LUK 3:1-20

The Mission of John the Baptist

1Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip was tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene, [3:2] during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, a divine declaration came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. [3:3] And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, [3:4] as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: "A voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. [3:5] Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low; and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough ways smooth; [3:6] and all flesh shall see the salvation of God." [3:7] John said therefore to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him: "Offspring of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? [3:8] Produce, then, fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say among yourselves, 'We have Abraham as father'; for I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. [3:9] And already the axe is laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." [3:10] And the crowds questioned him, saying: "What then shall we do?" [3:11] And answering, he said to them: "Let the one who has two tunics share with the one who has none, and let the one who has food do likewise." [3:12] And tax collectors came to be baptized and said to him: "Teacher, what shall we do?" [3:13] And he said to them: "Collect no more than what has been appointed to you." [3:14] And soldiers also questioned him, saying: "And we — what shall we do?" And he said to them: "Do not shake anyone down or extort by threats, and be content with your wages." [3:15] Now as the people were in expectation, and all were reasoning in their hearts about John, whether he might be the Christ, [3:16] John answered, saying to all: "I baptize you with water, but one is coming who is mightier than I, of whom I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandals; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. [3:17] His winnowing fork is in his hand, to thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his storehouse; but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire." [3:18] So then, with many other exhortations he proclaimed good news to the people. [3:19] But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him concerning Herodias his brother's wife, and concerning all the wicked things that Herod had done, [3:20] added this also to all of them: he locked John up in prison.

In the world it was spoken into

In the 15th year of Tiberius Caesar’s reign, John the Baptist emerges in the wilderness, a figure deeply rooted in Jewish prophetic tradition. His call for a 'baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins' echoes Isaiah’s prophecy, positioning him as a voice preparing the way for the Lord. John’s audience, a mix of Judeans, Galileans, and others, would have recognized his attire—camel’s hair and a leather belt—as reminiscent of Elijah, signaling his role as a prophetic forerunner. His harsh rebuke of the crowds as 'offspring of vipers' would have been understood as a critique of their moral hypocrisy, particularly among the religious elite. Tax collectors and soldiers, groups often viewed as collaborators with Roman oppression, are addressed directly, with John demanding ethical reform—no extortion or abuse of power. His message of repentance and ethical living challenges the status quo, calling for a reorientation of life in anticipation of God’s coming judgment and salvation.

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How other translations render this

LUK 3:1

KJV: Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene,
BSB: 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,
Koinōnos: Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip was tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene,

LUK 3:2

KJV: Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.
BSB: during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness.
Koinōnos: during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, a divine declaration came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness.

LUK 3:3

KJV: And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;
BSB: He went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,
Koinōnos: And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,

LUK 3:4

KJV: As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
BSB: 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.
Koinōnos: as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: "A voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

LUK 3:5

KJV: 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;
BSB: 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.
Koinōnos: Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low; and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough ways smooth;

LUK 3:6

KJV: And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
BSB: And all humanity will see Godʼs salvation.’”
Koinōnos: and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

LUK 3:7

KJV: Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
BSB: 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?
Koinōnos: John said therefore to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him: "Offspring of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?

LUK 3:8

KJV: Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
BSB: 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.
Koinōnos: Produce, then, fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say among yourselves, 'We have Abraham as father'; for I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.

LUK 3:9

KJV: And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
BSB: 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.”
Koinōnos: And already the axe is laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

LUK 3:10

KJV: And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?
BSB: The crowds asked him, “What then should we do?”
Koinōnos: And the crowds questioned him, saying: "What then shall we do?

LUK 3:11

KJV: He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.
BSB: John replied, “Whoever has two tunics should share with him who has none, and whoever has food should do the same.”
Koinōnos: And answering, he said to them: "Let the one who has two tunics share with the one who has none, and let the one who has food do likewise.

LUK 3:12

KJV: Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do?
BSB: Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?”
Koinōnos: And tax collectors came to be baptized and said to him: "Teacher, what shall we do?

LUK 3:13

KJV: And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.
BSB: “Collect no more than you are authorized,” he answered.
Koinōnos: And he said to them: "Collect no more than what has been appointed to you.

LUK 3:14

KJV: And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.
BSB: 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.”
Koinōnos: And soldiers also questioned him, saying: "And we — what shall we do?" And he said to them: "Do not shake anyone down or extort by threats, and be content with your wages.

LUK 3:15

KJV: And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not;
BSB: The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John could be the Christ.
Koinōnos: Now as the people were in expectation, and all were reasoning in their hearts about John, whether he might be the Christ,

LUK 3:16

KJV: John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:
BSB: 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.
Koinōnos: John answered, saying to all: "I baptize you with water, but one is coming who is mightier than I, of whom I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandals; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

LUK 3:17

KJV: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.
BSB: 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.”
Koinōnos: His winnowing fork is in his hand, to thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his storehouse; but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.

LUK 3:18

KJV: And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people.
BSB: With these and many other exhortations, John proclaimed the good news to the people.
Koinōnos: So then, with many other exhortations he proclaimed good news to the people.

LUK 3:19

KJV: But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philip’s wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done,
BSB: But when he rebuked Herod the tetrarch regarding his brotherʼs wife Herodias and all the evils he had done,
Koinōnos: But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him concerning Herodias his brother's wife, and concerning all the wicked things that Herod had done,

LUK 3:20

KJV: Added yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison.
BSB: Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison.
Koinōnos: added this also to all of them: he locked John up in prison.

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Translator's notes

LUK 3:2

[the] declaration:The word translated 'declaration' here refers to a specific, spoken utterance or message, often with a sense of divine origin or importance, rather than a general statement.

LUK 3:7

of vipers,:The term used here for 'vipers' was a common metaphor for treacherous, malicious, or dangerous people, often implying a deceptive and venomous nature.

LUK 3:12

tax collectors:The 'tax collectors' in this context were often Jewish individuals who collaborated with the Roman authorities, collecting taxes and tolls, and were widely despised for their perceived corruption and betrayal.

LUK 3:14

No one:The word translated 'extort' here specifically means to shake down or intimidate someone to unlawfully obtain money or goods, often through violence or threats.