1Now in the fifteenth year of the government of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, and Philip his brother was tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene, 2In the time of the priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came unto John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness. 3And he went into all the country around the Jordan, proclaiming the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;

4As it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, saying, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness, 'Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight His paths. '

5Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low; and the crooked places shall be made into straight paths, and the rough places into smooth ways;

6And all flesh shall see the salvation of God."

7For this reason, he said to the multitudes who were coming out to be baptized by him, "You offspring of vipers, who has forewarned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8Therefore, bring forth fruits worthy of repentance; and do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham for our father,' because I tell you that God has the power to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 9But the axe is already being laid to the roots of the trees. Therefore, every tree that is not producing good fruit is cut down and is cast into the fire."

10And the multitudes asked him, saying, "What then shall we do?" 11And he answered and said to them, "The one who has two coats, let him give to the one who has none; and the one who has food, let him do the same." 12Now the tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, "Master, what shall we do?" 13And he said to them, "Exact nothing beyond that which is appointed to you." 14Then those who were soldiers also asked him, saying, "And we, what shall we do?" And he said to them, "Do not oppress or falsely accuse anyone, and be satisfied with your wages."

15But as the people were filled with expectation, and they were all reasoning in their hearts about John, whether or not he might be the Christ, 16John answered all of them, saying, "I indeed baptize you with water; but He is coming Who is mightier than I, of Whom I am not fit to loose the thong of His sandals. He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit, and with fire; 17Whose fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His floor, and will gather the wheat into His granary; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire."

18And with many other exhortations he preached the gospel to the people. 19But Herod the tetrarch, after being reproved by him for marrying Herodias, the wife of Philip his brother, and for all the evils that Herod had done, 20Added this to all that: he locked up John in prison.

21Now it came to pass after all the people were baptized, and Jesus was baptized and was praying, that the heaven was opened, 22And the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in a bodily form like a dove; and there came a voice from heaven, saying, "You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased."

23And Jesus Himself began to be about thirty years old, being, as was supposed, the son of Joseph, the son-in-law of Eli, 24The son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Janna, the son of Joseph, 25The son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Naoum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, 26The son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semei, the son of Joseph, the son of Juda, 27The son of Joannes, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zorobabel, the son of Salathiel, the son of Neri, 28The son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmodam, the son of Er, 29The son of Joses, the son of Eliezer, the son of Joreim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, 30The son of Simeon, the son of Juda, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonan, the son of Eliakim, 31The son of Meleas, 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 Naasson, 33The son of Aminadab, the son of Aram, the son of Esrom, the son of Phares, the son of Juda, 34The son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nachor, 35The son of Saruch, the son of Ragau, the son of Phalek, the son of Eber, the son of Sala, 36The son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noe, the son of Lamech, 37The son of Methusalah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalelel, the son of Cainan, 38The son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.