7 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? |
8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. |
9 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire." |
10 "What should we do then?" the crowd asked. |
11 John answered, "The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same." |
12 Tax collectors also came to be baptized. "Teacher," they asked, "what should we do?" |
13 "Don't collect any more than you are required to," he told |
14 them. Then some soldiers asked him, "And what should we do?"
He replied, "Don't extort money and don't accuse people falsely--be content with your pay." |
15 The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Christ.2 3:15 Or Messiah |
16 John answered them all, "I baptize you with3 3:16 Or in water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. |
17 His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." |
18 And with many other words John exhorted the people and preached the good news to them. |
19 But when John rebuked Herod the tetrarch because of Herodias, his brother's wife, and all the other evil things he had done, |
