Luke 3:15-22

GOD’S WORD Translation

¹⁵ People’s hopes were rising as they all wondered whether John was the Messiah. ¹⁶ John replied to all of them, “I baptize you with water. But the one who is more powerful than I is coming. I am not worthy to untie his sandal straps. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹⁷ His winnowing ^[a] shovel is in his hand to clean up his threshing floor.^[b] He will gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn the husks in a fire that can never be put out.”

¹⁸ With many other encouraging words, he told the Good News to the people.

¹⁹ John spoke out against the ruler Herod because Herod had married his own sister-in-law, Herodias. He also spoke out against Herod for all the evil things he had done. ²⁰ So Herod added one more evil to all the others; he locked John in prison.

The Baptism of Jesus^(A)

²¹ When all the people were baptized, Jesus, too, was baptized. While he was praying, heaven opened, ²² and the Holy Spirit came down to him in the form of a dove. A voice from heaven said, “You are my Son, whom I love. I am pleased with you.”