2 ARST The high priests{ at the temple in Jerusalem} were Annas and Caiaphas. During that time, God spoke to Zechariah’ s son John{ while he was living} out in the desolate area. BSB BSB: during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness.
3 ARST John traveled all around the area near the Jordan River. He kept announcing{ to the people who came to hear him},“If you want God to forgive your sins, you must reject wrong ways of living. Then I will baptize you!” BSB BSB: He went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,
4 ARST { When John preached like this,} the words came true that the prophet Isaiah wrote on a scroll long ago:“In the desolate place, someone will be calling out{ to the people}:‘Prepare yourselves to receive the Lord! Make yourselves ready for when he comes!’ BSB BSB: as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.
5 ARST { When an important person is going to arrive by a certain road,} people fill in all the ravines and level off all the steep places in it. They make the road straight wherever it is crooked, and they smooth out all the bumps.{ In the same way, God will make sure that there will be people who are ready for the Messiah.} BSB BSB: Every valley shall be filled in, and every mountain and hill made low. The crooked ways shall be made straight, and the rough ways smooth.
6 ARST Then everyone will recognize God’ s way of saving people.” BSB BSB: And all humanity will see God’s salvation.’”
7 ARST Large groups of people were coming out{ to the desolate place where John was} so that he would baptize them. So John said to them,“You people are sneaky and dangerous like poisonous snakes! You think that if I baptize you, God will spare you when he punishes sinners.{ But I did not say that!} BSB BSB: Then John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
8 ARST You need to do the things that show that you have truly rejected your previous sinful way of living! And do not even begin to say to yourselves,‘{ Certainly God will not punish us, because} we are descendants of Abraham!’{ That does not impress God.} Let me assure you, God could turn these stones into descendants of Abraham! BSB BSB: Produce fruit, then, in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.
9 ARST You are like fruit trees that do not produce good fruit. God is like a man who is positioning the head of his axe at the base of those trees, ready to chop them down and throw them into the fire. God is ready to punish you like that if you continue sinning.” BSB BSB: The axe lies ready at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”
10 ARST Then{ several of the people in} the crowd asked him,“What kinds of things, then, does God want us to do?” BSB BSB: The crowds asked him, “What then should we do?”
11 ARST He answered them,“If any of you has two shirts, you should give one of them to someone who does not have a shirt. If any of you has plenty of food, you should give some to those who do not have food.” BSB BSB: John replied, “Whoever has two tunics should share with him who has none, and whoever has food should do the same.”
12 ARST Some tax collectors also came, wanting John to baptize them. They asked him,“Teacher, what{ does God want us} to do?” BSB BSB: Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?”
13 ARST He said to them,“Do not collect more money{ from the people} than the Roman government tells you to collect!” BSB BSB: “Collect no more than you are authorized,” he answered.
14 ARST There were also some men there who were soldiers. Even they asked him,“And what about us? What does God want us to do?” He said to them,“Do not force people to give you money by threatening to harm them or by falsely accusing them{ of doing something wrong}. Be content with the amount of money that you earn as a soldier.” BSB BSB: Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?” “Do not take money by force or false accusation,” he said. “Be content with your wages.”
15 ARST People had been waiting{ for a long time for the Messiah to come. But now they were getting very hopeful about John}. They thought that he might be the Messiah. BSB BSB: The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John could be the Christ.
16 ARST But John said to all of them,“{ I am not the Messiah.} He is coming, and he is far greater than I am. He is so great that I am not worthy even to be like the slave who would untie the straps of his sandals{ when he comes in the house}! When I baptized you, I used only water. But{ when the Messiah comes,} he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit, who will judge and purify you. BSB BSB: John answered all of them: “I baptize you with water, but One more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
17 ARST { The Messiah is ready to do this, just like} a farmer who has his winnowing fork ready to use. A farmer separates all the good grain from the useless chaff. He stores the grain safely in his barn, but he burns the chaff until it is all gone.{ That represents how the Messiah will gather up the people who are pleasing to God, and he will punish the people who are displeasing to God.}” BSB BSB: His winnowing fork is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and to gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
18 ARST In many different ways like this, John urged the people{ to stop sinning and to submit themselves to God}, as he kept telling them the good news{ from God}. BSB BSB: With these and many other exhortations, John proclaimed the good news to the people.
19 ARST John even rebuked King Herod for all of the many evil things that Herod had done. But when John rebuked Herod for marrying his brother’ s wife, Herodias, while his brother was still alive, BSB BSB: But when he rebuked Herod the tetrarch regarding his brother’s wife Herodias and all the evils he had done,
20 ARST Herod did another evil thing. He had his soldiers put John in prison. BSB BSB: Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison.
21 ARST But before Herod did that, while John was still baptizing many people, John also baptized Jesus. Afterwards, while Jesus was praying, the sky opened. BSB BSB: When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as He was praying, heaven was opened,
22 ARST Then the Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, came down and landed on Jesus. Then God spoke{ to Jesus} from heaven. He said,“You are my Son, the one whom I love dearly. I am very pleased with you!” BSB BSB: and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in a bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”
24 ARST Heli was the son of Matthat. Matthat was the son of Levi. Levi was the son of Melchi. Melchi was the son of Jannai. Jannai was the son of Joseph. BSB BSB: the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph,
25 ARST Joseph was the son of Mattathias. Mattathias was the son of Amos. Amos was the son of Nahum. Nahum was the son of Esli. Esli was the son of Naggai. BSB BSB: the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai,
26 ARST Naggai was the son of Maath. Maath was the son of Mattathias. Mattathias was the son of Semein. Semein was the son of Josech. Josech was the son of Joda. BSB BSB: the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda,
27 ARST Joda was the son of Joanan. Joanan was the son of Rhesa. Rhesa was the son of Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel was the son of Shealtiel. Shealtiel was the son of Neri. BSB BSB: the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri,
28 ARST Neri was the son of Melchi. Melchi was the son of Addi. Addi was the son of Cosam. Cosam was the son of Elmadam. Elmadam was the son of Er. BSB BSB: the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er,
29 ARST Er was the son of Joshua. Joshua was the son of Eliezer. Eliezer was the son of Jorim. Jorim was the son of Matthat. Matthat was the son of Levi. BSB BSB: the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi,
30 ARST Levi was the son of Simeon. Simeon was the son of Judah. Judah was the son of Joseph. Joseph was the son of Jonam. Jonam was the son of Eliakim. BSB BSB: the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim,
32 ARST David was the son of Jesse. Jesse was the son of Obed. Obed was the son of Boaz. Boaz was the son of Salmon. Salmon was the son of Nahshon. BSB BSB: the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Sala, the son of Nahshon,
33 ARST Nahshon was the son of Amminadab. Amminadab was the son of Admin. Admin was the son of Arni. Arni was the son of Hezron. Hezron was the son of Perez. Perez was the son of Judah. BSB BSB: the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah,
34 ARST Judah was the son of Jacob. Jacob was the son of Isaac. Isaac was the son of Abraham. Abraham was the son of Terah. Terah was the son of Nahor. BSB BSB: the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor,
35 ARST Nahor was the son of Serug. Serug was the son of Reu. Reu was the son of Peleg. Peleg was the son of Eber. Eber was the son of Shelah. BSB BSB: the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah,
37 ARST Lamech was the son of Methuselah. Methuselah was the son of Enoch. Enoch was the son of Jared. Jared was the son of Mahalalel. Mahalalel was the son of Cainan. BSB BSB: the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, the son of Cainan,