Luke 3:1-23
New International Version
John the Baptist Prepares the Way(A)(B)
3 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—when Pontius Pilate(C) was governor of Judea, Herod(D) tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene— 2 during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas,(E) the word of God came to John(F) son of Zechariah(G) in the wilderness. 3 He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.(H) 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:
“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.
5 Every valley shall be filled in,
every mountain and hill made low.
The crooked roads shall become straight,
the rough ways smooth.
6 And all people will see God’s salvation.’”[a](I)
7 John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers!(J) Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?(K) 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’(L) For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 9 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”(M)
10 “What should we do then?”(N) the crowd asked.
11 John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.”(O)
12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized.(P) “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?”
13 “Don’t collect any more than you are required to,”(Q) he told them.
14 Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?”
He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely(R)—be content with your pay.”
15 The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John(S) might possibly be the Messiah.(T) 16 John answered them all, “I baptize you with[b] water.(U) But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with[c] the Holy Spirit and fire.(V) 17 His winnowing fork(W) is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”(X) 18 And with many other words John exhorted the people and proclaimed the good news to them.
19 But when John rebuked Herod(Y) the tetrarch because of his marriage to Herodias, his brother’s wife, and all the other evil things he had done, 20 Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison.(Z)
The Baptism and Genealogy of Jesus(AA)(AB)
21 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying,(AC) heaven was opened 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him(AD) in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son,(AE) whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”(AF)
23 Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry.(AG) He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph,(AH)
the son of Heli,
Matthew 3:4-6
New International Version
4 John’s(A) clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist.(B) His food was locusts(C) and wild honey. 5 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. 6 Confessing their sins, they were baptized(D) by him in the Jordan River.
Matthew 3:13-17
New International Version
The Baptism of Jesus(A)
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John.(B) 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”
15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.
16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened,(C) and he saw the Spirit of God(D) descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven(E) said, “This is my Son,(F) whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”(G)
Matthew 4:1-11
New International Version
Jesus Is Tested in the Wilderness(A)
4 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted[a](B) by the devil.(C) 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights,(D) he was hungry. 3 The tempter(E) came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God,(F) tell these stones to become bread.”
4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’[b]”(G)
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city(H) and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,”(I) he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:
“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’[c]”(J)
7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’[d]”(K)
8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan!(L) For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’[e]”(M)
11 Then the devil left him,(N) and angels came and attended him.(O)
Footnotes
- Matthew 4:1 The Greek for tempted can also mean tested.
- Matthew 4:4 Deut. 8:3
- Matthew 4:6 Psalm 91:11,12
- Matthew 4:7 Deut. 6:16
- Matthew 4:10 Deut. 6:13
John 1:19-34
New International Version
John the Baptist Denies Being the Messiah
19 Now this was John’s(A) testimony when the Jewish leaders[a](B) in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20 He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.”(C)
21 They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?”(D)
He said, “I am not.”
“Are you the Prophet?”(E)
He answered, “No.”
22 Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness,(F) ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”[b](G)
24 Now the Pharisees who had been sent 25 questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
26 “I baptize with[c] water,”(H) John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. 27 He is the one who comes after me,(I) the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”(J)
28 This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan,(K) where John was baptizing.
John Testifies About Jesus
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God,(L) who takes away the sin of the world!(M) 30 This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’(N) 31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”
32 Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him.(O) 33 And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water(P) told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’(Q) 34 I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”[d](R)
Footnotes
- John 1:19 The Greek term traditionally translated the Jews (hoi Ioudaioi) refers here and elsewhere in John’s Gospel to those Jewish leaders who opposed Jesus; also in 5:10, 15, 16; 7:1, 11, 13; 9:22; 18:14, 28, 36; 19:7, 12, 31, 38; 20:19.
- John 1:23 Isaiah 40:3
- John 1:26 Or in; also in verses 31 and 33 (twice)
- John 1:34 See Isaiah 42:1; many manuscripts is the Son of God.
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