The Preaching of John the Baptist
(Matthew 3.1-12Mark 1.1-8John 1.19-28)1 For 15 years Emperor Tiberius had ruled that part of the world. Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was the ruler of Galilee. Herod's brother, Philip, was the ruler in the countries of Iturea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was the ruler of Abilene. 2 Annas and Caiaphas were the Jewish high priests.
At that time God spoke to Zechariah's son John, who was living in the desert. 3 So John went along the Jordan Valley, telling the people, “Turn back to God and be baptized! Then your sins will be forgiven.” 4 Isaiah the prophet wrote about John when he said,
“In the desert
someone is shouting,
‘Get the road ready
for the Lord!
Make a straight path
for him.
5 Fill up every valley
and level every mountain
and hill.
Straighten the crooked paths
and smooth out
the rough roads.
6 Then everyone will see
the saving power of God.’ ”
7 Crowds of people came out to be baptized, but John said to them, “You bunch of snakes! Who warned you to run from the coming judgment? 8 Do something to show that you really have given up your sins. Don't start saying you belong to Abraham's family. God can turn these stones into children for Abraham. 9 An ax is ready to cut the trees down at their roots. Any tree that doesn't produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into a fire.”
10 The crowds asked John, “What should we do?”
11 John told them, “If you have two coats, give one to someone who doesn't have any. If you have food, share it with someone else.”
12 When tax collectors came to be baptized, they asked John, “Teacher, what should we do?”
13 John told them, “Don't make people pay more than they owe.”
14 Some soldiers asked him, “And what about us? What do we have to do?”
John told them, “Don't force people to pay money to make you leave them alone. Be satisfied with your pay.”
15 Everyone became excited and wondered, “Could John be the Messiah?”
16 John said, “I am just baptizing with water. But someone more powerful is going to come, and I am not good enough even to untie his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 17 His threshing fork is in his hand, and he is ready to separate the wheat from the husks. He will store the wheat in his barn and burn the husks with a fire that never goes out.”
18 In many different ways John preached the good news to the people. 19 But to Herod the ruler, he said, “It was wrong for you to take Herodias, your brother's wife.” John also said Herod had done many other bad things. 20 Finally, Herod put John in jail, and this was the worst thing he had done.
The Baptism of Jesus
(Matthew 3.13-17Mark 1.9-11)21 While everyone else was being baptized, Jesus himself was baptized. Then as he prayed, the sky opened up, 22 and the Holy Spirit came down upon him in the form of a dove. A voice from heaven said, “You are my own dear Son, and I am pleased with you.”
The Ancestors of Jesus
(Matthew 1.1-17)23 When Jesus began to preach, he was about 30 years old. Everyone thought he was the son of Joseph. But his family went back through Heli, 24 Matthat, Levi, Melchi, Jannai, Joseph, 25 Mattathias, Amos, Nahum, Esli, Naggai, 26 Maath, Mattathias, Semein, Josech, Joda;
27 Joanan, Rhesa, Zerubbabel, Shealtiel, Neri, 28 Melchi, Addi, Cosam, Elmadam, Er, 29 Joshua, Eliezer, Jorim, Matthat, Levi;
30 Simeon, Judah, Joseph, Jonam, Eliakim, 31 Melea, Menna, Mattatha, Nathan, David, 32 Jesse, Obed, Boaz, Salmon, Nahshon;
33 Amminadab, Admin, Arni, Hezron, Perez, Judah, 34 Jacob, Isaac, Abraham, Terah, Nahor, 35 Serug, Reu, Peleg, Eber, Shelah;
36 Cainan, Arphaxad, Shem, Noah, Lamech, 37 Methuselah, Enoch, Jared, Mahalaleel, Kenan, 38 Enosh, and Seth.
The family of Jesus went all the way back to Adam and then to God.
1 Nowe in the fifteenth yeere of the reigne of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being gouernour of Iudea, and Herod being Tetrarch of Galile, and his brother Philip Tetrarch of Iturea, and of the countrey of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the Tetrarch of Abilene, 2 (When Annas and Caiaphas were the hie Priestes) the worde of God came vnto Iohn, the sonne of Zacharias in the wildernes. 3 And hee came into all the coastes about Iordan, preaching the baptisme of repentance for the remission of sinnes, 4 As it is written in the booke of the sayings of Esaias the Prophet, which saith, The voyce of him that crieth in the wildernes is, Prepare ye the way of the Lord: make his paths straight. 5 Euery valley shalbe filled, and euery mountaine and hill shall be brought lowe, and crooked things shalbe made straight, and the rough wayes shalbe made smoothe. 6 And all flesh shall see the saluation of God. 7 Then said he to the people that were come out to be baptized of him, O generations of vipers, who hath forewarned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bring foorth therefore fruites worthy amendment of life, and beginne not to say with your selues, We haue Abraham to our father: for I say vnto you, that God is able of these stones to raise vp children vnto Abraham. 9 Nowe also is the axe layed vnto the roote of the trees: therefore euery tree which bringeth not foorth good fruite, shalbe hewen downe, and cast into the fire. 10 Then the people asked him, saying, What shall we doe then? 11 And he answered, and said vnto them, He that hath two coates, let him part with him that hath none: and hee that hath meate, let him doe likewise. 12 Then came there Publicanes also to bee baptized, and saide vnto him, Master, what shall we doe? 13 And hee saide vnto them, Require no more then that which is appointed vnto you. 14 The souldiers likewise demaunded of him, saying, And what shall we doe? And he saide vnto them, Doe violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely, and be content with your wages. 15 As the people waited, and all men mused in their heartes of Iohn, if he were not that Christ, 16 Iohn answered, and saide to them all, In deede I baptize you with water, but one stronger then I, commeth, whose shoes latchet I am not worthy to vnloose: hee will baptize you with the holy Ghost, and with fire. 17 Whose fanne is in his hande, and hee will make cleane his floore, and will gather the wheate into his garner, but the chaffe will hee burne vp with fire that neuer shalbe quenched. 18 Thus then exhorting with many other things, he preached vnto the people. 19 But when Herod the Tetrarch was rebuked of him, for Herodias his brother Philips wife, and for all the euils which Herod had done, 20 He added yet this aboue all, that he shut vp Iohn in prison. 21 Nowe it came to passe, as all the people were baptized, and that Iesus was baptized and did pray, that the heauen was opened: 22 And the holy Ghost came downe in a bodily shape like a doue, vpon him, and there was a voyce from heauen, saying, Thou art my beloued Sonne: in thee I am well pleased. 23 And Iesus himselfe began to bee about thirtie yeere of age, being as men supposed the sonne of Ioseph, which was the sonne of Eli, 24 The sonne of Matthat, the sonne of Leui, the sonne of Melchi, the sonne of Ianna, the sonne of Ioseph, 25 The sonne of Mattathias, the sonne of Amos, the sonne of Naum, the sonne of Esli, the sonne of Nagge, 26 The sonne of Maath, the sonne of Mattathias, the sonne of Semei, the sonne of Ioseph, the sonne of Iuda, 27 The sonne of Ioanna, the sonne of Rhesa, the sonne of Zorobabel, the sonne of Salathiel, the sonne of Neri, 28 The sonne of Melchi, the sonne of Addi, the sonne of Cosam, the sonne of Elmodam, the sonne of Er, 29 The sonne of Iose, the sonne of Eliezer, the sonne of Iorim, the sonne of Matthat, the son of Leui, 30 The sonne of Simeon, the sonne of Iuda, the sonne of Ioseph, the sonne of Ionan, the sonne of Eliacim, 31 The sonne of Melea, the sonne of Mainan, the sonne of Mattatha, the sonne of Nathan, the sonne of Dauid, 32 The sonne of Iesse, the sonne of Obed, the sonne of Booz, the sonne of Salmon, the sonne of Naasson, 33 The sonne of Aminadab, the sonne of Aram, the sonne of Esrom, the sonne of Phares, the sonne of Iuda, 34 The sonne of Iacob, the sonne of Isaac, the sonne of Abraham, the sonne of Thara, the sonne of Nachor, 35 The sonne of Saruch, the sonne of Ragau, the sonne of Phalec, the sonne of Eber, the sonne of Sala, 36 The sonne of Cainan, the sonne of Arphaxad, the sonne of Sem, the sonne of Noe, the sonne of Lamech, 37 The sonne of Mathusala, the sonne of Enoch, the sonne of Iared, the sonne of Maleleel, the sonne of Cainan, 38 The sonne of Enos, the sonne of Seth, the sonne of Adam, the sonne of God.