1Era agora o décimo quinto ano do reinado do imperador romano Tibério César. Pôncio Pilatos era o governador da Judeia e Herodes governava a Galileia. Filipe, seu irmão, governava a Itureia e Traconites. Lisânias governava a Abilínia.2Anás e Caifás eram os sumos sacerdotes judaicos. Nesse tempo veio uma mensagem de Deus a João, filho de Zacarias, enquanto vivia no deserto.3João andou de terra em terra, em ambas as margens do Jordão, a pregar que as pessoas deviam batizar-se, como sinal de se terem arrependido dos seus pecados, a fim de serem perdoadas.4João era, como tinha dito o profeta Isaías nas Escrituras: “A voz gritando no deserto: ‘Façam um caminho para o Senhor. Façam-lhe um caminho direito.5Todos os vales se encherão, e todos os montes e colinas serão abaixados; as veredas tortuosas serão endireitadas, e os caminhos duros tornar-se-ão suaves.6E toda a raça humana verá a salvação de Deus.’ ”7Era assim que João pregava às multidões que vinham para batizar-se: “Raça de víboras! Quem vos avisou para fugir do julgamento de Deus que há de vir?8Têm de provar que abandonaram o pecado, praticando obras que mostrem arrependimento. E não comecem a dizer que estão em segurança por descenderem de Abraão; isso não basta. Pois digo-vos que até destas pedras do deserto Deus pode fazer nascer filhos de Abraão!9O machado do seu julgamento está suspenso sobre as vossas vidas, prestes a cortar as raízes e a derrubar-vos. Sim, toda a árvore que não dá bom fruto será abatida e lançada no fogo.”10E a multidão perguntava: “Que devemos fazer?”11“Se alguém tiver dois casacos dê um aos pobres. Quem tiver comida de sobra dê a quem tem fome.”12E até os cobradores de impostos, conhecidos pela sua falta de escrúpulos, vinham para serem batizados e perguntavam: “O que devemos fazer?”13“Sejam honestos, não cobrando mais impostos do que o que é exigido.”14“E nós”, perguntavam uns soldados, “como faremos?” E João respondia: “Não devem tirar dinheiro com ameaças ou pela força, nem acusar ninguém que sabem estar inocente. Contentem-se com o vosso soldo!”15Todos aguardavam o aparecimento do enviado de Deus e andavam impacientes por saber se João seria ou não o Cristo.16A essa questão respondeu João: “Eu batizo apenas com água, mas em breve virá alguém muito maior do que eu e de quem não sou digno sequer de lhe descalçar as sandálias. Ele vos batizará com o Espírito Santo e com fogo.17Na sua mão tem a pá e limpará a eira. Arrecadará o grão no celeiro; mas queimará a palha com fogo que jamais se apaga.”18Ao anunciar estas boas novas ao povo, João fazia muitos avisos deste género.19Contudo, depois de ter censurado publicamente Herodes, governador da Galileia, por se ter casado com Herodíade, mulher do seu próprio irmão, e por muitas outras coisas más que tinha feito,20Herodes meteu João na cadeia, acrescentando mais este pecado a muitos outros.
O batismo e a genealogia de Jesus
21Um dia, o próprio Jesus juntou-se ao povo que ia ser batizado por João. E depois do seu batismo, estando a orar, os céus abriram-se.22O Espírito Santo desceu sobre ele na forma de uma pomba e uma voz do céu disse: “Tu és o meu Filho amado, em ti tenho grande prazer.”23Jesus tinha cerca de trinta anos quando começou a sua atividade pública. Era conhecido como filho de José. E os pais deste, em linha direta, sucessivamente de filho para pai foram: Elí,24Matate, Levi, Melqui, Janai, José,25Matatias, Amós, Naum, Esli, Nagai,26Maate, Matatias, Semei, Joseque, Jodá,27Joanã, Resa, Zorobabel, Sealtiel, Neri,28Melqui, Adi, Cosão, Elmadã, Er,29Josué, Eliezer, Jorim, Matate, Levi,30Simeão, Judá, José, Jonã, Eliaquim,31Meleá, Mená, Matatá, Natã, David.32E os pais de David foram sucessivamente: Jessé, Obede, Boaz, Salmom, Nassom,33Aminadabe, Admin, Arni, Hezrom, Perez, Judá.34Os pais de Judá foram: Jacob, Isaque, Abraão. Os pais de Abraão foram: Tera, Naor,35Serugue, Reu, Pelegue, Eber, Sala,36Cainã, Arfaxade, Sem, Noé. E os pais de Noé foram: Lameque,37Matusalém, Enoque, Jarede, Mahalel, Quenã,38Enos, Sete e Adão. E Adão veio de Deus.
1In 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, (Mt 14:1; Mt 27:2; Mc 6:14; Lc 2:1; Lc 2:2; Lc 3:19; Lc 8:3; Lc 9:7; Lc 9:9; Lc 13:31; Lc 23:7; At 4:27; At 13:1)2during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. (Js 15:61; Jz 1:16; Mt 3:1; Mt 26:3; Mc 1:2; Lc 1:80; Jo 1:6; Jo 18:13; Jo 18:24; At 4:6)3And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. (Mt 26:28; Lc 1:77; At 2:38)4As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord,[1] make his paths straight. (Is 40:3; Lc 1:76; Lc 4:17; Jo 1:23; At 8:28)5Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, (Is 42:16; Is 45:2; Is 49:11; Is 57:14; Zc 4:7)6and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’” (Sl 98:2; Is 52:10; Lc 1:69; Lc 1:71; Lc 1:77; Lc 2:30; At 28:28; Tt 2:11)7He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? (Sl 140:3; Mt 12:34; Mt 23:33; Rm 5:9; Ef 5:6; Cl 3:6; 1 Ts 1:10)8Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. (Lc 4:3; Jo 8:39; At 26:20)9Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” (Mt 7:19; Lc 13:7; Lc 13:9; Jo 15:2; Jo 15:6)10And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?” (At 2:37; At 16:30; At 22:10)11And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics[2] is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” (Is 58:7; Dn 4:27; Lc 18:22; Ef 4:28; Tg 2:15; 1 Jo 3:17)12Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” (Mt 21:32; Lc 3:10; Lc 7:29)13And he said to them, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do.” (Lc 19:8)14Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.” (Lc 3:10; Lc 3:13; 1 Co 9:7)15As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ, (Mt 1:17; Jo 1:19)16John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. (Is 5:27; Ml 3:2; Jo 1:15; Jo 1:26; Jo 1:27; Jo 1:33; Jo 3:30; At 1:5; At 2:3; At 11:16; At 13:25)17His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” (Is 30:24; Ml 4:1; Mt 13:30; Mc 9:43; Mc 9:48)18So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people. (Jo 20:30; Jo 21:25)19But Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him for Herodias, his brother’s wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done, (Mt 14:3; Mc 6:17; Lc 3:1)20added this to them all, that he locked up John in prison. (Jo 3:24)21Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, (Mt 3:13; Mc 1:9; Jo 1:32; At 7:56)22and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son;[3] with you I am well pleased.”[4] (Sl 2:7; Is 42:1; Lc 4:18; Lc 4:21; Lc 9:35; Jo 12:28; At 10:38; Ef 1:6; Cl 1:13; 2 Pe 1:17; 1 Jo 5:9)
The Genealogy of Jesus Christ
23Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli, (Nm 4:3; Mt 1:1; Mt 4:17; Mt 13:55; Lc 4:22; Jo 1:45; Jo 6:42; At 1:1; At 1:22)24the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph,25the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai,26the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda,27the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel,[5] the son of Neri, (Ed 3:2; Mt 1:12)28the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er,29the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi,30the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim,31the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David, (2 Sm 5:14; 1 Cr 3:5; 1 Cr 14:4; Zc 12:12)32the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Sala, the son of Nahshon, (Rt 4:18; 1 Sm 16:1; 1 Sm 17:12; 1 Cr 2:1)33the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah,34the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, (Gn 5:3; Gn 11:10; Gn 21:3; Gn 25:26; Gn 29:35; 1 Cr 1:1; 1 Cr 1:24)35the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah,36the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,37the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan,38the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.