John the Baptist Prepares the Way
1Tiberius Caesar had been ruling for 15 years. Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea. Herod was the ruler of Galilee. His brother Philip was the ruler of Iturea and Traconitis. Lysanias was ruler of Abilene. 2Annas and Caiaphas were high priests. At that time God’s word came to John, son of Zechariah, in the desert. 3He went into all the countryside around the Jordan River. There he preached that people should be baptized and turn away from their sins. Then God would forgive them. 4Here is what is written in the book of Isaiah the prophet. It says,
“A messenger is calling out in the desert,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord.
Make straight paths for him.
5Every valley will be filled in.
Every mountain and hill will be made level.
The crooked roads will become straight.
The rough ways will become smooth.
6And all people will see God’s salvation.’ ” (Isaiah 40:3–5)
7John spoke to the crowds coming to be baptized by him. He said, “You are like a nest of poisonous snakes! Who warned you to escape the coming of God’s anger? 8Live in a way that shows you have turned away from your sins. And don’t start saying to yourselves, ‘Abraham is our father.’ I tell you, God can raise up children for Abraham even from these stones. 9The ax is already lying at the roots of the trees. All the trees that don’t produce good fruit will be cut down. They will be thrown into the fire.”
10“Then what should we do?” the crowd asked.
11John answered, “Anyone who has extra clothes should share with the one who has none. And anyone who has extra food should do the same.”
12Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?”
13“Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” John told them.
14Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?”
John replied, “Don’t force people to give you money. Don’t bring false charges against people. Be happy with your pay.”
15The people were waiting. They were expecting something. They were all wondering in their hearts if John might be the Messiah. 16John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I am will come. I’m not good enough to untie the straps of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17His pitchfork is in his hand to toss the straw away from his threshing floor. He will gather the wheat into his barn. But he will burn up the husks with fire that can’t be put out.” 18John said many other things to warn the people. He also announced the good news to them.
19But John found fault with Herod, the ruler of Galilee, because of his marriage to Herodias. She was the wife of Herod’s brother. John also spoke strongly to Herod about all the other evil things he had done. 20So Herod locked John up in prison. Herod added this sin to all his others.
The Baptism and Family Line of Jesus
21When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened. 22The Holy Spirit came to rest on him in the form of a dove. A voice came from heaven. It said, “You are my Son, and I love you. I am very pleased with you.”
23Jesus was about 30 years old when he began his special work for God and others. It was thought that he was the son of Joseph.
Joseph was the son of Heli.
24Heli was the son of Matthat.
Matthat was the son of Levi.
Levi was the son of Melki.
Melki was the son of Jannai.
Jannai was the son of Joseph.
25Joseph was the son of Mattathias.
Mattathias was the son of Amos.
Amos was the son of Nahum.
Nahum was the son of Esli.
Esli was the son of Naggai.
26Naggai was the son of Maath.
Maath was the son of Mattathias.
Mattathias was the son of Semein.
Semein was the son of Josek.
Josek was the son of Joda.
27Joda was the son of Joanan.
Joanan was the son of Rhesa.
Rhesa was the son of Zerubbabel.
Zerubbabel was the son of Shealtiel.
Shealtiel was the son of Neri.
28Neri was the son of Melki.
Melki was the son of Addi.
Addi was the son of Cosam.
Cosam was the son of Elmadam.
Elmadam was the son of Er.
29Er was the son of Joshua.
Joshua was the son of Eliezer.
Eliezer was the son of Jorim.
Jorim was the son of Matthat.
Matthat was the son of Levi.
30Levi was the son of Simeon.
Simeon was the son of Judah.
Judah was the son of Joseph.
Joseph was the son of Jonam.
Jonam was the son of Eliakim.
31Eliakim was the son of Melea.
Melea was the son of Menna.
Menna was the son of Mattatha.
Mattatha was the son of Nathan.
Nathan was the son of David.
32David was the son of Jesse.
Jesse was the son of Obed.
Obed was the son of Boaz.
Boaz was the son of Salmon.
Salmon was the son of Nahshon.
33Nahshon was the son of Amminadab.
Amminadab was the son of Ram.
Ram was the son of Hezron.
Hezron was the son of Perez.
Perez was the son of Judah.
34Judah was the son of Jacob.
Jacob was the son of Isaac.
Isaac was the son of Abraham.
Abraham was the son of Terah.
Terah was the son of Nahor.
35Nahor was the son of Serug.
Serug was the son of Reu.
Reu was the son of Peleg.
Peleg was the son of Eber.
Eber was the son of Shelah.
36Shelah was the son of Cainan.
Cainan was the son of Arphaxad.
Arphaxad was the son of Shem.
Shem was the son of Noah.
Noah was the son of Lamech.
37Lamech was the son of Methuselah.
Methuselah was the son of Enoch.
Enoch was the son of Jared.
Jared was the son of Mahalalel.
Mahalalel was the son of Kenan.
38Kenan was the son of Enosh.
Enosh was the son of Seth.
Seth was the son of Adam.
Adam was the son of God.
施洗者约翰的传道
1凯撒提庇留执政第十五年，本丢·彼拉多任犹太总督，希律做加利利的分封王，他的弟弟腓力做以土利亚和特拉可尼两地的分封王，吕撒聂做亚比利尼的分封王， 2亚那和该亚法当大祭司。当时，撒迦利亚的儿子约翰住在旷野，上帝向他说话。 3他就到约旦河附近宣讲悔改的洗礼，使人的罪得到赦免。 4这正应验了以赛亚先知书上的话：“在旷野有人大声呼喊，
“‘预备主的道，
修直祂的路。
5一切山谷将被填满，
大山小丘将被削平，
弯曲的道路要被修直，
崎岖的路径要被铺平。
6世人都要看见上帝的救恩。’”
7约翰对前来接受他洗礼的人群说：“你们这些毒蛇的后代！谁指示你们逃避那将临的烈怒呢？ 8你们要结出与悔改相称的果子。不要心里说，‘我们是亚伯拉罕的子孙。’我告诉你们，上帝可以从这些石头中兴起亚伯拉罕的子孙。 9现在斧头已经放在树根上了，不结好果子的树都要被砍下丢在火里。”
10众人问道：“那么，我们该怎么办呢？”
11约翰回答说：“有两件衣服的，应当分一件给没有的；食物充裕的，应当分些给饥饿的。”
12有些税吏也来受洗，并问约翰：“老师，我们该怎么办呢？”
13约翰说：“除了规定的税以外，一分钱也不可多收。”
14有些军人问：“我们该怎么办呢？”约翰说：“不可敲诈勒索，自己有粮饷就当知足。”
15当时的百姓正期待着基督的来临，大家心里都在猜想，也许约翰就是基督。 16约翰对众人说：“我是用水给你们施洗，但有一位能力比我更大的快来了，我就是给祂解鞋带也不配。祂要用圣灵和火给你们施洗。 17祂手里拿着簸箕，要清理祂的麦场，把麦子收进仓库，用不灭的火烧尽糠秕。” 18约翰向众人传福音，讲了许多劝勉的话。
19分封王希律娶了自己弟弟的妻子希罗底，又做了许多恶事，因而受到约翰的指责， 20可是他却恶上加恶，将约翰关进监牢里。
耶稣受洗
21众人都受了洗，耶稣也接受了洗礼。祂正在祷告的时候，天开了， 22圣灵像鸽子一样降在祂身上，又有声音从天上传来：“你是我的爱子，我甚喜悦你。”
耶稣的家谱
23耶稣开始传道的时候，年纪约三十岁，照人的看法，
祂是约瑟的儿子，
约瑟是希里的儿子，
24希里是玛塔的儿子，
玛塔是利未的儿子，
利未是麦基的儿子，
麦基是雅拿的儿子，
雅拿是约瑟的儿子，
25约瑟是玛他提亚的儿子，
玛他提亚是亚摩斯的儿子，
亚摩斯是拿鸿的儿子，
拿鸿是以斯利的儿子，
以斯利是拿该的儿子，
26拿该是玛押的儿子，
玛押是玛他提亚的儿子，
玛他提亚是西美的儿子，
西美是约瑟的儿子，
约瑟是犹大的儿子，
犹大是约亚拿的儿子，
27约亚拿是利撒的儿子，
利撒是所罗巴伯的儿子，
所罗巴伯是撒拉铁的儿子，
撒拉铁是尼利的儿子，
尼利是麦基的儿子，
28麦基是亚底的儿子，
亚底是哥桑的儿子，
哥桑是以摩当的儿子，
以摩当是珥的儿子，
珥是约细的儿子，
29约细是以利以谢的儿子，
以利以谢是约令的儿子，
约令是玛塔的儿子，
玛塔是利未的儿子，
30利未是西缅的儿子，
西缅是犹大的儿子，
犹大是约瑟的儿子，
约瑟是约南的儿子，
约南是以利亚敬的儿子，
31以利亚敬是米利亚的儿子，
米利亚是迈南的儿子，
迈南是玛达他的儿子，
玛达他是拿单的儿子，
拿单是大卫的儿子，
32大卫是耶西的儿子，
耶西是俄备得的儿子，
俄备得是波阿斯的儿子，
波阿斯是撒门的儿子，
撒门是拿顺的儿子，
33拿顺是亚米拿达的儿子，
亚米拿达是兰的儿子，
兰是希斯仑的儿子，
希斯仑是法勒斯的儿子，
法勒斯是犹大的儿子，
34犹大是雅各的儿子，
雅各是以撒的儿子，
以撒是亚伯拉罕的儿子，
亚伯拉罕是他拉的儿子，
他拉是拿鹤的儿子，
35拿鹤是西鹿的儿子，
西鹿是拉吴的儿子，
拉吴是法勒的儿子，
法勒是希伯的儿子，
希伯是沙拉的儿子，
36沙拉是该南的儿子，
该南是亚法撒的儿子，
亚法撒是闪的儿子，
闪是挪亚的儿子，
挪亚是拉麦的儿子，
37拉麦是玛土撒拉的儿子，
玛土撒拉是以诺的儿子，
以诺是雅列的儿子，
雅列是玛勒列的儿子，
玛勒列是该南的儿子，
该南是以挪士的儿子，
38以挪士是塞特的儿子，
塞特是亚当的儿子，
亚当是上帝的儿子。
