1In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, the Roman emperor, Pontius Pilate was governor of Judaea, and Herod was tetrarch (one of four governors of a Roman province) of Galilee, and his brother Philip, tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias, the tetrarch of Abilene;
2Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness.
3And he went into the country around Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission (forgiveness) of sins;
4As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah, the prophet, “The voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight.
5Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough roads shall be made smooth;
6And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”
7Then John said to the crowds of people that came out to be baptized by him, “O generation of vipers, who has warned you to flee from the wrath (of God) to come?
8Produce fruit that reflects your repentance, and do not say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father’; for I tell you, that God is able to raise up children to Abraham out of these stones.
9And now the axe is already laid to the root of the trees; and every tree that does not bring not forth good fruit is cut down, and thrown into the fire.
10And the people asked him, “What shall we do then?”
11He answered them, “He that has two coats, let him share one with him that has none; and he that has food, let him do likewise.
12Then even tax collectors came to be baptized, and said to John, “Teacher, what shall we do?”
13And he said to them, “Collect no more than what is required of you”.
14And the soldiers likewise asked him, “And what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do violence to no man, nor accuse anyone falsely; and be content with your wages”.
15And since the people were waiting expectantly, and were wondering in their hearts about John, whether he might be the Christ (Messiah) or not;
16John said to them all, “I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I comes, the latchet of Whose shoes I am not worthy to loose; He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire;
17Whose fan (winnowing fork, with which one separates the chaff (undesirable) from the wheat (desirable)) is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His (threshing) floor, and will gather the wheat into His garner (barn); but the chaff He will burn with an unquenchable fire”.
18And with many other words John exhorted the people and proclaimed the good news (gospel) to them.
19But when John publicly rebuked Herod, the tetrarch, for marrying Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, and all the evil things which Herod had done,
20 Herod added this above all, so that he locked up John in prison.
21Now when all the people were being baptized, Jesus also came to be baptized, and as He was praying, the heavens opened,
22And the Holy Spirit descended upon Him, in a bodily form like a dove, and a voice came from heaven, which said, “You are My beloved Son; I am well pleased in You”.
23And Jesus Himself was about thirty years of age, being known as the Son of Joseph, the son of Heli,
24The son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph,
25The son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai,
26The son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Joseph (Josek), the son of Joda,
27The son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri,
28The son of Melchi (Melki), the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er,
29The son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi,
30The son of Simeon, the son of Judas (Judah), the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim,
31The son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David,
32The son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon,
33The son of Amminadab, the son of Arni (Ram), the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah,
34The son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor,
35The son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah,
36The son of Cainan, the son of Arpachshad (Arphaxad), the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,
37The son of Methusela, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, the son of Cainan (Kenan),
38The son of Enos (Enosh), the son of Seth, who was the son of Adam, who was the son of God. Easy Reader Bible: Purple Letter Edition © 2023 by Jim Musser. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved. Bible Hub |
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