Luke 3
New Testament · English Majority Text Version with Greek parallel
Luke chapter 3 is given here in full, verse by verse, in the English Majority Text Version (EMTV), with the Byzantine Majority Text set beneath each verse. The text follows the Byzantine textual tradition used in the Orthodox Church.
4 patristic excerpts are attached to this chapter, from 2 Fathers — Saint Augustine and Saint Gregory of Nyssa.
Luke 3
1Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, while Pontius Pilate was governing Judea, and while Herod governed as tetrarch of Galilee, and while Philip his brother governed as tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and while Lysanias governed as tetrarch of Abilene,Ἐν ἔτει δὲ πεντεκαιδεκάτῳ τῆς ἡγεμονίας Τιβερίου Καίσαρος, ἡγεμονεύοντος Ποντίου Πιλάτου τῆς Ἰουδαίας, καὶ τετραρχοῦντος τῆς Γαλιλαίας Ἡρῴδου, Φιλίππου δὲ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ τετραρχοῦντος τῆς Ἰτουραίας καὶ Τραχωνίτιδος χώρας, καὶ Λυσανίου τῆς Ἀβιληνῆς τετραρχοῦντος,
2in the time of the high priest Annas and the high priest Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.ἐπὶ ἀρχιερέως Ἄννα καὶ Καϊάφα, ἐγένετο ῥῆμα Θεοῦ ἐπὶ Ἰωάννην τὸν Ζαχαρίου υἱὸν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ.
3And he went into all the surrounding region of the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,Καὶ ἦλθεν εἰς πᾶσαν τὴν περίχωρον τοῦ Ἰορδάνου κηρύσσων βάπτισμα μετανοίας εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν,
4as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying: “A voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight.ὡς γέγραπται ἐν βίβλῳ λόγων Ἡσαΐου τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος, Φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, Ἑτοιμάσατε τὴν ὁδὸν Κυρίου· εὐθείας ποιεῖτε τὰς τρίβους αὐτοῦ.
5Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be humbled; the crooked roads shall become straight, and the rough roads shall become smooth;Πᾶσα φάραγξ πληρωθήσεται καὶ πᾶν ὄρος καὶ βουνὸς ταπεινωθήσεται, καὶ ἔσται τὰ σκολιὰ εἰς εὐθεῖαν καὶ αἱ τραχεῖαι εἰς ὁδοὺς λείας·
6and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’ ”καὶ ὄψεται πᾶσα σὰρξ τὸ σωτήριον τοῦ Θεοῦ.
7Then he said to the crowds which came out to be baptized by him, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?Ἔλεγεν οὖν τοῖς ἐκπορευομένοις ὄχλοις βαπτισθῆναι ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Γεννήματα ἐχιδνῶν, τίς ὑπέδειξεν ὑμῖν φυγεῖν ἀπὸ τῆς μελλούσης ὀργῆς;
8Therefore produce fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say among yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham out of these stones!Ποιήσατε οὖν καρποὺς ἀξίους τῆς μετανοίας, καὶ μὴ ἄρξησθε λέγειν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς, Πατέρα ἔχομεν τὸν Ἁβραάμ· λέγω γὰρ ὑμῖν ὅτι δύναται ὁ Θεὸς ἐκ τῶν λίθων τούτων ἐγεῖραι τέκνα τῷ Ἁβραάμ.
9And even now the ax is being laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and is thrown into the fire.”Ἤδη δὲ καὶ ἡ ἀξίνη πρὸς τὴν ῥίζαν τῶν δένδρων κεῖται· πᾶν οὖν δένδρον μὴ ποιοῦν καρπὸν καλὸν ἐκκόπτεται καὶ εἰς πῦρ βάλλεται.
10So the people were asking him, saying, “What shall we do then?”Καὶ ἐπηρώτων αὐτὸν οἱ ὄχλοι λέγοντες, Τί οὖν ποιήσωμεν;
11He answered and said to them, “He who has two shirts, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.”Ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ λέγει αὐτοῖς, Ὁ ἔχων δύο χιτῶνας μεταδότω τῷ μὴ ἔχοντι, καὶ ὁ ἔχων βρώματα ὁμοίως ποιείτω.
12Then tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?”Ἦλθον δὲ καὶ τελῶναι βαπτισθῆναι καὶ εἶπον πρὸς αὐτόν, Διδάσκαλε, τί ποιήσωμεν;
13And he said to them, “Collect nothing more than the amount which has been commanded to you.”Ὁ δὲ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτούς, Μηδὲν πλέον παρὰ τὸ διατεταγμένον ὑμῖν πράσσετε.
14Likewise the soldiers also were asking him, saying, “And what shall we do?” So he said to them, “Do not intimidate anyone or accuse anyone falsely, and be content with your wages.”Ἐπηρώτων δὲ αὐτὸν καὶ στρατευόμενοι λέγοντες, Καὶ ἡμεῖς τί ποιήσωμεν; Καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτούς, Μηδένα διασείσητε μηδὲ συκοφαντήσητε, καὶ ἀρκεῖσθε τοῖς ὀψωνίοις ὑμῶν.
15Now while the people waited, and all considered in their hearts about John, whether he might be the Christ,Προσδοκῶντος δὲ τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ διαλογιζομένων πάντων ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις αὐτῶν περὶ τοῦ Ἰωάννου, μήποτε αὐτὸς εἴη ὁ Χριστός,
16John answered, saying to all, “I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire;ἀπεκρίνατο ὁ Ἰωάννης ἅπασι λέγων, Ἐγὼ μὲν ὕδατι βαπτίζω ὑμᾶς· ἔρχεται δὲ ὁ ἰσχυρότερός μου, οὗ οὐκ εἰμὶ ἱκανὸς λῦσαι τὸν ἱμάντα τῶν ὑποδημάτων αὐτοῦ· αὐτὸς ὑμᾶς βαπτίσει ἐν Πνεύματι Ἁγίῳ καὶ πυρί·
17whose winnowing shovel is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His threshing floor, and will gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn up with unquenchable fire.”οὗ τὸ πτύον ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ διακαθαριεῖ τὴν ἅλωνα αὐτοῦ καὶ συνάξει τὸν σῖτον εἰς τὴν ἀποθήκην αὐτοῦ, τὸ δὲ ἄχυρον κατακαύσει πυρὶ ἀσβέστῳ.
18And with many other exhortations he proclaimed the good news to the people.Πολλὰ μὲν οὖν καὶ ἕτερα παρακαλῶν εὐηγγελίζετο τὸν λαόν.
19But Herod the tetrarch, being rebuked by him concerning Herodias, his brother's wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done,ὁ δὲ Ἡρῴδης ὁ τετράρχης, ἐλεγχόμενος ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ περὶ Ἡρῳδιάδος τῆς γυναικὸς τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ καὶ περὶ πάντων ὧν ἐποίησε πονηρῶν ὁ Ἡρῴδης,
20he also added this to all his other sins, and locked up John in the prison.προσέθηκε καὶ τοῦτο ἐπὶ πᾶσι, καὶ κατέκλεισε τὸν Ἰωάννην ἐν τῇ φυλακῇ.
21Now it came to pass that when all the people were baptized, that Jesus also was baptized. And while He was praying, heaven was opened;Ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν τῷ βαπτισθῆναι ἅπαντα τὸν λαὸν καὶ Ἰησοῦ βαπτισθέντος καὶ προσευχομένου ἀνεῳχθῆναι τὸν οὐρανὸν
22and the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came out of heaven, saying, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”καὶ καταβῆναι τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον σωματικῷ εἴδει ὡσεὶ περιστερὰν ἐπ᾽ αὐτόν, καὶ φωνὴν ἐξ οὐρανοῦ γενέσθαι λέγουσαν, Σὺ εἶ ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητός· ἐν σοὶ εὐδόκησα.
23Now Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age, being (as it was supposed) the son of Joseph, the son of Heli,Καὶ αὐτὸς ἦν ὁ Ἰησοῦς ὡσεὶ ἐτῶν τριάκοντα ἀρχόμενος, ὢν, ὡς ἐνομίζετο, υἱὸς Ἰωσήφ, τοῦ Ἠλί,
24the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Janna, the son of Joseph,τοῦ Ματθάτ, τοῦ Λευΐ, τοῦ Μελχί, τοῦ Ἰαννᾶ, τοῦ Ἰωσήφ,
25the son of Mattathiah, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai,τοῦ Ματταθίου, τοῦ Ἀμώς, τοῦ Ναούμ, τοῦ Ἐσλί, τοῦ Ναγγαί,
26the son of Maath, the son of Mattathiah, the son of Semei, the son of Joseph, the son of Judah,τοῦ Μαάθ, τοῦ Ματταθίου, τοῦ Σεμεεί, τοῦ Ἰωσήφ, τοῦ Ἰούδα,
27the son of Joannas, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri,τοῦ Ἰωαννάν, τοῦ Ῥησά, τοῦ Ζοροβάβελ, τοῦ Σαλαθιήλ, τοῦ Νηρί,
28the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmodam, the son of Er,τοῦ Μελχί, τοῦ Ἀδδί, τοῦ Κωσάμ, τοῦ Ἐλμωδάμ, τοῦ Ἤρ,
29the son of Jose, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi,τοῦ Ἰωσῆ, τοῦ Ἐλιέζερ, τοῦ Ἰωρείμ, τοῦ Ματθάτ, τοῦ Λευΐ,
30the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonan, the son of Eliakim,τοῦ Συμεών, τοῦ Ἰούδα, τοῦ Ἰωσήφ, τοῦ Ἰωνάν, τοῦ Ἐλιακείμ,
31the son of Melea, the son of Menan, the son of Mattathah, the son of Nathan, the son of David,τοῦ Μελεᾶ, τοῦ Μαϊνάν, τοῦ Ματταθά, τοῦ Νάθαν, τοῦ Δαυίδ,
32the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon,τοῦ Ἰεσσαί, τοῦ Ὠβήδ, τοῦ Βοόζ, τοῦ Σαλμών, τοῦ Ναασσών,
33the son of Amminadab, the son of Aram, the son of Joram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah,τοῦ Ἀμιναδάβ, τοῦ Ἀράμ, τοῦ Ἰωράμ, τοῦ Ἐσρώμ, τοῦ Φαρές, τοῦ Ἰούδα,
34the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor,τοῦ Ἰακώβ, τοῦ Ἰσαάκ, τοῦ Ἁβραάμ, τοῦ Θάρα, τοῦ Ναχώρ,
35the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah,τοῦ Σερούχ, τοῦ Ῥαγαῦ, τοῦ Φάλεγ, τοῦ Ἔβερ, τοῦ Σαλά,
36the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,τοῦ Καϊνάν, τοῦ Ἀρφαξάδ, τοῦ Σήμ, τοῦ Νῶε, τοῦ Λάμεχ,
37the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, the son of Cainan,τοῦ Μαθουσάλα, τοῦ Ἐνώχ, τοῦ Ἰάρεδ, τοῦ Μαλελεήλ, τοῦ Καϊνάν,
38the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.τοῦ Ἐνώς, τοῦ Σήθ, τοῦ Ἀδάμ, τοῦ Θεοῦ.
The Fathers on Luke 3
Saint Augustine and Saint Gregory of Nyssa comment on this chapter. Each excerpt below is drawn from the full text held in the Fathers Library; follow the link on any entry to read the whole work.
On Luke 3:22Saint AugustineThereafter Matthew proceeds thus: “And Jesus, when He was baptized, went up straightway out of the water; and, lo, the heavens were opened unto Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon Him;...
Read The Harmony of the Gospels →
On Luke 3:21–22Saint Gregory of Nyssa514On the Baptism of Christ. ———————————— A Sermon for the Day of the Lights. Now I recognize my own flock: to-day I behold the wonted figure of the Church, when, turning with aversion from the occupation even of the cares of the flesh, you come together in y…
Read On the Baptism of Christ →
On Luke 3:23Saint AugustineThe evangelist Matthew has commenced his narrative in these terms: “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.” By this exordium he shows with sufficient clearness that his undertaking is...
Read The Harmony of the Gospels →
On Luke 3:23Open Luke 3 in the interactive reader Switch translations, hear the chapter read aloud, tap any verse for its patristic commentary, and study the Greek word by word.Saint AugustineMay He, beloved, fulfil your expectation who hath awakened it: for though I feel confident that what I have to say is not my own, but God’s, yet with far more reason do I say, what the Apostle in his humility saith, “We have...
Read Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament →