Luke 3
1 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being Governor of Judaea, Herod Tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip Tetrarch of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias Tetrarch of Abilene,
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],
2 during the High-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, a message from God came to John, the son of Zechariah, in the Desert.
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.
3 John went into all the district about the Jordan proclaiming a baptism of the penitent for the forgiveness of sins;
[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]!”
4 as it is written in the book of the prophet Isaiah, "The voice of one crying aloud! 'In the Desert prepare ye a road for the Lord: make His highway straight.
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]!
5 Every ravine shall be filled up, and every mountain and hill levelled down, the crooked places shall be turned into straight roads, and the rugged ways into smooth;
[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]!
6 and then shall all mankind see God's salvation.'"
Then people [SYN] everywhere will understand how God can save [MTY] [people].”
7 Accordingly John used to say to the crowds who came out to be baptized by him, "O vipers' brood, who has warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
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?])
8 Live lives which shall prove your change of heart; and do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our forefather,' for I tell you that God can raise up descendants for Abraham from these stones.
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!’
9 And even now the axe is lying at the root of the trees, so that every tree which fails to yield good fruit will quickly be hewn down and thrown into the fire."
[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].”
10 The crowds repeatedly asked him, "What then are we to do?"
[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]?”
11 "Let the man who has two coats," he answered, "give one to the man who has none; and let the man who has food share it with others."
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.”
12 There came also a party of tax-gatherers to be baptized, and they asked him, "Rabbi, what are we to do?"
[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]?”
13 "Do not exact more than the legal amount," he replied.
He said to them, “Do not take from the people any more money than [the Roman government] tells you to take!”
14 The soldiers also once and again inquired of him, "And we, what are we to do?" His answer was, "Neither intimidate any one nor lay false charges; and be content with your pay."
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.”
15 And while the people were in suspense and all were debating in their minds whether John might possibly be the Anointed One,
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.
16 he answered the question by saying to them all, "As for me, I am baptizing you with water, but One mightier than I is coming, whose very sandal-strap I am not worthy to unfasten: He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and with fire.
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)
17 His winnowing-shovel is in His hand to clear out His threshing-floor, and to gather the wheat into His storehouse; but the chaff He will burn up in fire unquenchable."
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).”
18 With many exhortations besides these he declared the Good News to the people.
John kept telling people many things to urge them [to turn to God], as he told them the good message [from God].
19 But Herod the Tetrarch, being repeatedly rebuked by him about Herodias his brother's wife, and about all the wicked deeds that he had done,
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.
20 now added this to crown all the rest, that he threw John into prison.
But Herod [had his soldiers] put John in prison. That was another evil thing he did.
21 Now when all the people had been baptized, and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the sky opened,
[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.
22 and the Holy Spirit came down in bodily shape, like a dove, upon Him, and a voice came from Heaven, which said, "Thou art My Son, dearly loved: in Thee is My delight."
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!”
23 And He--Jesus--when He began His ministry, was about thirty years old. He was the son (it was supposed) of Joseph, son of Heli,
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.
24 son of Matthat, son of Levi, son of Melchi, son of Jannai, son of Joseph,
[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.
25 son of Mattathias, son of Amos, son of Nahum, son of Esli, son of Naggai,
[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.
26 son of Mahath, son of Mattathias, son of Semein, son of Josech, son of Joda,
[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.
27 son of Johanan, son of Resa, son of Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, son of Neri,
[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.
28 son of Melchi, son of Addi, son of Cosam, son of Elmadam, son of Er,
[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.
29 son of Joshua, son of Eliezar, son of Jorim, son of Maththat, son of Levi,
[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.
30 son of Symeon, son of Judah, son of Joseph, son of Jonam, son of Eliakim, son of
[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.
31 Melea, son of Menna, son of Mattatha, son of Nathan, son of David,
[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.
32 son of Jesse, son of Obed, son of Boaz, son of Salmon, son of Nahshon,
[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.
33 son of Amminadab, son of Admin, son of Arni, son of Hezron, son of Perez, son of Judah,
[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.
34 son of Jacob, son of Isaac, son of Abraham, son of Terah, son of Nahor,
[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.
35 son of Serug, son of Reu, son of Peleg, son of Eber, son of Shelah,
[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.
36 son of Cainan, son of Arpachshad, son of Shem, son of Noah, son of Lamech,
[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.
37 son of Methuselah, son of Enoch, son of Jared, son of Mahalalel, son of Kenan,
[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.
38 son of Enosh, son of Seth, son of Adam, son of God.
[Cainan was the son] of Enos. [Enos was the son] of Seth. [Seth was the son] of Adam. [Adam was the man] God created.
