1Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, while his brother Philip was tetrarch of the region of Iturea and Trachonitis and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,

2during the high priesthood of Annas (also Caiaphas), ⁸⁶the word of God came upon ⁸⁷John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.

3So he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins; ⁸⁸

4as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying: “A voice calling out: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord in the wilderness,
make His paths straight. ⁸⁹

5Every ravine will be filled up, and every mountain and hill will be leveled; ⁹⁰the crooked parts of the roads will be straightened out, and the rough parts will be smoothed out;

6and all flesh ⁹¹will see the salvation of God.’ ”

“Brood of vipers!”

7Then he said to the crowds that were coming out to be baptized by him: “You sons of poisonous snakes! ⁹²Who tipped you off to flee from the coming wrath?

8Well then, produce fruits befitting repentance, and don't even begin to say among yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as father,’ because I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones! ⁹³

9But even now the axe is being laid to the root of the trees; ⁹⁴so then, every tree not producing good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

“What shall we do?”

10So the people ⁹⁵started asking him, “What then must we do?”

11In answer he said to them, “He who has two coats, ⁹⁶let him share with him who has none; and he who has food should do likewise.” ⁹⁷

12Well even tax collectors came to be baptized by him and said to him, “Teacher, what must we do?”

13So He said to them, “Don't charge more than what was determined to you.” ⁹⁸

14So the soldiers started asking him too: “What about us? What must we do?” He said to them, “Don't extort or harass anyone, and be content with your wages.” ⁹⁹

“A greater One is coming”

15Now as the people were expectant and all were reasoning in their hearts concerning John, whether he just might be the Messiah,

16John anticipated them all saying: “I indeed am baptizing you with water, but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal straps I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with Holy Spirit and fire; ¹⁰⁰

17whose winnowing shovel is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor and gather the wheat into His barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” ¹⁰¹

John is imprisoned—an historical aside

18(Indeed, with many other exhortations as well he kept on preaching to the people;

19but Herod the tetrarch—being reproved by him concerning Herodias, his brother's wife, as also about all the wicked things that Herod perpetrated ¹⁰²—

20added this also to them all: he actually locked John up in his prison.)

Jesus is baptized

21Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus, having been baptized also, was praying, when the heaven was opened

22and the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove and rested upon Him, and a Voice came out of heaven saying, “You are my beloved Son; in you I am always well pleased.” ¹⁰³

23(Beginning His ministry at about thirty years of age, being (so it was supposed) a son of Joseph, Jesus Himself ¹⁰⁴was of Eli, ¹⁰⁵

24of Matthan, ¹⁰⁶of Levi, of Melchi, of Janna, of Joseph,

25of Mattathiah, of Amos, of Nahum, of Esli, of Naggai,

26of Maath, of Mattathiah, of Semei, of Joseph, of Judah,

27of Joannan, of Rhesa, of Zerubbabel, ¹⁰⁷of Shealtiel, ¹⁰⁸of Neri,

28of Melchi, of Addi, of Cosam, of Elmodam, of Er,

29of Jose, of Eliezer, of Jorim, of Matthat, of Levi,

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

31of Melea, of Menan, of Mattatha, of Nathan, of David,

32of Jesse, of Obed, of Boaz, of Salmon, of Nahshon,

33of Amminadab, of Aram, ¹⁰⁹of Joram, ¹¹⁰of Hezron, of Perez, of Judah,

34of Jacob, of Isaac, of Abraham, of Terah, ¹¹¹of Nahor,

35of Serug, of Reu, ¹¹²of Peleg, of Eber, of Shela,

36of Cainan, ¹¹³of Arphaxad, of Shem, of Noah, of Lamech,

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

38of Enosh, of Seth, of Adam, of God.)