1Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3And he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, »The voice of one crying in the wilderness:‘Prepare the way of the Lord,make his paths straight. 5Every valley shall be filledand every mountain and hill brought low;the crooked places shall be made straightand the rough ways smooth; 6and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’« 7Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, »You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 9And even now the ax is laid at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.« 10And the multitudes asked him, »What then shall we do?« 11And he answered them, »He who has two tunics, let him share with him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.« 12Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, »Teacher, what shall we do?« 13And he said to them, »Collect no more than is appointed you.« 14Likewise the soldiers asked him, »And what shall we do?« So he said to them, »Rob no one by violence or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages.« 15As the people were in expectation, and all men questioned in their hearts concerning John, whether perhaps he were the Christ, 16John answered them all, »I baptize you with water; but one mightier than I is coming, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 17His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.« 18And with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people. 19But Herod the tetrarch, being rebuked by him concerning Herodias, his brother's wife, and for all the other evil things Herod had done, 20added this to them all, that he shut up John in prison. 21When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was also baptized. And as he was praying, the heaven was opened 22and the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, »You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.« 23Now Jesus himself, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli, 24the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph, 25the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, 26the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda, 27the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, 28the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er, 29the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, 30the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim, 31the son of Melea, 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 Nahshon, 33the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, 34the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, 35the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, 36the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, 37the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, the son of Cainan, 38the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.