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in the highpriesthood of 1Annas and 2Caiaphas, 3the word of Godcame to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness.
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And he came into all4the districtaround the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins;
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as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, "5THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, 'MAKEREADY THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE HIS PATHSSTRAIGHT.
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'6EVERYRAVINE WILL BE FILLED, AND EVERYMOUNTAIN AND HILL WILL BE BROUGHTLOW; THE CROOKED WILL BECOME*STRAIGHT, AND THE ROUGHROADSSMOOTH;
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7AND ALLFLESH WILL 8SEE THE SALVATION OF GOD.' "
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So he began saying to the crowds who were going out to be baptized by him, "9You brood of vipers, whowarned you to flee from the wrath to come?
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"Thereforebearfruits in keeping with repentance, and 10do not begin to say to yourselves, '11We haveAbraham for our father,' for I say to you that from thesestonesGod is able to raise up children to Abraham.
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"Indeed the axe is alreadylaid at the root of the trees; so12everytree that does not beargoodfruit is cutdown and thrown into the fire."
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And the crowds were questioning him, saying, "13Thenwhat shall we do?"
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And he would answer and say to them, "The man who hastwotunics is to 14share with him who hasnone; and he who hasfood is to dolikewise."
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And some 15taxcollectorsalsocame to be baptized, and they said to him, "Teacher, what shall we do?"