Matthew 1 · Luke 3
The Genealogy of Jesus Christ
Matthew's and Luke's genealogies of Jesus, side by side, with every name linked to its verse and the differences kept visible.
Two Gospels give a genealogy of Jesus. Matthew opens his Gospel with it, beginning at Abraham and moving forward through David and Solomon to Joseph, "the husband of Mary, from whom was born Jesus". Matthew 1:1–17
Luke places his list at the start of Jesus' ministry and moves backward, from Jesus through David's son Nathan, past Abraham, to Adam. The two lists agree from Abraham to David and part ways after David. Luke 3:23–38
Both writers make clear that Joseph was not Jesus' biological father. Matthew changes his pattern at Joseph, and tells of Jesus' conception by the Holy Spirit; Luke says Jesus was the son of Joseph "as was supposed". Joseph is shown here as Jesus' legal and family father. Matthew 1:16Matthew 1:18–25Luke 1:34–35Luke 3:23
Matthew’s genealogy
Matthew arranges the names in three groups of fourteen generations (Matthew 1:17) and names five women: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, "her who had been Uriah's wife" and Mary. Matthew 1:1–17
- Abraham Matthew 1:2
- Isaac son of Abraham Matthew 1:2
- Jacob son of Isaac Matthew 1:2
- Judah son of Jacob Matthew 1:2
- Perez son of Judah Matthew 1:3
Born to Judah "by Tamar", with his twin Zerah.
- Hezron son of Perez Matthew 1:3
- Ram son of Hezron Matthew 1:3
- Amminadab son of Ram Matthew 1:4
- Nahshon son of Amminadab Matthew 1:4
- Salmon son of Nahshon Matthew 1:4
- Boaz son of Salmon Matthew 1:5
Born to Salmon "by Rahab".
- Obed son of Boaz Matthew 1:5
Born to Boaz "by Ruth".
- Jesse son of Obed Matthew 1:5
- David son of Jesse Matthew 1:6
End of the first group of fourteen.
- Solomon son of David Matthew 1:6
Born "by her who had been Uriah's wife". Matthew's line continues through Solomon; Luke's through his brother Nathan.
- Rehoboam son of Solomon Matthew 1:7
- Abijah son of Rehoboam Matthew 1:7
- Asa son of Abijah Matthew 1:7
- Jehoshaphat son of Asa Matthew 1:8
- Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat Matthew 1:8
Matthew's Joram is King Jehoram of Judah.
- Uzziah descendant of Jehoram (generations not listed) Matthew 1:8
Matthew passes from Joram to Uzziah. 1 Chronicles 3:11-12 lists Ahaziah, Joash and Amaziah between them, so "became the father of" here means "became the ancestor of".
- Jotham son of Uzziah Matthew 1:9
- Ahaz son of Jotham Matthew 1:9
- Hezekiah son of Ahaz Matthew 1:9
- Manasseh son of Hezekiah Matthew 1:10
- Amon son of Manasseh Matthew 1:10
- Josiah son of Amon Matthew 1:10
- Jehoiachin descendant of Josiah (generations not listed) Matthew 1:11
"Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers." 1 Chronicles 3:15-16 places Jehoiakim between Josiah and Jeconiah. End of the second group, at the exile to Babylon.
- Shealtiel son of Jehoiachin Matthew 1:12
- Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel Matthew 1:12 Disputed
1 Chronicles 3:19 names Pedaiah as Zerubbabel's father; see the source difference.
- Abiud son of Zerubbabel Matthew 1:13
Abiud and the following names down to Jacob are not found in the Old Testament.
- Eliakim son of Abiud Matthew 1:13
- Azor son of Eliakim Matthew 1:13
- Zadok son of Azor Matthew 1:14
- Achim son of Zadok Matthew 1:14
- Eliud son of Achim Matthew 1:14
- Eleazar son of Eliud Matthew 1:15
- Matthan son of Eleazar Matthew 1:15
- Jacob son of Matthan Matthew 1:15
- Joseph of Nazareth son of Jacob Matthew 1:16 Disputed
Luke 3:23 names Heli instead; see the source difference.
- Jesus born of Mary, the wife of Joseph of Nazareth Matthew 1:16
Matthew changes the pattern: Joseph is "the husband of Mary, from whom was born Jesus". He does not say Joseph became the father of Jesus.
Luke’s genealogy
Luke gives the list when Jesus begins his ministry and traces it back past Abraham to Adam, "the son of God". Luke 3:23–38
- Jesus Luke 3:23
Jesus "being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph".
- Joseph of Nazareth legal and family father of Jesus (“as was supposed”) Luke 3:23
"As was supposed": Luke marks Joseph's fatherhood as what people assumed, in line with Luke 1:34-35.
- Heli father of Joseph of Nazareth Luke 3:23 Disputed
Matthew 1:16 names Jacob as Joseph's father. Explanations are given under Interpretations; the texts themselves do not reconcile the two.
- Matthat father of Heli Luke 3:24
- Levi father of Matthat Luke 3:24
- Melchi father of Levi Luke 3:24
- Jannai father of Melchi Luke 3:24
- Joseph father of Jannai Luke 3:24
- Mattathias father of Joseph Luke 3:25
- Amos father of Mattathias Luke 3:25
- Nahum father of Amos Luke 3:25
- Esli father of Nahum Luke 3:25
- Naggai father of Esli Luke 3:25
- Maath father of Naggai Luke 3:26
- Mattathias father of Maath Luke 3:26
- Semein father of Mattathias Luke 3:26
- Joseph father of Semein Luke 3:26
- Judah father of Joseph Luke 3:26
- Joanan father of Judah Luke 3:27
- Rhesa father of Joanan Luke 3:27
- Zerubbabel father of Rhesa Luke 3:27
- Shealtiel father of Zerubbabel Luke 3:27
- Neri father of Shealtiel Luke 3:27
- Melchi father of Neri Luke 3:28
- Addi father of Melchi Luke 3:28
- Cosam father of Addi Luke 3:28
- Elmodam father of Cosam Luke 3:28
- Er father of Elmodam Luke 3:28
- Jose father of Er Luke 3:29
- Eliezer father of Jose Luke 3:29
- Jorim father of Eliezer Luke 3:29
- Matthat father of Jorim Luke 3:29
- Levi father of Matthat Luke 3:29
- Simeon father of Levi Luke 3:30
- Judah father of Simeon Luke 3:30
- Joseph father of Judah Luke 3:30
- Jonan father of Joseph Luke 3:30
- Eliakim father of Jonan Luke 3:30
- Melea father of Eliakim Luke 3:31
- Menan father of Melea Luke 3:31
- Mattatha father of Menan Luke 3:31
- Nathan father of Mattatha Luke 3:31
Luke's line runs through Nathan, David's son by Bathsheba (1 Chronicles 3:5), not Solomon.
- David father of Nathan Luke 3:31
- Jesse father of David Luke 3:32
- Obed father of Jesse Luke 3:32
- Boaz father of Obed Luke 3:32
- Salmon father of Boaz Luke 3:32
- Nahshon father of Salmon Luke 3:32
- Amminadab father of Nahshon Luke 3:33
- Ram father of Amminadab Luke 3:33
The World English Bible reads "Aram" here (Ram in Ruth 4:19 and Matthew 1:3); some Greek manuscripts have "Admin, the son of Arni".
- Hezron father of Ram Luke 3:33
- Perez father of Hezron Luke 3:33
- Judah father of Perez Luke 3:33
- Jacob father of Judah Luke 3:34
- Isaac father of Jacob Luke 3:34
- Abraham father of Isaac Luke 3:34
- Terah father of Abraham Luke 3:34
- Nahor father of Terah Luke 3:34
- Serug father of Nahor Luke 3:35
- Reu father of Serug Luke 3:35
- Peleg father of Reu Luke 3:35
- Eber father of Peleg Luke 3:35
- Shelah father of Eber Luke 3:35
- Cainan father of Shelah Luke 3:36 Disputed
Luke has Cainan between Shelah and Arphaxad. Genesis 11:12 in the Hebrew text has Arpachshad as Shelah's father; the Greek Septuagint of Genesis 11 includes Cainan.
- Arpachshad father of Cainan Luke 3:36 Disputed
- Shem father of Arpachshad Luke 3:36
- Noah father of Shem Luke 3:36
- Lamech father of Noah Luke 3:36
- Methuselah father of Lamech Luke 3:37
- Enoch father of Methuselah Luke 3:37
- Jared father of Enoch Luke 3:37
- Mahalalel father of Jared Luke 3:37
- Kenan father of Mahalalel Luke 3:37
- Enosh father of Kenan Luke 3:38
- Seth father of Enosh Luke 3:38
- Adam father of Seth Luke 3:38
Luke ends "the son of Adam, the son of God". That describes Adam's origin from God, not a human parentage, and is not drawn as a family link.
Matthew and Luke compared
- 41 names in Matthew (Abraham to Jesus)
- 76 names in Luke (Adam to Jesus)
- 16 names in both
Abraham to David: the lists agree
| Matthew | Luke |
|---|---|
| Abraham | Abraham |
| Isaac | Isaac |
| Jacob | Jacob |
| Judah | Judah |
| Perez | Perez |
| Hezron | Hezron |
| Ram | Ram |
| Amminadab | Amminadab |
| Nahshon | Nahshon |
| Salmon | Salmon |
| Boaz | Boaz |
| Obed | Obed |
| Jesse | Jesse |
| David | David |
Luke 3:33 in the World English Bible reads “Aram” where Matthew and Ruth have Ram; the entries are the same person by position and are shown as one.
After David: two different lines
Matthew follows Solomon and the kings of Judah; Luke follows Nathan, another son of David and Bathsheba. Only Shealtiel and Zerubbabel appear by name in both, and whether they are the same men is an open question; they are not merged.
Before Abraham: in Luke only
Luke continues past Abraham to Adam: Adam, Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, Noah, Shem, Arpachshad, Cainan, Shelah, Eber, Peleg, Reu, Serug, Nahor, Terah. Luke 3:36 includes Cainan, who is not in the Hebrew text of Genesis 11.
Joseph’s father
Matthew names Jacob (Matthew 1:16); Luke names Heli (Luke 3:23). Both are shown as recorded and marked disputed. Both Gospels present Joseph as Jesus’ legal father, not his biological father. Matthew 1:16Luke 3:23Matthew 1:18–25Luke 1:34–35
Jesus’ family in the Gospels
Jesus’ family
Select a person to focus their family. Drag to move, pinch or use + and − to zoom. Arrow keys move between relatives.
- Parent and child
- Marriage
- Ancestor (generations not all listed)
- Legal or adoptive parent
- Disputed or interpretive
Jesus — Jesus of Nazareth, whose birth, ministry, death and resurrection are told in the four Gospels.
Parents
- Mary, mother of Jesus mother Matthew 1:16Matthew 1:18–25Luke 1:31Luke 2:7
Mary is Jesus' mother. Matthew 1:18-25 and Luke 1:26-35 describe his conception by the Holy Spirit.
- Joseph of Nazareth legal and family father (not biological) Matthew 1:16Matthew 1:18–25Luke 2:48Luke 3:23
Joseph is Mary's husband and Jesus' father in law and in family life ("your father and I", Luke 2:48), not his biological father: Matthew 1:18-25 and Luke 1:34-35 describe Jesus' conception by the Holy Spirit, and Luke 3:23 says Jesus was the son "as was supposed" of Joseph.
Brothers and sisters
- James brother Interpretive Matthew 13:55Mark 6:3Galatians 1:19
The Gospels call James, Joses, Simon and Judas Jesus' "brothers". Christians understand the word differently: children of Mary and Joseph born after Jesus; sons of Joseph from an earlier marriage; or close relatives such as cousins.
- Joses brother Interpretive Matthew 13:55Mark 6:3
Called Jesus' brother; Christian traditions understand the kinship word differently (see James).
- Simon brother Interpretive Matthew 13:55Mark 6:3
Called Jesus' brother; Christian traditions understand the kinship word differently (see James).
- Judas brother Interpretive Matthew 13:55Mark 6:3
Called Jesus' brother; Christian traditions understand the kinship word differently (see James).
- Jesus' sisters sister Interpretive Matthew 13:56Mark 6:3
Called Jesus' sisters; Christian traditions understand the kinship word differently (see James). Their names are not recorded.
Ancestors
- Jacob grandparent Disputed
- Heli grandparent Disputed
- Matthan 1× great-grandparent
- Matthat 1× great-grandparent
- Eleazar 2× great-grandparent
- Levi 2× great-grandparent
- Eliud 3× great-grandparent
- Melchi 3× great-grandparent
- Achim 4× great-grandparent
- Jannai 4× great-grandparent
Tribe, clan and house
- Tribe: Judah Member Hebrews 7:14Revelation 5:5
"It is evident that our Lord has sprung out of Judah" (Hebrews 7:14).
Office and succession (not family)
- John the Baptist preceded in office — Prophetic succession Matthew 3:11John 1:29–34John 3:28–30
John prepared the way and pointed to Jesus. A relationship of ministry, not of family.
Interpretations
Explanations proposed by interpreters for the differences between the two genealogies. They are not statements of the text, and the genealogy above does not depend on any of them.
- Interpretation A legal line and a natural line
Some interpreters suggest that Matthew traces the royal, legal line of succession through Solomon, while Luke traces Joseph's natural descent through Nathan. Neither Gospel says this. Matthew 1:6Luke 3:31
- Interpretation A levirate marriage
An early explanation, recorded by the church historian Eusebius from Julius Africanus, proposes that Jacob and Heli were half-brothers and that one raised up a son for the other under the law of levirate marriage, so Joseph could be called the son of both. The Gospels do not mention this. Deuteronomy 25:5–6Matthew 1:16Luke 3:23
- Interpretation Luke giving Mary's line
Others propose that Luke records Mary's ancestry, with Heli as her father and Joseph named as his son-in-law. Luke's text names Joseph, not Mary, and does not identify the list as Mary's. Luke 3:23
Differences kept open
- The brothers and sisters of Jesus
The relationships are drawn as recorded ("brothers", "sisters") and marked interpretive. Christian traditions differ on whether they were children of Mary, children of Joseph, or wider relatives. James the brother of Jesus is kept separate from James son of Zebedee and James son of Alphaeus. Matthew 13:55–56Mark 6:3Galatians 1:19
- Are Luke's Shealtiel and Zerubbabel the same men as Matthew's?
Luke calls Shealtiel the son of Neri; Matthew and 1 Chronicles call him the son of Jeconiah. They are kept as separate identities until an editor decides; nothing has been merged automatically. Luke 3:27Matthew 1:121 Chronicles 3:17
- Rahab in Matthew 1:5
Matthew names Rahab as the mother of Boaz. She is usually identified with Rahab of Jericho; Matthew does not say so. Matthew 1:5Joshua 2:1Hebrews 11:31
- Joseph's father: Jacob (Matthew) or Heli (Luke)
Matthew names Jacob, Luke names Heli. Both relationships are shown, marked disputed. Proposed explanations (a levirate marriage, a legal and a natural line, or Luke giving Mary's line) are interpretations and are listed separately. Matthew 1:16Luke 3:23
- Generations Matthew leaves out
Matthew's three groups of fourteen leave out Ahaziah, Joash and Amaziah (between Joram and Uzziah) and Jehoiakim (between Josiah and Jechoniah). Those links are drawn as ancestor links, not parent links. Matthew 1:8Matthew 1:111 Chronicles 3:11–16
- Zerubbabel's father: Shealtiel or Pedaiah
Most passages call Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel; 1 Chronicles 3:19 lists him among the sons of Pedaiah. Ezra 3:2Haggai 1:1Matthew 1:121 Chronicles 3:19
- Cainan between Arphaxad and Shelah
Luke 3:36 has a generation (Cainan) that the Hebrew text of Genesis 11 does not. This is a difference between text traditions, not an interpretive dispute. Luke 3:36Genesis 11:12Genesis 10:24
Key passages
Matthew 1:1–17Luke 3:23–38Ruth 4:18–221 Chronicles 1:1–41 Chronicles 1:24–281 Chronicles 2:1–151 Chronicles 3:1–17
Every relationship here comes from a cited passage. Solid lines are stated parent links; dashed lines mean generations are not all listed; dotted lines mark legal or adoptive parents; a question mark marks a disputed or interpretive link. Political succession and office are never drawn as family.