CHAPTER 3
In
the fifteenth
year
of the
reign
of Tiberius
Caesar,
while Pontius
Pilate
was governor
of Judea,
Herod
tetrarch
of Galilee,
his
brother
Philip
tetrarch
of Ituraea
and
Trachonitis,
and
Lysanias
tetrarch
of Abilene,
during
the high priesthood
of Annas
and
Caiaphas,
the word
of God
came
to
John
son
of Zechariah
in
the
wilderness.
He went
into
all
the
region around
the
Jordan,
proclaiming
a baptism
of repentance
for
the forgiveness
of sins,
as
it is written
in
the book
of the words
of Isaiah
the prophet:
“A voice
of one calling
in
the
wilderness,
‘Prepare
the
way
for the Lord;
make
straight
paths
for Him.'
Every
valley
shall be filled in,
and
every
mountain
and
hill
made low.
The
crooked ways
shall be made
straight,
and
the
rough
ways
smooth.
Then
John said
to the
crowds
coming out
to be baptized
by
him,
“You brood
of vipers,
who
warned
you
to flee
from
the
coming
wrath?
Therefore
produce
fruit
worthy
of repentance.
And
do not
begin
to say
to
yourselves,
‘We have
Abraham
as our father.’
For
I tell
you
that
out of
these
stones
God
can
raise up
children
for Abraham.
The
ax
lies ready
at
the
root
of the
trees,
and
every
tree
that does not produce
good
fruit
will be cut down
and
thrown
into
the fire.”
John replied,
“Whoever
has
two
tunics
should share with
him
who has
none,
and
whoever
has
food
should do
the same.”
Then
some soldiers
asked
him,
“And
what
should we do?”
“Do not take money by force
or
false accusation,”
he said.
“Be content with
your
wages.”
The
people
were waiting expectantly
and
were all
wondering
in
their
hearts
if
John
could be
the
Christ.
John
answered
all of them:
“I
baptize
you
with water,
but
One
more powerful
than I
will come,
the
straps
of
whose
sandals
I am
not
worthy
to untie.
He
will baptize
you
with
the Holy
Spirit
and
with fire.
His
winnowing fork is
in
His
hand
to clear
His
threshing floor
and
to gather
the
wheat
into
His
barn.
But
He will burn up
the
chaff
with unquenchable
fire."
But
when he rebuked
Herod
the
tetrarch
regarding
his
brother’s
wife
Herodias
and
all
the evils
he
had done,
When
all
the
people
were being baptized,
Jesus
was baptized
too.
And
as He was praying,
heaven
was opened,
and
the
Holy
Spirit
descended
on
Him
in a bodily
form
like
a dove.
And
a voice
came
from
heaven:
“You
are
My
beloved
Son;
in
You
I am well pleased."
Jesus
Himself
was
about
thirty
years old
when He began His ministry.
He was
known
as
the son
of Joseph,
the son
of Heli,
the son
of Joannen,
the son
of Rhesa,
the son
of Zerubbabel,
the son
of Shealtiel,
the son
of Neri,
the son
of Amminadab,
the son
of Admin,
the son
of Arni,
the son
of Hezron,
the son
of Perez,
the son
of Judah,
the son
of Methuselah,
the son
of Enoch,
the son
of Jared,
the son
of Mahalalel,
the son
of Cainan,