Bible Reference / Bible Book Studies / Gospel of Luke
In Short
In Luke 3:1–20, the word of God comes to John the Baptist in the wilderness, not in Rome or the temple. John preaches "a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins," fulfilling Isaiah 40. He warns the crowds that being Abraham's children is not enough, then gives plain answers to "What then should we do?": share, be honest, do not abuse power. When people wonder whether he is the Messiah, John points past himself to one who will baptize "with the Holy Spirit and fire." The passage ends with Herod Antipas locking John in prison for telling the truth. Luke 3:1–20 is the hinge between the birth stories of Luke 1 and 2 and the public ministry of Jesus.
Luke 3:1–20 at a Glance
Luke builds the passage in three movements. Each answers a question.
When and where does God speak? (3:1–6). In a precise moment of history, to a prophet in the wilderness, as Isaiah promised.
What does repentance look like? (3:7–14). Fruit, not pedigree. Generosity, honesty, and restraint in ordinary jobs.
Who is coming? (3:15–20). One more powerful than John, who brings the Spirit and judgment. Faithful witness costs John his freedom.
For where this passage sits in the chapter, see the Luke 3 Chapter Summary and Outline, and for the whole Gospel, the Gospel of Luke Chapter-by-Chapter Commentary.
Luke 3:1–2: The Word of God Comes to the Wilderness
"In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness." (Luke 3:1–2, NRSV)
Luke could have written, "In the days of John." Instead he names seven powerful men. He is writing history, the way he promised Theophilus he would (Luke 1:1–4), and he is making a point. Jesus is not coming into a vacuum. The kingdom of God enters a specific, messy, and broken world, just like ours.
| Ruler | Role | Years in Power | Also Appears In |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tiberius | Roman emperor | 14–37 CE | Luke 20:22–25 ("Caesar") |
| Pontius Pilate | Governor of Judea | 26–36 CE | Luke 23:1–25 |
| Herod Antipas | Tetrarch of Galilee and Perea | 4 BCE–39 CE | Luke 9:7–9; 13:31; 23:6–12 |
| Philip | Tetrarch of Ituraea and Trachonitis | 4 BCE–34 CE | Founded Caesarea Philippi |
| Lysanias | Tetrarch of Abilene, northwest of Damascus | Dates uncertain | Confirmed by an inscription at Abila |
| Annas | Former high priest, still powerful | Office 6–15 CE | John 18:13; Acts 4:6 |
| Caiaphas | Ruling high priest, Annas's son-in-law | 18–36 CE | John 11:49–50; 18:24 |
The fifteenth year of Tiberius falls around 28 to 29 CE. Notice that Luke says "the high priesthood" (singular) of two men. Annas had been removed by Rome years earlier, but many still saw him as the real high priest. Five of his sons and his son-in-law Caiaphas held the office after him.
Then comes the turn. After all those palaces and thrones, "the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness." It is almost as if God is saying, "This is where I'm working now, far from the places people expect me to be." The phrase echoes the call of the prophets: "The word of the LORD that came to Hosea" (Hosea 1:1), to Joel, to Micah. After centuries of silence, a prophet speaks again. For John's priestly family and miraculous birth, see Zechariah and Elizabeth (Luke 1:5–25) and The Birth of John the Baptist (Luke 1:57–66).
Luke 3:3: A Baptism of Repentance
"He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins." (Luke 3:3)
John's message has one center: repentance. The Greek word metanoia means a change of mind that becomes a change of direction. It is not only feeling sorry for the past. It is turning around and living differently going forward. See Bible Verses About Repentance.
Jewish practice already knew ritual washings, and Gentile converts may already have been immersed when they joined Israel. What startled people was that John called Israel itself to be baptized. The chosen people needed to repent too. That was a hard word, especially for religious leaders who thought they were already close to God. The location matters as well. To come to John, Israel had to go back out to the wilderness and the Jordan River, where their ancestors had once crossed into the promised land. It was like starting the story over. See What Is Baptism in the Bible?
Luke 3:4–6: Prepare the Way of the Lord
"As it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, 'The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God."'" (Luke 3:4–6)
All four Gospels quote Isaiah 40:3 for John. Only Luke keeps quoting to the end of verse 5: "and all flesh shall see the salvation of God." That line is Luke's thesis. Salvation is not for one nation only but for everyone, Gentiles included, a theme he will carry all the way through Acts. See Who Was Isaiah in the Bible?
In the ancient world, when a king was coming, workers went ahead to fill the potholes and straighten the road. John is that road crew. The pictures are not only geography. We have valleys that need filling, places where we are stuck or discouraged. We have mountains of pride, self-sufficiency, and stubbornness that need to come down. We have crooked paths of sin and selfishness that need straightening. Repentance clears the road so the King can come in.
Luke 3:7–9: "You Brood of Vipers!"
"John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, 'You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, "We have Abraham as our ancestor"; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.'" (Luke 3:7–9)
This is not your typical greeting. Picture snakes fleeing a brush fire in the desert. That is how John sees people who want baptism as fire insurance, a quick ritual to escape judgment without a changed life. His words cut straight to the heart: Are you here for the right reasons, or just out of fear? Jesus will use the same phrase later (Matthew 12:34).
"We have Abraham as our ancestor." Many believed that descent from Abraham guaranteed a place among God's people. John shatters that idea. God made a people out of a childless old man once (Genesis 15:1–6), and he could do it again out of the rocks lying along the Jordan. In Aramaic, the words for "children" (benayya) and "stones" (abnayya) sound alike, so John's line may have carried a sharp wordplay. Abraham's true children are those who share Abraham's faith and obedience. Paul makes the same argument (Galatians 3:7), and Jesus calls Zacchaeus, a repentant tax collector, "a son of Abraham" (Luke 19:9). See Cutting Covenant with Abraham (Genesis 15), God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and Jesus and Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1–10).
"The ax is lying at the root." John's preaching carries urgency. The ax is not raised in the distance. It is already resting against the trunk. A tree that bears no fruit is cut down. You traveled all this way because you knew you needed to change; don't delay! Jesus tells a similar story about a fig tree that has one more year to bear fruit (Luke 13:6–9). See Repent or Perish (Luke 13:1–9) and A Tree and Its Fruit (Luke 6:43–45).
Luke 3:10–14: "What Then Should We Do?"
"And the crowds asked him, 'What then should we do?' In reply he said to them, 'Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.' Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, 'Teacher, what should we do?' He said to them, 'Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.' Soldiers also asked him, 'And we, what should we do?' He said to them, 'Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.'" (Luke 3:10–14)
Only Luke records this exchange. The question "What then should we do?" shows that the crowd was starting to take John seriously. The same question returns in Acts, when the crowd at Pentecost is "cut to the heart" and asks Peter, "Brothers, what should we do?" (Acts 2:37). See Cut to the Heart (Acts 2:37–41).
| Who Asked | What John Said | What Repentance Looks Like |
|---|---|---|
| The crowds | Share your extra coat and your food (3:11) | Generosity toward neighbors in need |
| Tax collectors | Collect only what is prescribed (3:13) | Honesty in a job built on skimming |
| Soldiers | No extortion, no false accusations; be content with your pay (3:14) | Restraint in a role with power to abuse |
What is striking is what John does not say. He does not tell tax collectors to quit their jobs or soldiers to desert the army. He does not send anyone to a monastery. He sends them back to ordinary life and tells them to live it differently. The soldiers were probably not Roman legionaries but local troops serving Herod Antipas, men with swords and few rules. Tax collectors bid for contracts and kept whatever they collected above Rome's quota. In a time when exploitation and corruption were common, John's words were a call to change at the place where it costs the most: money and power.
Repentance is not only a private feeling between me and God. It shows up in how we treat others. If you have extra, share. If you handle other people's money, be honest. If you have power over others, do not abuse it. For more on this theme, see Bible Verses About Generosity and The Widow's Offering (Luke 21:1–4).
A note on grace. John's ethics are not a ladder we climb to earn God's favor. His baptism was "for the forgiveness of sins" (3:3). Forgiveness comes first, and fruit follows. In the Reformed tradition, we say that grace changes us from the inside out, and the fruit of that change becomes visible in how we live. Jesus will preach the same pattern on the plain: love your enemies, give to everyone who asks, "be merciful, just as your Father is merciful" (Luke 6:36).
Luke 3:15–17: One More Powerful Is Coming
"As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, 'I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.'" (Luke 3:15–17)
The crowds are "filled with expectation." Could this wild prophet be the Messiah? John does not let the idea live for a minute. He makes three contrasts.
Water and Spirit. John's baptism is a sign. The coming one's baptism is the reality: God's own Spirit poured into human lives. See What Are the Names for the Holy Spirit in the Bible?
Servant and Master. Untying sandals was a slave's job. Rabbinic tradition later said a disciple should do anything for his teacher except that. John says he is not worthy even of the task too lowly for a student. He is not trying to draw attention to himself but to point to Christ. John's Gospel puts it simply: "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30). See John the Baptist Testifies About Jesus (John 3:22–36) and John the Baptist Denies Being the Messiah (John 1:19–28).
Wheat and chaff. At harvest, farmers tossed grain into the wind with a winnowing fork. The heavy wheat fell back to the threshing floor and the light chaff blew away to be burned. The fork is already "in his hand." The coming one brings both gathering and judgment.
"The Holy Spirit and fire." Fire in Scripture both purifies and judges. For those who repent, it refines like a smelter's fire (Malachi 3:2–3). For the chaff, it consumes. Luke's readers would also remember another day of wind and fire: at Pentecost, "divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:3–4). John's promise came true. See The Coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2:1–13).
Luke 3:18–20: Why John the Baptist Was Put in Prison
"So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people. But when John rebuked King Herod the ruler of Galilee, and his brother's wife, and all the evil things that he had done, Herod added to them by shutting up John in prison." (Luke 3:18–20)
Luke calls John's hard preaching "good news." Warning people before the fire comes is an act of love.
John's message also had public consequences. Herod Antipas had divorced his first wife, a Nabatean princess, to marry Herodias, who had been married to his half-brother. The Law forbade marrying a brother's wife while the brother lived (Leviticus 18:16). John said so in public. Herod answered by locking him up. Speaking truth to power often leads to persecution. The Jewish historian Josephus adds that Antipas held John at Machaerus, a fortress east of the Dead Sea, and executed him there because he feared John's influence over the people (Antiquities 18.116–119). For the family behind the scandal, see The Herodian Dynasty Family Tree and The Herods of the New Testament.
Why does Luke tell this before Jesus' baptism? Luke reports John's arrest in 3:20 and Jesus' baptism in 3:21–22 without naming who baptized him. He is not confused about the order. He is clearing the stage. John's era is ending so that Jesus' ministry can begin, a pattern Jesus will name later: "The law and the prophets were in effect until John came; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is proclaimed" (Luke 16:16). Luke never narrates John's death. We only hear Herod say, "John I beheaded; but who is this about whom I hear such things?" (Luke 9:9). See Herod's Perplexity About Jesus (Luke 9:7–9) and John the Baptist Questions Jesus (Luke 7:18–35). For the baptism itself, see The Baptism of Jesus: A Comparative Study.
John the Baptist in the Book of Acts
Luke wrote two volumes, and John's ministry echoes through the second one.
The promise renewed. Before his ascension, Jesus tells the apostles, "John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now" (Acts 1:5). See The Great Commission of Acts (Acts 1:8).
The same call. Peter's sermon ends with John's two themes, repentance and forgiveness: "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38). See Repent and Be Baptized (Acts 2:38).
The forerunner remembered. Paul's sermon in Pisidian Antioch recalls that John said, "I am not worthy to untie the thong of the sandals on his feet" (Acts 13:25).
Disciples of John. Years later in Ephesus, Paul meets about twelve people who knew only "John's baptism." Paul explains that John told people "to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus" (Acts 19:4), and they receive the Spirit. See Disciples of John the Baptist (Acts 19:1–7) and Baptism in Acts.
What Luke 3:1–20 Means for Us Today
God still speaks in the wilderness. Not first in the palace or the headline, but in the places where people feel far away. Your dry season may be where the word of God finds you.
Heritage is not the same as faith. Growing up in church, like being Abraham's child, is a gift. It is not a substitute for a turned heart.
Repentance has an address. It shows up in your closet, your paycheck, and the way you treat people you have power over.
Point past yourself. John's greatness was his willingness to decrease. Every faithful ministry, and every faithful life, points to Jesus.
Faithfulness can cost. John told the truth to a king and lost his freedom. Following Jesus will not always be welcomed, but it is always worth it.
The same word that came to John in the wilderness comes to us now, inviting us to prepare a way for the Lord in our own hearts.
FAQ
What is the main message of Luke 3:1–20? John the Baptist calls Israel to repent and be baptized for forgiveness, shows what repentance looks like in daily life, and points to Jesus, who will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire.
Why does Luke list so many rulers in Luke 3:1–2? To anchor John's ministry in real history (around 28 to 29 CE) and to contrast the powerful men of the age with the prophet in the wilderness to whom God actually spoke.
What does "brood of vipers" mean? It pictures snakes fleeing a fire. John is exposing people who wanted baptism as an escape from judgment without a changed life.
What does "bear fruits worthy of repentance" mean? A changed heart should produce a changed life. In Luke 3:10–14, that means sharing with the needy, honesty at work, and refusing to abuse power.
What is the baptism with the Holy Spirit and fire? It is the work of Jesus, who pours out God's Spirit to purify and empower believers, and who also brings judgment. Luke shows its fulfillment at Pentecost (Acts 2:1–4).
Why was John the Baptist arrested? He publicly condemned Herod Antipas for marrying Herodias, his brother's wife, and for his other evil deeds (Luke 3:19–20).
Did John baptize Jesus in Luke's Gospel? Yes, implicitly. Luke mentions John's imprisonment first and then describes Jesus' baptism without naming John, to close John's story before Jesus' ministry begins. Matthew 3:13–17 and Mark 1:9–11 name John directly.
Related Content
Works Consulted
Joel B. Green, The Gospel of Luke, New International Commentary on the New Testament (Eerdmans, 1997)
John Nolland, Luke 1–9:20, Word Biblical Commentary 35A (Word, 1989)
Joseph A. Fitzmyer, The Gospel According to Luke I–IX, Anchor Bible 28 (Doubleday, 1981)
I. Howard Marshall, The Gospel of Luke, New International Greek Testament Commentary (Eerdmans, 1978)
Fred B. Craddock, Luke, Interpretation (John Knox, 1990)
Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews 18.116–119
