1 I n the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar’s reign—when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene—

¶ Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene,

2 I n the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the Word of God '> concerning the attainment through Christ of salvation in the kingdom of God] came to John son of Zachariah in the wilderness (desert).

Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came upon John the son of Zachariah in the wilderness.

3 A nd he went into all the country round about the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance ( of hearty amending of their ways, with abhorrence of past wrongdoing) unto the forgiveness of sin.

And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;

4 A s it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make His beaten paths straight.

as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.

5 E very valley and ravine shall be filled up, and every mountain and hill shall be leveled; and the crooked places shall be made straight, and the rough roads shall be made smooth;

Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low, and the crooked ways shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;

6 A nd all mankind shall see (behold and understand and at last acknowledge) the salvation of God (the deliverance from eternal death decreed by God).

and all flesh shall see the saving health of God.

7 S o he said to the crowds who came out to be baptized by him, You offspring of vipers! Who secretly warned you to flee from the coming wrath?

Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who taught you to flee from the wrath to come?

8 B ear fruits that are deserving and consistent with repentance '> conduct worthy of a heart changed, a heart abhorring sin]. And do not begin to say to yourselves, We have Abraham as our father; for I tell you that God is able from these stones to raise up descendants for Abraham.

Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham for our father; for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

9 E ven now the ax is laid to the root of the trees, so that every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire.

And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees; every tree therefore which does not bring forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire.

10 A nd the multitudes asked him, Then what shall we do?

And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?

11 A nd he replied to them, He who has two tunics (undergarments), let him share with him who has none; and he who has food, let him do it the same way.

He answered and said unto them, He that has two coats, let him impart to him that has none; and he that has food, let him do likewise.

12 E ven tax collectors came to be baptized, and they said to him, Teacher, what shall we do?

Then the publicans also came to be baptized and said unto him, Master, what shall we do?

13 A nd he said to them, Exact and collect no more than the fixed amount appointed you.

And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.

14 T hose serving as soldiers also asked him, And we, what shall we do? And he replied to them, Never demand or enforce by terrifying people or by accusing wrongfully, and always be satisfied with your rations (supplies) and with your allowance (wages).

And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Oppress no one, neither accuse anyone falsely; and be content with your wages.

15 A s the people were in suspense and waiting expectantly, and everybody reasoned and questioned in their hearts concerning John, whether he perhaps might be the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).

¶ And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not,

16 J ohn answered them all by saying, I baptize you with water; but He Who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of Whose sandals I am not fit to unfasten. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you in water, but one mightier than I comes, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose; he shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire;

17 H is winnowing shovel (fork) is in His hand to thoroughly clear and cleanse His floor and to gather the wheat and store it in His granary, but the chaff He will burn with fire that cannot be extinguished.

whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his threshing floor and will gather the wheat into his storehouse, but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.

18 S o with many other appeals and admonitions he preached the good news (the Gospel) to the people.

And exhorting many other things he announced the gospel unto the people.

19 B ut Herod the tetrarch, who had been told about his fault and reproved with rebuke producing conviction by for Herodias, his brother’s wife, and for all the wicked things that Herod had done,

Then Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philip’s wife and for all the evils which Herod had done,

20 A dded this to them all—that he shut up John in prison.

added yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison.

21 N ow when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened

¶ Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass that, Jesus also being baptized and praying, the heaven was opened,

22 A nd the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came from heaven, saying, You are My Son, My Beloved! In You I am well pleased and find delight!

and the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee is my delight.

23 J esus Himself, when He began, was about thirty years of age, being the Son, as was supposed, of Joseph, the son of Heli,

And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, who was the son of Heli,

24 T he son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph,

who was the son of Matthat, who was the son of Levi, who was the son of Melchi, who was the son of Janna, who was the son of Joseph,

25 T he son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai,

who was the son of Mattathias, who was the son of Amos, who was the son of Naum, who was the son of Esli, who was the son of Nagge,

26 T he son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda,

who was the son of Maath, who was the son of Mattathias, who was the son of Semei, who was the son of Joseph, who was the son of Juda,

27 T he son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri,

who was the son of Joanna, who was the son of Rhesa, who was the son of Zorobabel, who was the son of Salathiel, who was the son of Neri,

28 T he son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er,

who was the son of Melchi, who was the son of Addi, who was the son of Cosam, who was the son of Elmodam, who was the son of Er,

29 T he son of Jesus, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi,

who was the son of Joshua, who was the son of Eliezer, who was the son of Jorim, who was the son of Matthat, who was the son of Levi,

30 T he son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim,

who was the son of Simeon, who was the son of Juda, who was the son of Joseph, who was the son of Jonan, who was the son of Eliakim,

31 T he son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David,

who was the son of Melea, who was the son of Menan, who was the son of Mattatha, who was the son of Nathan, who was the son of David,

32 T he son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon (Sala), the son of Nahshon,

who was the son of Jesse, who was the son of Obed, who was the son of Booz, who was the son of Salmon, who was the son of Naasson,

33 T he son of Aminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah,

who was the son of Aminadab, who was the son of Aram, who was the son of Esrom, who was the son of Phares, who was the son of Juda,

34 T he son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor,

who was the son of Jacob, who was the son of Isaac, who was the son of Abraham, who was the son of Thara, who was the son of Nachor,

35 T he son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah,

who was the son of Saruch, who was the son of Ragau, who was the son of Peleg, who was the son of Heber, who was the son of Sala,

36 T he son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,

who was the son of Cainan, who was the son of Arphaxad, who was the son of Shem, who was the son of Noah, who was the son of Lamech,

37 T he son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan,

who was the son of Mathusala, who was the son of Enoch, who was the son of Jared, who was the son of Maleleel, who was the son of Cainan,

38 T he son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

who was the son of Enos, who was the son of Seth, who was the son of Adam, who was the son of God.