3:5 Every valley will be filled, 1
and every mountain and hill will be brought low,
and the crooked will be made straight,
and the rough ways will be made smooth,
3:6 and all humanity 2 will see the salvation of God.’” 3
3:7 So John 4 said to the crowds 5 that came out to be baptized by him, “You offspring of vipers! 6 Who warned you to flee 7 from the coming wrath? 3:8 Therefore produce 8 fruit 9 that proves your repentance, and don’t begin to say 10 to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ 11 For I tell you that God can raise up children for Abraham from these stones! 12 3:9 Even now the ax is laid at the root of the trees, 13 and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be 14 cut down and thrown into the fire.”
3:10 So 15 the crowds were asking 16 him, “What then should we do?” 3:11 John 17 answered them, 18 “The person who has two tunics 19 must share with the person who has none, and the person who has food must do likewise.” 3:12 Tax collectors 20 also came to be baptized, and they said to him, “Teacher, what should we do?” 3:13 He told them, “Collect no more 21 than you are required to.” 22 3:14 Then some soldiers 23 also asked him, “And as for us – what should we do?” 24 He told them, “Take money from no one by violence 25 or by false accusation, 26 and be content with your pay.”
3:15 While the people were filled with anticipation 27 and they all wondered 28 whether perhaps John 29 could be the Christ, 30 3:16 John answered them all, 31 “I baptize you with water, 32 but one more powerful than I am is coming – I am not worthy 33 to untie the strap 34 of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 35 3:17 His winnowing fork 36 is in his hand to clean out his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his storehouse, 37 but the chaff he will burn up with inextinguishable fire.” 38
3:18 And in this way, 39 with many other exhortations, John 40 proclaimed good news to the people. 3:19 But when John rebuked Herod 41 the tetrarch 42 because of Herodias, his brother’s wife, 43 and because of all the evil deeds 44 that he had done, 3:20 Herod added this to them all: He locked up John in prison.
3:21 Now when 45 all the people were baptized, Jesus also was baptized. And while he was praying, 46 the heavens 47 opened, 3:22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. 48 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my one dear Son; 49 in you I take great delight.” 50
3:23 So 51 Jesus, when he began his ministry, 52 was about thirty years old. He was 53 the son (as was supposed) 54 of Joseph, the son 55 of Heli, 3:24 the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph, 3:25 the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, 3:26 the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda, 3:27 the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, 56 the son of Shealtiel, 57 the son of Neri, 58 3:28 the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er, 3:29 the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, 3:30 the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim, 3:31 the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, 59 the son of David, 60 3:32 the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Sala, 61 the son of Nahshon, 3:33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Arni, 62 the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, 3:34 the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, 63 the son of Nahor, 3:35 the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, 3:36 the son of Cainan, 64 the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, 3:37 the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, 65 the son of Kenan, 66 3:38 the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God. 67