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

In 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—

2 w hile Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.

In 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).

3 A nd he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins,

And 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.

4 a s it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the L ord; Make His paths straight.

As 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.

5 E very valley shall be filled And every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight And the rough ways smooth;

Every 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;

6 A nd all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’” John Preaches to the People

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

7 T hen he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

So 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?

8 T herefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.

Bear 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.

9 A nd even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

Even 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.

10 S o the people asked him, saying, “What shall we do then?”

And the multitudes asked him, Then what shall we do?

11 H e answered and said to them, “He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.”

And 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.

12 T hen tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?”

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

13 A nd he said to them, “Collect no more than what is appointed for you.”

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

14 L ikewise the soldiers asked him, saying, “And what shall we do?” So he said to them, “Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages.”

Those 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).

15 N ow as the people were in expectation, and all reasoned in their hearts about John, whether he was the Christ or not,

As 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).

16 J ohn 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.

John 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.

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

His 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.

18 A nd with many other exhortations he preached to the people.

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

19 B ut Herod the tetrarch, being rebuked by him concerning Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done,

But 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,

20 a lso added this, above all, that he shut John up in prison. John Baptizes Jesus

Added this to them all—that he shut up John in prison.

21 W hen all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened.

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

22 A nd the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.” The Genealogy of Jesus Christ

And 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!

23 N ow Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, the son of Heli,

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

24 t he son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Janna, the son of Joseph,

The son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph,

25 t he son of Mattathiah, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai,

The son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai,

26 t he son of Maath, the son of Mattathiah, the son of Semei, the son of Joseph, the son of Judah,

The son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda,

27 t he son of Joannas, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri,

The son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri,

28 t he son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmodam, the son of Er,

The son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er,

29 t he son of Jose, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi,

The son of Jesus, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi,

30 t he son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonan, the son of Eliakim,

The son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim,

31 t he son of Melea, the son of Menan, the son of Mattathah, the son of Nathan, the son of David,

The son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David,

32 t he son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon,

The son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon (Sala), the son of Nahshon,

33 t he son of Amminadab, the son of Ram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah,

The son of Aminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah,

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

The son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor,

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

The son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah,

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

The son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,

37 t he son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, the son of Cainan,

The son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan,

38 t he son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

The son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.