Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2in the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of Allah came to Yahya Ibn Zakariyya, in the wilderness. 3He came into all the region around the Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for remission of sins. 4As it is written in the book of the words of Shaya the prophet,
“The voice of one calling out in the wilderness,
‘Make ready the way of Allah.
Make straight his paths.
5Every valley will be filled.
Every mountain and hill will be brought low.
The crooked will be straightened,
And the rough places made smooth.
6All flesh will see Allah’s salvation.‘”[1]
7He said therefore to the multitudes who went out to be baptized by him, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say among yourselves, ‘We have Ibrahim for our father;’ for I tell you that Allah is able to raise up children to Ibrahim from these stones! 9Even now the axe also lies at the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bring forth good fruit is cut down, and thrown into the fire.“
10The multitudes asked him, “What then must we do?“
11He answered them, “He who has two coats, let him give to him who has none. He who has food, let him do likewise.“
12Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, “Teacher, what must we do?“
13He said to them, “Collect no more than that which is appointed to you.“
14Soldiers also asked him, saying, “What about us? What must we do?“
He said to them, “Extort from no one by violence, neither accuse anyone wrongfully. Be content with your wages.“
15As the people were in expectation, and all men reasoned in their hearts concerning Yahya, whether perhaps he was al-Masih, 16Yahya answered them all, “I indeed baptize you with water, but he comes who is mightier than I, the latchet of whose sandals I am not worthy to loosen. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire, 17whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor, and will gather the wheat into his barn; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.“
18Then with many other exhortations he preached the Injil to the people, 19but Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias, his brother’s wife, and for all the evil things which Herod had done, 20added this also to them all, that he shut up Yahya in prison. 21Now it happened, when all the people were baptized, ‘Isa also had been baptized, and was praying. The sky was opened, 22and the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily form as a dove on him; and a voice came out of the sky, saying “You are my beloved Son. In you I am well pleased.”
23‘Isa himself, when he began to teach, was about thirty years old, and was thought to be Ibn Yusuf, Ibn Heli,
24Ibn Matthat, Ibn Levi, Ibn Melki, Ibn Jannai, Ibn Yusuf,
25Ibn Matthias, Ibn Amos, Ibn Nahum, Ibn Esli, Ibn Naggai,
26Ibn Maat, Ibn Matthias, Ibn Gemein, Ibn Yusuf, Ibn Joda,
27Ibn Joanna, Ibn Rheda, Ibn Zerubbabel, Ibn Shealtiel, Ibn Neri,
28Ibn Melki, Ibn Addi, Ibn Cosam, Ibn Elmadam, Ibn Er,
29Ibn Yusha, Ibn Eliezer, Ibn Jobim, Ibn Matthat, Ibn Levi,
30Ibn Simeon, Ibn Judah, Ibn Yusuf, Ibn Jonas, Ibn Eliakim,
31Ibn Melua, Ibn Menna, Ibn Mattatha, Ibn Nathan, Ibn Dawud,
32Ibn Jesse, Ibn Oben, Ibn Boaz, Ibn Salmon, Ibn Nahshon,
33Ibn Amminadab, Ibn Ram, Ibn Hezron, Ibn Perez, Ibn Judah,
34Ibn Yaqui, Ibn Isaaq, Ibn Ibrahim, Ibn Terah, Ibn Nahor,
35Ibn Serum, Ibn Reu, Ibn Beleg, Ibn Eber, Ibn Shelah,
36Ibn Cainan, Ibn Arphaxad, Ibn Shem, Ibn Nuh, Ibn Lamech,
37Ibn Methuselah, Ibn Idris, Ibn Jared, Ibn Mahalalel, Ibn Kenan,
38Ibn Enosh, Ibn Seth, Ibn Adam, Ibn Allah.
[1] 3:4-6 Quoting the Taurat, Shaya 40:3-5.