1 A nd in the fifteenth year of the government of Tiberius Caesar -- Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod tetrarch of Galilee, and Philip his brother, tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene --

2 A nnas and Caiaphas being chief priests -- there came a word of God unto John the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness,

3 a nd he came to all the region round the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of reformation -- to remission of sins,

4 a s it hath been written in the scroll of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying, `A voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, straight make ye His paths;

5 e very valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straightness, and the rough become smooth ways;

6 a nd all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'

7 T hen said he to the multitudes coming forth to be baptised by him, `Brood of vipers! who did prompt you to flee from the coming wrath?

8 m ake, therefore, fruits worthy of the reformation, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have a father -- Abraham; for I say to you, that God is able out of these stones to raise children to Abraham;

9 a nd already also the axe unto the root of the trees is laid, every tree, therefore, not making good fruit is cut down, and to fire it is cast.'

10 A nd the multitudes were questioning him, saying, `What, then, shall we do?'

11 a nd he answering saith to them, `He having two coats -- let him impart to him having none, and he having victuals -- in like manner let him do.'

12 A nd there came also tax-gatherers to be baptised, and they said unto him, `Teacher, what shall we do?'

13 a nd he said unto them, `Exact no more than that directed you.'

14 A nd questioning him also were those warring, saying, `And we, what shall we do?' and he said unto them, `Do violence to no one, nor accuse falsely, and be content with your wages.'

15 A nd the people are looking forward, and all are reasoning in their hearts concerning John, whether or not he may be the Christ;

16 J ohn answered, saying to all, `I indeed with water do baptise you, but he cometh who is mightier than I, of whom I am not worthy to loose the latchet of his sandals -- he shall baptise you with the Holy Spirit and with fire;

17 w hose winnowing shovel in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his floor, and will gather the wheat to his storehouse, and the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.'

18 A nd, therefore, indeed with many other things, exhorting, he was proclaiming good news to the people,

19 a nd Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him concerning Herodias the wife of Philip his brother, and concerning all the evils that Herod did,

20 a dded also this to all, that he shut up John in the prison.

21 A nd it came to pass, in all the people being baptised, Jesus also being baptised, and praying, the heaven was opened,

22 a nd the Holy Spirit came down in a bodily appearance, as if a dove, upon him, and a voice came out of heaven, saying, `Thou art My Son -- the Beloved, in thee I did delight.'

23 A nd Jesus himself was beginning to be about thirty years of age, being, as was supposed, son of Joseph,

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

25 t he of Mattathias, the of Amos, the of Naum, the of Esli,

26 t he of Naggai, the of Maath, the of Mattathias, the of Semei, the of Joseph, the of Juda,

27 t he of Joanna, the of Rhesa, the of Zerubbabel, the of Shealtiel,

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

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

30 t he of Levi, the of Simeon, the of Juda, the of Joseph, the of Jonan, the of Eliakim,

31 t he of Melea, the of Mainan, the of Mattatha, the of Nathan,

32 t he of David, the of Jesse, the of Obed, the of Booz, the of Salmon, the of Nahshon,

33 t he of Amminadab, the of Aram, the of Esrom, the of Pharez,

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

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

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

37 t he of Methuselah, the of Enoch, the of Jared, the of Mahalaleel,

38 t he of Cainan, the of Enos, the of Seth, the of Adam, the of God.