The Gospel of Luke for Readers | Page 4

in the temple. He was sitting in the
midst of the doctors, listening to them and asking them questions.
Those who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and
answers.
When His parents saw Him, they were amazed. His mother said to Him,
Son, why has thou done this to us? Thy father and I have been very
worried. He said, How is it that ye sought me? Do you not know that I
must be about my Father's business? But they did not understand what
He said to them. Then He went with them to Nazareth and was
obedient to them; but His mother kept all this in her heart. Jesus
increased in wisdom, in stature, and in favor with God and man.
3 It was the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar. Pontius Pilate
was governor of Judaea; Herod was tetrarch of Galilee; and his brother,
Philip, was tetrarch of Ituraea and the region of Trachonitis; and
Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene. Annas and Caiaphas were the high
priests.
The word of God came to John the son of Zacharias when he was in the
wilderness. He went into all the country around Jordan, preaching the
baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. This was according to
what is written in the book of Esaias the prophet: The voice of one
crying in the wilderness, Prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths
straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall
be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough
ways shall be made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
John said to the multitude that came to be baptized by him, O
generation of vipers, who has warned you to flee from the wrath to
come? Bring forth fruits worthy of repentance. Stop saying to
yourselves, We have our father, Abraham: for I tell you, God is able to
raise up children to Abraham from these stones. Now the axe is laid to

the root of the trees. Every tree which does not bring forth good fruit is
hewn down and cast into the fire.
The people asked him, What shall we do? He answered, He that has
two coats, let him give it to him that has none. He that has food, let him
do likewise. The publicans who came to him to be baptized also asked,
Master, what shall we do? He said to them, Exact no more than that
which is appointed you. The soldiers, likewise, asked, What shall we
do? He said, Do violence to no man, do not accuse anyone falsely; and
be content with your wages.
People lived in expectation and wondered whether he was the Christ.
John answered by saying to them all, I baptize you with water; but one
mightier than I comes, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to
unloose. He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with a fire
whose fan is in His hand. He will thoroughly purge His floor. He will
gather the wheat into His garner; but He will burn the chaff with fire
unquenchable.
Herod, the tetrarch, had been reproved by John on account of Herodias,
his brother Philip's wife and for all the evils which Herod had done.
Herod held this against him. Then, when Herod heard what John was
saying, he had John imprisoned.
When Jesus, also being baptized, was praying, the heaven opened and
the Holy Ghost, in a bodily shape like a dove, descended upon Him. A
voice came from heaven which said, Thou art my beloved Son. In thee
I am well pleased.
Jesus was about thirty years of age, the son of Joseph, which was the
son of Heli, the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, which was
the son of Melchi, the son of Janna, which was the son of Joseph, son
of Mattathias, which was the son of Amos, the son of Naum, the son of
Esli, which was the son of Nagge, the son of Maath, which was the son
of Mattathias, the son of Semei, the son of Joseph, the son of Juda.
Juda was the son of Joanna, which was the son of Rhesa, which was the
son of Zorobabel, which was the son of Salathiel, which was the son of
Neri, the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, son of Cosam, son of
Elmodam, which was the son of Er, the son of Jose, son of Eliezer,
which was the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, son of Levi.
Levi was the son of Simeon, which was the son of Juda, which was the
son of Joseph, which was the son of Jonan, which was the