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, son of Zacharias, in the wilderness. 3And he went into the country around the Jordan, preaching that people should be baptized to show their repentance and to turn to God for forgiveness of their sins - 4As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah, the prophet (Is.40:3), “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 forth good fruit is cut down, and thrown into the fire.” 10And the people asked him, “What shall we do then?” 11He answered, “Anyone who has two coats should share one with someone that has none; and anyone 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 also asked him, “And what shall we do?” And he told them, “Do violence to no man, nor accuse anyone falsely; and be content with your wages.” 15And since the people were waiting expectantly, they were wondering in their hearts whether or not John might be the Christ (Messiah), 16John said to them all, “I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, the latchet of Whose shoes I am not worthy to loose; He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire; 17His 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 later, when John publicly rebuked Herod, the tetrarch, for marrying Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, and all the evil things which Herod had done, 20Herod locked John up in prison, adding this to his many crimes. 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 when He began His public ministry. Jesus was commonly known as the Son of Joseph, son of Heli (Eli), 24The son of Matthat, son of Levi, son of Melchi, son of Jannai, son of Joseph, 25The son of Mattathias, son of Amos, son of Nahum, son of Esli, son of Naggai, 26The son of Maath, son of Mattathias, son of Semein, son of Joseph (Josek), son of Joda, 27The son of Joanan, son of Rhesa, son of Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, son of Neri, 28The son of Melchi (Melki), son of Addi, son of Cosam, son of Elmadam, son of Er, 29The son of Joshua, son of Eliezer, son of Jorim, son of Matthat, son of Levi, 30The son of Simeon, son of Judas (Judah), son of Joseph, son of Jonam, son of Eliakim, 31The son of Melea, son of Menna, son of Mattatha, son of Nathan, son of David, 32The son of Jesse, son of Obed, son of Boaz, son of Salmon, son of Nahshon, 33The son of Amminadab, son of Arni (Ram), son of Hezron, son of Perez, son of Judah, 34The son of Jacob, son of Isaac, son of Abraham, son of Terah, son of Nahor, 35The son of Serug, son of Reu, son of Peleg, son of Eber, son of Shelah, 36The son of Cainan, son of Arpachshad (Arphaxad), son of Shem, son of Noah, son of Lamech, 37The son of Methusela, son of Enoch, son of Jared, son of Mahalalel, son of Cainan (Kenan), 38The son of Enos (Enosh), son of Seth, who was the son of Adam, who was the son of God.