Luke 3
1 When the Emperor Tiberius had been ruling [the Roman Empire] for 15 years, and while Pontius Pilate was the governor of Judea [district], and Herod [Antipas] was ruling Galilee [district], and his brother Philip was ruling Iturea and Trachonitis [districts], and Lysanius was ruling Abilene [district],
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—while Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip was tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene,
2 and while Annas and Caiaphas were the high priests [in Jerusalem], God gave messages to Zechariah’s son John while he was living in the desolate region.
during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas—the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness.
3 [So] John went all over the area close to the Jordan [River]. He kept telling people, “If you want [God] to forgive you for your sins, you must (repent/turn away from your sinful behavior) [before you ask me] to baptize [you]!”
He went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
4 John was the one who [fulfilled] these words that had [been written] by the prophet Isaiah {that the prophet Isaiah had written} on a scroll [long ago]: In a desolate area, someone [SYN] will be heard shouting [to the people who pass by], “Prepare yourselves [to receive] the Lord when he comes! [Make yourselves ready so that you will be prepared when he comes], [just like people] straighten out the road [MET] [for an important official] [MET, DOU]!
As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “A voice of one calling out in the wilderness, 'Make ready the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
5 [Just like people] level off all the places where the land rises and [just like they] fill all the ravines, and [just like people] make the road straight wherever it is crooked, and [just like people] make smooth the bumps in the road, [similarly you need to remove all the obstacles which prevent God from blessing you]!
Every valley will be filled, and every mountain and hill will be made low, and the crooked roads will be made straight, and the uneven places will be built into roads,
6 Then people [SYN] everywhere will understand how God can save [MTY] [people].”
and all flesh will see the salvation of God.'”
7 Although large groups of people came to John to be baptized {in order that he would baptize them}, [he knew that many of them were not sincere]. So he kept saying to them, “You [people are evil] [MET] [like] poisonous snakes! [I] warn you that [God] will some day punish [MTY] [everyone] who sins. And (do not think that you can escape [from his punishing] [MTY] [you if you do not turn from your sinful behavior!/did someone tell you] that you can escape [from his punishing] [MTY] [you if you do not turn from your sinful behavior]?) [RHQ] (OR, Who told you that you could escape [God’s punishment?])
So John said to the crowds who were coming out to be baptized by him, “You offspring of vipers! Who warned you to run away from the wrath that is coming?
8 Do what is appropriate for people who have truly turned from their sinful behavior! [God promised to give Abraham many] descendants. In order to fulfill that promise, God does not need you! I tell you that he can change these stones to make them descendants of Abraham! So do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We [(exc)] are descendants of Abraham, [so God will not punish us, even though we have] sinned!’
Therefore, produce fruits that are worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say within yourselves, 'We have Abraham for our father,' for I tell you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones.
9 [God is ready to punish you if you do not turn away from your sinful behavior, just like a man] [MET] lays his axe at the roots [of a fruit] tree [to chop it down and throw it into the fire if it does not produce good fruit] [MET].”
Even now the ax is set against the root of the trees. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire.”
10 [Then] various ones in the crowd asked John, “What shall we [(exc)] do [to escape God punishing us] (OR), [to show that we have repented]?”
Then the crowds kept asking him, saying, “What then are we to do?”
11 He answered them, “If any of you has two shirts, you should give one of them to someone who has no shirt. If any of you has [plenty of] food, you should give some to those who have no food.”
He answered and said to them, “If someone has two tunics, he should share it with a person who has none, and the one having food should do the same.”
12 [Some] tax collectors came [and asked] to be baptized ([asked him] to baptize them}. They asked him, “Teacher, what shall we [(exc)] do [to please God]?”
Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, “Teacher, what must we do?”
13 He said to them, “Do not take from the people any more money than [the Roman government] tells you to take!”
He said to them, “Do not collect more money than you have been ordered to collect.”
14 Some soldiers asked him, “What about us? What should we [(exc)] do [to please God]?” He said to them, “Do not [say to anyone], ‘[If you(sg) do not give me] some money, I will hurt you,’ and do not take [people to court and] falsely accuse them of doing something wrong! And be content with your wages.”
Some soldiers also asked him, saying, “What about us? What must we do?” He said to them, “Do not take money from anyone by force, and do not accuse anyone falsely. Be content with your wages.”
15 People were expecting [that the Messiah would come soon]. Because of that, many of them wondered about John. [Some of them asked him] if he was the Messiah.
Now as the people were eagerly expecting the Christ to come, everyone was wondering in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ.
16 John replied to them all, “No, [I am not]. I used [only] water when I baptized you. But [the Messiah] will soon come! He is far greater than I am. [He is so great that] I am not worthy to [be like his slave and] untie his sandals [MET] [like] a slave would do! He will put [his] Holy Spirit within [MTY] you [to truly change your lives], and [he will judge others of you and punish you in] the fire [MET] [in hell]. (questioned)
John answered by saying to them all, “As for me, I baptize you with water, but someone is coming who is more powerful than I, and I am not worthy even to untie the strap of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
17 He [is like a man] [MET] [who wants to] clear away the grain on the ground where it has been threshed {they have threshed it}. That man [uses] a huge fork [to throw the grain into the air] to separate the wheat from the chaff [MET], and then he cleans up the threshing area. [Similarly, God] will [separate righteous people from the evil people, like a man who] gathers the wheat into his storage area, and then he will burn [those who are like] chaff with a fire (that will never be put out/that will burn forever).”
His winnowing fork is in his hand to thoroughly clear off his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his storehouse. But he will burn up the chaff with fire that can never be put out.”
18 John kept telling people many things to urge them [to turn to God], as he told them the good message [from God].
With many other exhortations also, John preached good news to the people.
19 He also rebuked [the ruler of the district], Herod [Antipas. He rebuked him] for [marrying] Herodias, his brother’s wife, [while his brother was still alive], and for doing many other evil things.
When Herod the tetrarch had been reproved for marrying his brother's wife Herodias, and for all the other evil things that Herod had done,
20 But Herod [had his soldiers] put John in prison. That was another evil thing he did.
he added this to them all, that he locked John up in prison.
21 [But before John was put in prison], when many people were being baptized {when he was baptizing many people}, after Jesus was baptized {he baptized Jesus} and Jesus was praying, the sky opened.
Now it came about, when all the people were baptized, Jesus also was baptized, and while he was praying, the heavens opened,
22 Then the Holy Spirit, resembling a dove, descended upon [Jesus]. And [God] [SYN/EUP] spoke to Jesus from heaven, saying, “You [(sg)] are my Son, whom I love dearly. I am very pleased with you!”
and the Holy Spirit in bodily form came down on him like a dove, and a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, whom I love. I am pleased with you.”
23 When Jesus began [his work for God], he was about 30 years old. It was {[People]} thought that he was [the son of] Joseph. [Joseph was the son] of Heli.
When Jesus began his ministry, he was about thirty years of age. He was the son (as it was assumed) of Joseph, the son of Heli,
24 [Heli was the son] of Matthat. [Matthat was the son] of Levi. [Levi was the son] of Melchi. [Melchi was the son] of Jannai. [Jannai 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 [Joseph was the son] of Mattathias. [Mattathias was the son] of Amos. [Amos was the son] of Nahum. [Nahum was the son] of Esli. [Esli was the son] of Naggai.
Joseph was the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai,
26 [Naggai was the son] of Maath. [Maath was the son] of Mattathias. [Mattathias was the son] of Semein. [Semein was the son] of Josech. [Josech 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 [Joda was the son] of Joanan. [Joanan was the son] of Rhesa. [Rhesa was the son] of Zerubbabel. [Zerubbabel was the son] of Shealtiel. [Shealtiel was the son] of Neri.
Joda was the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Salathiel, the son of Neri,
28 [Neri was the son] of Melchi. [Melchi was the son] of Addi. [Addi was the son] of Cosam. [Cosam was the son] of Elmadam. [Elmadam 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 [Er was the son] of Joshua. [Joshua was the son] of Eliezer. [Eliezer was the son] of Jorim. [Jorim was the son] of Matthat. [Matthat 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 [Levi was the son] of Simeon. [Simeon was the son] of Judah. [Judah was the son] of Joseph. [Joseph was the son] of Jonam. [Jonam was the son] of Eliakim.
Levi was the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim,
31 [Eliakim was the son] of Melea. [Melea was the son] of Menna. [Menna was the son] of Mattatha. [Mattatha was the son] of Nathan. [Nathan 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 [David was the son] of Jesse. [Jesse was the son] of Obed. [Obed was the son] of Boaz. [Boaz was the son] of Sala. [Sala 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 [Nahshon was the son] of Amminadab. [Amminadab was the son] of Admin. [Admin was the son] of Arni. [Arni was the son] of Hezron. [Hezron was the son] of Perez. [Perez was the son] of Judah.
Nahshon was the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah,
34 [Judah was the son] of Jacob. [Jacob was the son] of Isaac. [Isaac was the son] of Abraham. [Abraham was the son] of Terah. [Terah 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 [Nahor was the son] of Serug. [Serug was the son] of Reu. [Reu was the son] of Peleg. [Peleg was the son] of Eber. [Eber 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 [Shelah was the son] of Cainan. [Cainan was the son] of Arphaxad. [Arphaxad was the son] of Shem. [Shem was the son] of Noah. [Noah was the son] of Lamech.
Shelah was the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,
37 [Lamech was the son] of Methuselah. [Methuselah was the son] of Enoch. [Enoch was the son] of Jared. [Jared was the son] of Mahalalel. [Mahalalel 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 [Cainan was the son] of Enos. [Enos was the son] of Seth. [Seth was the son] of Adam. [Adam was the man] God created.
the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.
