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Luke 3
Living Bible
Luke 3
Living Bible
3 1-2 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius Caesar, a message came from God to John (the son of Zacharias), as he was living out in the deserts. (Pilate was governor over Judea at that time; Herod, over Galilee; his brother Philip, over Iturea and Trachonitis; Lysanias, over Abilene; and Annas and Caiaphas were high priests.) 3 Then John went from place to place on both sides of the Jordan River, preaching that people should be baptized to show that they had turned to God and away from their sins, in order to be forgiven.[a]
4 In the words of Isaiah the prophet, John was “a voice shouting from the barren wilderness, ‘Prepare a road for the Lord to travel on! Widen the pathway before him! 5 Level the mountains! Fill up the valleys! Straighten the curves! Smooth out the ruts! 6 And then all mankind shall see the Savior sent from God.’”
7 Here is a sample of John’s preaching to the crowds that came for baptism: “You brood of snakes! You are trying to escape hell without truly turning to God! That is why you want to be baptized! 8 First go and prove by the way you live that you really have repented. And don’t think you are safe because you are descendants of Abraham. That isn’t enough. God can produce children of Abraham from these desert stones! 9 The ax of his judgment is poised over you, ready to sever your roots and cut you down. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.”
10 The crowd replied, “What do you want us to do?”
11 “If you have two coats,” he replied, “give one to the poor. If you have extra food, give it away to those who are hungry.”
12 Even tax collectors—notorious for their corruption—came to be baptized and asked, “How shall we prove to you that we have abandoned our sins?”
13 “By your honesty,” he replied. “Make sure you collect no more taxes than the Roman[b] government requires you to.”
14 “And us,” asked some soldiers, “what about us?”
John replied, “Don’t extort money by threats and violence; don’t accuse anyone of what you know he didn’t do; and be content with your pay!”
15 Everyone was expecting the Messiah to come soon, and eager to know whether or not John was he. This was the question of the hour and was being discussed everywhere.
16 John answered the question by saying, “I baptize only with water; but someone is coming soon who has far higher authority than mine; in fact, I am not even worthy of being his slave.[c] He will baptize you with fire—with the Holy Spirit. 17 He will separate chaff from grain, and burn up the chaff with eternal fire and store away the grain.” 18 He used many such warnings as he announced the Good News to the people.
19-20 (But after John had publicly criticized Herod, governor of Galilee, for marrying Herodias, his brother’s wife, and for many other wrongs he had done, Herod put John in prison, thus adding this sin to all his many others.)
21 Then one day, after the crowds had been baptized, Jesus himself was baptized; and as he was praying, the heavens opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove settled upon him, and a voice from heaven said, “You are my much loved Son, yes, my delight.”
23-38 Jesus was about thirty years old when he began his public ministry.
Jesus was known as the son of Joseph.
Joseph’s father was Heli;
Heli’s father was Matthat;
Matthat’s father was Levi;
Levi’s father was Melchi;
Melchi’s father was Jannai;
Jannai’s father was Joseph;
Joseph’s father was Mattathias;
Mattathias’s father was Amos;
Amos’s father was Nahum;
Nahum’s father was Esli;
Esli’s father was Naggai;
Naggai’s father was Maath;
Maath’s father was Mattathias;
Mattathias’s father was Semein;
Semein’s father was Josech;
Josech’s father was Joda;
Joda’s father was Joanan;
Joanan’s father was Rhesa;
Rhesa’s father was Zerubbabel;
Zerubbabel’s father was Shealtiel;
Shealtiel’s father was Neri;
Neri’s father was Melchi;
Melchi’s father was Addi;
Addi’s father was Cosam;
Cosam’s father was Elmadam;
Elmadam’s father was Er;
Er’s father was Joshua;
Joshua’s father was Eliezer;
Eliezer’s father was Jorim;
Jorim’s father was Matthat;
Matthat’s father was Levi;
Levi’s father was Simeon;
Simeon’s father was Judah;
Judah’s father was Joseph;
Joseph’s father was Jonam;
Jonam’s father was Eliakim;
Eliakim’s father was Melea;
Melea’s father was Menna;
Menna’s father was Mattatha;
Mattatha’s father was Nathan;
Nathan’s father was David;
David’s father was Jesse;
Jesse’s father was Obed;
Obed’s father was Boaz;
Boaz’s father was Salmon;
Salmon’s father was Nahshon;
Nahshon’s father was Amminadab;
Amminadab’s father was Admin;
Admin’s father was Arni;
Arni’s father was Hezron;
Hezron’s father was Perez;
Perez’s father was Judah;
Judah’s father was Jacob;
Jacob’s father was Isaac;
Isaac’s father was Abraham;
Abraham’s father was Terah;
Terah’s father was Nahor;
Nahor’s father was Serug;
Serug’s father was Reu;
Reu’s father was Peleg;
Peleg’s father was Eber;
Eber’s father was Shelah;
Shelah’s father was Cainan;
Cainan’s father was Arphaxad;
Arphaxad’s father was Shem;
Shem’s father was Noah;
Noah’s father was Lamech;
Lamech’s father was Methuselah;
Methuselah’s father was Enoch;
Enoch’s father was Jared;
Jared’s father was Mahalaleel;
Mahalaleel’s father was Cainan;
Cainan’s father was Enos;
Enos’s father was Seth;
Seth’s father was Adam;
Adam’s father was God.
Footnotes
- Luke 3:3 preaching that people should be baptized to show that they had turned to God and away from their sins, in order to be forgiven, or “preaching the baptism of repentance for remission of sins.”
- Luke 3:13 Roman, implied.
- Luke 3:16 of being his slave, literally, “of loosing [the sandal strap] of his shoe.”
Luke 3
New International Version
Luke 3
New International Version
John the Baptist Prepares the Way(A)(B)
3 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—when Pontius Pilate(C) was governor of Judea, Herod(D) tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene— 2 during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas,(E) the word of God came to John(F) son of Zechariah(G) in the wilderness. 3 He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.(H) 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:
“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.
5 Every valley shall be filled in,
every mountain and hill made low.
The crooked roads shall become straight,
the rough ways smooth.
6 And all people will see God’s salvation.’”[a](I)
7 John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers!(J) Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?(K) 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’(L) For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 9 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”(M)
10 “What should we do then?”(N) the crowd asked.
11 John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.”(O)
12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized.(P) “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?”
13 “Don’t collect any more than you are required to,”(Q) he told them.
14 Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?”
He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely(R)—be content with your pay.”
15 The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John(S) might possibly be the Messiah.(T) 16 John answered them all, “I baptize you with[b] water.(U) But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with[c] the Holy Spirit and fire.(V) 17 His winnowing fork(W) is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”(X) 18 And with many other words John exhorted the people and proclaimed the good news to them.
19 But when John rebuked Herod(Y) the tetrarch because of his marriage to Herodias, his brother’s wife, and all the other evil things he had done, 20 Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison.(Z)
The Baptism and Genealogy of Jesus(AA)(AB)
21 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying,(AC) heaven was opened 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him(AD) in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son,(AE) whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”(AF)
23 Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry.(AG) He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph,(AH)
the son of Heli, 24 the son of Matthat,
the son of Levi, the son of Melki,
the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph,
25 the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos,
the son of Nahum, the son of Esli,
the son of Naggai, 26 the son of Maath,
the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein,
the son of Josek, the son of Joda,
27 the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa,
the son of Zerubbabel,(AI) the son of Shealtiel,
the son of Neri, 28 the son of Melki,
the son of Addi, the son of Cosam,
the son of Elmadam, the son of Er,
29 the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer,
the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat,
the son of Levi, 30 the son of Simeon,
the son of Judah, the son of Joseph,
the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim,
31 the son of Melea, the son of Menna,
the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan,(AJ)
the son of David, 32 the son of Jesse,
the son of Obed, the son of Boaz,
the son of Salmon,[d] the son of Nahshon,
33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram,[e]
the son of Hezron, the son of Perez,(AK)
the son of Judah, 34 the son of Jacob,
the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham,
the son of Terah, the son of Nahor,(AL)
35 the son of Serug, the son of Reu,
the son of Peleg, the son of Eber,
the son of Shelah, 36 the son of Cainan,
the son of Arphaxad,(AM) the son of Shem,
the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,(AN)
37 the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch,
the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel,
the son of Kenan,(AO) 38 the son of Enosh,
the son of Seth, the son of Adam,
the son of God.(AP)
Living Bible (TLB)
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