Luke 3 — Greek text and reception
Each card preserves the Greek reading and its textual and reception notes. This source provides a Greek study edition; Hebrew counterparts and Hebrew–Greek classifications are not supplied.
Chapter 3
John's proclamation; Jesus' baptism and genealogy
Verse 3:1
Greek–English Saints Priority
In the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar's rule, when Pontius Pilate governed Judea, Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Iturea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,
Textual & Reception Notes
Verse 3:2
Greek–English Saints Priority
during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, God's word came to John, Zechariah's son, in the wilderness.
Textual & Reception Notes
The Greek uses a singular high-priest designation with the names Annas and Caiaphas; the English does not reconstruct their respective legal roles.
Verse 3:3
Greek–English Saints Priority
He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,
Textual & Reception Notes
The phrase 'for the forgiveness of sins' remains connected to the baptism of repentance; no later sacramental explanation replaces it.
Verse 3:4
Greek–English Saints Priority
as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: “A voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the Lord's way; make His paths straight.
Textual & Reception Notes
Verse 3:5
Greek–English Saints Priority
Every ravine will be filled, and every mountain and hill brought low. The crooked will become straight, and the rough ways smooth roads,
Textual & Reception Notes
Verse 3:6
Greek–English Saints Priority
and all flesh will see God's salvation.”
Textual & Reception Notes
'All flesh' preserves the universal bodily expression.
Verse 3:7
Greek–English Saints Priority
So he said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee the coming wrath?
Textual & Reception Notes
Verse 3:8
Greek–English Saints Priority
Produce fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin saying among yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as father.’ For I tell you that God can raise up children for Abraham from these stones.
Textual & Reception Notes
Verse 3:9
Greek–English Saints Priority
Already the axe also lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into fire.”
Textual & Reception Notes
Verse 3:10
Greek–English Saints Priority
The crowds asked him, “What then should we do?”
Textual & Reception Notes
Verse 3:11
Greek–English Saints Priority
He answered them, “Let the one who has two tunics share with the one who has none, and let the one who has food do likewise.”
Textual & Reception Notes
Verse 3:12
Greek–English Saints Priority
Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, what should we do?”
Textual & Reception Notes
Verse 3:13
Greek–English Saints Priority
He said to them, “Collect nothing beyond what has been appointed for you.”
Textual & Reception Notes
Verse 3:14
Greek–English Saints Priority
Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what should we do?” He said to them, “Extort from no one, do not make false accusations, and be content with your pay.”
Textual & Reception Notes
Two prohibitions remain distinct: coercive extortion and false accusation. The instruction about pay follows separately.
Verse 3:15
Greek–English Saints Priority
As the people were waiting expectantly and everyone was considering in their hearts whether John might be the Christ,
Textual & Reception Notes
Verse 3:16
Greek–English Saints Priority
John answered them all, “I baptize you with water, but One stronger than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire.
Textual & Reception Notes
The stronger One is the coming figure announced by John; baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire is retained as a paired expression.
Verse 3:17
Greek–English Saints Priority
His winnowing fork is in His hand, to cleanse His threshing floor thoroughly and gather the wheat into His storehouse; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire.”
Textual & Reception Notes
Verse 3:18
Greek–English Saints Priority
With many other exhortations also, he announced good news to the people.
Textual & Reception Notes
Verse 3:19
Greek–English Saints Priority
But Herod the tetrarch, rebuked by him concerning Herodias, his brother's wife, and all the evil things Herod had done,
Textual & Reception Notes
The brother is not named in this verse's main text.
Verse 3:20
Greek–English Saints Priority
added this also to them all: he shut John up in prison.
Textual & Reception Notes
Verse 3:21
Greek–English Saints Priority
When all the people were baptized, and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, heaven was opened,
Textual & Reception Notes
Verse 3:22
Greek–English Saints Priority
and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove. A voice came from heaven: “You are My beloved Son; in You I have taken delight.”
Textual & Reception Notes
The heavenly address is in the second person and the Spirit's descent is described as bodily form 'like' a dove.
Verse 3:23
Greek–English Saints Priority
Jesus Himself, when beginning, was about thirty years old, being the son, as was supposed, of Joseph, of Heli,
Textual & Reception Notes
The Greek says 'when beginning' without an explicit noun for ministry. 'As was supposed' qualifies the stated sonship of Joseph.
Verse 3:24
Greek–English Saints Priority
of Matthat, of Levi, of Melchi, of Jannai, of Joseph,
Textual & Reception Notes
The repeated 'of' continues the genealogical relation introduced in verse 23; it does not use a downward 'begat' formula for this ascending list.
Verse 3:25
Greek–English Saints Priority
of Mattathias, of Amos, of Nahum, of Esli, of Naggai,
Textual & Reception Notes
Verse 3:26
Greek–English Saints Priority
of Maath, of Mattathias, of Semein, of Josech, of Joda,
Textual & Reception Notes
Josech and Joda preserve these main-text names rather than harmonizing them with more familiar names.
Verse 3:27
Greek–English Saints Priority
of Joanan, of Rhesa, of Zerubbabel, of Shealtiel, of Neri,
Textual & Reception Notes
Verse 3:28
Greek–English Saints Priority
of Melchi, of Addi, of Cosam, of Elmadam, of Er,
Textual & Reception Notes
Verse 3:29
Greek–English Saints Priority
of Jesus, of Eliezer, of Jorim, of Matthat, of Levi,
Textual & Reception Notes
This ancestor's Greek name is Ἰησοῦς, rendered Jesus. He is distinct from Jesus of Nazareth at the beginning of the genealogy.
Verse 3:30
Greek–English Saints Priority
of Simeon, of Judah, of Joseph, of Jonam, of Eliakim,
Textual & Reception Notes
Verse 3:31
Greek–English Saints Priority
of Melea, of Menna, of Mattatha, of Nathan, of David,
Textual & Reception Notes
Verse 3:32
Greek–English Saints Priority
of Jesse, of Obed, of Boaz, of Sala, of Nahshon,
Textual & Reception Notes
The source reads Sala, not the form Salmon; the distinction is retained.
Verse 3:33
Greek–English Saints Priority
of Amminadab, of Admin, of Arni, of Hezron, of Perez, of Judah,
Textual & Reception Notes
Admin and Arni are both present in the chosen main text and are not collapsed into one name.
Verse 3:34
Greek–English Saints Priority
of Jacob, of Isaac, of Abraham, of Terah, of Nahor,
Textual & Reception Notes
Verse 3:35
Greek–English Saints Priority
of Serug, of Reu, of Peleg, of Eber, of Shelah,
Textual & Reception Notes
Verse 3:36
Greek–English Saints Priority
of Cainan, of Arphaxad, of Shem, of Noah, of Lamech,
Textual & Reception Notes
Cainan is retained here and again in verse 37 as two separate genealogical entries.
Verse 3:37
Greek–English Saints Priority
of Methuselah, of Enoch, of Jared, of Mahalalel, of Cainan,
Textual & Reception Notes
Verse 3:38
Greek–English Saints Priority
of Enosh, of Seth, of Adam, of God.
Textual & Reception Notes
The chain reaches Adam and God; the final relationship is not expanded into a separate explanatory clause.