Luke 3
Common English Bible
John the Baptist’s message
3 In the fifteenth year of the rule of the emperor Tiberius—when Pontius Pilate was governor over Judea and Herod was ruler[a] over Galilee, his brother Philip was ruler[b] over Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was ruler[c] over Abilene, 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas—God’s word came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 John went throughout the region of the Jordan River, calling for people to be baptized to show that they were changing their hearts and lives and wanted God to forgive their sins. 4 This is just as it was written in the scroll of the words of Isaiah the prophet,
A voice crying out in the wilderness:
“Prepare the way for the Lord;
make his paths straight.
5 Every valley will be filled,
and every mountain and hill will be leveled.
The crooked will be made straight
and the rough places made smooth.
6 All humanity will see God’s salvation.”[d]
7 Then John said to the crowds who came to be baptized by him, “You children of snakes! Who warned you to escape from the angry judgment that is coming soon? 8 Produce fruit that shows you have changed your hearts and lives. And don’t even think about saying to yourselves, Abraham is our father. I tell you that God is able to raise up Abraham’s children from these stones. 9 The ax is already at the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be chopped down and tossed into the fire.”
10 The crowds asked him, “What then should we do?”
11 He answered, “Whoever has two shirts must share with the one who has none, and whoever has food must do the same.”
12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized. They said to him, “Teacher, what should we do?”
13 He replied, “Collect no more than you are authorized to collect.”
14 Soldiers asked, “What about us? What should we do?”
He answered, “Don’t cheat or harass anyone, and be satisfied with your pay.”
Responses to John
15 The people were filled with expectation, and everyone wondered whether John might be the Christ. 16 John replied to them all, “I baptize you with water, but the one who is more powerful than me is coming. I’m not worthy to loosen the strap of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 The shovel he uses to sift the wheat from the husks is in his hands. He will clean out his threshing area and bring the wheat into his barn. But he will burn the husks with a fire that can’t be put out.” 18 With many other words John appealed to them, proclaiming good news to the people.
19 But Herod the ruler had been criticized harshly by John because of Herodias, Herod’s brother’s wife, and because of all the evil he had done. 20 He added this to the list of his evil deeds: he locked John up in prison.
Jesus’ baptism
21 When everyone was being baptized, Jesus also was baptized. While he was praying, heaven was opened 22 and the Holy Spirit came down on him in bodily form like a dove. And there was a voice from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I dearly love; in you I find happiness.”
Jesus’ genealogy
23 Jesus was about 30 years old when he began his ministry. People supposed that he was the son of Joseph son of Heli 24 son of Matthat son of Levi son of Melchi son of Jannai son of Joseph 25 son of Mattathias son of Amos son of Nahum son of Esli son of Naggai 26 son of Maath son of Mattathias son of Semein son of Josech son of Joda 27 son of Joanan son of Rhesa son of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel son of Neri 28 son of Melchi son of Addi son of Cosam son of Elmadam son of Er 29 son of Joshua son of Eliezer son of Jorim son of Matthat son of Levi 30 son of Simeon son of Judah son of Joseph son of Jonam son of Eliakim 31 son of Melea son of Menna son of Mattatha son of Nathan son of David 32 son of Jesse son of Obed son of Boaz son of Sala son of Nahshon 33 son of Amminadab son of Admin son of Arni son of Hezron son of Perez son of Judah 34 son of Jacob son of Isaac son of Abraham son of Terah son of Nahor 35 son of Serug son of Reu son of Peleg son of Eber son of Shelah 36 son of Cainan son of Arphaxad son of Shem son of Noah son of Lamech 37 son of Methuselah son of Enoch son of Jared son of Mahalalel son of Cainan 38 son of Enos son of Seth son of Adam son of God.
Footnotes
- Luke 3:1 Or tetrarch
- Luke 3:1 Or tetrarch
- Luke 3:1 Or tetrarch
- Luke 3:6 Isa 40:3-5
Luke 3
Christian Standard Bible Anglicised
The Messiah’s Herald
3 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, while Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea,(A) Herod was tetrarch[a] of Galilee,(B) his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Iturea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2 during the high priesthood of Annas(C) and Caiaphas,(D) God’s word came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness.(E) 3 He went into all the vicinity of the Jordan,(F) proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,(G) 4 as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah:
A voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
Prepare the way for the Lord;
make his paths straight!
5 Every valley will be filled,
and every mountain and hill will be made low;[b]
the crooked will become straight,
the rough ways smooth,
6 and everyone will see the salvation of God.[c](H)
7 He then said to the crowds who came out to be baptised by him, ‘Brood of vipers!(I) Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?(J) 8 Therefore produce fruit(K) consistent with repentance. And don’t start saying to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our father,”(L) for I tell you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones. 9 The axe is already at the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.’(M)
10 ‘What then should we do? ’(N) the crowds were asking him.
11 He replied to them, ‘The one who has two shirts must share with someone who has none, and the one who has food must do the same.’(O)
12 Tax collectors(P) also came to be baptised, and they asked him, ‘Teacher, what should we do? ’(Q)
13 He told them, ‘Don’t collect any more than what you have been authorised.’
14 Some soldiers also questioned him, ‘What should we do? ’
He said to them, ‘Don’t take money from anyone by force or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.’
15 Now the people were waiting expectantly, and all of them were questioning in their hearts whether John might be the Messiah.(R) 16 John answered them all,(S) ‘I baptise you with water, but one who is more powerful than I am is coming. I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandals. He will baptise you with[d] the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing shovel(T) is in his hand to clear his threshing-floor and gather the wheat into his barn,(U) but the chaff he will burn with fire that never goes out.’(V) 18 Then, along with many other exhortations, he proclaimed good news to the people. 19 But when John rebuked Herod the tetrarch(W) because of Herodias, his brother’s wife, and all the evil things he had done,(X) 20 Herod added this to everything else – he locked up John in prison.(Y)
The Baptism of Jesus
21 When all the people were baptised,(Z) Jesus also was baptised. As he was praying,(AA) heaven opened,(AB) 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in a physical appearance like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: ‘You are my beloved Son; with you I am well-pleased.’(AC)
The Genealogy of Jesus Christ
23 As he began his ministry, Jesus was about thirty years old and was thought to be the
son of Joseph,(AD) son of Heli,
24 son of Matthat, son of Levi,
son of Melchi, son of Jannai,
son of Joseph, 25 son of Mattathias,
son of Amos, son of Nahum,
son of Esli, son of Naggai,
26 son of Maath, son of Mattathias,
son of Semein, son of Josech,
son of Joda, 27 son of Joanan,
son of Rhesa, son of Zerubbabel,(AE)
son of Shealtiel, son of Neri,
28 son of Melchi, son of Addi,
son of Cosam, son of Elmadam,
son of Er, 29 son of Joshua,
son of Eliezer, son of Jorim,
son of Matthat, son of Levi,
30 son of Simeon, son of Judah,
son of Joseph, son of Jonam,
son of Eliakim, 31 son of Melea,
son of Menna, son of Mattatha,
son of Nathan, son of David,
32 son of Jesse,(AF) son of Obed,(AG)
son of Boaz, son of Salmon,[e]
son of Nahshon, 33 son of Amminadab,
son of Ram,[f] son of Hezron,
son of Perez,(AH) son of Judah,
34 son of Jacob, son of Isaac,
son of Abraham,(AI) son of Terah,
son of Nahor, 35 son of Serug,
son of Reu, son of Peleg,(AJ)
son of Eber, son of Shelah,
36 son of Cainan,[g] son of Arphaxad,
son of Shem, son of Noah,(AK)
son of Lamech, 37 son of Methuselah,
son of Enoch,(AL) son of Jared,
son of Mahalalel, son of Cainan,
38 son of Enos, son of Seth,
son of Adam, son of God.
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible
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