Passage

Luke 3.23-38

Book: Luke · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

Immediate context (±2 verses)

ASV (ASV)

"21. Now it came to pass, when all the people were baptized, that, Jesus also having been baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, 22. and the Holy Spirit descended 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."

"23. And Jesus himself, when he began to teach, was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli, 24. the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph, 25. the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, 26. the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda, 27. 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 of Er, 29. the son of Jesus, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, 30. the son of Symeon, the son of Judas, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim, 31. the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David, 32. the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon, 33. the son of Amminadab, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, 34. the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, 35. the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, 36. the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, 37. the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan, 38. the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God." (Luke 3:21-38, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"21. Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus also had been baptized, and was praying. The sky was opened, 22. and the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily form like a dove on him; and a voice came out of the sky, saying “You are my beloved Son. In you I am well pleased.”"

"23. Jesus himself, when he began to teach, was about thirty years old, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli, 24. the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph, 25. the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, 26. the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Joseph, the son of Judah, 27. 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 Elmodam, the son of Er, 29. the son of Jose, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, 30. the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonan, the son of Eliakim, 31. the son of Melea, the son of Menan, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David, 32. the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon, 33. the son of Amminadab, the son of Aram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, 34. the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, 35. the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, 36. the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, 37. the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan, 38. the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God." (Luke 3:21-38, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"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."

"23. And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of 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, 30. Which 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, 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, 34. Which 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, 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." (Luke 3:21-38, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"21. And it came to pass, in all the people being baptised, Jesus also being baptised, and praying, the heaven was opened, 22. and the Holy Spirit came down in a bodily appearance, as if a dove, upon him, and a voice came out of heaven, saying, 'Thou art My Son, the Beloved, in thee I did delight.'"

"23. And Jesus himself was beginning to be about thirty years of age, being, as was supposed, son of Joseph, 24. the [son] of Eli, the [son] of Matthat, the [son] of Levi, the [son] of Melchi, the [son] of Janna, the [son] of Joseph, 25. the [son] of Mattathias, the [son] of Amos, the [son] of Naum, the [son] of Esli, 26. the [son] of Naggai, the [son] of Maath, the [son] of Mattathias, the [son] of Semei, the [son] of Joseph, the [son] of Juda, 27. the [son] of Joanna, the [son] of Rhesa, the [son] of Zerubbabel, the [son] of Shealtiel, 28. the [son] of Neri, the [son] of Melchi, the [son] of Addi, the [son] of Cosam, the [son] of Elmodam, the [son] of Er, 29. the [son] of Jose, the [son] of Eliezer, the [son] of Jorim, the [son] of Matthat, 30. the [son] of Levi, the [son] of Simeon, the [son] of Juda, the [son] of Joseph, the [son] of Jonan, the [son] of Eliakim, 31. the [son] of Melea, the [son] of Mainan, the [son] of Mattatha, the [son] of Nathan, 32. the [son] of David, the [son] of Jesse, the [son] of Obed, the [son] of Booz, the [son] of Salmon, the [son] of Nahshon, 33. the [son] of Amminadab, the [son] of Aram, the [son] of Esrom, the [son] of Pharez, 34. the [son] of Judah, the [son] of Jacob, the [son] of Isaac, the [son] of Abraham, the [son] of Terah, the [son] of Nahor, 35. the [son] of Serug, the [son] of Reu, the [son] of Peleg, the [son] of Eber, 36. the [son] of Salah, the [son] of Cainan, the [son] of Arphaxad, the [son] of Shem, the [son] of Noah, the [son] of Lamech, 37. the [son] of Methuselah, the [son] of Enoch, the [son] of Jared, the [son] of Mahalaleel, 38. the [son] of Cainan, the [son] of Enos, the [son] of Seth, the [son] of Adam, the [son] of God." (Luke 3:21-38, YLT)

Setting

Speaker: Luke the physician (traditionally) / narrator + Jesus's direct teaching
Audience: Theophilus + Gentile Christian audience (companion to Acts)
Location: first-century Palestine (events); composition possibly Caesarea or Rome
Time period: events c. 4 BC, AD 30/33; composed c. AD 60-80

Theological reading

Key words

G2316 - theos, theos (Strong's G2316). Also appears in: Matthew 1.23, Matthew 3.16, Matthew 5.9.
G2424 - Iesous, Iesous (Strong's G2424). Also appears in: Matthew 1.1, Matthew 1.16, Matthew 1.18.
G5207 - huios, huios (Strong's G5207). Also appears in: Matthew 1.1, Matthew 1.20, Matthew 1.21.

Quoted in

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.