Luke 3
EasyEnglish Bible
John the Baptist prepares people to meet Jesus
3 This report is about John, the son of Zechariah. It happened when Tiberius Caesar had been the Roman ruler for 15 years.[a] Pontius Pilate was the Roman ruler of Judea. Herod had authority over the region of Galilee. Herod's brother Philip had authority over Iturea and Trachonitis. Lysanias had authority over Abilene.[b] 2 At this time, the leaders of the priests were Annas and Caiaphas. John was living in the wilderness. While he was there, God spoke to him.
3 John went to many places near the Jordan River and spoke a message from God. ‘You have done many wrong things,’ he taught everybody. ‘You must turn away from them and change how you live. Then God will forgive you and I will baptize you.’
4 The prophet Isaiah wrote this message from God in his book:
‘Somebody's voice is shouting in the wilderness,
“The Lord will come soon, so prepare a way for him to follow.
Make the paths straight for him.
5 Fill in every valley and make every mountain and hill flat.
Take away every bend so that the road is straight.
Take away all the rocks so that the road is flat.
6 Then everyone will see how God can save them.” ’[c]
7 Crowds of people were going out into the wilderness. They wanted John to baptize them. He told them, ‘You are like dangerous snakes! God is angry. You are trying to run away from him. But he will soon punish people like you. 8 You have to show that you are sorry. Change how you live. Stop doing things that God does not like. Do not begin to say to yourselves, “We are in the family of Abraham. God will surely not punish us.”[d] Listen! God can take these stones and make children for Abraham out of them![e] 9 You are like trees that have bad fruit. God has an axe ready to use. He will cut down every tree that does not make good fruit. He will throw those trees into the fire.’
10 ‘So what should we do?’ the crowd asked.
11 John answered, ‘If you have two shirts, give one away. Give it to someone who does not have even one shirt. If you have some food, give some of it away. Give some to someone who has no food.’
12 In the crowd, there were men who took taxes from people. These men also wanted John to baptize them. They asked him, ‘Teacher, what should we do?’ 13 John told them, ‘You must take the right amount of money from people. You must not take more money than the rules say you should take.’
14 Then some soldiers asked John, ‘What about us? What should we do?’
John replied, ‘Do not rob people of their money. Do not say that a person is guilty if he has not done anything wrong. You must not take money for yourself in that way. You should be happy with the money that you receive for your work.’[f]
15 At this time people were thinking, ‘Is John the Messiah that God has promised?’ They were all hoping that he might be. 16 John knew what they were thinking. He said to them, ‘I baptize you with water. But someone else is coming soon. He is much greater than I am. I am not good enough even to undo his shoes for him. This other person will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 17 He is like a farmer that brings the wheat home from his field. He uses a special tool to throw the wheat up in the air. He does this to make the wheat seeds separate from what remains. Then he cleans his yard. He carefully stores all the seeds to keep them safe. But he burns everything else in a great fire that nobody can put out.’
18 John said many more things to the people. He was telling them the good news about how God could change their lives. 19 One day John told Herod, the ruler, that it was wrong for him to marry Herodias. Before that, she had been the wife of Herod's brother.[g] John also told Herod that he had done many other bad things. 20 So then Herod did an even worse thing; he locked John up in prison.
John baptizes Jesus
21 While John was still baptizing all the people, he also baptized Jesus. While Jesus was praying, the sky opened. 22 The Holy Spirit came down onto Jesus. When he came down like that, he looked like a dove. Then a voice spoke from heaven, ‘You are my Son and I love you. You make me very happy.’[h]
The ancestors of Jesus
23 Jesus was about 30 years old when he began his work. People thought that he was the son of Joseph.
Joseph was from the family of Heli.[i]
24 Heli was from the family of Matthat.
Matthat was from the family of Levi.
Levi was from the family of Melchi.
Melchi was from the family of Jannai.
Jannai was from the family of Joseph.
25 Joseph was from the family of Mattathias.
Mattathias was from the family of Amos.
Amos was from the family of Nahum.
Nahum was from the family of Esli.
Esli was from the family of Naggai.
26 Naggai was from the family of Maath.
Maath was from the family of Mattathias.
Mattathias was from the family of Semein.
Semein was from the family of Josech.
Josech was from the family of Joda.
27 Joda was from the family of Joanan.
Joanan was from the family of Rhesa.
Rhesa was from the family of Zerubbabel.
Zerubbabel was from the family of Shealtiel.
Shealtiel was from the family of Neri.
28 Neri was from the family of Melchi.
Melchi was from the family of Addi.
Addi was from the family of Cosam.
Cosam was from the family of Elmadam.
Elmadam was from the family of Er.
29 Er was from the family of Joshua.
Joshua was from the family of Eliezer.
Eliezer was from the family of Jorim.
Jorim was from the family of Matthat.
Matthat was from the family of Levi.
30 Levi was from the family of Simeon.
Simeon was from the family of Judah.
Judah was from the family of Joseph.
Joseph was from the family of Jonam.
Jonam was from the family of Eliakim.
31 Eliakim was from the family of Melea.
Melea was from the family of Menna.
Menna was from the family of Mattatha.
Mattatha was from the family of Nathan.
Nathan was from the family of David.
32 David was from the family of Jesse.
Jesse was from the family of Obed.
Obed was from the family of Boaz.
Boaz was from the family of Salmon.
Salmon was from the family of Nahshon.
33 Nahshon was from the family of Amminadab.
Amminadab was from the family of Ram.
Ram was from the family of Hezron.
Hezron was from the family of Perez.
Perez was from the family of Judah.
34 Judah was from the family of Jacob.
Jacob was from the family of Isaac.
Isaac was from the family of Abraham.
Abraham was from the family of Terah.
Terah was from the family of Nahor.
35 Nahor was from the family of Serug.
Serug was from the family of Reu.
Reu was from the family of Peleg.
Peleg was from the family of Eber.
Eber was from the family of Shelah.
36 Shelah was from the family of Cainan.
Cainan was from the family of Arphaxad.
Arphaxad was from the family of Shem.
Shem was from the family of Noah.
Noah was from the family of Lamech.
37 Lamech was from the family of Methuselah.
Methuselah was from the family of Enoch.
Enoch was from the family of Jared.
Jared was from the family of Mahalalel.
Mahalalel was from the family of Cainan.
38 Cainan was from the family of Enosh.
Enosh was from the family of Seth.
Seth was from the family of Adam.
Adam was from God.[j]
Footnotes
- 3:1 Tiberius Caesar ruled over all the countries where Rome had authority. He began to rule in AD 11 after Caesar Augustus died. See Luke 2:1. This report about John the Baptist begins in AD 25-26.
- 3:1 Galilee, Iturea, Trachonitis and Abilene were the names of some of the different regions of Judea, where the Romans had authority. They chose men to rule those places for them. Judea was the country where the Jewish people lived.
- 3:6 See Isaiah 40:3-5. Isaiah was using a picture to show people what would happen when the Lord was ready to come into the world. At that time, people mended the roads before a ruler arrived. Isaiah showed that someone would prepare the way for the Lord to come. John the Baptist was that person.
- 3:8 The Jews knew that they were God's special people. But how they lived was important to God. God wanted them to live good lives. At that time, many of them did not seem to understand that. When they did not obey him, he was angry with them. He was ready to punish those people, if they would not obey him.
- 3:8 The Jews called themselves ‘children of Abraham’. God had used Abraham many centuries before to start their family.
- 3:14 Many people who took taxes were not honest. They often took too much money. They took it for themselves. John told them that they should be honest. God would then know that these people really wanted to obey him.
- 3:19 Herod had married Herodias. She was already the wife of Philip. Philip was Herod's brother.
- 3:22 God called Jesus, ‘my Son’. Jesus often said that God was his father.
- 3:23 To the Jews, a person's family was very important. God had promised to send the Messiah, who would be from David's family. It was necessary to show that the Messiah was from the family of David. So both Matthew and Luke record the family of Jesus. But the two lists are completely different. Matthew gives the list of names from Abraham to Joseph that the law would recognize. In Jewish law, Joseph was the father of Jesus but in fact, he was not. Matthew starts his list with Abraham and finishes with Jesus (see Matthew 1:2-16). This shows that Jesus as a man is Jewish. Jesus was the Messiah that God promised to Israel. Luke shows that Jesus is not in fact a son of Joseph. So he gives the list of the people in Mary's family. Joseph was the son of Jacob (see Matthew 1:16). Heli was the father of Joseph's wife Mary. Mary was the daughter of Heli. But the Jews would not usually end or start the family list with a woman. So Luke does not mention Mary by name.
- 3:38 The names of all the people in a family were very important to the Jews. In that way, they knew that they were Jews. The list shows that Jesus was in the same family as Judah, David and Abraham.
Luca 3
La Nuova Diodati
3 Or nell'anno quindicesimo del regno di Tiberio Cesare, mentre Ponzio Pilato era governatore della Giudea. Erode tetrarca della Galilea, suo fratello Filippo tetrarca dell'Iturea e della regione della Traconitide e Lisania tetrarca dell'Abilene,
2 sotto i sommi sacerdoti Anna e Caiafa, la parola di Dio fu indirizzata a Giovanni, figlio di Zaccaria, nel deserto.
3 Egli allora percorse tutta la regione nei dintorni del Giordano, predicando un battesimo di ravvedimento per il perdono dei peccati,
4 come sta scritto nel libro delle parole del profeta Isaia, che dice: «Ecco la voce di uno che grida nel deserto: Preparate la via del Signore, raddrizzate i suoi sentieri.
5 Ogni valle sia colmata e ogni monte e colle sia abbassato; i luoghi tortuosi siano raddrizzati e le vie scabrose appianate
6 e ogni carne vedrà la salvezza di Dio».
7 Egli dunque diceva alle folle che andavano per essere da lui battezzate: «Razza di vipere, chi vi ha insegnato a fuggire dall'ira a venire?
8 Fate dunque frutti degni del ravvedimento e non cominciate a dire dentro di voi: "Noi abbiamo Abrahamo per padre", perché io vi dico che Dio può suscitare dei figli ad Abrahamo anche da queste pietre.
9 E già la scure è posta alla radice degli alberi; ogni albero quindi che non produce buon frutto sarà tagliato e gettato nel fuoco».
10 Or le folle lo interrogavano, dicendo: «Che faremo noi dunque?».
11 Allora egli, rispondendo, disse loro: «Chi ha due tuniche ne faccia parte a chi non ne ha, e chi ha da mangiare faccia altrettanto».
12 Or vennero anche dei pubblicani per essere battezzati e gli chiesero: «Maestro, che dobbiamo fare.».
13 Ed egli disse loro: «Non riscuotete nulla di piú di quanto vi è stato ordinato».
14 Anche i soldati lo interrogarono dicendo: «E noi, che dobbiamo fare?». Ed egli disse loro: «Non fate estorsioni ad alcuno, non accusate falsamente alcuno e contentatevi della vostra paga».
15 Ora il popolo era in attesa, e tutti si chiedevano in cuor loro se Giovanni fosse lui il Cristo,
16 Giovanni rispose, dicendo a tutti: «lo vi battezzo con acqua; ma viene colui che è piú forte di me, al quale io non sono neppure degno di sciogliere il legaccio dei sandali; egli vi battezzerà con lo Spirito Santo e col fuoco.
17 Egli ha in mano il suo ventilabro, per pulire interamente la sua aia e raccogliere il grano nel suo granaio; ma brucerà la pula con fuoco inestinguibile».
18 Cosí egli evangelizzava il popolo, esortandolo in molti altri modi.
19 Ora Erode, il tetrarca, essendo stato da lui ripreso a causa di Erodiade, moglie di suo fratello Filippo, e per tutte le malvagità che egli aveva commesso,
20 aggiunse a tutte le altre anche questa, cioè di rinchiudere Giovanni in prigione.
21 Ora, come tutto il popolo era battezzato, anche Gesú fu battezzato, e mentre stava pregando, il cielo si aprí
22 e lo Spirito Santo scese sopra di lui in forma corporea come di colomba; e dal cielo venne una voce, che diceva: «Tu sei il mio amato Figlio, in te mi sono compiaciuto!».
23 E Gesú aveva circa trent'anni e lo si credeva figlio di Giuseppe, figlio di Eli;
24 figlio di Matthat, figlio di Levi, figlio di Melchi, figlio di Ianna, figlio di Giuseppe;
25 figlio di Mattathia, figlio di Amos, figlio di Naum, figlio di Esli, figlio di Naggai;
26 figlio di Maath, figlio di Mattathia, figlio di Semei, figlio di Giuseppe, figlio di Giuda
27 figlio di Ioanna, figlio di Resa, figlio di Zorobabel, figlio di Salathiel, figlio di Neri.
28 figlio di Melchi, figlio di Addi, figlio di Cosam, figlio di Elmodam figlio di Er;
29 figlio di Iose, figlio di Eliezer, figlio di Iorim, figlio di Matthat, figlio di Levi;
30 figlio di Simeone, figlio di Giuda, figlio di Giuseppe, figlio di Ionan, figlio di Ellakim;
31 figlio di Melea, figlio di Mena figlio di Mattatha, figlio di Natan, figlio di Davide
32 figlio di Iesse, figlio di Obed, figlio di Booz, figlio di Salmon, figlio di Naasson;
33 figlio di Aminadab, figlio di Aram, figlio di Esrom, figlio di Fares, figlio di Giuda.
34 figlio di Giacobbe, figlio di Isacco, figlio di Abrahamo, figlio di Tara, figlio di Nacor;
35 figlio di Seruk, figlio di Ragau, figlio di Pelek, figlio di Eber, figlio di Sela
36 figlio di Cainan, figlio di Arfacsad, figlio di Sem, figlio di Noè, figlio di Lamek;
37 figlio di Mathusala, figlio di Enok, figlio di Iared, figlio di Mahalaleel, figlio di Cainan;
38 figlio di Enos, figlio di Set, figlio di Adamo, di Dio.
Luke 3
King James Version
3 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 Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.
3 And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;
4 As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;
6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
7 Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
9 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
10 And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?
11 He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.
12 Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do?
13 And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.
14 And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.
15 And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not;
16 John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:
17 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.
18 And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people.
19 But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philip's wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done,
20 Added yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison.
21 Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,
22 And the Holy Ghost 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 I am well pleased.
23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,
24 Which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Janna, which was the son of Joseph,
25 Which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Amos, which was the son of Naum, which was the son of Esli, which was the son of Nagge,
26 Which was the son of Maath, which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Semei, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Juda,
27 Which was the son of Joanna, which was the son of Rhesa, which was the son of Zorobabel, which was the son of Salathiel, which was the son of Neri,
28 Which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Addi, which was the son of Cosam, which was the son of Elmodam, which was the son of Er,
29 Which was the son of Jose, which was the son of Eliezer, which was the son of Jorim, which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi,
30 Which was the son of Simeon, which was the son of Juda, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Jonan, which was the son of Eliakim,
31 Which was the son of Melea, which was the son of Menan, which was the son of Mattatha, which was the son of Nathan, which was the son of David,
32 Which was the son of Jesse, which was the son of Obed, which was the son of Booz, which was the son of Salmon, which was the son of Naasson,
33 Which was the son of Aminadab, which was the son of Aram, which was the son of Esrom, which was the son of Phares, which was the son of Juda,
34 Which was the son of Jacob, which was the son of Isaac, which was the son of Abraham, which was the son of Thara, which was the son of Nachor,
35 Which was the son of Saruch, which was the son of Ragau, which was the son of Phalec, which was the son of Heber, which was the son of Sala,
36 Which was the son of Cainan, which was the son of Arphaxad, which was the son of Sem, which was the son of Noe, which was the son of Lamech,
37 Which was the son of Mathusala, which was the son of Enoch, which was the son of Jared, which was the son of Maleleel, which was the son of Cainan,
38 Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.
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