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John's testimony

ST. LUKE, III.

of Christ.

14 And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, tized, and they said unto him, 1 Master, saying. And what shall we do? And he said unto 13 what must we do? And he said unto

them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.

15 And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not;

them, Extort no more than that which is 14 appointed you. And soldiers also asked him, saying, And we, what must we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither & exact anything wrongfully; and be content with your wages.

16 John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier 15 than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:

17 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.

18 And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people.

19 But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philip's wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done,

20 Added yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison.

21 Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,

22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.

And as the people were in expectation, and all men reasoned in their hearts concerning John, whether haply he were the 16 Christ; John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but there cometh he that is mightier than I. the latchet of whose shoes I am not 4 worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you 175 with the Holy Ghost and with fire: whose fan is in his hand, throughly to cleanse his threshing-floor, and to gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.

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With many other exhortations therefore preached he good tidings unto the people; 19 but Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother's wife, and for all the evil things which Herod had 20 done, added yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison. 21

Now it came to pass, when all the people were baptized, that, Jesus also having been baptized, and praying, the heaven

23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of 22 was opened, and the Holy Ghost descended

Joseph, which was the son of Heli,

24 Which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Janna, which was the son of Joseph,

25 Which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Amos, which was the son of Naum, which was the son of Esli, which was the son of Nagge,

26 Which was the son of Maath, which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Semei, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Juda,

27 Which was the son of Joanna, which was the son of Rhesa, which was the son of Zorobabel, which was the son of Salathiel, which was the son of Neri,

28 Which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Addi, which was the son of Cosam, which was the son of Elmodam, which was the son of Er, 29 Which was the son of Jose, which was the son of Eliezer, which was the son of Jorim, which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi,

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in a bodily form, as a dove, upon him, and a voice came out of heaven, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.

son of

And Jesus himself, when he began to teach, was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the 24 son of Heli, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Telchi, the 25 Jannai, the son of Joseph, the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of 26 Naggai, the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of 27 Josech, the son of Joda, the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, 28 the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son 29 of Er, the son of Jesus, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the 30 son of Levi, the son of Symeon, the son of Judas, the son of Joseph, the son of The temptation and

1 Or, Teacher. Gr. soldiers on service. 3 Or, accuse any one. Gr. sufficient. Or, in. Or, the gospel. Gr. Salathiel.

13. By extorting only whatever they were ordered to extort by law, all private peculation would cease. There might still be hardships of taxation for the people, but the laws (not the publicans) would be responsible.

14. Neither exact anything wrongfully by false accusation. Gr., συκοφαντήσητε. Soldiers were greatly tempted to injure the people by force or fraud in their desire to accumulate money, their opportunities being very great. These soldiers were, doubtless, Jews, who had entered the Roman army.

16, 17. See on Matt. 3:11, 12.

18. Preached he good tidings (εὐηγγελίξετο), not, as in Old Version, simply "preached," which would be ἐκήρυσσε.

19. Herod the tetrarch being reproved. See on Matt. 14:3-5. His brother's wife. "His brother Philip's wife," as the Old Version has it, an explanatory gloss.

21. And praying. Added by Luke.

22. In a bodily shape. It was not a subjective vision of Jesus or of John. See on Matt. 3:16.

23. About thirty years of age. Jesus was born at the beginning (probably) of the year of Rome 750. John the Baptist began to teach (chap. 3:1, 2) in the year 781, and probably baptized Jesus shortly after the begin. ning of his ministry. Jesus was thus thirty-two years old at the beginning of his public career. Hence the evangelist's words, "about thirty." For the comparison of this genealogy with that given by Matthew, see Matt. 1:1.

ST. LUKE, IV.

fasting of Christ.

30 Which was the son of Simeon, which was the 31 Jonam, the son of Eliakim, the son of

son of Juda, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Jonan, which was the son of Eliakim,

31 Which was the son of Melea, which was the son of Menan, which was the son of Mattatha, which was the son of Nathan, which was the son of David,

32 Which was the son of Jesse, which was the son of Obed, which was the son of Booz, which was the son of Salmon, which was the son of Naasson,

33 Which was the son of Aminadab, which was the son of Aram, which was the son of Esrom, which was the son of Phares, which was the son of Juda,

Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of 32 David, the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the 33 son of Nahshon, the son of Amminadab, 2 the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the 34 son of Perez, the son of Judah, the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of 35 Nahor, the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son 36 of Shelah, the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son 37 of Noah, the son of Lamech, the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son

34 Which was the son of Jacob, which was the son of Isaac, which was the son of Abraham, 38 of Cainan, the son of Enos, the son of which was the son of Thara, which was the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God. Nachor,

35 Which was the son of Saruch, which was the son of Ragau, which was the son of Phalec, which was the son of Heber, which was the son of Sala,

36 Which was the son of Cainan, which was the son of Arphaxad, which was the son of Sem, which was the son of Noe, which was the son of Lamech,

37 Which was the son of Mathusala, which was the son of Enoch, which was the son of Jared, which was the son of Maleleel, which was the son of Cainan,

38 Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.

1 Some ancient authorities write Sala. • Many ancient authorities insert the son of Admin: and one writes Admin for Amminadab. 3 Some ancient authorities write Aram.

CHAPTER IV.

1. The temptation and fasting of Christ. 13. He overcometh the devil: 14. beginneth to preach. 16. The people of Nazareth admire his gracious words. 33. He cureth one possessed of a devil, 38. Peter's mother in law, 40. and divers other sick persons. 41. The devils acknowledge Christ, and are reproved for it. 43. He preacheth through the cities.

1 AND Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,

2 Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.

3 And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.

4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.

5 And the devil, taking him up into an high. mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.

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AND Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan, and was led 1 by the Spirit in the wilderness during forty 2 days, being tempted of the devil. And he did eat nothing in those days: and when 3 they were completed, he hungered. And the devil said unto him, If thou art the Son of God, command this stone that 4 it become 2 bread. And Jesus answered unto him, It is written, Man shall not live 5 by bread alone. And he led him up, and shewed him all the kingdoms of the 6 world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, To thee will I give all this authority, and the glory of them:

1 Or, in. * Or, a loaf. 3 Gr. the inhabited earth.

For notes on 1-15, see Matt. 4.

1. In the wilderness. If "in" is to be read for "into" (which is very doubtful), then the English should read, "and was led by the Spirit, being tempted in the wilderness during forty days by the devil" (compare the other evangelists).

5. In a moment of time. Additional by Luke. This temptation was the third chronologically (see Matt.); but Luke puts it second, as he constantly leaves chronological order for an order of thought. Here he probably sought to arrange a climax of temptations to bodily appetite, worldly pride, spiritual pride. Satan really, however, left the temptation to worldly pride for the last, as being the most desperate. When all his other shafts were gone, then he used this forlorn hope, which at once disclosed his character to Jesus, and hence the indignant "Get thee

Christ overcometh the devil,

ST. LUKE, IV.

6 And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.

7 If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.

and beginneth to preach.

for it hath been delivered unto me; and 7 to whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship before me, it shall 8 all be thine. And Jesus answered and said unto him, It is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only

8 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get 9 shalt thou serve. And he led him to thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Jerusalem, and set him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou art the Son of God, cast thyself down from

9 And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set 10 hence: for it is written, him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence:

10 For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee:

He shall give his angels charge concerning thee, to guard thee:

11 and,

On their hands they shall bear thee up,
Lest haply thou dash thy foot against a

stone.

11 And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. 12 And Jesus answering said unto him, It is

12 And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

13 And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.

said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

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And when the devil had completed every temptation, he departed from him 2 for a season.

14 And Jesus returned in the power of the 14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.

15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all..

16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.

17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,

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Spirit into Galilee: and a fame went out concerning him through all the region round about. And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.

And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and he entered, as his custom was, into the synagogue on the 17 sabbath day, and stood up to read. And there was delivered unto him & the book of the prophet Isaiah. And he opened the book, and found the place where it was written,

Because he anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor:

18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because 18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

1 Gr. wing. * Or, until. Or, a roll. Or, roll.

He hath sent me to proclaim release to
the captives,

And recovering of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty them that are bruised,

Or, Wherefore. Or, the gospel.

hence, Satan" (omitted by Luke) of our Lord. After such a rebuff, we could not expect another temptation. The introduction of the phrase "Get thee hence, Satan" into the text by some MSS. (adopted in Old Version) is certainly an error.

13. For a season. Rather (as in margin), "until a season; " i.e., until an appropriate season, such as would be presented by his sufferings at the close of his ministry.

14. In the power of the Spirit. The Spirit, having led him to be tempted, now that he had triumphed over the tempter, fills him with divine power for his work. And a fame, etc. This passage is comprehensive and introductory, anticipating his Galilee career. The detailed narrative begins at verse 16.

16. As his custom was. They had been, therefore, accustomed to listen to him in his own village. The difference now was in his virtually proclaiming himself the Messiah. They would listen to his ordinary preaching, but were exasperated at his Messianic claims.

18. This quotation from Isa. 61:1, 2 is not according to the Hebrew, which has “to bind up the broken-hearted" as the clause succeeding "the good tidings to the poor," and "and the opening of the prison to them that are bound," as the clause succeeding "release to the captives." The clause "and recovering of sight to the blind" is not found in the Hebrew. The clause" to set at liberty them that are bruised" is a form of the second Hebrew clause above quoted. The Seventy has "to heal the broken-hearted," but has not "to set at liberty them that are bruised," nor its equivalent.

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By the above table, one can see at a glance how each version has omitted one and a different clause. It is probable that the Old Version is right in following the uncials and versions which have the "broken-hearted" clause in the text. One of these clauses could readily drop out in transcription. It is also probable that the Hebrew had originally the clause regarding "the blind."

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