Luke 3 - Easy To Read Version

¹ It was the 15th year of the rule of Tiberius Caesar. {\cf2\super [43]} These men were under Caesar:

² Annas and Caiaphas were the high priests. {\cf2\super [45]} At that time, a command from God came to John, the son of Zechariah. John was living in the desert.

³ John went through the whole area around the Jordan River. He told the people \{God’s message\}. John told them to be baptized {\cf2\super [46]} to show that they wanted to change their hearts and lives. Then their sins would be forgiven.

⁴ This is like the words written in the book of Isaiah the prophet {\cf2\super [47]} :

⁵ Every valley will be filled.\par And every mountain and hill\par will be made flat.\par Roads with turns will be made straight.\par And rough roads will be made smooth.\par

⁶ Every person will know about\par the salvation of God!’”\par \i (Isaiah 40:3-5)\i0 \par

⁷ People came to be baptized {\cf2\super [48]} by John. John said to them, “You are like poisonous snakes! Who warned you to run away from God’s anger that is coming?

⁸ You must do the things that will show that you have really changed your hearts and lives. And don’t think that saying, ‘Abraham {\cf2\super [49]} is our father’ will help you. I tell you that God can make children for Abraham from these rocks here!

⁹ The ax is now ready to cut down the trees. {\cf2\super [50]} Every tree that does not make good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”

¹⁰ The people asked John, “What should we do?”

¹¹ John answered, “If you have two shirts, share with the person that does not have one. If you have food, share that too.”

¹² Even the tax collectors {\cf2\super [51]} came to John. They wanted to be baptized. {\cf2\super [52]} They said to John, “Teacher, what should we do?”

¹³ John said to them, “Don’t take more taxes from people than you have been ordered to take.”

¹⁴ The soldiers asked John, “What about us? What should we do?”

¹⁵ All the people were hoping \{for the Christ {\cf2\super [53]} to come\}, and they wondered about John. They thought, “Maybe he is the Christ.”

¹⁶ John answered everyone, “I baptize {\cf2\super [54]} you in water, but there is a person coming later who can do more than I can. I am not good enough to untie his shoes for him. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit {\cf2\super [55]} and with fire.

¹⁷ He will come ready to clean the grain. {\cf2\super [56]} He will separate the good grain from the straw. He will put the good part of the grain into his barn. Then he will burn the part that is not good. He will burn it with a fire that cannot be stopped.”

¹⁸ And John continued to tell the Good News, {\cf2\super [57]} saying many other things to help the people.

¹⁹ (John criticized Governor Herod. {\cf2\super [58]} John criticized Herod for the bad thing he did with Herodias, the wife of Herod’s brother. John also criticized Herod for the many other bad things Herod did.

²⁰ So Herod did another bad thing: He put John in jail. This was added to all the other bad things Herod did.)

²¹ \{Before John was put into prison,\} all the people were being baptized {\cf2\super [59]} by him. Then Jesus came and was baptized too. While Jesus was praying, the sky opened.

²² The Holy Spirit {\cf2\super [60]} came down on him. The Spirit looked like a real dove. Then a voice came from heaven and said, “You are my Son and I love you. I am very pleased with you.”

²³ When Jesus began to teach, he was about 30 years old. People thought that Jesus was Joseph’s son. Joseph was the son of Eli.

²⁴ Eli was the son of Matthat. Matthat was the son of Levi. Levi was the son of Melchi. Melchi was the son of Jannai. Jannai was the son 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.

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.

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.

²⁸ Neri was the son of Melchi. Melchi was the son of Addi. Addi was the son of Cosam. Cosam was the son of Elmadam. Elmadam was the son 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

³⁷ Lamech was the son of Methuselah. Methuselah was the son of Enoch. Enoch was the son of Jared. Jared was the son of Mahalaleel. Mahalaleel was the son of Cainan.

³⁸ Cainan was the son of Enos. Enos was the son of Seth. Seth was the son of Adam. Adam was the son of God.