The Mission of John the Baptist
(Isaiah 40:1–5; Matthew 3:1–12; Mark 1:1–8; John 1:19–28)

1Know in the fifteenth year of the supremacy of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being leader of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and Philip his brother being tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene, 2Upon Annas and Caiaphas being chief priests, the word of God was upon John, son of Zacharias in the desert. 3And he came into all the country round about Jordan, proclaiming the immersion of repentance for remission of sins;

4As it has been written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, A voice of him crying in the desert, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his footpaths straight.

5Every ravine shall be filled up, and every mount and hill shall be lowered; and the crooked shall be into straightness, and the rough into smooth ways.

6And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

7Then said he to the crowds coming out to be immersed by him, Generation of vipers, who indicated to you to flee from the anger about to come? 8Do ye therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say in yourselves, We have a father Abraham: for I say to you, That God is able to raise children to Abraham of these stones. 9And also the axe is already laid at the root of the trees: therefore every tree not making good fruit is cut down, and cast into fire.

10And the crowds asked him, saying, What therefore shall we do? 11And he having answered, says to them, He having two coats, let him impart to him having none; and he having food, let him do likewise. 12And publicans came to be immersed, and said to him, Teacher, what shall we do? 13And he said to them, Do nothing more than that appointed you. 14And they making war asked him, saying, And what shall do? And he said to them, Shake none violently, neither make slanderous accusation; and be content with your pay.

15And the people awaiting, and all reasoning in their hearts concerning John, whether he may not be the Christ; 16John answered to all, saying, I truly immerse you with water; and he stronger than I comes, of whom I am not worthy to loose his shoes' strings: he shall immerse you with the Holy Spirit and fire: 17Whose winnowing fan in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing-floor, and gather the wheat into his store; and the chaff he will burn down with inextinguishable fire.

18And then truly many other things beseeching, he evangelized the people. 19And Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philip's wife, and for all the evils which Herod did, 20And he added this to all, and shut up John in prison.

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

21And it was in all the people having been immersed, and Jesus having been immersed, and praying, heaven was opened, 22And the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily form as a dove upon him, and there was a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my dearly loved Son; in thee I was contented.

The Genealogy of Jesus
(Ruth 4:18–22; Matthew 1:1–17)

23And Jesus himself was beginning about thirty years, being, as was thought, the son of Joseph, of Eli, 24Of Matthat, of Levi, of Melchi, of Janna, of Joseph, 25Of Mattathias, of Amos, of Naum, of Esli, of Naggai, 26Of Maath, of Mattathias, of Semei, of Joseph, of Juda, 27Of Joanna, of Rhesa, of Zorobabel, of Salathiel, of Neri, 28Of Melchi, of Addi, of Cosam, of Elmodam, of Er, 29Of Jose, of Eliezer, of Jorim, of Matthat, of Levi, 30Of Simeon, of Juda, of Joseph, of Jonan, of Eliakim, 31Of Melea, of Menan, of Mattatha, of Nathan, of David, 32Of Jesse, of Obed, of Booz, of Salmon, of Naasson, 33Of Aminadab, of Aram, of Esrom, of Phares, of Juda, 34Of Jacob, of Isaac, of Abraham, of Thara, of Nachor, 35Of Saruch, of Ragau, of Phalec, of Eber, of Sala, 36Of Cainan, of Arphaxad, of Sem, of Noe, of Lamech, 37Of Mathusala, of Enoch, of Jared, of Maleleel, of Cainan, 38Of Enos, of Seth, of Adam, of God.