The Mission of John the Baptist
(Matthew 3:1–12; Mark 1:1–8; John 1:19–28)

1In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip was tetrarch of Iturea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene, 2Annas and Caiaphas being chief priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zachariah, in the wilderness. 3And he came into all the country about the Jordan, preaching the immersion of repentance in order to the remission of sins;

4as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying: The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make ready the way of the Lord, make his paths straight;

5every ravine shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made level; and the crooked ways shall be made straight; and the rough ways shall be made smooth;

6and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

7Therefore he said to the multitudes that came out to be immersed by him: Generation of vipers, who has warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8Bring forth, therefore, fruits worthy of repentance. And begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham for our father; for I say to you, that God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 9And now also the ax is lying at the root of the trees; therefore, every tree that does not produce good fruit, is cut down and cast into the fire.

10And the multitudes asked him, saying: What, then, shall we do? 11He answered and said to them: He that has two coats, let him give to him that has none; and he that has food, let him do likewise. 12And the publicans also came to be immersed, and they said to him: Teacher, what shall we do? 13And he said to them: Exact no more than that which is appointed you. 14And soldiers also asked him, saying: And what shall we do? And he said to them: Take nothing from any one by extortion, nor by false accusation, and be content with your pay.

15While the people were in suspense, and all were reasoning in their hearts about John, whether he was the Christ or not, 16John answered them all, saying: I indeed immerse you in water; but there comes One mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to loose; he will immerse you in the Holy Spirit and in fire. 17His winnowing shovel is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his thrashing-floor, and gather the grain into his granary, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.

18With many other exhortations he proclaimed the good news to the people. 19But Herod the tetrarch having been reproved by him on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, and for all the wicked deeds which Herod did, 20added this also to them all, that he shut up John in prison.

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

21And it came to pass, while all the people were being immersed, that Jesus also was immersed; and as he was praying, the heaven was opened, 22and the Holy Spirit descended upon him, in a bodily form, like a dove; and there came a voice from heaven, which said: Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I delight.

The Genealogy of Jesus
(Matthew 1:1–17)

23And Jesus was about thirty years old when he began his ministry, being, as was supposed, the son of Joseph, son of Heli, 24son of Matthat, son of Levi, son of Malchi, son of Janna, son of Joseph, 25son of Mattathiah, son of Amos, son of Nahum, son of Esli, son of Naggae, 26son of Maath, son of Mattathiah, son of Shimei, son of Joseph, son of Judah, 27son of Joannah, son of Rhesa, son of Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, son of Neri, 28son of Malchi, son of Addi, son of Kosam, son of Elmodam, son of Er, 29son of Jose, son of Eliezer, son of Jorim, son of Matthat, son of Levi, 30son of Simeon, son of Judah, son of Joseph, son of Jonan, son of Eliakim, 31son of Meleah, son of Mainan, son of Mattatha, son of Nathan, son of David, 32Son of Jesse, son of Obed, son of Boaz, son of Salmon, son of Nahshon, 33son of Aminidab, son of Aram, son of Esrom, son of Phares, son of Judah, 34son of Jacob, son of Isaac, son of Abraham, son of Terah, son of Nahor, 35son of Serug, son of Reu, son of Peleg, son of Eber, son of Salah, 36son of Kenan, son of Arphaxad, son of Shem, son of Noah, son of Lamech, 37son of Methusala, son of Enoch, son of Jared, son of Mahalaleel, son of Kenan, 38son of Enos, son of Seth, son of Adam, son of God.