1 Oli keiser Tiberiuse viieteistkümnes valitsusaasta. Pontius Pilaatus oli Juudamaa maavalitseja ja Heroodes Galilea nelivürst, tema vend Filippus Iturea ja Trakoniitise nelivürst ja Lüsaanias Abileene nelivürst 2 ning ülempreestrid olid Hannas ja Kaifas. Sel ajal tuli Jumala sõna kõrbes Sakariase pojale Johannesele. 3 Ta käis läbi kogu Jordani ümbruskonna ja kuulutas meeleparandusristimist pattude andeksandmiseks. 4 Nõnda nagu on kirjutatud prohvet Jesaja sõnade raamatusse:

„Hüüdja hääl on kõrbes:

„Valmistage Issandale tee,

tehke tasaseks tema teerajad!

5 Kõik orud täidetagu

ning kõik mäed ja kingud tasandatagu,

kõverad teed saagu sirgeks

ja konarlikud rajad tasaseks.

6 Ja kõik inimesed saavad näha Jumala päästet." "

7 Johannes ütles nüüd rahvale, kes oli tulnud, et lasta ennast temal ristida: „Rästikute sugu, kes teile andis märku põgeneda saabuva viha eest? 8 Seepärast kandke meeleparandusele kohast vilja ja ärge hakake endamisi ütlema: „Meie isa on Aabraham!" Sest ma ütlen teile, Jumal võib nendest kividest äratada lapsi Aabrahamile. 9 Kirves on ka juba pandud puude juurte külge. Iga puu, mis ei kanna head vilja, raiutakse maha ja visatakse tulle."

10 Inimesed küsisid Johanneselt: „Mida me siis peame tegema?" 11 Ta vastas: „Kellel on kaks särki, andku sellele, kellel ei ole, ning kellel on toitu, tehku samuti."

12 Isegi maksukogujaid tuli, et lasta ennast ristida. Nad küsisid: „Õpetaja, mida me peame tegema?"

13 Johannes ütles neile: „Ärge võtke rohkem, kui teile on määratud!"

14 Ja temalt küsisid ka sõdurid: „Ja meie, mida meie peame tegema?" Ta vastas neile: „Ärge pressige raha välja ja ärge süüdistage inimesi alusetult, olge rahul oma palgaga!"

15 Rahvas oli täis ootust ja kõik arvasid oma südames, et ehk Johannes ongi Messias. 16 Siis vastas ta kõikidele: „Mina ristin teid veega, kuid tuleb minust vägevam, kelle sandaalegi ma pole väärt lahti siduma. Tema ristib teid Püha Vaimu ja tulega. 17 Tal on tuulamiskühvel käes ja ta teeb puhtaks oma rehealuse. Ta kogub nisu aita, aga aganad ta põletab ära kustumatu tulega." 18 Ja veel paljude muude sõnadega manitses Johannes inimesi ja kuulutas neile head sõnumit.

19 Aga kui nelivürst Heroodes sai Johannese käest noomida oma venna Filippuse naise Heroodiase ja kõige muu kurja pärast, mida ta oli teinud, 20 tegi Heroodes veel sedagi, et pani Johannese vangi.

21 Kui kogu rahvast ristiti, siis ristiti ka Jeesus. Ja kui ta palvetas, avanes taevas 22 ja Püha Vaim laskus tema peale ihulikul kujul kui tuvi. Ja taevast kostis hääl: „Sina oled minu Poeg, keda ma armastan, sinu üle on mul hea meel!"

23 Jeesus oli oma tegevust alustades umbes kolmkümmend aastat vana. Ta oli – nagu arvati – Joosepi poeg,

Joosep oli Eeli poeg, 24 tema oli Mattati,

tema oli Leevi, tema oli Melki,

tema oli Jannai, tema oli Joosepi,

25 tema oli Mattitjahu, tema oli Aamose,

tema oli Nahumi, tema oli Hesli,

tema oli Naggai, 26 tema oli Mahati,

tema oli Mattitjahu, tema oli Simei,

tema oli Jooseki, tema oli Jooda,

27 tema oli Joohanani, tema oli Reesa,

tema oli Serubbaabeli, tema oli Sealtieli,

tema oli Neeri, 28 tema oli Melki,

tema oli Addi, tema oli Koosami,

tema oli Elmadami, tema oli Eeri,

29 tema oli Jeesuse, tema oli Elieseri,

tema oli Joorimi, tema oli Mattati,

tema oli Leevi, 30 tema oli Siimeoni,

tema oli Juuda, tema oli Joosepi,

tema oli Joonami, tema oli Eljakimi,

31 tema oli Melea, tema oli Menna,

tema oli Mattata, tema oli Naatani,

tema oli Taaveti, 32 tema oli Iisai,

tema oli Oobedi, tema oli Boase,

tema oli Salma, tema oli Nahsoni,

33 tema oli Amminadabi, tema oli Raami,

tema oli Hesroni, tema oli Peretsi,

tema oli Juuda, 34 tema oli Jaakobi,

tema oli Iisaki, tema oli Aabrahami,

tema oli Terahi, tema oli Naahori,

35 tema oli Serugi, tema oli Reu,

tema oli Pelegi, tema oli Eeberi,

tema oli Selahi, 36 tema oli Keenani,

tema oli Arpaksadi, tema oli Seemi,

tema oli Noa, tema oli Lemeki,

37 tema oli Metuusala, tema oli Eenoki,

tema oli Jeredi, tema oli Mahalaleli,

tema oli Keenani, 38 tema oli Enose,

tema oli Seti, tema oli Aadama,

tema oli Jumala poeg.

1 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Cæsar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judæa, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene, 2 Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. 3 And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins; 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; 6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God. 7 Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. 9 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 10 And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then? 11 He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise. 12 Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do? 13 And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you. 14 And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages. 15 And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not; 16 John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire: 17 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable. 18 And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people. 19 But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philip’s wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done, 20 Added yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison. 21 Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, 22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased. 23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli, 24 Which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Janna, which was the son of Joseph, 25 Which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Amos, which was the son of Naum, which was the son of Esli, which was the son of Nagge, 26 Which was the son of Maath, which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Semei, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Juda, 27 Which was the son of Joanna, which was the son of Rhesa, which was the son of Zorobabel, which was the son of Salathiel, which was the son of Neri, 28 Which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Addi, which was the son of Cosam, which was the son of Elmodam, which was the son of Er, 29 Which was the son of Jose, which was the son of Eliezer, which was the son of Jorim, which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, 30 Which was the son of Simeon, which was the son of Juda, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Jonan, which was the son of Eliakim, 31 Which was the son of Melea, which was the son of Menan, which was the son of Mattatha, which was the son of Nathan, which was the son of David, 32 Which was the son of Jesse, which was the son of Obed, which was the son of Booz, which was the son of Salmon, which was the son of Naasson, 33 Which was the son of Aminadab, which was the son of Aram, which was the son of Esrom, which was the son of Phares, which was the son of Juda, 34 Which was the son of Jacob, which was the son of Isaac, which was the son of Abraham, which was the son of Thara, which was the son of Nachor, 35 Which was the son of Saruch, which was the son of Ragau, which was the son of Phalec, which was the son of Heber, which was the son of Sala, 36 Which was the son of Cainan, which was the son of Arphaxad, which was the son of Sem, which was the son of Noe, which was the son of Lamech, 37 Which was the son of Mathusala, which was the son of Enoch, which was the son of Jared, which was the son of Maleleel, which was the son of Cainan, 38 Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.