New Living Translation NLT
Wycliffe WYC
1 It was now the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius, the Roman emperor. Pontius Pilate was governor over Judea; Herod Antipas was ruler over Galilee; his brother Philip was ruler over Iturea and Traconitis; Lysanias was ruler over Abilene.
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In the fifteen year of the empire of Tiberius, the emperor, when Pilate of Pontii governed Judaea, and Herod was prince of Galilee, and Philip, his brother, was prince of Ituraea, and of the country of Trachonitis, and Lysanias was prince of Abilene,
2 Annas and Caiaphas were the high priests. At this time a message from God came to John son of Zechariah, who was living in the wilderness.
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under the princes of priests Annas and Caiaphas, the word of the Lord was made on [upon] John, the son of Zacharias, in desert.
3 Then John went from place to place on both sides of the Jordan River, preaching that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven.
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And he came into all the country of Jordan, and preached [preaching] baptism of penance into remission of sins.
4 Isaiah had spoken of John when he said, “He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the LORD ’s coming! Clear the road for him!
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As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias, the prophet, The voice of a crier in desert [The voice of one crying in desert], Make ye ready the way of the Lord, make ye his paths right.
5 The valleys will be filled, and the mountains and hills made level. The curves will be straightened, and the rough places made smooth.
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Each valley shall be full-filled, and every hill and little hill shall be made low; and depraved things shall be into dressed things, and sharp things into plain ways; [Each valley shall be filled, and each mountain and little hill shall be made low; and shrewd things shall be into dressed things, and sharp things into plain ways;]
6 And then all people will see the salvation sent from God.’”
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and every flesh [and each flesh] shall see the health of God.
7 When the crowds came to John for baptism, he said, “You brood of snakes! Who warned you to flee God’s coming wrath?
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Therefore he said to the people, which went out to be baptized of him, Kindlings of adders, who showed to you to flee from the wrath to coming? [+Therefore he said to the companies, that went out, that they should be baptized of him, Fruits, or kindlings, of adders, who showed to you to flee from the wrath to come?]
8 Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones.
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Therefore do ye worthy fruits of penance, and begin ye not to say, We have a father Abraham; for I say to you, that God is mighty to raise of these stones the sons of Abraham [soothly I say to you, God is mighty of these stones to raise the sons of Abraham].
9 Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.”
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And now an ax is set [is put] to the root of the tree; and therefore every tree that maketh not good fruit, shall be cut down, and shall be cast into the fire [shall be cut down, and sent into the fire].
10 The crowds asked, “What should we do?”
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And the people asked him, and said [saying], What then shall we do?
11 John replied, “If you have two shirts, give one to the poor. If you have food, share it with those who are hungry.”
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He answered, and said to them [Soothly he answering said to them], He that hath two coats, give he to him that hath none; and he that hath meats, do in like manner.
12 Even corrupt tax collectors came to be baptized and asked, “Teacher, what should we do?”
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And [the] publicans came to be baptized; and they said to him, Master, what shall we do?
13 He replied, “Collect no more taxes than the government requires.”
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And he said to them, Do ye nothing more, than that that is ordained to you.
14 “What should we do?” asked some soldiers. John replied, “Don’t extort money or make false accusations. And be content with your pay.”
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And [the] knights asked him, and said, What shall also we do [Forsooth and the knights asked him, saying, What shall and we do]? And he said to them, Smite ye wrongfully no man, neither make ye false challenge, and be ye satisfied with your wages [and be satisfied with your wages].
15 Everyone was expecting the Messiah to come soon, and they were eager to know whether John might be the Messiah.
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When all the people guessed, and all men thought in their hearts of John, lest peradventure he were Christ,
16 John answered their questions by saying, “I baptize you with water; but someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
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John answered, and said [saying] to all men, [Soothly] I baptize you in water; but a stronger than I shall come after me, of whom I am not worthy to unbind the lace of his shoes [of whose I am not worthy to unbind the thong of his shoes]; he shall baptize you in the Holy Ghost and fire.
17 He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire.”
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Whose fan in his hand/Whose winnowing tool is in his hand, and he shall purge his floor of corn [and he shall purge his corn floor], and shall gather the wheat into his barn; but the chaff he shall burn with fire unquenchable.
18 John used many such warnings as he announced the Good News to the people.
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And many other things also he spake, and preached to the people. [Forsooth and he stirring, or admonishing, many other things, evangelized to the people.]
19 John also publicly criticized Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee, for marrying Herodias, his brother’s wife, and for many other wrongs he had done.
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But Herod [the] tetrarch, when he was blamed of John for Herodias, the wife of his brother, and for all the evils that Herod did,
20 So Herod put John in prison, adding this sin to his many others.
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he increased this over all, and shut John in prison. [+added this over all, and shut John in prison.]
21 One day when the crowds were being baptized, Jesus himself was baptized. As he was praying, the heavens opened,
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And it was done, when all the people was baptized, and when Jesus was baptized, and prayed [and praying], heaven was opened.
22 and the Holy Spirit, in bodily form, descended on him like a dove. And a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy. ”
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And the Holy Ghost came down in bodily likeness, as a dove on him; and a voice was made from heaven, Thou art my dear-worthy Son, in thee it hath well pleased to me.
23 Jesus was about thirty years old when he began his public ministry. Jesus was known as the son of Joseph. Joseph was the son of Heli.
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And Jesus himself was beginning as of thirty years, that he was guessed the son of Joseph, which was of Heli,
24 Heli was the son of Matthat. Matthat was the son of Levi. Levi was the son of Melki. Melki was the son of Jannai. Jannai was the son of Joseph.
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which was of Matthat, which was of Levi, which was of Melchi, that was [which was] of Janna, that was of Joseph,
25 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.
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that was of Mattathias, that was of Amos, that was of Naum, that was of Esli, that was of Nagge,
26 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.
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that was of Maath, that was of Mattathias, that was of Semei, that was of Joseph, that was of Juda,
27 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.
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that was of Joanna, that was of Rhesa, that was of Zorobabel, that was of Salathiel, that was of Neri,
28 Neri was the son of Melki. Melki was the son of Addi. Addi was the son of Cosam. Cosam was the son of Elmadam. Elmadam was the son of Er.
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that was of Melchi, that was of Addi, that was of Cosam, that was of Elmodam, that was of Er,
29 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.
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that was of Jose, that was of Eliezer, that was of Jorim, that was of Matthat, that was of Levi,
30 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.
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that was of Simeon, that was of Juda, that was of Joseph, that was of Jonan, that was of Eliakim,
31 Eliakim was the son of Melea. Melea was the son of Menna. Menna was the son of Mattatha. Mattatha was the son of Nathan. Nathan was the son of David.
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that was of Melea, that was of Menan, that was of Mattatha, that was of Nathan, that was of David,
32 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.
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that was of Jesse, that was of Obed, that was of Booz, that was of Salmon, that was of Naasson,
33 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.
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that was of Aminadab, that was of Aram, that was of Esrom, that was of Phares, that was of Juda,
34 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.
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that was of Jacob, that was of Isaac, that was of Abraham, that was of Thara, that was of Nachor,
35 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.
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that was of Saruch, that was of Ragau, that was of Phalec, that was of Heber, that was of Sala,
36 Shelah was the son of Cainan. Cainan was the son of Arphaxad. Arphaxad was the son of Shem. Shem was the son of Noah. Noah was the son of Lamech.
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that was of Cainan, that was of Arphaxad, that was of Sem, that was of Noe, that was of Lamech,
37 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 Kenan.
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that was of Mathusala, that was of Enoch, that was of Jared, that was of Maleleel, that was of Cainan,
38 Kenan was the son of Enosh. Enosh was the son of Seth. Seth was the son of Adam. Adam was the son of God.
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that was of Enos, that was of Seth, that was of Adam, that was of God.