The Father Sends His Voice
3 1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when 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 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of our Father came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, 4 as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: "A voice of one calling in the wilderness: Prepare the way for the Lord, make his paths straight. 5 Every valley shall be filled in, and every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, and the rough ways smooth, 6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of our Father.
7 John said therefore to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Bear fruit, then, in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you that our Father is able to raise up children for Abraham out of these stones. 9 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees, so every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire."
10 And the crowds asked him, "What then should we do?"
11 He replied, "Whoever has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and whoever has food should do the same."
12 Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, "Teacher, what should we do?"
13 "Collect no more than you are required to," he told them.
14 Soldiers also asked him, "And what about us — what should we do?" He said to them, "Do not extort money from anyone by force or false accusation, and be content with your pay."
15 The people were waiting expectantly and all were wondering in their hearts whether John himself might be the Christ. 16 John answered them all, "I baptize you with water. But someone more powerful than I am is coming — I am not worthy to untie the straps of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn the chaff with unquenchable fire."
18 And with many other words of exhortation, John proclaimed the good news to the people. 19 But when John rebuked Herod the tetrarch concerning Herodias, his brother's wife, and concerning all the evil things Herod had done, 20 Herod added this to all the rest: he locked John up in prison.
The Father Calls His Son Beloved
21 Now when all the people were being baptized, Jesus too was baptized. And as he was praying, heaven was opened,
22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my beloved Son; in you I am well pleased."
23 Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it 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 Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, 30 the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, 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 Admin, 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 Mahalalel, the son of Cainan, 38 the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of our Father.