1 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when AMatt 27:2Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and BMatt 14:1Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip was tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene, 2 in the high priesthood of AJohn 18:13, 24; Acts 4:6Annas and BMatt 26:3Caiaphas, CLuke 3:3-10: Matt 3:1-10; Mark 1:3-5the word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness. 3 And he came into all AMatt 3:5the district around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins; 4 as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,

7 So he began saying to the crowds who were going out to be baptized by him, “AMatt 12:34; 23:33You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8  “Therefore bear fruits in keeping with repentance, and ALuke 5:21; 13:25, 26; 14:9do not begin to say 1Or into yourselves, ‘BJohn 8:33We have Abraham for our father,’ for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. 9  “Indeed the axe is already laid at the root of the trees; so AMatt 7:19; Luke 13:6-9every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

10 And the crowds were questioning him, saying, “ALuke 3:12, 14; Acts 2:37, 38Then what shall we do?” 11 And he would answer and say to them, “The man who has two tunics is to AIs 58:7; 1 Tim 6:17, 18; James 2:14-20share with him who has none; and he who has food is to do likewise.” 12 And some ALuke 7:29tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” 13 And he said to them, “1Or ExactCollect no more than what you have been ordered to.” 14 Some soldiers were questioning him, saying, “And what about us, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not take money from anyone by force, or AEx 20:16; 23:1accuse anyone falsely, and BPhil 4:11be content with your wages.”

15 Now while the people were in a state of expectation and all were 1Or reasoning or debatingwondering in their hearts about John, AJohn 1:19fas to whether he was 2I.e. the Messiahthe Christ, 16 ALuke 3:16, 17: Matt 3:11, 12; Mark 1:7, 8John answered and said to them all, “As for me, I baptize you with water; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals; He will baptize you 1The Gr here can be translated in, with or bywith the Holy Spirit and fire. 17  “His AIs 30:24winnowing fork is in His hand to thoroughly clear His threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with BMark 9:43, 48unquenchable fire.”

18 So with many other exhortations he preached the gospel to the people. 19 But when AMatt 14:3; Mark 6:17Herod the tetrarch was reprimanded by him because of AMatt 14:3; Mark 6:17Herodias, his brother’s wife, and because of all the wicked things which BMatt 14:1; Luke 3:1Herod had done, 20 Herod also added this to them all: AJohn 3:24he locked John up in prison.

21 ALuke 3:21, 22: Matt 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus was also baptized, and while He was BMatt 14:23; Luke 5:16; 9:18, 28fpraying, heaven was opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came out of heaven, “APs 2:7; Is 42:1; Matt 3:17; 17:5; Mark 1:11; Luke 9:35; 2 Pet 1:17You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.”

23 AMatt 4:17; Acts 1:1When He began His ministry, Jesus Himself was about thirty years of age, being, 1Lit as it was being thoughtas was supposed, the son of BMatt 1:16; Luke 3:23-27Joseph, 2Lit of Eli, and so throughout the genealogythe son of 3Also spelled HeliEli, 24 the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph, 25 the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of 1Also spelled EsliHesli, the son of Naggai, 26 the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda, 27 the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, AMatt 1:12the son of Zerubbabel, the son of 1Gr Salathiel; names of people in the Old Testament are given in their Old Testament form through v 38Shealtiel, the son of Neri, 28 the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er, 29 the son of 1Gr JesusJoshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, 30 the son of Simeon, the son of 1Gr JudasJudah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim, 31 the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David, 32 ALuke 3:32-34: Matt 1:1-6the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of 1Gr SalaSalmon, the son of 2Gr NaassonNahshon, 33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of 1Gr ArniRam, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, 34 the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, ALuke 3:34-36: Gen 11:26-30; 1 Chr 1:24-27the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, 35 the son of Serug, the son of 1Gr RagauReu, the son of Peleg, the son of 2Gr EberHeber, the son of Shelah, 36 the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, ALuke 3:36-38: Gen 5:3-32; 1 Chr 1:1-4the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, 37 the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan, 38 the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.