Luke 3
Names of God Bible
John Prepares the Way(A)
3 It was the fifteenth year in the reign of the Emperor Tiberius. Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea. Herod ruled Galilee, and his brother Philip ruled Iturea and Trachonitis. Lysanias was the ruler of Abilene. 2 It was at the time when Annas and Caiaphas were chief priests that God spoke to John, son of Zechariah, in the desert. 3 John traveled throughout the region around the Jordan River. He told people about a baptism of repentance[a] for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As the prophet Isaiah wrote in his book,
“A voice cries out in the desert:
‘Prepare the way for the Lord!
Make his paths straight!
5 Every valley will be filled.
Every mountain and hill will be leveled.
The crooked ways will be made straight.
The rough roads will be made smooth.
6 All people will see the salvation that God gives.’”
7 Crowds of people were coming to be baptized by John. He would say to them, “You poisonous snakes! Who showed you how to flee from God’s coming anger? 8 Do those things that prove that you have turned to God and have changed the way you think and act. Don’t say, ‘Abraham is our ancestor.’ I guarantee that God can raise up descendants for Abraham from these stones. 9 The ax is now ready to cut the roots of the trees. Any tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into a fire.”
10 The crowds asked him, “What should we do?”
11 He answered them, “Whoever has two shirts should share with the person who doesn’t have any. Whoever has food should share it too.”
12 Some tax collectors came to be baptized. They asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?”
13 He told them, “Don’t collect more money than you are ordered to collect.”
14 Some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?”
He told them, “Be satisfied with your pay, and never use threats or blackmail to get money from anyone.”
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[b] shovel is in his hand to clean up his threshing floor.[c] 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(B)
21 When all the people were baptized, Yeshua, 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.”
23 Yeshua was about 30 years old when he began his ministry.
The Ancestors of Jesus
Yeshua, so people thought, was the son of Joseph, son of Eli,
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 Salmon, 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 Mahalaleel, son of Cainan,
38 son of Enos, son of Seth,
son of Adam,
son of God.
Luke 3
Expanded Bible
The Preaching of John(A)
3 It was the fifteenth year of the rule of Tiberius Caesar [C the Roman emperor, ad 14–37]. ·These men were under Caesar: Pontius Pilate, [L …when Pontius Pilate was] the ·ruler [or governor; C his official title was “prefect”; Pilate governed from ad 26–36] of Judea; Herod [C Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great], the ·ruler [L tetrarch; C the title meant “ruler of a fourth,” but came to be used of any minor ruler] of Galilee; Philip [C another son of Herod the Great], the ·ruler [L tetrarch] of Iturea and Traconitis; and Lysanias, the ·ruler [L tetrarch] of Abilene. 2 Annas and Caiaphas were the high priests [C Annas was the former high priest and father-in-law of Caiaphas, the official high priest]. At this time, ·the word of [a message from] God came to John son of Zechariah in the ·desert [wilderness]. 3 He went all over the ·area [country; region] around the Jordan River preaching a baptism of ·changed hearts and lives [repentance] for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As it is written in the ·book of [L book of the words/oracles of] Isaiah the prophet:
“This is a voice of one
who ·calls out [shouts; cries out] in the ·desert [wilderness]:
‘Prepare the way for the Lord.
Make ·the road straight [a clear path] for him.
5 Every ·valley [ravine; wadi] should be filled in,
and every mountain and hill should be made ·flat [level; low].
·Roads with turns [L Curved/T Crooked places] should be made straight,
and rough ·roads [paths; ways] should be made smooth.
6 And all ·people [humanity; T flesh] will ·know about [L see] the salvation of God [Is. 40:3–5]!’”
7 [L So; Therefore] To the crowds of people who came to be baptized by John, he said, “You ·are all snakes [T brood/offspring of vipers]! Who warned you to ·run [slither; L flee] away from God’s coming ·punishment [wrath; retribution]? 8 ·Do the things [L Produce the fruit] ·that show you really have changed your hearts and lives [that prove your repentance; L of repentance]. Don’t begin to say to yourselves, ‘Abraham is our father [C a claim to be God’s special people, since their ancestor Abraham was chosen and blessed by God; Gen. 12:1–3].’ [L For] I tell you that God could ·make [L raise up] children for Abraham from these rocks. 9 The ax ·is now ready to cut down [L already lies at the root of] the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire [C a metaphor for judgment against those who disobey God].”
10 The ·people [crowd] asked John, “Then what should we do?”
11 John answered, “If you have two ·shirts [tunics], share with the person who does not have one. If you have food, share that also [Is. 58:7].”
12 Even tax collectors came to John to be baptized [C tax collectors were despised because they worked for the Roman rulers and were notorious for corruption and extortion]. They said to him, “Teacher, what should we do?”
13 John said to them, “Don’t take more taxes from people than ·you have been ordered to take [is prescribed/authorized].”
14 The soldiers asked John, “What about us? What should we do?”
John said to them, “Don’t ·force people to give you [extort] money, and don’t ·lie about them [make false accusations]. Be satisfied with the pay you get.”
15 Since the people were ·hoping [waiting expectantly] for the ·Christ [Messiah] to come, they [L all] wondered if John might be the ·one [L Christ; Messiah].
16 John answered everyone, “I baptize you with water, but there is one coming who is ·greater [more powerful; mightier] than I am. I am not ·good enough [fit; qualified] to untie [L the thong/strap of] his sandals [C a task of a servant or slave]. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 ·He will come ready [L The winnowing fork is in his hand] to ·clean the grain, separating the good grain from the chaff [L clear his threshing floor]. He will put ·the good part of the grain [L the grain/wheat] into his ·barn [storehouse], but he will burn the chaff with ·a fire that cannot be put out [never-ending/unquenchable fire; C a metaphor for judgment, when Jesus will separate the righteous from the wicked].” 18 And John continued to preach the ·Good News [Gospel], saying many other things to ·encourage [exhort] the people.
19 But John ·spoke against [criticized; rebuked] Herod [C Antipas], the ·governor [L tetrarch; 3:1], ·because of his sin with [L concerning] Herodias, the wife of Herod’s brother [C Herod had divorced his wife and illicitly married the wife of his brother Philip; Lev. 18:16], and because of the many other evil things Herod did. 20 So Herod ·did something even worse [L added this to all his sins]: He ·put [locked; shut up] John in prison.
Jesus Is Baptized by John(B)
21 When all the people were being baptized by John, Jesus also was baptized. [L And] While Jesus was praying, heaven opened 22 and the Holy Spirit came down on him in ·the form of [L bodily appearance like] a dove. Then a voice came from heaven, saying, “You are my ·Son, whom I love [dearly beloved Son; Gen. 22:2; Ps. 2:7], ·and I am very pleased with you [in whom I take great delight [Is. 42:1].”
The Family History of Jesus(C)
23 When Jesus began his ministry, he was about thirty years old. People thought that Jesus was Joseph’s son [C they were unaware of the virginal conception].
Joseph was the son of Heli [C “son” in Hebrew can mean “descendant,” so there may be gaps in the genealogy].
24 Heli was the son of Matthat.
Matthat was the son of Levi.
Levi was the son of Melki.
Melki was the son of Jannai.
Jannai was the son of Joseph.
25 Joseph was the son of Mattathias.
Mattathias was the son of Amos.
Amos was the son of Nahum.
Nahum was the son of Esli.
Esli was the son of Naggai.
26 Naggai was the son of Maath.
Maath was the son of Mattathias.
Mattathias was the son of Semein.
Semein was the son of Josech.
Josech was the son of Joda.
27 Joda was the son of Joanan.
Joanan was the son of Rhesa.
Rhesa was the son of Zerubbabel.
Zerubbabel was the son of Shealtiel.
Shealtiel was the son of Neri.
28 Neri was the son of Melki.
Melki was the son of Addi.
Addi was the son of Cosam.
Cosam was the son of Elmadam.
Elmadam was the son of Er.
29 Er was the son of Joshua.
Joshua was the son of Eliezer.
Eliezer was the son of Jorim.
Jorim was the son of Matthat.
Matthat was the son of Levi.
30 Levi was the son of Simeon.
Simeon was the son of Judah.
Judah was the son of Joseph.
Joseph was the son of Jonam.
Jonam was the son of Eliakim.
31 Eliakim was the son of Melea.
Melea was the son of Menna.
Menna was the son of Mattatha.
Mattatha was the son of Nathan.
Nathan was the son of David.
32 David was the son of Jesse.
Jesse was the son of Obed.
Obed was the son of Boaz.
Boaz was the son of Salmon.[a]
Salmon was the son of Nahshon.
33 Nahshon was the son of Amminadab.
Amminadab was the son of Admin.
Admin was the son of Arni.[b]
Arni was the son of Hezron.
Hezron was the son of Perez.
Perez was the son of Judah.
34 Judah was the son of Jacob.
Jacob was the son of Isaac.
Isaac was the son of Abraham.
Abraham was the son of Terah.
Terah was the son of Nahor.
35 Nahor was the son of Serug.
Serug was the son of Reu.
Reu was the son of Peleg.
Peleg was the son of Eber.
Eber was the son of Shelah.
36 Shelah was the son of Cainan.
Cainan was the son of Arphaxad.
Arphaxad was the son of Shem.
Shem was the son of Noah.
Noah was the son of Lamech.
37 Lamech was the son of Methuselah.
Methuselah was the son of Enoch.
Enoch was the son of Jared.
Jared was the son of Mahalalel.
Mahalalel was the son of Kenan.
38 Kenan was the son of Enosh.
Enosh was the son of Seth.
Seth was the son of Adam.
Adam was the son of God.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.