Preaching of John concerning Christ -- John preaching to the multitude -- Baptism of Christ -- Genealogy of Christ.

¹⁾Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene; Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests.

²⁾Now in this same year, the word of God came unto John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness.

³⁾And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

⁴⁾As it is written in the book of the prophet Esaias; and these are the words, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, and make his paths straight.

⁵⁾For behold, and lo, he shall come, as it is written in the book of the prophets, to take away the sins of the world, and to bring salvation unto the heathen nations, to gather together those who are lost, who are of the sheepfold of Israel;

⁶⁾Yea, even the dispersed and afflicted; and also to prepare the way, and make possible the preaching of the gospel unto the Gentiles;

⁷⁾And to be a light unto all who sit in darkness, unto the uttermost parts of the earth; to bring to pass the resurrection from the dead, and to ascend up on high, to dwell on the right hand of the Father,

⁸⁾Until the fullness of time, and the law and the testimony shall be sealed, and the keys of the kingdom shall be delivered up again unto the Father;

⁹⁾To administer justice unto all; to come down in judgment upon all, and to convince all the ungodly of their ungodly deeds, which they have committed; and all this in the day that he shall come;

¹⁰⁾For it is a day of power; yea, every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth;

¹¹⁾And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

¹²⁾Then said John to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, crying against them with a loud voice, saying, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

¹³⁾Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, Abraham is our father; we have kept the commandments of God, and none can inherit the promises but the children of Abraham; for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

¹⁴⁾And now also, the axe is laid unto the root of the trees; every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit, shall be hewn down, and cast into the fire.

¹⁵⁾And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?

¹⁶⁾He answered and said unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.

¹⁷⁾Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do?

¹⁸⁾And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed unto you.

¹⁹⁾For it is well known unto you, Theophilus, that after the manner of the Jews, and according to the custom of their law in receiving money into the treasury, that out of the abundance which was received, was appointed unto the poor, every man his portion;

²⁰⁾And after this manner did the publicans also, wherefore John said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.

²¹⁾And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.

²²⁾And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not;

²³⁾John answered, saying unto all, I indeed baptize you with water, but there cometh one mightier than I, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose, he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire;

²⁴⁾Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.

²⁵⁾And many other things, in his exhortation, preached he unto the people.

²⁶⁾But Herod, the tetrarch, being reproved of him for Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done;

²⁷⁾Added yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison.

²⁸⁾Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also came unto John; and being baptized of him, and praying, the heaven was opened;

²⁹⁾And the Holy Ghost descended, in bodily shape like a dove, upon him; and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son, in thee I am well pleased.

³⁰⁾And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, having lived with his father, being, as was supposed of the world, the son of Joseph, who was from the loins of Heli,

³¹⁾Who was from the loins of Matthat, who was the son of Levi, who was a descendant of Melchi, and of Janna, and of Joseph,

³²⁾And of Mattathias, and of Amos, and of Naum, and of Esli, and of Nagge,

³³⁾And of Maath, and of Mattathias, and of Semei, and of Joseph, and of Juda,

³⁴⁾And of Joanna, and of Resa, and of Zorobabel, and of Salathiel, who was the son of Neri,

³⁵⁾Who was a descendant of Melchi, and of Addi, and of Cosam, and of Elmodam, and of Er,

³⁶⁾And of Jose, and of Eliezer, and of Joram, and of Matthat, and of Levi,

³⁷⁾And of Simeon, and of Juda, and of Joseph, and of Jonan, and of Eliakim,

³⁸⁾And of Melea, and of Menan, and of Mattatha, and of Nathan, and of David,

³⁹⁾And of Jesse, and of Obed, and of Booz, and of Salmon, and of Naasson,

⁴⁰⁾And of Aminadab, and of Aram, and of Esrom, and of Phares, and of Juda,

⁴¹⁾And of Jacob, and of Isaac, and of Abraham, and of Thara, and of Nachor,

⁴²⁾And of Saruch, and of Ragau, and of Phalec, and of Heber, and of Sala,

⁴³⁾And of Cainan, and of Arphaxad, and of Shem, and of Noah, and of Lamech,

⁴⁴⁾And of Mathusala, and of Enoch, and of Jared, and of Maleleel, and of Cainan,

⁴⁵⁾And of Enos, and of Seth, and of Adam, who was formed of God, and the first man upon the earth.