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,

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.