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The Ministry of John the Baptist
1 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, while Pontius Pilate was governing Judea, and while Herod governed as tetrarch of Galilee, and while Philip his brother governed as tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and while Lysanias governed as tetrarch of Abilene, 2 in the time of the high priest Annas and the high priest Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. 3 And he went into all the surrounding region of 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, saying:
“A voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make His paths straight.
5 Every valley shall be filled
and every mountain and hill shall be humbled;
the crooked roads shall become straight,
and the rough roads shall become smooth;
6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’ ”
John Preaches to the People
7 Then he said to the crowds which came out to be baptized by him, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Therefore produce fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say among yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham out of these stones! 9 And even now the ax is being laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and is thrown into the fire.”
10 So the people were asking him, saying, “What shall we do then?”
11 He answered and said to them, “He who has two shirts, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.”
12 Then tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?”
13 And he said to them, “Collect nothing more than the amount which has been commanded to you.”
14 Likewise the soldiers also were asking him, saying, “And what shall we do?”
So he said to them, “Do not intimidate anyone or accuse anyone falsely, and be content with your wages.”
15 Now while the people waited, and all considered in their hearts about John, whether he might be the Christ, 16 John answered, saying to all, “I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire; 17 whose winnowing shovel is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His threshing floor, and will gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn up with unquenchable fire.”
18 And with many other exhortations he proclaimed the good news to the people. 19 But Herod the tetrarch, being rebuked by him concerning Herodias, his brother's wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done, 20 he also added this to all his other sins, and locked up John in the prison.
The Baptism of Jesus
21 Now it came to pass that when all the people were baptized, that Jesus also was baptized. And while He was praying, heaven was opened; 22 and the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came out of heaven, saying, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”
The Genealogy of Jesus
23 Now Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age, being (as it was supposed) the son of Joseph, the son of Heli, 24 the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Janna, the son of Joseph, 25 the son of Mattathiah, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, 26 the son of Maath, the son of Mattathiah, the son of Semei, the son of Joseph, the son of Judah, 27 the son of Joannas, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, 28 the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmodam, the son of Er, 29 the son of Jose, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, 30 the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonan, the son of Eliakim, 31 the son of Melea, the son of Menan, the son of Mattathah, the son of Nathan, the son of David, 32 the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon, 33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Aram, the son of Joram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, 34 the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, 35 the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, 36 the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, 37 the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, the son of Cainan, 38 the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.