Luke 3

1

The Mission of John the Baptist

(Isaiah 40:1–5; Matthew 3:1–12; Mark 1:1–8; John 1:19–28)

InG1722 the fifteenthG4003 yearG2094 of theG3588 reignG2231 of TiberiusG5086 CaesarG2541, while PontiusG4194 PilateG4091 was governorG2230 of JudeaG2449, HerodG2264 tetrarchG5075 of GalileeG1056, hisG846 brotherG80 PhilipG5376 tetrarchG5075 of IturaeaG3588G5561G2484 andG2532 TrachonitisG5139, andG2532 LysaniasG3078 tetrarchG5075 of AbileneG9, 2duringG1909 the high priesthoodG749 of AnnasG452 andG2532 CaiaphasG2533, the wordG4487 of GodG2316 cameG1096 toG1909 JohnG2491 sonG5207 of ZechariahG2197 inG1722 theG3588 wildernessG2048.

3

He wentG2064 intoG1519 allG3956 theG3588 region aroundG4066 theG3588 JordanG2446, preachingG2784 a baptismG908 of repentanceG3341 forG1519 the forgivenessG859 of sinsG266, 4asG5613 it is writtenG1125 inG1722 the bookG976 of the wordsG3056 of IsaiahG2268 the prophetG4396:

7ThenG3767 John saidG2036 to theG3588 crowdsG3793 coming outG1607 to be baptizedG907 byG5259 himG846, “You broodG1081 of vipersG2191, whoG5101 warnedG5263 youG4771 to fleeG5343 fromG575 theG3588 comingG3195 wrathG3709? 8ProduceG4160 fruitG2590, thenG3767, in keeping withG514 repentanceG3341. AndG2532 do notG3361 beginG756 to sayG3004 toG1722 yourselvesG1438, ‘We haveG2192 AbrahamG11 as our fatherG3962.’ ForG1063 I tellG3004 youG4771 thatG3754 out ofG1537 theseG3778 stonesG3037 GodG2316 canG1410 raise upG1453 childrenG5043 for AbrahamG11. 9TheG3588 axeG513 lies readyG1161G2532G2235G2749 atG4314 theG3588 rootG4491 of theG3588 treesG1186, andG3767 everyG3956 treeG1186 that does not produceG3361G4160 goodG2570 fruitG2590 will be cut downG1581 andG2532 thrownG906 intoG1519 the fireG4442.”

10TheG3588 crowdsG3793 askedG1905 himG846, “WhatG5101 thenG3767 should we doG4160?”

11

John repliedG611G2036G846, “WhoeverG3588 hasG2192 twoG1417 tunicsG5509 should share withG3330 himG3588 who hasG2192 noneG3361, andG2532 whoeverG3588 hasG2192 foodG1033 should doG4160 the sameG3668.”

12

EvenG2532 tax collectorsG5057 cameG2064 to be baptizedG907. “TeacherG1320,” they askedG2036, “whatG5101 should we doG4160?”

13“CollectG4238 noG3367 more thanG4119G3844 youG4771 are authorizedG1299,” he answeredG2036.

14ThenG1161G2532 some soldiersG4754 askedG1905 himG846, “AndG2532 whatG5101 should we doG1473G4160?”

“Do not take money by forceG1286G3367 orG3366 false accusationG4811,” he saidG2036G846. “Be content withG714 yourG4771 wagesG3800.”

15

TheG3588 peopleG2992 were waiting expectantlyG4328 andG2532 were allG3956 wonderingG1260 inG1722 theirG846 heartsG2588 ifG3361G4219 JohnG2491 could beG1510 theG3588 ChristG5547. 16JohnG2491 answeredG611 all of themG3956: “IG1473 baptizeG907 youG4771 with waterG5204,2 butG1161 One more powerfulG2478 than IG1473 will comeG2064, theG3588 strapsG2438 ofG3588 whoseG3739G846 sandalsG5266 I amG1510 notG3756 worthyG2425 to untieG3089.3 HeG846 will baptizeG907 youG4771 withG1722 the HolyG40 SpiritG4151 andG2532 with fireG4442.4 17His winnowing forkG4425 is inG1722 HisG846 handG5495 to clearG1245 HisG846 threshing floorG257 andG2532 to gatherG4863 theG3588 wheatG4621 intoG1519 HisG846 barnG596; butG1161 He will burn upG2618 theG3588 chaffG892 with unquenchableG762 fireG4442.”

18With these and manyG4183 otherG2087 exhortationsG3870, John proclaimed the good news toG2097 theG3588 peopleG2992. 19ButG1161 when he rebukedG1651G5259G846 HerodG2264 theG3588 tetrarchG5076 regardingG4012 hisG846 brother’sG80 wifeG1135 HerodiasG2266 andG2532 allG3956 the evilsG4190 he had doneG4160, 20Herod addedG4369 thisG3778 toG1909 them allG3956: He lockedG2623 John upG2491 inG1722 prisonG5438.

The Baptism of Jesus

(Matthew 3:13–17; Mark 1:9–11; John 1:29–34)

21WhenG1161G1096G1722 allG537 theG3588 peopleG2992 were being baptizedG907, JesusG2424 was baptizedG907 tooG2532. AndG2532 as He was prayingG4336, heavenG3772 was openedG455, 22andG2532 theG3588 HolyG40 SpiritG4151 descendedG2597 onG1909 HimG846 in a bodilyG4984 formG1491 likeG5613 a doveG4058. AndG2532 a voiceG5456 cameG1096 fromG1537 heavenG3772: “YouG4771 areG1510 MyG1473 belovedG27 SonG5207; inG1722 YouG4771 I am well pleasedG2106.”

23

The Genealogy of Jesus

(Ruth 4:18–22; Matthew 1:1–17)

JesusG2424 HimselfG846 wasG1510 aboutG5616 thirtyG5144 yearsG2094 old when He beganG756 His ministry.