1 ¶ Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judaea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, when Herod’s brother Philip was tetrarch of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene,

2 At the time Annas and Caiaphas were the high priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the desert.

3 And he went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;

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

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

6 And all mankind will see the salvation of God.

7 Then he said to the crowds who came out to be baptized by him, O generation of vipers, who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

8 Bring forth fruit worthy of repentance, and do not begin saying within yourselves, We have Abraham as our father: for I tell you, That God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.

9 The axe is already laid at the root of the trees: therefore every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down, and thrown into the fire.

10 And the people asked him, What then shall we do?

11 And he replied, Let he who has two coats, share with him who has none; and let he who has food, do likewise.

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

13 And he said to them, Do not collect any more than what you have been told to.

14 And some soldiers then asked him, What shall we do? And he said to them, Do not intimidate anyone with violence, or accuse them falsely; and be content with your wages.

15 ¶ Now as the people were waiting expectantly, and were all debating in their minds, whether John was the Messiah or not;

16 John answered that question, by saying to them all, I am baptizing you with water; but one who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to unfasten: he will baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:

17 His fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly clean his threshing floor, and will gather the wheat into his barn; but he will burn the chaff with unquenchable fire.

18 And with many other words John exhorted the people and preached the gospel to them.

19 But Herod the tetrarch, being repeatedly reproved by John because of Herodias his brother Philip’s wife, and all the wicked things that Herod had done,

20 Added this to them all, that he shut John up in prison.

21 ¶ Now it came about that when all of the people were being baptized, Jesus was also baptized, and as he was praying, heaven was opened,

22 And the Holy Ghost descended upon him in a bodily shape like a dove, and a voice came from heaven, that said, You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.

23 Now when he began his ministry Jesus was about thirty years of age, and was thought to be the son of Joseph, who was the son-in-law of Heli,

24 Who was the son of Matthat, who was the son of Levi, who was the son of Melchi, who was the son of Jannai, who was the son of Joseph,

25 Who was the son of Mattathias, who was the son of Amos, who was the son of Nahum, who was the son of Esli, who was the son of Naggai,

26 Who was the son of Maath, who was the son of Mattathias, who was the son of Semein, who was the son of Josech, who was the son of Joda,

27 Who was the son of Joanan, who was the son of Rhesa, who was the son of Zerubbabel, who was the son of Shealtiel, who was the son of Neri,

28 Who was the son of Melchi, who was the son of Addi, who was the son of Cosam, who was the son of Elmadam, who was the son of Er,

29 Who was the son of Joshua, who was the son of Eliezer, who was the son of Jorim, who was the son of Matthat, who was the son of Levi,

30 Who was the son of Simeon, who was the son of Judah, who was the son of Joseph, who was the son of Jonam, who was the son of Eliakim,

31 Who was the son of Melea, who was the son of Menna, who was the son of Mattatha, who was the son of Nathan, who was the son of David,

32 Who was the son of Jesse, who was the son of Obed, who was the son of Booz, who was the son of Salmon, who was the son of Nahshon,

33 Who was the son of Aminadab, who was the son of Ram, who was the son of Hezron, who was the son of Perez, who was the son of Judah,

34 Who was the son of Jacob, who was the son of Isaac, who was the son of Abraham, who was the son of Terah, who was the son of Nahor,

35 Who was the son of Serug, who was the son of Reu, who was the son of Peleg, who was the son of Eber, who was the son of Shelah,

36 Who was the son of Arphaxad, who was the son of Shem, who was the son of Noah, who was the son of Lamech,

37 Who was the son of Methuselah, who was the son of Enoch, who was the son of Jared, who was the son of Mahalaleel, who was the son of Cainan,

38 Who was the son of Enos, who was the son of Seth, who was the son of Adam, who was the son of God.