Luke 03

1 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of
Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being
governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch
of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch
of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis,
and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,

2 during the high priesthood of Annas
and Caiaphas, the word of God came to
John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness.

3 He came into all the region around the
Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance
for remission of sins.

4 As it is written in the book of the words
of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one
crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready
the way of the Lord. Make his
paths straight.

5 Every valley will be filled. Every
mountain and hill will be brought low.
The crooked will become straight,
and the rough ways smooth.

6 All flesh will see God’s salvation.’ ”*

7 He said there fore to themultitudes who
went out to be baptized by him, “You off
spring of vipers, who warned you to flee
from the wrath to come?

8 Therefore produce fruits worthy of
repentance, and don’t begin to say among
yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our
father;’ for I tell you that God is able to raise
up children to Abraham from these stones!

9 Even now the ax also lies at the root of
the trees. Every tree therefore that doesn’t
produce good fruitis cut down and thrown
into the fire.”

10 The multitudes asked him, “Whatthen
must we do?”

11 He answered them, “He who has two
coats, let him give to him who has none. He
who has food, let him do likewise.”

12 Tax collectors also came to be baptized,
and they said to him, “Teacher, what
must we do?”

13 He said to them, “Collect no more than
that which is appointed to you.”

14 Soldiers also asked him, saying, “What
about us? What must we do?”
He said to them, “Extort from no one
by violence, neither accuse anyone
wrongfully. Be content with your wages.”

15 As the people were in expectation,
and all men reasoned in their hearts
concerning John, whether perhaps he was the
Christ,

16 Johnanswered themall, “Iindeed baptize
you with water, but he comes who is
mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals
I am not worthy to loosen. He will baptize
you in the Holy Spirit and fire.

17 His winnowing fan is in his hand, and
he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing
floor, and will gather the wheat into his
barn; but he will burn up the chaff with
unquenchable fire.”

18 Then with many other exhortations he
preached good news to the people,

19 but Herod the tetrarch,† being reproved
by him for Herodias, his brother’s‡
wife, and for all the evil things which
Herod had done,