1Es war im fünfzehnten Jahr der Regierung des Kaisers Tiberius; Pontius Pilatus war Statthalter von Judäa, Herodes Tetrarch von Galiläa, sein Bruder Philippus Tetrarch von Ituräa und der Trachonitis, Lysanias Tetrarch von Abilene;[1] (Mt 27,11)2Hohepriester waren Hannas und Kajaphas. Da erging in der Wüste das Wort Gottes an Johannes, den Sohn des Zacharias.3Und er zog in die Gegend am Jordan und verkündete dort überall die Taufe der Umkehr zur Vergebung der Sünden, (Mt 3,1; Mk 1,2; Joh 1,19; Apg 13,24)4wie im Buch der Reden des Propheten Jesaja geschrieben steht:
Stimme eines Rufers in der Wüste: / Bereitet den Weg des Herrn! / Macht gerade seine Straßen! (Jes 40,3)5Jede Schlucht soll aufgefüllt / und jeder Berg und Hügel abgetragen werden.
Was krumm ist, soll gerade, / was uneben ist, soll zum ebenen Weg werden.6Und alle Menschen werden das Heil Gottes schauen.7Da sagte er zu den Volksscharen, die hinauszogen, um sich von ihm taufen zu lassen: Ihr Schlangenbrut, wer hat euch denn gelehrt, dass ihr dem kommenden Zorngericht entrinnen könnt?8Bringt Früchte hervor, die eure Umkehr zeigen, und fangt nicht an, bei euch zu sagen: Wir haben Abraham zum Vater! Denn ich sage euch: Gott kann aus diesen Steinen dem Abraham Kinder erwecken.9Schon ist die Axt an die Wurzel der Bäume gelegt; jeder Baum, der keine gute Frucht hervorbringt, wird umgehauen und ins Feuer geworfen. (Mt 7,19)10Da fragten ihn die Scharen: Was sollen wir also tun?11Er antwortete ihnen: Wer zwei Gewänder hat, der gebe eines davon dem, der keines hat, und wer zu essen hat, der handle ebenso!12Es kamen auch Zöllner, um sich taufen zu lassen, und fragten ihn: Meister, was sollen wir tun?13Er sagte zu ihnen: Verlangt nicht mehr, als festgesetzt ist!14Auch Soldaten fragten ihn: Was sollen denn wir tun? Und er sagte zu ihnen: Misshandelt niemanden, erpresst niemanden, begnügt euch mit eurem Sold!15Das Volk war voll Erwartung und alle überlegten im Herzen, ob Johannes nicht vielleicht selbst der Christus sei. (Joh 1,24)16Doch Johannes gab ihnen allen zur Antwort: Ich taufe euch mit Wasser. Es kommt aber einer, der stärker ist als ich, und ich bin es nicht wert, ihm die Riemen der Sandalen zu lösen. Er wird euch mit dem Heiligen Geist und mit Feuer taufen. (Apg 13,25)17Schon hält er die Schaufel in der Hand, um seine Tenne zu reinigen und den Weizen in seine Scheune zu sammeln; die Spreu aber wird er in nie erlöschendem Feuer verbrennen.18Mit diesen und vielen anderen Worten ermahnte er das Volk und verkündete die frohe Botschaft.19Johannes tadelte auch den Tetrarchen Herodes wegen Herodias, der Frau seines Bruders, und wegen aller Schandtaten, die er verübt hatte. (Mt 14,3; Mk 6,17)20Herodes fügte zu allem noch dies hinzu, dass er Johannes ins Gefängnis werfen ließ.
Die Taufe Jesu
21Es geschah aber, dass sich zusammen mit dem ganzen Volk auch Jesus taufen ließ. Und während er betete, öffnete sich der Himmel (Mt 3,13; Mk 1,9; Joh 1,29)22und der Heilige Geist kam sichtbar in Gestalt einer Taube auf ihn herab und eine Stimme aus dem Himmel sprach: Du bist mein geliebter Sohn, an dir habe ich Wohlgefallen gefunden. (1Mo 22,2; Ps 2,7; Jes 42,1)
Der Stammbaum Jesu
23Jesus war, als er zum ersten Mal öffentlich auftrat, etwa dreißig Jahre alt. Er galt als Sohn Josefs. Die Vorfahren Josefs waren: Eli, (Mt 1,1)24Mattat, Levi, Melchi, Jannai, Josef,25Mattitja, Amos, Nahum, Hesli, Naggai,26Mahat, Mattitja, Schimi, Josech, Joda,27Johanan, Resa, Serubbabel, Schealtiël, Neri,28Melchi, Addi, Kosam, Elmadam, Er,29Joschua, Eliëser, Jorim, Mattat, Levi,30Simeon, Juda, Josef, Jonam, Eljakim,31Melea, Menna, Mattata, Natan, David,32Isai, Obed, Boas, Salmon, Nachschon, (Rut 4,18)33Amminadab, Admin, Arni, Hezron, Perez, Juda,34Jakob, Isaak, Abraham, Terach, Nahor, (1Mo 11,10)35Serug, Regu, Peleg, Eber, Schelach,36Kenan, Arpachschad, Sem, Noach, Lamech, (1Mo 5,1)37Metuschelach, Henoch, Jered, Mahalalel, Kenan,38Enosch, Set, Adam; der stammte von Gott.
1Tiberius Caesar had been ruling for 15 years. Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea. Herod was the ruler of Galilee. His brother Philip was the ruler of Iturea and Traconitis. Lysanias was ruler of Abilene.2Annas and Caiaphas were high priests. At that time God’s word came to John, son of Zechariah, in the desert.3He went into all the countryside around the River Jordan. There he preached that people should be baptised and turn away from their sins. Then God would forgive them.4Here is what is written in the book of Isaiah the prophet. It says, ‘A messenger is calling out in the desert, “Prepare the way for the Lord. Make straight paths for him.5Every valley will be filled in. Every mountain and hill will be made level. The crooked roads will become straight. The rough ways will become smooth.6And all people will see God’s salvation.” ’ (Jes 40,3)7John spoke to the crowds coming to be baptised by him. He said, ‘You are like a nest of poisonous snakes! Who warned you to escape the coming of God’s anger?8Live in a way that shows you have turned away from your sins. And don’t start saying to yourselves, “Abraham is our father.” I tell you, God can raise up children for Abraham even from these stones.9The axe is already lying at the roots of the trees. All the trees that don’t produce good fruit will be cut down. They will be thrown into the fire.’10‘Then what should we do?’ the crowd asked.11John answered, ‘Anyone who has extra clothes should share with the one who has none. And anyone who has extra food should do the same.’12Even tax collectors came to be baptised. ‘Teacher’, they asked, ‘what should we do?’13‘Don’t collect any more than you are required to,’ John told them.14Then some soldiers asked him, ‘And what should we do?’ John replied, ‘Don’t force people to give you money. Don’t bring false charges against people. Be happy with your pay.’15The people were waiting. They were expecting something. They were all wondering in their hearts if John might be the Messiah.16John answered them all, ‘I baptise you with water. But one who is more powerful than I am will come. I’m not good enough to untie the straps of his sandals. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire.17His pitchfork is in his hand to toss the straw away from his threshing-floor. He will gather the wheat into his barn. But he will burn up the husks with fire that can’t be put out.’18John said many other things to warn the people. He also announced the good news to them.19But John found fault with Herod, the ruler of Galilee, because of his marriage to Herodias. She was the wife of Herod’s brother. John also spoke strongly to Herod about all the other evil things he had done.20So Herod locked John up in prison. Herod added this sin to all his others.
The baptism and family line of Jesus
21When all the people were being baptised, Jesus was baptised too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened.22The Holy Spirit came to rest on him in the form of a dove. A voice came from heaven. It said, ‘You are my Son, and I love you. I am very pleased with you.’23Jesus was about 30 years old when he began his special work for God and others. It was thought that he was the son of Joseph. Joseph was the son of Heli.24Heli 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.25Joseph 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.26Naggai was the son of Maath. Maath was the son of Mattathias. Mattathias was the son of Semein. Semein was the son of Josek. Josek was the son of Joda.27Joda 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.28Neri 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.29Er 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.30Levi 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.31Eliakim 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.32David 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.33Nahshon was the son of Amminadab. Amminadab was the son of Ram. Ram was the son of Hezron. Hezron was the son of Perez. Perez was the son of Judah.34Judah 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.35Nahor 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.36Shelah 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.37Lamech 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.38Kenan was the son of Enosh. Enosh was the son of Seth. Seth was the son of Adam. Adam was the son of God.