Luke Chapter 3
The Beginning of John’s Ministry
1 In the fifteenth year of Tiberias Caesar, Pontius Pilate was governing Judaea, Herod was tetraarch of Galilee, his brother Philip was tetraarch of Iturea and Trachonitis, Lysanius was tetraarch of Abilene, 2 Annas and Caiaphas were high priests.
That’s when a message came from God to John son of Zachariah in the desert. 3 He went to the area around the Jordan River and started presenting a baptism of repentance to forgive sins. 4 Scripture says in Isaiah the prophet,
“One shouting in the desert,
‘Get the road ready for the LORD!
Make it straight!
5 Fill every chuck hole.
level out every bump;
straighten out the curves;
smooth out the rough stretches.
6 Everybody will see God’s salvation” [Is 40:3-5].
Lk 3:1-6
An Example of John’s Preaching
7 He was saying to the crowds that were coming out to have him baptize them,
“You bunch of poisonous snakes! Who warned you to run from God’s wrath that’s coming? 8 Bear fruit appropriate for repentance and don’t even begin to tell yourselves, ‘Abraham’s our ancestor.’ God can raise up descendants of Abraham from these stones. 9 An axe is already lying at the root of the trees. Every tree that doesn’t bear good fruit will be chopped down and burned.”
10 The crowds asked him, “What should we do?”
11 “If you have two shirts, give one to a person that doesn’t have any. If you have food, do the same thing.”
12 Tax collectors came to be baptized, “Rabbi, what should we do?”
13 “Don’t collect more than required.”
14 Soldiers asked, “What should we do?”
“Don’t extort money by false charges. Be satisfied with your pay.”
15 While people were wondering if John might be the Messiah, 16 he said,
“I’m immersing you in water, but Someone more important is coming, whose sandals I’m not worthy to unstrap. He’ll ‘immerse’ you in the Holy Spirit. 17 He’ll use his winnowing fork to thoroughly clean up his threshing floor. He’ll gather the seed into his granary and burn up the chaff with a fire you can’t put out.”
18 He encouraged them about lots of other things and delivered good news to the people.
Lk 3:7-18
The Arrest of John the Baptist
19 When John reprimanded Herod Antipas the tetraarch about Herodias, his half-brother’s wife, 20 and all the wicked things he’d done, Herod added this on top of them: he locked John up in prison.
Lk 3:19-20
The Baptism of Jesus
21 While John had been baptizing the people, Jesus was baptized too. As he was praying, the sky opened up, 22 and the Holy Spirit came down on him in bodily form like a dove. A voice came out of the sky, “You’re my dearly loved Son that I delight in.”
Lk 3:21-22
The Genealogy of Jesus According to Luke (cp. Mt 1:1-17)
23 Jesus was about 30 when he began his ministry. He was—as supposed—the
son of Joseph, son-in-law of Eli, son of Matthat, 24 son of Levi, son of Melchi,
son of Jannai, son of Joseph, 25 son of Mattathias, son of Amos, son of Nahum,
son of Hesli, son of Naggai, 26 son of Maath, son of Mattathias, son of Semein,
son of Josech, son of Joda, 27 son of Joanan, son of Rhesa, son of Zerubbabel,
son of Shealtiel, son of Neri, 28 son of Melchi, son of Addi, son of Cosam,
son of Elmadam, son of Er, 29 son of Joshua, son of Eliezer, son of Jorim,
son of Matthat, son of Levi, 30 son of Simeon, son of Judah, son of Joseph,
son of Jonam, son of Eliakim, 31 son of Melea, son of Menna, son of Mattathia,
son of Nathan, son of David, 32 son of Jesse, son of Obed, son of Boaz,
son of Salmon, son of Nahshon, 33 son of Amminadab, son of Admin, son of Ram,
son of Hezron, son of Perez, son of Judah, 34 son of Jacob, son of Isaac,
son of Abraham, son of Terah, son of Nahor, 35 son of Serug, son of Reu,
son of Peleg, son of Heber, son of Shelah, 36 son of Cainan, son of Arphaxad,
son of Shem, son of Noah, son of Lamech, 37 son of Methuselah, son of Enoch,
son of Jared, son of Mahalaleel, son of Cainan, 38 son of Enosh, son of Seth,
son of Adam, son of God.
Lk 3:23-38