John the Baptist Prepares the Way
During the fifteenth year that Tiberius Caesar ruled as emperor, when Pontius Pilate governed Judea and Herod ruled over Galilee, while his brother Philip governed the regions of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruled over Abilene, and while Annas and Caiaphas served as high priests, God spoke his word to John, the son of Zechariah, out in the wilderness. John traveled throughout the entire region around the Jordan River, proclaiming a baptism that showed people's change of heart and brought them forgiveness for their sins. This happened just as the prophet Isaiah had written long ago: "Someone will cry out in the wilderness, saying, 'Get ready for the Lord's coming! Make his paths straight and clear. Fill in every valley, and bring down every mountain and hill. Make the winding roads straight, and smooth out the rough places. Then everyone on earth will see the salvation that God brings.'"
John's Message of Repentance
When crowds came out to be baptized by John, he spoke harshly to them: "You nest of poisonous snakes! Who told you that you could escape the terrible punishment that is coming? If you truly want to turn away from your sins, then prove it by the way you live. Don't think you can comfort yourselves by saying, 'Abraham is our ancestor.' I'm telling you that God could make children for Abraham out of these rocks if he wanted to. The ax is already placed at the root of the trees, and every tree that doesn't grow good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire." The people asked him, "Then what should we do?" John answered them, "If you have two coats, give one to someone who has none. If you have food, share it the same way." Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, "Teacher, what should we do?" He told them, "Don't collect more money than you're supposed to collect." Some soldiers also asked him, "What about us? What should we do?" John said to them, "Don't force people to give you money, and don't accuse anyone falsely. Be satisfied with the pay you receive."
John Testifies About the Coming One
The crowds were filled with anticipation, and everyone was secretly wondering whether John might be the promised Christ they had been waiting for. John spoke up and addressed them all directly: "I baptize you with water, but someone far more powerful than me is coming. I'm not even worthy to kneel down and untie his sandal straps. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. He's holding a winnowing fork in his hand, ready to clean out his threshing floor completely. He'll gather the good wheat into his storehouse, but he'll burn up the worthless chaff with a fire that never goes out." John continued preaching the good news to the people with these words and many other encouraging messages.
John the Baptist Imprisoned
John the Baptist boldly confronted Herod the tetrarch about his marriage to Herodias, who had been his brother's wife, and he also spoke out against all the other wicked things Herod had done. In response to this public rebuke, Herod added one more evil act to his long list of wrongdoings: he had John arrested and thrown into prison.
The Baptism of Jesus
When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was also baptized. While He was praying, the heavens opened up, and the Holy Spirit came down upon Him in physical form, appearing like a dove. Then a voice spoke from heaven, saying, "You are My beloved Son, and I am completely pleased with You."
The Genealogy of Jesus
When Jesus began His public ministry, He was about thirty years old. People considered Him to be the son of Joseph, who was the son of Heli. This family line continued back through Matthat, then Levi, then Melchi, then Jannai, then another Joseph, then Mattathias, then Amos, then Nahum, then Esli, then Naggai, then Maath, then another Mattathias, then Semein, then Josech, then Joda, then Joanan, then Rhesa, then Zerubbabel, then Shealtiel, then Neri, then another Melchi, then Addi, then Cosam, then Elmadam, then Er, then Joshua, then Eliezer, then Jorim, then another Matthat, then another Levi, then Simeon, then Judah, then another Joseph, then Jonam, then Eliakim, then Melea, then Menna, then Mattatha, then Nathan, then David. The ancestry stretched further back through Jesse, then Obed, then Boaz, then Sala, then Nahshon, then Amminadab, then Admin, then Arni, then Hezron, then Perez, then Judah, then Jacob, then Isaac, then Abraham, then Terah, then Nahor, then Serug, then Reu, then Peleg, then Eber, then Shelah, then Cainan, then Arphaxad, then Shem, then Noah, then Lamech, then Methuselah, then Enoch, then Jared, then Mahalalel, then another Cainan, then Enosh, then Seth, then Adam, who was the son of God.