1 It|strong="G0846" was|strong="G3588" the|strong="G3588" 15th year|strong="G2094" of|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3588" rule of|strong="G1722" Tiberius|strong="G5086" Caesar|strong="G2541". These|strong="G3588" men|strong="G0846" were|strong="G3588" under|strong="G1722" Caesar|strong="G2541":
2 Annas|strong="G0452" and|strong="G2532" Caiaphas|strong="G2533" were|strong="G1096" the|strong="G3588" high|strong="G0749" priests|strong="G0749". During|strong="G1722" this|strong="G3588" time|strong="G1909", John|strong="G2491", the|strong="G3588" son|strong="G5207" of|strong="G5207" Zechariah|strong="G2197", was|strong="G3588" living in|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3588" desert|strong="G2048", and|strong="G2532" he|strong="G2532" received a|strong="G1096" message|strong="G4487" from|strong="G1722" God|strong="G2316".
3 So|strong="G2532" he|strong="G2532" went|strong="G2064" through the|strong="G3956" whole|strong="G3956" area around|strong="G4066" the|strong="G3956" Jordan|strong="G2446" River and|strong="G2532" told the|strong="G3956" people|strong="G3956" God’s message. He|strong="G2532" told them to|strong="G1519" be|strong="G2532" baptized to|strong="G1519" show that|strong="G3956" they|strong="G2532" wanted to|strong="G1519" change their|strong="G2532" lives, and|strong="G2532" then|strong="G2532" their|strong="G2532" sins|strong="G0266" would|strong="G2532" be|strong="G2532" forgiven.
4 This|strong="G3588" is|strong="G2962" like|strong="G5613" the|strong="G3588" words|strong="G3056" written|strong="G1125" in|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3588" book|strong="G0976" of|strong="G3056" Isaiah|strong="G2268" the|strong="G3588" prophet|strong="G4396":
5 Every|strong="G3956" valley|strong="G5327" will|strong="G1510" be|strong="G1510" filled|strong="G4137",
6 Then|strong="G2532" everyone|strong="G3956" will|strong="G2316" see|strong="G3708"
7 Crowds|strong="G3793" of|strong="G0575" people|strong="G3793" came|strong="G1607" to|strong="G3004" be|strong="G3767" baptized|strong="G0907" by|strong="G5259" John|strong="G0846". But he|strong="G0846" said|strong="G3004" to|strong="G3004" them|strong="G0846", “You|strong="G5210" are|strong="G3588" all|strong="G3588" snakes! Who|strong="G3588" warned|strong="G5263" you|strong="G5210" to|strong="G3004" run from|strong="G0575" God’s|strong="G0846" judgment that|strong="G3004" is|strong="G5101" coming|strong="G1607"?
8 Change your|strong="G2192" hearts! And|strong="G2532" show|strong="G4160" by|strong="G1722" your|strong="G2192" lives that|strong="G3754" you|strong="G5210" have|strong="G2192" changed. I|strong="G2532" know what|strong="G3588" you|strong="G5210" are|strong="G3778" about|strong="G1722" to|strong="G3004" say|strong="G3004"—‘but|strong="G2532" Abraham|strong="G0011" is|strong="G2316" our|strong="G2316" father|strong="G3962"!’ That|strong="G3754" means|strong="G3004" nothing|strong="G3361". I|strong="G2532" tell|strong="G3004" you|strong="G5210" that|strong="G3754" God|strong="G2316" can|strong="G1410" make|strong="G4160" children|strong="G5043" for|strong="G1063" Abraham|strong="G0011" from|strong="G1537" these|strong="G3778" rocks|strong="G3037"!
9 The|strong="G3956" ax is|strong="G3588" now|strong="G1161" ready|strong="G2749" to|strong="G1519" cut|strong="G1581" down|strong="G1581" the|strong="G3956" trees|strong="G1186". Every|strong="G3956" tree|strong="G1186" that|strong="G3956" does|strong="G4160" not|strong="G3361" produce|strong="G4160" good|strong="G2570" fruit|strong="G2590" will|strong="G3956" be|strong="G2532" cut|strong="G1581" down|strong="G1581" and|strong="G2532" thrown|strong="G0906" into|strong="G1519" the|strong="G3956" fire|strong="G4442".”
10 The|strong="G3588" people|strong="G3793" asked|strong="G1905" John|strong="G0846", “What|strong="G5101" should|strong="G2532" we|strong="G2532" do|strong="G4160"?”
11 He|strong="G2532" answered|strong="G0611", “If|strong="G2532" you|strong="G3004" have|strong="G2192" two|strong="G1417" shirts, share|strong="G3330" with|strong="G2532" someone who|strong="G3588" does|strong="G4160" not|strong="G3361" have|strong="G2192" one|strong="G3588". If|strong="G2532" you|strong="G3004" have|strong="G2192" food|strong="G1033", share|strong="G3330" that|strong="G3004" too|strong="G2532".”
12 Even|strong="G2532" the|strong="G2532" tax|strong="G5057" collectors|strong="G5057" came|strong="G2064" to|strong="G4314" John|strong="G0846". They|strong="G0846" wanted to|strong="G4314" be|strong="G2532" baptized|strong="G0907". They|strong="G0846" said|strong="G3004" to|strong="G4314" him|strong="G0846", “Teacher|strong="G1320", what|strong="G5101" should|strong="G2532" we|strong="G2532" do|strong="G4160"?”
13 He|strong="G0846" told|strong="G3004" them|strong="G0846", “Don’t|strong="G3367" take more|strong="G4183" taxes from|strong="G3844" people|strong="G0846" than|strong="G3844" you|strong="G5210" have|strong="G3588" been|strong="G4183" ordered|strong="G3004" to|strong="G4314" collect|strong="G4238".”
14 The|strong="G3588" soldiers|strong="G4754" asked|strong="G1905" him|strong="G0846", “What|strong="G5101" about|strong="G4314" us|strong="G3004"? What|strong="G5101" should|strong="G3367" we|strong="G2249" do|strong="G4160"?”
15 Everyone|strong="G3956" was|strong="G1510" hoping for|strong="G4012" the|strong="G3956" Messiah|strong="G5547" to|strong="G2532" come|strong="G1510", and|strong="G2532" they|strong="G0846" wondered|strong="G1260" about|strong="G4012" John|strong="G2491". They|strong="G0846" thought, “Maybe he|strong="G2532" is|strong="G1510" the|strong="G3956" Messiah|strong="G5547".”
16 John’s|strong="G2491" answer|strong="G0611" to|strong="G3004" this|strong="G3588" was|strong="G1510", “I|strong="G1473" baptize|strong="G0907" you|strong="G5210" in|strong="G1722" water|strong="G5204", but|strong="G1161" there|strong="G1510" is|strong="G1510" someone|strong="G3739" coming|strong="G2064" later who|strong="G3739" is|strong="G1510" able|strong="G2425" to|strong="G3004" do|strong="G1510" more|strong="G3956" than|strong="G2532" I|strong="G1473" can|strong="G3004". I|strong="G1473" am|strong="G1510" not|strong="G3756" good|strong="G1510" enough|strong="G2425" to|strong="G3004" be|strong="G1510" the|strong="G3956" slave|strong="G2064" who|strong="G3739" unties his|strong="G0846" sandals|strong="G5266". He|strong="G2532" will|strong="G1510" baptize|strong="G0907" you|strong="G5210" with|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3956" Holy|strong="G0040" Spirit|strong="G4151" and|strong="G2532" with|strong="G1722" fire|strong="G4442".
17 He|strong="G2532" will|strong="G3739" come ready to|strong="G1519" clean the|strong="G3588" grain|strong="G4621". He|strong="G2532" will|strong="G3739" separate the|strong="G3588" good grain|strong="G4621" from|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3588" straw, and|strong="G2532" he|strong="G2532" will|strong="G3739" put the|strong="G3588" good part|strong="G0846" into|strong="G1519" his|strong="G0846" barn|strong="G0596". Then|strong="G2532" he|strong="G2532" will|strong="G3739" burn|strong="G2618" the|strong="G3588" useless part|strong="G0846" with|strong="G1722" a|strong="G3739" fire|strong="G4442" that|strong="G3739" cannot be|strong="G2532" stopped.”
18 John|strong="G2097" said|strong="G2532" many|strong="G4183" other|strong="G2087" things|strong="G4183" like this|strong="G3588" to|strong="G2532" encourage|strong="G3870" the|strong="G3588" people|strong="G2992" to|strong="G2532" change, and|strong="G2532" he|strong="G2532" told them|strong="G3870" the|strong="G3588" Good|strong="G2097" News|strong="G2097".
19 John|strong="G0846" criticized Herod|strong="G2264" the|strong="G3956" ruler for|strong="G4012" what|strong="G3739" he|strong="G2532" had|strong="G3739" done|strong="G4160" with|strong="G2532" Herodias|strong="G2266", the|strong="G3956" wife|strong="G1135" of|strong="G3956" Herod’s|strong="G2264" brother|strong="G0080", as|strong="G2532" well|strong="G2532" as|strong="G2532" for|strong="G4012" all|strong="G3956" the|strong="G3956" other|strong="G1161" bad|strong="G4190" things|strong="G3956" he|strong="G2532" had|strong="G3739" done|strong="G4160".
20 So|strong="G2532" Herod added|strong="G4369" another bad thing|strong="G3778" to|strong="G1909" all|strong="G3956" his|strong="G3956" other wrongs: He|strong="G2532" put John|strong="G2491" in|strong="G1722" jail.
21 When|strong="G2532" all|strong="G0537" the|strong="G3588" people|strong="G2992" were|strong="G2992" being|strong="G1096" baptized|strong="G0907", Jesus|strong="G2424" came|strong="G1096" and|strong="G2532" was|strong="G2424" baptized|strong="G0907" too|strong="G2532". And|strong="G2532" while|strong="G1722" he|strong="G2532" was|strong="G2424" praying|strong="G4336", the|strong="G3588" sky|strong="G3772" opened|strong="G0455",
22 and|strong="G2532" the|strong="G3588" Holy|strong="G0040" Spirit|strong="G4151" came|strong="G1096" down|strong="G2597" on|strong="G1909" him|strong="G0846". The|strong="G3588" Spirit|strong="G4151" looked|strong="G1096" like|strong="G5613" a|strong="G5613" real dove|strong="G4058". Then|strong="G2532" a|strong="G5613" voice|strong="G5456" came|strong="G1096" from|strong="G1537" heaven|strong="G3772" and|strong="G2532" said|strong="G1096", “You|strong="G4771" are|strong="G1510" my|strong="G1722" Son|strong="G5207", the|strong="G3588" one|strong="G3588" I|strong="G1473" love|strong="G0027". I|strong="G1473" am|strong="G1510" very|strong="G0846" pleased|strong="G2106" with|strong="G1722" you|strong="G4771".”
23 When|strong="G5613" Jesus|strong="G2424" began|strong="G0757" to|strong="G0757" teach, he|strong="G2532" was|strong="G1510" about|strong="G5613" 30 years|strong="G2094" old. People|strong="G0846" thought|strong="G3543" that|strong="G0846" Jesus|strong="G2424" was|strong="G1510" Joseph’s|strong="G2501" son|strong="G5207".
24 Eli was|strong="G3588" the|strong="G3588" son of|strong="G3588" Matthat|strong="G3158".
25 Joseph was|strong="G3588" the|strong="G3588" son of|strong="G3588" Mattathias|strong="G3161".
26 Naggai was|strong="G3588" the|strong="G3588" son of|strong="G3588" Maath|strong="G3092".
27 Joda was|strong="G3588" the|strong="G3588" son of|strong="G3588" Joanan.
28 Neri was|strong="G3588" the|strong="G3588" son of|strong="G3588" Melchi|strong="G3197".
29 Er was|strong="G2424" the|strong="G3588" son of|strong="G2424" Joshua|strong="G2424".
30 Levi was|strong="G3588" the|strong="G3588" son of|strong="G3588" Simeon|strong="G4826".
31 Eliakim was|strong="G3588" the|strong="G3588" son of|strong="G3588" Melea|strong="G3190".
32 David was|strong="G3588" the|strong="G3588" son of|strong="G3588" Jesse|strong="G2421".
33 Nahshon was|strong="G3588" the|strong="G3588" son of|strong="G3588" Amminadab|strong="G0284".
34 Judah was|strong="G3588" the|strong="G3588" son of|strong="G3588" Jacob|strong="G2384".
35 Nahor was|strong="G3588" the|strong="G3588" son of|strong="G3588" Serug.
36 Shelah was|strong="G3588" the|strong="G3588" son of|strong="G3588" Cainan|strong="G2536".
37 Lamech was|strong="G3588" the|strong="G3588" son of|strong="G3588" Methuselah.
38 Cainan was|strong="G3588" the|strong="G3588" son of|strong="G2316" Enos.