1 Now in the fifteenth year of the rule of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being ruler of Judaea, and Herod being king of Galilee, his brother Philip king of the country of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias king of Abilene,
2 When Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of the Lord came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the waste land.
3 And he came into all the country round about Jordan, preaching baptism as a sign of forgiveness of sin for those whose hearts were changed.
4 As it says in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, The voice of one crying in the waste land, Make ready the way of the Lord, make his roads straight.
5 Every valley will be lifted up, and all the mountains and hills made low, and the twisted will be made straight, and the rough ways smooth;
6 And all flesh will see the salvation of God.
7 So he said to the people who went out to him for baptism: You offspring of snakes, at whose word are you going in flight from the wrath to come?
8 Make clear by your acts that your hearts have been changed; and do not say to yourselves, We have Abraham for our father: for I say to you that God is able from these stones to make children of Abraham.
9 And even now the axe is put to the root of the trees; and every tree which does not have good fruit will be cut down and put into the fire.
10 And the people put questions to him, saying, What have we to do?
11 And he made answer and said to them, He who has two coats, let him give to him who has not even one; and he who has food, let him do the same.
12 Then tax-farmers came to him for baptism and said to him, Master, what have we to do?
13 And he said to them, Do not make an attempt to get more money than the right amount.
14 And men of the army put questions to him, saying, And what have we to do? And he said to them, Do no violent acts to any man, and do not take anything without right, and let your payment be enough for you.
15 And while the people were waiting, and all men were questioning in their hearts about John, if he was the Christ or not,
16 John made answer, saying to them all, Truly, I give you baptism with water, but one is coming who is greater than I, whose shoes I am not good enough to undo: he will give you baptism with the Holy Spirit, and with fire:
17 In whose hand is the instrument with which he will make clean his grain; he will put the good grain in his store, but the waste will be burned in the fire which will never be put out.
18 And so comforting them with these and other words, he gave the good news to the people;
19 But Herod the king, because John had made a protest on account of Herodias, his brother's wife, and other evil things which Herod had done,
20 Did this most evil thing of all, and had John shut up in prison.
21 Now it came about that when all the people had been given baptism, Jesus, having had baptism with them, was in prayer, when, the heaven being open,
22 The Holy Spirit came down in the form of a dove, and a voice came from heaven, saying, You are my dearly loved Son, with whom I am well pleased.
23 And Jesus at this time was about thirty years old, being the son (as it seemed) of Joseph, the son of Heli,
24 The son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph,
25 The son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai,
26 The son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda,
27 The son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri,
28 The son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er,
29 The son of Jesus, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi,
30 The son of Symeon, the son of Judas, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim,
31 The son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David,
32 The son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon,
33 The son of Amminadab, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah,
34 The son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor,
35 The son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah,
36 The son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,
37 The son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan,
38 The son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.
1 Era agora o décimo quinto ano do reinado do imperador romano Tibério César; era Pilatos governador da Judeia; Herodes governava a Galileia; Filipe, seu irmão, governava a Itureia e Traconites; Lisânias governava Abilínia. Anás e Caifás eram os supremos sacerdotes judaicos. Nesse tempo veio uma mensagem de Deus a João, filho de Zacarias, enquanto vivia longe, no deserto.
3 João começou então a andar de terra em terra em ambas as margens do Jordão, pregando que as pessoas deviam baptizar-se, em sinal de se terem voltado para Deus e abandonado os seus pecados, a fim de serem perdoadas.
7 Era assim que João pregava às multidões que vinham para baptizar-se: Raça de víboras! Quem os avisou de fugir do julgamento de Deus que há-de vir? Tratem primeiro de mostrar o vosso arrependimento pela maneira como vivem. E não pensem que estão em segurança por descenderem de Abraão. Isso não basta; até destas pedras do deserto Deus pode fazer nascer filhos de Abraão! O machado do seu julgamento está suspenso sobre as vossas vidas, prestes a cortar-vos as raízes e a derrubar-vos. Sim, toda a árvore que não dá bom fruto será abatida e lançada no fogo.
10 E a multidão perguntavam: Que devemos fazer?
11 Se alguém tiver dois casacos, que dê um aos pobres. Quem tiver comida de sobra dê a quem tem fome.
12 E até os cobradores de impostos, conhecidos pela sua falta de escrúpulos, vinham para serem baptizados e perguntavam: O que devemos fazer?
13 Sejam honestos, não cobrando mais impostos do que o que é exigido.
14 E nós, perguntavam uns soldados, como faremos? E João respondia:Não devem tirar dinheiro com ameaças ou pela força, nem acusar ninguém que sabem estar inocente. Contentem-se com o vosso soldo!
15 Todos aguardavam o breve aparecimento do Enviado de Deus e andavam impacientes por saber se João seria ou não o Messias. A essa questão respondeu João: Eu baptizo apenas com água, mas em breve virá alguém com autoridade muito maior do que a minha e de quem não sou digno sequer de desatar as correias do calçado. Ele vos baptizará com o Espírito Santo e com fogo. Apartará a palha dos grãos, queimará aquela com fogo eterno, mas estes guardá-los-á.
18 Ao anunciar estas boas novas ao povo, João fazia muitos avisos deste género.
19 Contudo, depois de ter censurado publicamente Herodes, governador da Galileia, por se ter casado com Herodias, mulher do seu próprio irmão, e por muitas outras coisas más que tinha feito,
20 Herodes meteu João na cadeia, acrescentando assim mais este pecado a muitos outros.
21 Um dia, o próprio Jesus juntou-se ao povo que ia ser baptizado por João. E depois do seu baptismo, estando a orar, os céus abriram-se, o Espírito Santo desceu sobre ele na forma de uma pomba e uma voz do céu disse: Tu és o meu Filho muito amado. Em ti tenho grande prazer.
23 Jesus tinha cerca de trinta anos quando começou a sua actuação em público ra conhecido como filho de José. E os pais deste, em linha directa, sucessivamente de filho para pai foram: Elí, Matate, Levi, Melqui, Janai, José, Matatias, Amós, Naum, Esli, Nagai, Maate, Matatias, Semei, Joseque, Jodá, Joanã, Resa, Zorobabel, Sealtiel, Neri, Melqui, Adi, Cozão, Elmadã, Er, Josué, Eliezer, Jorim, Matate, Levi, Simeão, Judá, José, Jonã, Eliaquim, Meleá, Mená, Matatá, Natã, David.
32 E os pais de David foram sucessivamente: Jessé, Obede, Boaz, Salmom, Nassom, Aminadabe, Admin, Rão, Hezrom, Perez, Judá.
34 Os pais de Judá: Jacob, Isaque, Abraão s de Abraão: Tera, Naor, Serugue, Reu, Pelegue, Eber, Sala, Cainã, Arfaxade, Sem, Noé os de Noé: Lameque, Matusalém, Enoque, Jarede, Mahalel, Quenã, Enos, Sete, Adão dão foi criado por Deus.