1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, while Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 He went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, 4 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 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 And all humanity will see God’s salvation.’” 7 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 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 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 The crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” 11 John replied, “Whoever has two tunics should share with him who has none, and whoever has food should do the same.” 12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?” 13 “Collect no more than you are authorized,” he answered. 14 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 The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John could be the Christ. 16 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 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 With these and many other exhortations, John proclaimed the good news to the people. 19 But when he rebuked Herod the tetrarch regarding his brother’s wife Herodias and all the evils he had done, 20 Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison. 21 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as He was praying, heaven was opened, 22 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.” 23 Jesus Himself was about thirty years old when He began His ministry. He was regarded as the son of Joseph, the son of Heli, 24 the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph, 25 the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, 26 the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda, 27 the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, 28 the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er, 29 the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, 30 the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim, 31 the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David, 32 the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Sala, the son of Nahshon, 33 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 the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, 35 the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, 36◆ the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, 37 the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, the son of Cainan, 38 the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.
Luke 3 Berean Standard Bible
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Addi
Listed in Luke's genealogy of Jesus as the son of Cosam.
Cited in the guide: Luke 3:28
Admin
Luke 3:33 lists Admin as the son of Arni and father of Amminadab, a name with no counterpart in Matthew's list.
Cited in the guide: Luke 3:33
Amos
Listed in Luke's genealogy of Jesus as the son of Nahum.
Cited in the guide: Luke 3:25
Annas
Named as high priest alongside Caiaphas when John began preaching, and as the father-in-law of Caiaphas, to whom Jesus was brought first.
Cited in the guide: Luke 3:2; John 18:13; John 18:24
Caiaphas
The high priest that year, son-in-law of Annas, in whose court the council met to plot against Jesus and to whom Jesus was sent bound.
Cited in the guide: Matthew 26:3; Matthew 26:57; Luke 3:2
Cainan
Luke 3:36 lists Cainan as the son of Arphaxad and father of Shelah; he is absent from the Hebrew Genesis 11 list, which has Arphaxad as Shelah's father directly.
Cited in the guide: Luke 3:36
Cosam
Listed in Luke's genealogy of Jesus as the son of Elmadam.
Cited in the guide: Luke 3:28
Eliakim
Listed in Luke's genealogy of Jesus as the son of Melea.
Cited in the guide: Luke 3:30
Eliezer
Listed in Luke's genealogy of Jesus as the son of Jorim.
Cited in the guide: Luke 3:29
Elmadam
Listed in Luke's genealogy of Jesus as the son of Er.
Cited in the guide: Luke 3:28
Er
Listed in Luke's genealogy of Jesus as the son of Joshua.
Cited in the guide: Luke 3:28
Esli
Listed in Luke's genealogy of Jesus as the son of Naggai.
Cited in the guide: Luke 3:25
Heli
Luke 3:23 says Jesus was regarded as the son of Joseph, the son of Heli, whereas Matthew 1:16 names Joseph's father as Jacob; the two accounts are recorded as given.
Cited in the guide: Luke 3:23
Jacob
The father of Joseph in Matthew's genealogy, on the eve of the Messiah's coming.
Cited in the guide: Matt. 1:15-16; cf. Luke 3:23
Jannai
Listed in Luke's genealogy of Jesus as the son of Joseph.
Cited in the guide: Luke 3:24
Jesus
The Son of God, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary (Matthew 1:18; Luke 1:35): the promised Son of David and Son of Abraham, 'the Word became flesh.' Joseph,…
Cited in the guide: Matt. 1:1, 16-17; Luke 3:23-38; John 1:14; Rom. 1:3
Joanan
Listed in Luke's genealogy of Jesus as the son of Rhesa.
Cited in the guide: Luke 3:27
Joda
Listed in Luke's genealogy of Jesus as the son of Joanan.
Cited in the guide: Luke 3:26
Jonam
Listed in Luke's genealogy of Jesus as the son of Eliakim.
Cited in the guide: Luke 3:30
Jorim
Listed in Luke's genealogy of Jesus as the son of Matthat.
Cited in the guide: Luke 3:29
Josech
Listed in Luke's genealogy of Jesus as the son of Joda.
Cited in the guide: Luke 3:26
Joseph
Listed in Luke's genealogy of Jesus as the son of Jonam.
Cited in the guide: Luke 3:30
Joseph
Listed in Luke's genealogy of Jesus as the son of Mattathias.
Cited in the guide: Luke 3:24
Joshua
Listed in Luke's genealogy of Jesus as the son of Eliezer.
Cited in the guide: Luke 3:29
Judah
Listed in Luke's genealogy of Jesus as the son of Joseph.
Cited in the guide: Luke 3:30
Levi
Listed in Luke's genealogy of Jesus as the son of Melchi.
Cited in the guide: Luke 3:24
Levi
Listed in Luke's genealogy of Jesus as the son of Simeon.
Cited in the guide: Luke 3:29
Lysanias
Named in Luke 3:1 as tetrarch of Abilene in the fifteenth year of Tiberius.
Cited in the guide: Luke 3:1
Maath
Listed in Luke's genealogy of Jesus as the son of Mattathias.
Cited in the guide: Luke 3:26
Mattatha
Listed in Luke's genealogy of Jesus as the son of Nathan.
Cited in the guide: Luke 3:31
Mattathias
Listed in Luke's genealogy of Jesus as the son of Amos.
Cited in the guide: Luke 3:25
Mattathias
Listed in Luke's genealogy of Jesus as the son of Semein.
Cited in the guide: Luke 3:26
Matthat
Listed in Luke's genealogy of Jesus as the son of Levi.
Cited in the guide: Luke 3:24
Matthat
Listed in Luke's genealogy of Jesus as the son of Levi.
Cited in the guide: Luke 3:29
Melchi
Listed in Luke's genealogy of Jesus as the son of Addi.
Cited in the guide: Luke 3:28
Melchi
Listed in Luke's genealogy of Jesus as the son of Jannai.
Cited in the guide: Luke 3:24
Melea
Listed in Luke's genealogy of Jesus as the son of Menna.
Cited in the guide: Luke 3:31
Menna
Listed in Luke's genealogy of Jesus as the son of Mattatha.
Cited in the guide: Luke 3:31
Naggai
Listed in Luke's genealogy of Jesus as the son of Maath.
Cited in the guide: Luke 3:25
Nahum
Listed in Luke's genealogy of Jesus as the son of Esli.
Cited in the guide: Luke 3:25
Neri
Listed in Luke's genealogy of Jesus as the son of Melchi.
Cited in the guide: Luke 3:27
Obed
Son of Boaz and Ruth, and grandfather of King David.
Cited in the guide: Ruth 4:13-22; 1 Chron. 2:12; Matt. 1:5; Luke 3:32
Philip
Called the brother of Herod and tetrarch of Ituraea and Trachonitis in the fifteenth year of Tiberius.
Cited in the guide: Luke 3:1
Pontius Pilate
Roman governor of Judea who questioned Jesus, found no guilt in Him, released Barabbas, and gave Him up to be crucified and permitted Joseph of Arimathea to take the body.
Cited in the guide: Matthew 27:2; Luke 3:1; John 18:38
Rhesa
Listed in Luke's genealogy of Jesus as the son of Zerubbabel.
Cited in the guide: Luke 3:27
Semein
Listed in Luke's genealogy of Jesus as the son of Josech.
Cited in the guide: Luke 3:26
Shealtiel
A son of the exiled king, a link between fallen throne and hoped-for return.
Cited in the guide: 1 Chron. 3:17; Ezra 3:2; Hag. 1:1; Matt. 1:12; Luke 3:27
Simeon
Listed in Luke's genealogy of Jesus as the son of Judah.
Cited in the guide: Luke 3:30
Tiberius Caesar
The emperor in the fifteenth year of whose reign the word of God came to John the Baptist.
Cited in the guide: Luke 3:1
Cross references (32)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Luke 23:6–11; Genesis 49:10; Luke 23:24; Acts 4:27; Matthew 27:2
- 2 Acts 4:6; Jonah 1:1; Luke 1:80; Micah 1:1; John 18:24
- 3 Luke 1:77; Matthew 3:5–6; Acts 13:24; Matthew 3:11; Acts 19:4
- 4 Isaiah 40:3–5; John 1:23; John 1:26–36; Luke 1:76–79; John 1:7
- 5 Isaiah 40:4; Isaiah 42:16; Isaiah 45:2; Isaiah 49:11; Ezekiel 17:24
- 6 Isaiah 52:10; Isaiah 40:5; Psalm 98:2–3; Isaiah 49:6; Romans 10:18
- 7 Matthew 23:33; Matthew 12:34; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; Hebrews 6:18; 1 John 3:8
- 8 Ezekiel 18:27–31; Acts 26:20; Isaiah 1:16–18; Galatians 5:22–24; Matthew 21:43
- 9 Matthew 7:19; John 15:6; Isaiah 10:33–34; Luke 13:9; Matthew 3:10
- 10 Acts 2:37; Luke 3:14; Acts 16:30; Acts 9:6; Luke 3:12
- 11 Isaiah 58:7–11; 1 John 3:17; 1 Timothy 6:18; Luke 18:22; 1 John 4:20
- 12 Luke 7:29; Luke 18:13; Luke 15:1–2; Matthew 21:31–32
- 13 Luke 19:8; Ephesians 4:28; 1 Corinthians 6:10; Isaiah 1:16–17; Micah 6:8
- 14 Hebrews 13:5–6; Exodus 20:16; 1 Timothy 6:8–10; Philippians 4:11; Exodus 23:1
- 15 John 10:24; John 3:28–29; John 1:19–28
- 16 Matthew 3:11; Acts 1:5; Acts 11:15–16; John 1:33; John 1:26
- 17 Micah 4:12; Jeremiah 15:7; Matthew 13:30; Psalm 1:4; Psalm 21:9–10
- 18 Acts 2:40; John 1:34; John 3:29–36; John 1:29; John 1:15
- 19 Matthew 14:3–4; Luke 3:1; Mark 6:17–18; Proverbs 15:12; Matthew 11:2
- 20 2 Chronicles 24:17–22; 2 Chronicles 36:16; Revelation 16:6; Matthew 23:31–33; 2 Kings 24:4
- 21 John 1:32–34; Matthew 3:13–17; Luke 5:16; John 12:27–28; Mark 1:9–11
- 22 Psalm 2:7; 2 Peter 1:17–18; Isaiah 42:1; John 1:32; Luke 9:34–35
- 23 Luke 4:22; Matthew 13:55; Numbers 4:3; John 6:42; Acts 1:1
- 27 Matthew 1:12
- 31 1 Chronicles 3:5; 2 Samuel 5:14; Zechariah 12:12; 1 Chronicles 14:4
- 32 Ruth 4:18–22; Isaiah 11:1–2; Matthew 1:3–6; 1 Chronicles 2:10–15; Acts 13:22–23
- 33 1 Chronicles 9:4; 1 Chronicles 2:4–5; 1 Chronicles 2:9–10; Ruth 4:12; Genesis 38:29
- 34 Genesis 21:3; Joshua 24:2; Matthew 1:2; 1 Chronicles 1:34; Acts 7:8
- 35 Genesis 11:12–21; Genesis 10:24–25
- 36 Genesis 10:21–22; Genesis 5:28–32; Genesis 9:1; Hebrews 11:7; Genesis 11:10–26
- 37 1 Chronicles 1:1–3; Genesis 5:6–28
- 38 Genesis 2:7; Isaiah 64:8; 1 Corinthians 15:45; 1 Corinthians 15:47; Genesis 4:25–5:3
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
Why does my Bible say something different?
- Genesis 5 and 11: why the patriarchs’ ages differ
In the Greek Septuagint most patriarchs in Genesis 5 and 11 become fathers about 100 years later than in the Hebrew text, and Genesis 11 adds a second Cainan, whom St Luke also names (Luke 3:36). The result is a world history over a thousand years longer. The Byzantine calendar was built on the Greek numbers. No doctrine depends on either set.
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
… but a sword." They also maintain that John indicated the same thing when he said, "The fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge the floor, and will gather the wheat into His garner; but the chaff He will burn with fire unquenchable." By this declaration He set forth the faculty of Horos.
… pleasant it is to me, O Lord, to confess unto Thee, by what inward goads Thou didst subdue me, and how Thou didst make me low, bringing down the mountains and hills of my imaginations, and didst straighten my crookedness, and smooth my rough ways; and by what means Thou also didst subdue that brother of my heart, Alypius, unto …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
So likewise John: "I am not meet to loose the latchet of His shoe;" because of this he was the "friend of the Bridegroom," and the hand which he affirmed to be unworthy to touch His shoes, this did Christ draw unto His own head.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
Let him that hath two coats give to him that hath none: the teacher was worthy of credit, since he was also the first to practise what he taught: he was not ashamed to speak, for conscience hindered not his tongue: and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
"For into one Spirit," it says, "we were all baptized in one body." And in harmony with this are the passages: "You shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost," and "He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost." But no one on this account would be justified in calling that baptism a perfect baptism wherein only the name of the …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 8 (1895)