3:1
Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate
being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his
brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and
Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene,
3:2
Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John
the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.
3:3
And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of
repentance for the remission of sins;
3:4
As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying,
The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.
3:5
Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought
low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be
made smooth;
(3:7) "O generation of vipers"
John the Baptist calls all of his contemporaries "a generation of vipers."
(3:9) "Every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into
the fire." What must you do to be saved?
(3:10-11) The people asked John the Baptist what they need to do to avoid hell. He told them to give their excess
food and clothes to the poor. What must you do to be saved?
(3:10) "The people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?"
(3:11) "He answereth ... He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none;
and he that hath meat, let him do likewise."
(3:14a) "The soldiers ... demanded of him, saying,what shall we do?
And he said ... Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely."
Good advice, except maybe to soldiers. Soldiers are trained to "do violence" to people. Is it wrong to lie?
(3:14b) "Be content with your wages" -- no matter how unjust they may be.
(3:17) "The chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable."
John the Baptist says that Christ will burn the damned "with fire unquenchable."
3:7
Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him,
O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
3:8
Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say
within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That
God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
3:9
And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree
therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into
the fire.
3:10
And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?
3:11He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart
to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.
3:12
Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what
shall we do?
3:13
And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.
3:14
And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do?
And he said unto them, Do violence to no man,neither accuse any falsely;
and be content with your wages.
3:15
And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts
of John, whether he were the Christ, or not;
3:16
John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but
one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to
unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:
3:17
Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will
gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire
unquenchable.
3:18
And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people.
3:19
But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother
Philip's wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done,
3:20
Added yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison.
3:21
Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also
being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,
(3:22) "The Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from
heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased." How did God address Jesus at his baptism?
3:22
And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from
heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son;in thee I am well pleased.
3:23
And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was
supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,
3:24
Which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, which was the son
of Melchi, which was the son of Janna, which was the son of Joseph,
3:25
Which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Amos, which was the
son of Naum, which was the son of Esli, which was the son of Nagge,
3:26
Which was the son of Maath, which was the son of Mattathias, which was the
son of Semei, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Juda,
3:27
Which was the son of Joanna, which was the son of Rhesa, which was the son
of Zorobabel, which was the son of Salathiel, which was the son of
Neri,
3:36Which was the son of Cainan,
which was the son of Arphaxad, which was the son of Sem, which was the son
of Noe, which was the son of Lamech,
3:37
Which was the son of Mathusala, which was the son of Enoch, which was the
son of Jared, which was the son of Maleleel, which was the son of Cainan,
(3:37-38) "Enoch ... the son of Jared ... the son of Maleleel ... the son of Cainan ... the son of Enos ...
the son of Seth ... the son of Adam." Was Enoch the seventh from Adam?
3:38
Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of
Adam, which was the son of God.
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Jesus is Baptized
The Head of John the Baptist