, 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 Semein, the son of Josek, the son of Joda,
3:27 the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri,
3:28 the son of Melki, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, 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 Jonam, the son of Eliakim,
3:31 the son of Melea, the son of Menna, 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 Nahshon, / *Some early manuscripts Sala
3:33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram,* the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, / *Some manuscripts Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Arni; other manuscripts vary widely.
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 Eber, the son of Shelah,
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 Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, the son of Kenan,
3:38 the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.