Luke 3
1 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,
By now Tiberias had been Caesar for fifteen years. Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea. Herod was ruler of Galilee, his brother Philip was ruler of Iturea and Trachonitis, and Lysanius was ruler of Abiline.
2 when Annas and Caiaphas were high-priests, the word of God came to John, the son of Zachariah, in the wilderness.
Annas and Caiphas were the current high priests. This was the time when the word of God came to John, Zechariah's son, who was living in the desert.
3 And he came into all the country about the Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;
He went throughout the whole Jordan region, announcing to everyone that they needed to be baptized to show they had repented and their sins had been forgiven.
4 as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths!
As Isaiah the prophet wrote: “A voice was heard crying out in the desert, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord: make his paths straight.
5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low; and the crooked places shall be made straight, and the rough ways smooth;
Every valley will be filled, and every mountain and hill will be leveled. Crooked ways will be straightened, and rough roads will be smoothed.
6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”
Every human being will see God's salvation.’”
7 He said therefore to the multitudes that came forth to be baptized by him, Brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
John addressed the crowds that came to him to be baptized. “You viper's brood! Who warned you to flee from the coming judgment?” he asked.
8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance; and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham for our father; for I say to you, that God is able out of these stones to raise up children to Abraham.
“Demonstrate that you have truly repented. Don't try to justify yourselves by saying, ‘We're Abraham's descendants.’ Let me tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these stones.
9 And already also is the axe lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that beareth not good fruit is to be cut down, and cast into the fire.
The ax is set to begin chopping at the base of the trees. Any tree that doesn't produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.”
10 And the multitudes asked him, saying, What then must we do?
“So what should we do?” the crowds asked him.
11 He answered and said to them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath food, let him do likewise.
“If you have two coats, then share with someone who doesn't have one. If you have food, then share with those who don't,” he told them.
12 And there came also publicans to be baptized, and said to him, Teacher, what must we do?
Some tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher, what should we do?” they also asked.
13 And he said to them, Exact no more than hath been ordered you.
“Don't collect any more tax than you're meant to,” he replied.
14 And soldiers also asked him, saying, And what must we do? And he said to them, Do violence to no one, accuse no one falsely, and be content with your wages.
“What about us?” some soldiers asked. “What should we do?” “Don't demand money with threats of violence. Don't make accusations that are untrue. Be satisfied with your wages,” he replied.
15 And while the people were in expectation, and all were considering in their hearts concerning John, whether he were the Christ,
The people were waiting expectantly, and wondered whether John himself might be the Messiah.
16 John answered and said to them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but he who is mightier than I is coming, the latchet of whose sandals I am not worthy to loose; he will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire.
John replied and explained to everybody: “Yes, I am baptizing you in water. But the one who is coming is more important than me, and I'm not worthy to undo his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
17 His winnowing-shovel is in his hand to thoroughly cleanse his threshing-floor, and gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.
His winnowing fork is in his hand and he's ready to separate the wheat from the chaff on his threshing floor. He'll gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with fire that can't be extinguished.”
18 And giving many other exhortations he published the glad tidings to the people.
John gave many warnings like this as he announced the good news to the people.
19 But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him on account of Herodias the wife of his brother, and on account of all the evil deeds which Herod had done,
But when John reprimanded Herod the ruler for marrying Herodias, Herod's brother's wife, and for all the evil things he'd done,
20 added this also to them all, that he shut up John in prison.
Herod added to his crimes by having John thrown into jail.
21 And it came to pass, when all the people had been baptized, and Jesus also had been baptized, and was praying, that the heaven was opened,
Now it happened that after everyone had been baptized, Jesus was baptized as well. As he was praying, heaven was opened,
22 and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in a bodily shape as a dove; and a voice came from heaven: “Thou art my beloved Son; with thee I am well pleased.”
and the Holy Spirit descended upon him, taking the form of a dove. A voice came from heaven, saying, “You are my son, the one I love. I am truly pleased with you.”
23 And Jesus himself was, when he began, about thirty years of age, being, as was supposed, the son of Joseph, who was the son of Heli,
Jesus was around thirty when he began his public ministry. People presumed he was the son of Joseph. Joseph was the son of Heli,
24 who was the son of Matthath, who was the son of Levi, who was the son of Melchi, who was the son of Jannai, who was the son of Joseph,
the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph,
25 who was the son of Mattathias, who was the son of Amos, who was the son of Nahum, who was the son of Esli, who was the son of Naggai,
the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai,
26 who was the son of Maath, who was the son of Mattathias, who was the son of Shimei, who was the son of Josech, who was the son of Joda,
the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda,
27 who was the son of Joanan, who was the son of Rhesa, who was the son of Zerubbabel, who was the son of Shealtiel, who was the son of Neri,
the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri,
28 who was the son of Melchi, who was the son of Addi, who was the son of Kosam, who was the son of Elmadam, who was the son of Er,
the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er,
29 who was the son of Jesus, who was the son of Eliezer, who was the son of Jorim, who was the son of Matthath, who was the son of Levi,
the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi,
30 who was the son of Simeon, who was the son of Judah, who was the son of Joseph, who was the son of Jonam, who was the son of Eliakim,
the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim,
31 who was the son of Melea, who was the son of Menna, who was the son of Mattatha, who was the son of Nathan, who was the son of David,
the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David,
32 who was the son of Jesse, who was the son of Obed, who was the son of Boaz, who was the son of Salma, who was the son of Nahshon,
the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon,
33 who was the son of Amminadab, who was the son of Admin, who was the son of Arni, who was the son of Hezron, who was the son of Pharez, who was the son of Judah,
the son of Amminadab, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah,
34 who was the son of Jacob, who was the son of Isaac, who was the son of Abraham, who was the son of Terah, who was the son of Nahor,
the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor,
35 who was the son of Serug, who was the son of Reu, who was the son of Peleg, who was the son of Eber, who was the son of Shelah,
the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah,
36 who was the son of Cainan, who was the son of Arphaxad, who was the son of Shem, who was the son of Noah, who was the son of Lamech,
the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,
37 who was the son of Methuselah, who was the son of Enoch, who was the son of Jared, who was the son of Mahalaleel, who was the son of Cainan,
the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan,
38 who was the son of Enos, who was the son of Seth, who was the son of Adam, who was the son of God.
the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.
