1In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Emperor who ruled the Roman Empire a.d. 14–37 while Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Mt 27:2; Lk 13:1; 23:1-24,52; Ac 3:13; 4:27; 13:28; 1Tm 6:13 Herod was tetrarch Or ruler of Galilee, Mt 14:1 his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Iturea A small province northeast of Galilee and Trachonitis, A small province northeast of Galilee and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, A small Syrian province

2during the high priesthood of Annas Jn 18:13,24; Ac 4:6 and Caiaphas, Mt 26:3 God’s word came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. Mt 3:1-10; Mk 1:3-5

3He went into all the vicinity of the Jordan, Mt 3:5 preaching a baptism of repentance Or baptism based on repentance for the forgiveness of sins, Mk 1:4; Ac 2:38

4as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah:

5Every valley will be filled,

6and everyone Lit all flesh will see the salvation of God. Is 40:3-5 Is 40:3-5

7He then said to the crowds who came out to be baptized by him, “Brood of vipers! Mt 12:34; 23:33 Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Lk 3:7; Eph 5:6; Col 3:6; 1Th 1:10; Rv 6:17; 11:18

8Therefore produce fruit Lk 3:8; Jn 15:2,4,16 consistent with repentance. And don’t start saying to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ Jn 8:33 for I tell you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones!

9Even now the ax is ready to strike Lit the ax lies at the root of the trees! Therefore, every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” Mt 3:10; 7:19; Lk 13:6-9

10“What then should we do? ” Ac 2:37-38 the crowds were asking him.

11He replied to them, “The one who has two shirts Lit tunics must share with someone who has none, and the one who has food must do the same.” Is 58:7

12Tax collectors Lk 5:29-30; 7:29,34; 15:1 also came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do? ” Mt 9:10-11; 21:31-32; Lk 5:29-30; 7:29; 15:1

13He told them, “Don’t collect any more than what you have been authorized.”

14Some soldiers also questioned him: “What should we do? ”

15Now the people were waiting expectantly, and all of them were debating in their minds Or hearts whether John might be the Messiah. Jn 1:19-20

16John answered them all, Mt 3:11-12; Mk 1:7-8 “I baptize you with Or in water, but One is coming who is more powerful than I. I am not worthy to untie the strap of His sandals. He will baptize you with Or in the Holy Spirit and fire.

17His winnowing shovel A wooden farm implement used to toss threshed grain into the wind so the lighter chaff would blow away and separate from the heavier grain Is 30:24 is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and gather the wheat into His barn, Mt 13:29-30 but the chaff He will burn up with a fire that never goes out.” Mk 9:43,48

18Then, along with many other exhortations, he proclaimed good news to the people.

19But Herod the tetrarch, Mt 14:3; Mk 6:17 being rebuked by him about Herodias, his brother’s wife, and about all the evil things Herod had done, Mt 14:1; Lk 3:1

20added this to everything else — he locked John up in prison. Jn 3:24

21When all the people were baptized, Mt 3:13-17; Mk 1:9-11 Jesus also was baptized. As He was praying, Mt 14:23; Lk 5:16; 9:18,28-29 heaven opened, Jn 1:51; Ac 7:55; 10:11; Rv 19:11

22and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in a physical appearance like a dove. And a voice came from heaven:

23As He began His ministry, Jesus was about 30 years old and was thought to be People did not know about His virgin birth; Mt 1:18-25; Lk 1:26-38 the