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.
3:7 John said to the crowds coming out to be baptised 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 axe has been laid to the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.’
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 baptised. ‘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 baptise 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 baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
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 baptised, Jesus was baptised 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,
3:33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, 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 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.
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