40 law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth. And the child grew and was strengthened [in spirit,] being filled with wisdom and the favour of God was upon him. Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast 42 of the passover. And when he was twelve years old, after 41 they had gone up [to Jerusalem] according to the custom of 43 the feast, and had fulfilled the days; as they returned, the child Jesus remained in Jerusalem, and Joseph and his mo44 ther knew it not: but having supposed him to have been in the company, they went a day's journey: and they sought him 45 among their kindred and acquaintance: and when they found 46 him not, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking him. And it came to pass that, after three days, they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both hearing them 47 and asking them questions. And all that heard him were 48 astonished at his understanding and answers. And when his parents saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, "Child, why hast thou done thus unto us? behold, 49 thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing." And he said unto them, "How is it that ye sought me? knew ye not that 50 I must needs be in my Father's house?" But they under51 stood not the thing which he spake unto them. And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them and his mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus advanced in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men. 52 CH. III. Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Cesar, (Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias 2 tetrarch of Abilene, Annas and Caiaphas being high priests.) the word of God came to John, the son of Za3 chariah, in the desert. And he came into all the coun try about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance, 4 for the remission of sins as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, [who saith,]" The voice of one crying in the desert, Prepare ye the way of the 5 Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked places shall be made straight, and the 6 rough ways shall be made smooth and all men* shall 7 see the salvation of God." Then he said to the multitudes that went forth to be baptized by him, "O offspringt of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the 8 anger which is about to come? Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance; and begin not to say within yourselves,' Abraham is‡ our father:' for I say unto you, that of these stones God is able to raise up 9 children to Abraham. And now the axe also is laid to the root of the trees; every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the 10 fire." And the multitudes asked him, saying, "What 11 then shall we do?" And he answered and saith unto them, "He that hath two vests, let him give to him that hath none; and he that hath food, let him do in like 12 manner." Then came publicans also to be baptized, 13 and said unto him, "Teacher, what shall we do?" And he said unto them, "Exact no more than that which is 14 appointed unto you." And the soldiers also asked him, 15 saying, "And what shall we do?" And he said unto them, "Take by violence from no man, and accuse not any falsely; and be content with your pay.” And as the people were in expectation, and all men reasoned in their hearts concerning John, whether he 16 were the Christ or not; John spake, saying to them all, "I indeed baptize you with water, but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose sandals I am not worthy to unloose he will baptize you with the holy spirit, and * Gr. flesh. N. m. We have Abraham for, N. t. † generation, N. 17 with fire whose winnowing-shovel is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his floor, and will gather the wheat into his barn; but will burn the chaff with un18 quenchable fire." And many other glad tidings also he preached to the people, exhorting them. 19 But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him about Herodias his brother's wife, and about all the evil things 20 which Herod had done, added this likewise to 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 22 heaven was opened; and the holy spirit descended in a bodily appearancet, like a dove, upon him; and a voice came from heaven, [saying,] "Thou art my beloved son; in thee I am well pleased." 23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age; being (as was allowed by law) the son of Jo24 seph, who was the son of Heli, who was the son of Matthat, who was the son of Levi, who was the son of Melchi, who was the son of Janna, who was the 25 son of Joseph, who was the son of Mattathiah, who was the son of Amos, who was the son of Nahum, who was the son of Esli, who was the son of Naggé, who * Philip's, N. and R. T. See Griesb. + shape, N. Αρχομαι ων ετων τριάκοντα, This is Mr. Wakefield's translation. "incipio jam esse tricenarius, Grotius;" who observes that this expression can only be used of one who has finished his thirtieth year: o, circiter, may be understood of one who is something more than thirty years of age, as well as of one who is under that age. This was the age appointed by law for the Levites to enter upon their office. Num. iv. 3. 47. The primate's version is, "Jesus himself was about thirty years of age when he began his ministry." And Dr. Campbell renders the passage, “Now Jesus was himself about thirty years in subjection." Whichsoever of these versions may be approved, it appears, from the uncommon accuracy with which Luke dates his history, that in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius, our Lord, then entering upon his ministry, was no more than thirty years of age. And therefore he must have been born at least two years and nine months, and probably three years and nine months, after the death of Herod. The common hypothesis, which makes it necessary to maintain, that Jesus was nearly five-and-thirty, when the evangelist declares that he was no more than thirty, can never be supported by any principles of sound criticism. Lardner's Works, vol. i. p. 428. i.e. entered in the public registers. See Pearce. As was supposed, N. W. 26 was the son of Maath, who was the son of Mattathiah, who was the son of Semei, who was the son of 27 Joseph, who was the son of Judah, who was the son of Joanna, who was the son of Rhesa, who was the son of Zerubbabel, who was the son of Salathiel, who was the 28 son of Neri, who was the son of Melchi, who was the son of Addi, who was the son of Cosam, who was the son of 29 Elmodam, who was the son of Er, who was the son of José, who was the son of Eliezer, who was the son of .Jorim, who was the son of Matthat, who was the son of 30 Levi, who was the son of Simeon, who was the son of Judah, who was the son of Joseph, who was the son of 31 Jonan, who was the son of Eliakim, who was the son of Melea, who was the son of Menan, who was the son of Mattatha, who was the son of Nathan, who was the son 32 of David, who was the son of Jessé, who was the son of Obed, who was the son of Booz, who was the son of Sal33 mon, who was the son of Naasson, who was the son of Aminadab, who was the son of Aram, who was the son of Hezron, who was the son of Phares, who was the son of 34 Judah, who was the son of Jacob, who was the son of Isaac, who was the son of Abraham, who was the son of 35 Terah, who was the son of Nahor, who was the son of Serug, who was the son of Reu, who was the son of Pe leg, who was the son of Eber, who was the son of Salah, 36 who was the son of Cainan, who was the son of Arphaxad, who was the son of Shem, who was the son of Noah, who 37 was the son of Lamech, who was the son of Methuselah, who was the son of Enoch, who was the son of Jared, who was the son of Mahalaleel, who was the son of Cainan, 38 who was the son of Enoch, who was the son of Seth, who was the son of Adam, who was the son of God.* The copies vary much in the order of the names, and the Cambridge manuscript contains the same genealogy here as in Matthew. CH. IV. Now Jesus returned from Jordan, full of the holy I spirit, and was led by the spirit into the desert forty days, 2 being tempted by the devil*. And in those days he ate nothing and, when they were ended, he [afterward] 3 hungered. And the devil said unto him, "If thou be the son of God, command that this stone become bread." 4 And Jesus answered him, saying, "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God." 5 And [the devil] brought him to a high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the earth in a moment of 6 time. And the devil said unto him, " All this power will give thee, and the glory of them: for it is delivered 7 unto me, and to whomsoever I will I give it. If there8 fore thou wilt worship me, it shall all be thine." And Jesus answered him, and said, "It is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only thou shalt 9 serve.'" And the devil brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a wing of the temple, and said unto him, "If thou be af son of God, cast thyself down from this place : 10 for it is written, He shall give his angels charge over 11 thee to preserve thee: and on their hands they shall bear 12 thee up, lest thou strike thy foot against a stone.'' And Jesus answered, and said unto him, "It is commanded, 13 Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." And when the devil had ended all his temptation, he departed from him for a time. 14 And Jesus returned, with the power of the spirit, into Galilee; and there went out a fame of him through all 15 the country round about. And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all. 16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he entered into the syna * A visionary scene; supernaturally presented to the mind of Christ, to instruct him in the proper use of his miraculous powers. See note on Matt, iv. i. Get thee behind me, Satan, for," R. T. the son, N. |