1 IN the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was Governor of Judaea and Herod Prince of Galilee, and Philip his brother Prince of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias Prince of Abilene,

2 during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wild lands.

3 Then he came into all the neighborhood of the Jordan proclaiming baptism for a change of heart in order to forgiveness of sins,

4 as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, "The voice of one shouting in the wilderness, 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight!'

5 Every ravine shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be graded down, and the crooked places shall become straight and the rough roads shall become smooth,

6 and all men shall see the salvation of God."

7 He said to the crowds that went out to be baptized by him, "Brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?

8 Produce then fruits suitable for a change of heart, and do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham for our father.' For I tell you, God is able out of these stones to raise up children for Abraham.

9 Already the axe is lying at the root of the trees. Every tree that does not yield good fruit is to be cut down and thrown into the fire."

10 The crowds asked him, "What then shall we do?"

11 He answered, "Let him who has two tunics give to him who has none, and let him who has food do likewise."

12 Some tax collectors came to be baptized and said to him, "Teacher, what shall we do?"

13 He said to them, "Do nothing beyond what you are authorized."

14 Soldiers asked him, "And what shall we do?" He said to them, "Do violence to no man; bring no false accusations; be content with your rations."

15 As the people were in expectation and all were debating in their minds about John, whether he was the Christ,

16 John said to them all, "I am baptizing you with water, but there is coming the One mightier than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to unfasten. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

17 He has his fan in his hand to cleanse his threshing floor and gather the wheat into his granary. But the chaff he will burn up with fire unquenchable."

18 With many different exhortations John proclaimed the good news to the people.

19 But Herod, the prince, because John reproved him regarding Herodias, his brother's wife, and regarding all the wicked things which Herod had done,

20 added also this wickedness to all the rest \'97 he shut up John in prison.

21 When all the people were being baptized, and when Jesus had been baptized and was praying, heaven was opened,

22 and the Holy Spirit in bodily form like a dove descended upon him, and a voice came from heaven, "Thou art my Son, the Beloved. In thee I delight."

23 Jesus, when he began, was about thirty years old, being the son as was thought 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.