1 εν ετει δε πεντεκαιδεκατω της ηγεμονιας τιβεριου καισαρος, ηγεμονευοντος ποντιου πιλατου της ιουδαιας, και τετραρχουντος της γαλιλαιας ηρωδου, φιλιππου δε του αδελφου αυτου τετραρχουντος της ιτουραιας και τραχωνιτιδος χωρας, και λυσανιου της αβιληνης τετραρχουντος, 2 επ αρχιερεως αννα και καιαφα, εγενετο ρημα θεου επι ιωαννην τον ζαχαριου υιον εν τη ερημω, 3 και ηλθεν εις πασαν την περιχωρον του ιορδανου κηρυσσων βαπτισμα μετανοιας εις αφεσιν αμαρτιων, 4 ως γεγραπται εν βιβλω λογων ησαιου του προφητου λεγοντος· φωνη βοωντος εν τη ερημω, ετοιμασατε την οδον κυριου, ευθειας ποιειτε τας τριβους αυτου· 5 πασα φαραγξ πληρωθησεται και παν ορος και βουνος ταπεινωθησεται, και εσται τα σκολια εις ευθειαν και αι τραχειαι εις οδους λειας, 6 και οψεται πασα σαρξ το σωτηριον του θεου. 7 ελεγεν ουν τοις εκπορευομενοις οχλοις βαπτισθηναι υπ αυτου· γεννηματα εχιδνων, τις υπεδειξεν υμιν φυγειν απο της μελλουσης οργης; 8 ποιησατε ουν καρπους αξιους της μετανοιας, και μη αρξησθε λεγειν εν εαυτοις, πατερα εχομεν τον αβρααμ· λεγω γαρ υμιν οτι δυναται ο θεος εκ των λιθων τουτων εγειραι τεκνα τω αβρααμ. 9 ηδη δε και η αξινη προς την ριζαν των δενδρων κειται· παν ουν δενδρον μη ποιουν καρπον καλον εκκοπτεται και εις πυρ βαλλεται. 10 και επηρωτων αυτον οι οχλοι λεγοντες· τι ουν ποιησομεν; 11 αποκριθεις δε λεγει αυτοις· ο εχων δυο χιτωνας μεταδοτω τω μη εχοντι, και ο εχων βρωματα ομοιως ποιειτω. 12 ηλθον δε και τελωναι βαπτισθηναι, και ειπον προς αυτον· διδασκαλε, τι ποιησομεν; 13 ο δε ειπεν προς αυτους· μηδεν πλεον παρα το διατεταγμενον υμιν πρασσετε. 14 επηρωτων δε αυτον και στρατευομενοι λεγοντες· και ημεις τι ποιησομεν; και ειπεν προς αυτους· μηδενα συκοφαντησητε μηδε διασεισητε, και αρκεισθε τοις οψωνιοις υμων. 15 προσδοκωντος δε του λαου και διαλογιζομενων παντων εν ταις καρδιαις αυτων περι του ιωαννου, μηποτε αυτος ειη ο χριστος, 16 απεκρινατο ο ιωαννης απασιν λεγων· εγω μεν υδατι βαπτιζω υμας· ερχεται δε ο ισχυροτερος μου, ου ουκ ειμι ικανος λυσαι τον ιμαντα των υποδηματων αυτου· αυτος υμας βαπτισει εν πνευματι αγιω και πυρι. 17 ου το πτυον εν τη χειρι αυτου και διακαθαριει την αλωνα αυτου, και συναξει τον σιτον εις την αποθηκην αυτου, το δε αχυρον κατακαυσει πυρι ασβεστω. 18 πολλα μεν ουν και ετερα παρακαλων ευηγγελιζετο τον λαον. 19 ο δε ηρωδης ο τετραρχης, ελεγχομενος υπ αυτου περι ηρωδιαδος της γυναικος του αδελφου αυτου και περι παντων ων εποιησεν πονηρων ο ηρωδης, 20 προσεθηκεν και τουτο επι πασιν και κατεκλεισεν τον ιωαννην εν τη φυλακη. 21 εγενετο δε εν τω βαπτισθηναι απαντα τον λαον και ιησου βαπτισθεντος και προσευχομενου ανεωχθηναι τον ουρανον 22 και καταβηναι το πνευμα το αγιον σωματικω ειδει ωσει περιστεραν επ αυτον, και φωνην εξ ουρανου γενεσθαι λεγουσαν· συ ει ο υιος μου ο αγαπητος, εν σοι ευδοκησα. 23 και αυτος ην ο ιησους ωσει ετων τριακοντα αρχομενος, ων, ως ενομιζετο, υιος ιωσηφ, του ηλι, 24 του ματθαν, του λευι, του μελχι, του ιωαννα, του ιωσηφ, 25 του ματταθιου, του αμως, του ναουμ, του εσλιμ, του ναγγαι, 26 του μααθ, του ματταθιου, του σεμευ, του ιωσηχ, του ιωδα, 27 του ιωανναν, του ρησα, του ζοροβαβελ, του σαλαθιηλ, του νηρι, 28 του μελχι, του αδδι, του κωσαμ, του ελμωδαμ, του ηρ, 29 του ιωση, του ελιεζερ, του ιωρειμ, του ματθατ, του λευι, 30 του συμεων, του ιουδα, του ιωσηφ, του ιωνα, του ελιακειμ, 31 του μελεα, του μαιναν, του ματταθα, του ναθαν, του δαυιδ, 32 του ιεσσαι, του ωβηδ, του βοοζ, του σαλμων, του ναασσων, 33 του αμιναδαβ, του αραμ, του ιωραμ, του εσρωμ, του φαρες, του ιουδα, 34 του ιακωβ, του ισαακ, του αβρααμ, του θαρα, του ναχωρ, 35 του σερουχ, του ραγαυ, του φαλεκ, του εβερ, του σαλα, 36◆ του καιναν, του αρφαξαδ, του σημ, του νωε, του λαμεχ, 37 του μαθουσαλα, του ενωχ, του ιαρεδ, του μαλελεηλ, του καιναν, 38 του ενως, του σηθ, του αδαμ, του θεου.
Luke · Patriarchal Text (Antoniades 1904/1912)
Luke 3 Patriarchal Text (Antoniades 1904/1912)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (3)
- The digital source has no accents or capitals (as Robinson distributes it); 1912 base text, movable nu regularised.
- Double square brackets [[ ]] are marks in the digital source; at 1 John 5:7–8 they enclose the words the 1904 edition prints in smaller type.
- Credit: Maurice A. Robinson & Jussi Ala-Konni (byztxt).
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
Ram
A little-known link in the chain, faithfully recorded between Hezron and Amminadab.
Cited in the guide: Ruth 4:19; 1 Chron. 2:9-10; Matt. 1:3-4; Luke 3:33
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)