The Bible in Basic English BBE
Good News Translation GNT
1 Now in the fifteenth year of the rule of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being ruler of Judaea, and Herod being king of Galilee, his brother Philip king of the country of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias king of Abilene,
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It was the fifteenth year of the rule of Emperor Tiberius; Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip was ruler of the territory of Iturea and Trachonitis; Lysanias was ruler of Abilene,
2 When Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of the Lord came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the waste land.
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and Annas and Caiaphas were High Priests. At that time the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the desert.
3 And he came into all the country round about Jordan, preaching baptism as a sign of forgiveness of sin for those whose hearts were changed.
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So John went throughout the whole territory of the Jordan River, preaching, "Turn away from your sins and be baptized, and God will forgive your sins."
4 As it says in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, The voice of one crying in the waste land, Make ready the way of the Lord, make his roads straight.
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As it is written in the book of the prophet Isaiah: "Someone is shouting in the desert: "Get the road ready for the Lord; make a straight path for him to travel!
5 Every valley will be lifted up, and all the mountains and hills made low, and the twisted will be made straight, and the rough ways smooth;
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Every valley must be filled up, every hill and mountain leveled off. The winding roads must be made straight, and the rough paths made smooth.
6 And all flesh will see the salvation of God.
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The whole human race will see God's salvation!' "
7 So he said to the people who went out to him for baptism: You offspring of snakes, at whose word are you going in flight from the wrath to come?
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Crowds of people came out to John to be baptized by him. "You snakes!" he said to them. "Who told you that you could escape from the punishment God is about to send?
8 Make clear by your acts that your hearts have been changed; and do not say to yourselves, We have Abraham for our father: for I say to you that God is able from these stones to make children of Abraham.
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Do those things that will show that you have turned from your sins. And don't start saying among yourselves that Abraham is your ancestor. I tell you that God can take these rocks and make descendants for Abraham!
9 And even now the axe is put to the root of the trees; and every tree which does not have good fruit will be cut down and put into the fire.
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The ax is ready to cut down the trees at the roots; every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown in the fire."
10 And the people put questions to him, saying, What have we to do?
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The people asked him, "What are we to do, then?"
11 And he made answer and said to them, He who has two coats, let him give to him who has not even one; and he who has food, let him do the same.
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He answered, "Whoever has two shirts must give one to the man who has none, and whoever has food must share it."
12 Then tax-farmers came to him for baptism and said to him, Master, what have we to do?
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Some tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, "Teacher, what are we to do?"
13 And he said to them, Do not make an attempt to get more money than the right amount.
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"Don't collect more than is legal," he told them.
14 And men of the army put questions to him, saying, And what have we to do? And he said to them, Do no violent acts to any man, and do not take anything without right, and let your payment be enough for you.
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Some soldiers also asked him, "What about us? What are we to do?" He said to them, "Don't take money from anyone by force or accuse anyone falsely. Be content with your pay."
15 And while the people were waiting, and all men were questioning in their hearts about John, if he was the Christ or not,
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People's hopes began to rise, and they began to wonder whether John perhaps might be the Messiah.
16 John made answer, saying to them all, Truly, I give you baptism with water, but one is coming who is greater than I, whose shoes I am not good enough to undo: he will give you baptism with the Holy Spirit, and with fire:
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So John said to all of them, "I baptize you with water, but someone is coming who is much greater than I am. I am not good enough even to untie his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
17 In whose hand is the instrument with which he will make clean his grain; he will put the good grain in his store, but the waste will be burned in the fire which will never be put out.
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He has his winnowing shovel with him, to thresh out all the grain and gather the wheat into his barn; but he will burn the chaff in a fire that never goes out."
18 And so comforting them with these and other words, he gave the good news to the people;
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In many different ways John preached the Good News to the people and urged them to change their ways.
19 But Herod the king, because John had made a protest on account of Herodias, his brother's wife, and other evil things which Herod had done,
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But John reprimanded Governor Herod, because he had married Herodias, his brother's wife, and had done many other evil things.
20 Did this most evil thing of all, and had John shut up in prison.
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Then Herod did an even worse thing by putting John in prison.
21 Now it came about that when all the people had been given baptism, Jesus, having had baptism with them, was in prayer, when, the heaven being open,
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After all the people had been baptized, Jesus also was baptized. While he was praying, heaven was opened,
22 The Holy Spirit came down in the form of a dove, and a voice came from heaven, saying, You are my dearly loved Son, with whom I am well pleased.
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and the Holy Spirit came down upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my own dear Son. I am pleased with you."
23 And Jesus at this time was about thirty years old, being the son (as it seemed) of Joseph, the son of Heli,
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When Jesus began his work, he was about thirty years old. He was the son, so people thought, of Joseph, who was 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,
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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,
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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,
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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,
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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,
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the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er,
29 The son of Jesus, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi,
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the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi,
30 The son of Symeon, the son of Judas, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim,
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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,
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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 Salmon, the son of Nahshon,
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the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon,
33 The son of Amminadab, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah,
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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,
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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,
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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,
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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 Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan,
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the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Kenan,
38 The son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.
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the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.