1 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip, tetrarch of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias, tetrarch of Abilene;

2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John, the son of Zachariah, in the Desert.

3 And Johnwent into all the region about the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

4 As it is written in the book of the prophet Isaiah. The voice of one crying in the desert, Prepare the way for God, make straight paths for him.

5 Every ravine shall be filled up, Every hill and mountain shall be laid low, The crooked shall be made straight, And the rough roads smooth;

6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

7 So Johnused to say to the crowd of those who were going out to be baptized by him. "You breed of vipers, who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

8 Then bring forth fruit befitting your penitence, and do not begin to say to yourselves, "We have Abraham as our father." I tell you that God is able to raise up sons to Abraham out of these stones.

9 And now truly the axe is already laid at the root of the trees. So every tree which is not bearing good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."

10 And the crowd began to ask him questions. "What shall we do then?" they asked. In reply he said to them.

11 "If you have two shirts share with him who has none; and let him who has food do the same."

12 There came to him publicans also to be baptized, and they said to him, "Master, what must we do?"

13 And he said to them, "Exact no more than the sum allowed you."

14 The soldiers also repeatedly questioned him, saying, "And we, what shall we do?" "Do not intimidate any one," he replied, "nor lay false charges, and be content with your pay."

15 And while the people were in expectation, and all men were debating in their hearts about John,

16 whether perhaps he were the Christ, Johnanswered, saying to all of them. "I indeed am baptizing you in water, but One is coming after me, mightier than I, whose shoe-latchet I am not worthy to unloose. He shall baptize you in the Holy Ghost and in fire.

17 He has his fan in his hand to cleanse his threshing-floor thoroughly, and to gather the wheat into his storehouse, but the chaff will he burn with unquenchable fire."

18 With many other exhortations then Johndeclared the gospel to the people;

19 but Herod, the Tetrarch, when reproved by him because of Herodias, his brothers wife, and because of all the wicked deeds that he had done,

20 added yet this above them all that he shut up Johnin prison.

21 Now after all the people had been baptized, and Jesus himself had been baptized and was praying,

22 heaven opened, and the Holy Spirit, in bodily form like a dove, descended upon him. and a voice came out of heaven, saying. "Thou art my Son, dearly beloved; in thee is my delight."

23 And Jesus himself when he began to teach was about thirty years of age. He was the son (as it was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli,

24 son of Matthat, son of Levi, son of Melchi,

25 son of Matthias, son of Nahum, son of Esli,

26 son of Mahath, son of Matthias, son of Semein, son of Joseph, son of Joda,

27 son of Johann, son of Resa, 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 Eliezar, son of Jorim, son of Mathat, son of Levi,

30 son of Symeon, son of Judah, son of Joseph, son of Jonan, 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 Arpachshad, son of Shem, son of Noah, son of Lamech,

37 son of Methuselah, son of Enoch, son of Jared, son of Mahalel, son of Kenan,

38 son of Enos, son of Seth, son of Adam, son of God.