Luke 3

Luke · Chapter 3

Luke 3:7

1Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene,2Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.3And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;4As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.5Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;6And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.7Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?8Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.9And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.10And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?11He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.12Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do?13And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.14And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.15And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not;16John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier 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:17Whose 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.18And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people.19But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philip’s wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done,20Added yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison.21Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,22And 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.23And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,24Which 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,25Which 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,26Which 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,27Which 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,28Which 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,29Which 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,30Which was the son of Simeon, which was the son of Juda, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Jonan, which was the son of Eliakim,31Which 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,32Which 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,33Which 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,34Which was the son of Jacob, which was the son of Isaac, which was the son of Abraham, which was the son of Thara, which was the son of Nachor,35Which 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,36Which 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,37Which 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,38Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
7Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?Then John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?He said therefore to the multitudes that went out to be baptized of him, Ye offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Greek words

EnglishGreekSay itStrong'sMeaning
He was sayingἜλεγενElegenG3004G
to say

λέγω (legō) λέγω, [in LXX very freq., chiefly for אמר; λέγει for נְאֻם, Gen.22:16, al. ;] 1. in Hom., to pick out, gather, reckon, recount. 2. In Hdt. and Att., to say, speak, affirm, declare: absol., Act.13:15, 24:10; before orat. dir., Mat.9:34, Mrk.3:11, Jhn.1:29, al.; before ὅτι recit., Mrk.3:21, Luk.1:24, Jhn.6:14, al.; accusative and inf., Luk.11:18, Jhn.12:29, al.; after another verb of speaking, προσφωνεῖν κ. λέγειν, Mat.11:17, al.; ἀπεκρίθη (ἐλάλησεν) λέγων (καὶ λέγει; Dalman, Words, 24 ff.), Mat.25:9, Mrk.3:33, 7:28, Luk.24:6, 7, al.; of unspoken thought, λ. ἐν ἑαυτῷ, Mat.3:9, Luk.3:8, al.; of …

thereforeοὖνounG3767
therefore/then

οὖν (oun) οὖν, particle expressing consequence or simple sequence (never standing first in a sentence), wherefore, therefore, then: Mat.3:10, Luk.3:9, Jhn.8:38, Act.1:21, Rom.5:9, al.; in exhortations, Mat.3:8, Luk.11:35, Act.3:19, Rom.6:12, al.; in questions, Mat.13:28, Mrk.15:12, Jhn.8:[5], Rom.6:1, al.; continuing a narrative or resuming it after a digression, Mat.1:17, Luk.3:18, Jhn.1:22 2:18 (and very frequently in this Gospel), Act.26:22, al.; ἄρα οὖν (see: ἄρα); ἐπεὶ οὖν, Heb.2:14; οὖν with ptcp. (= ἐπεὶ οὖν), Act.2:30, Rom.5:1, al.; ἐὰν οὖν (where οὖν rather in sense belongs to the apodosis), …

coming outἐκπορευομένοιςekporeuomenoisG1607
to depart

ἐκπορεύω (ekporeuō) ἐκ-πορεύω [in LXX chiefly for יָצָא ;] to make to go out; pass. and mid., to go forth: Luk.3:7, Act.25:4; of demons leaving one possessed, Mat.17:21 (WH om.), Act.19:12; of excrement, Mk 719; before ἀπό, Mat.20:29, Mrk.10:46; ἐκ, Mrk.13:1 (of the dead rising, Jhn.5:29); ἐκεῖθεν, Mrk.6:11; ἔξω, Mrk.11:19; είς, Mrk.10:17, Jhn.5:29; ἐπί, with accusative of person(s), Rev.16:14; πρός, with accusative of person(s), Mat.3:5, Mrk.1:5; εἰσπορ- (which see) καὶ ἐ., Act.9:28; metaphorically, to come forth, proceed: of feelings, etc., Mrk.7:23; before ἐκ, Mat.15:11, 18 Mrk.7:15, 20-21, Luk.4:22, Eph.4:2 …

crowdsὄχλοιςochloisG3793
crowd

ὄχλος (ochlos) ὄχλος, -ου, ὁ, [in LXX for הָמוֹן (chiefly in Da TH), קָהָל ,חַיִל, etc. ;] 1. a moving crowd or multitude of persons, a throng: Mat.9:23, Mrk.2:4, Luk.5:1, Jhn.5:13, al.; pl., Mat.5:1, Mrk.10:1, Luk.3:7, and freq.; ὄ. ἱκανός, Mrk.10:46, al.; τοσοῦτος, Mat.15:33; οὐ μετ᾽ ὄχλου, Act.24:18; ἄτερ ὄχλου, Luk.22:6; πᾶς ὁ ὄ., Mat.13:2, Mrk.2:13, al.; ὄ. πολύς, Mat.20:29, Mrk.5:21, al.; ὁ πολὺς ὄ. (ὄ. π.), the populace, the common people, Mrk.12:37 (Swete, in l.; Field, Notes, 37), Jhn.12:9 (Westc, in l.). …

to be baptizedβαπτισθῆναιbaptisthēnaiG0907
to baptize

βαπτίζω (baptizō) βαπτίζω (βάπτω), [in LXX: 4Ki.5:14 (טבל), Isa.21:4, Jdth.12:7, Sir.31 (34)30 * ;] to dip, immerse, sink; 1. generally (in Polyb., iii, 72, of soldiers wading breast-deep; in i, 51, of the sinking of ships); metaphorically, to overwhelm (Is, l.with; cf. MM, Exp., x); with cogn. accusative, βάπτισμα β., Mrk.10:38, 39 Luk.12:50. Mid., 2. to perform ablutions, wash oneself, bathe (Ki, Jth, Si, ll. with): Mrk.7:4; aor. pass, in same sense, Luk.11:38. 3 Of ablution, immersion, as a religious rite, to baptize; …

byὑπ᾽hup᾽G5259G
by/under: by

ὑπό (hupo) ὑπό (before smooth breathing ὑπ᾽, Mat.8:9b, Luk.7:8b; before rough breathing ὑφ᾽, Rom.3:9; on the neglect of elision in Mt, Lk, ll. witha, Gal.3:22, see WH, App., 146; Tdf., Pr., iv), prep. with genitive, dative (not in NT), accusative …

him;αὐτοῦ·autouG0846
it/s/he

αὐτός (autos) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

OffspringγεννήματαgennēmataG1081G
offspring

γέννημα (gennēma) γέννημα, -τος, τό (γεννάω), [in LXX chiefly for תְּבוּאָה ;] offspring of men or animals: ἐχιδνῶν, Mat.3:7 12:34 23:33, Luk.3:7 (and elsewhere in Rec. for γένημα, which see).† (AS)

of vipers,ἐχιδνῶν,echidnōnG2191
snake

ἔχιδνα (echidna) ἔχιδνα, -ης, ἡ [in OT (Aq.), Isa.59:5 * ;] a viper: Act.28:3; metaphorically, γεννήματα ἐχιδνῶν, Mat.3:7 12:34 23:33, Luk.3:7.† (AS)

whoτίςtisG5101
which?

τίς (tis) τίς, neut., τί, genitive, τίνος, interrog. pron., [in LXX for מָה ,מִי ;] in masc. and fem., who, which, what?; in neut., which, what?, used both in direct and in indirect questions. I. I. As subst., 1. 1. masc., fem.: τίς; who, what?, Mat.3:7 26:68; Mrk.11:28, Luk.9:9, al. mult.; with genitive partit., Act.7:52, Heb.1:5, al; before ἐκ (= genitive partit.), Mat.6:27, Luk.14:28, Jhn.8:46; = ποῖος, Mrk.4:41 6:2, Luk.19:3, Act.17:19, al.; = πότερος (M, Pr., 77), Mat.21:31 27:17, Luk.22:27, al.; = ὅς or ὅστις (rare in cl.; cf. Bl., §50, 5; M, Pr., 93), Act.13:25. …

forewarnedὑπέδειξενhupedeixenG5263
to show

ὑποδείκνυμι (hupodeiknumi) ὑπο-δείκνυμι [in LXX for נָגַד hi., etc. ;] 1. to show secretly. 2. to show by tracing out; hence, generally, to teach, make known: with dative of person(s), Luk.6:47 12:5, Act.9:16; id. with inf., Mat.3:7, Luk.3:7; before, ὅτι, Act.20:35.† (AS)

youὑμῖνhuminG4771
you

σέ (se) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

to fleeφυγεῖνphugeinG5343
to flee

φεύγω (pheugō) φεύγω [in LXX chiefly for נוּס, also for בָּרַח, etc. ;] to flee from or away, take flight: absol., Mat.8:33 26:56, Mrk.5:14 14:50, Luk.8:34, Jhn.10:12, Act.7:29; before εἰς, Mat.2:13 10:23 24:16 (WH, txt.), Mrk.13:14, Luk.21:21, Rev.12:6; ἐπί, with accusative loc., Mat.24:16 (WH, mg.); ἐκ, Act.27:30; ἀπό, with genitive loc. (cl.), Mrk.16:8; id. with genitive of person(s) (as in Heb.), Jhn.10:5, Jas.4:7. Metaphorical: absol., Rev.16:20; with accusative of thing(s), 1Co.6:18, Heb.11:34 (see M, Fr., 116); opposite to διώκειν, 1Ti.6:11, 2Ti.2:22; before άπό, with genitive of person(s), Rev.9:6; …

fromἀπὸapoG0575
away from

ἀπό (apo) ἀπό (on the frequently neglect of elision bef. vowels, see Tdf., Pr., 94, WH, App., 146), prep. with genitive (WM, 462ff.; on its relation to ἐκ, παρά, ὑπό, ib. 456f.), [in LXX for לְ ,בְּ ,מִן ;] from (i.e. from the exterior). 1. Of separation and cessation; (1) of motion from a place: Mat.5:29, 30 7:23, Luk.5:2 22:41, al.; (2) in partitive sense (M, Pr., 72, 102, 245; MM, see word; Bl., §40, 2), Mat.9:16 27:21, Jhn.21:10, Act.5:2, al.; also after verbs of eating, etc.; …

soon comingμελλούσηςmellousēsG3195
to ensue

μέλλω (mellō) μέλλω, [in LXX: Job.3:8 (עָתִיד) 19:25 (אַחֲרוֹן); elsewhere for fut., and frequently in Wi, II, 4Mac ;] to be about to be or do; 1. with inf. (Bl., §62, 4; 68, 2; M, Pr., 114); (a) of intending or being about to do of one's own free will: with inf. praes., Mat.2:13, Luk.10:1, Act.3:3 5:35, Heb.8:5, 2Pe.1:12 (Field, Notes, 240), al.; with inf. aor. (Bl., §58, 3), Act.12:6, Rev.3:16; (b) of compulsion, necessity or certainty: with inf. praes., Mat.16:27, Luk.9:31, Jhn.6:71, Rom.4:24, al.; with inf. aor., Rom.8:18, Gal.3:23, Rev.3:2 12:4. …

wrath?ὀργῆς;orgēsG3709
wrath

ὀργή (orgē) ὀργή, -ῆς, ἡ [in LXX chiefly for אַף, also for חָרוֹן, חֵמָה, קָצַף, etc. ;] 1 1, impulse, propensity, disposition. 2. anger, wrath; (a) of men: Mrk.3:5, Eph.4:31, Col.3:8, 1Ti.2:8, Jas.1:19-20; (b) of God; α that reaction of the divine nature against sin which in anthropomorphic language is called anger: Rom.1:18 9:22 12:19, (ICC, in l), 1Th.1:10 2:16, Heb.3:11 4:3" (LXX) Rev.14:10 16:19 19:15; …

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.