7
He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him,
1"You brood of
2vipers! Who warned you to flee from
3the wrath to come?
8
Bear fruits
4in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves,
5'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you, God is able from
6these stones to raise up children for Abraham.
9
Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees.
7Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."
10
And the crowds asked him,
8"What then shall we do?"
11
And he answered them,
9"Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise."
12
10Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, "Teacher,
11what shall we do?"
13
And he said to them,
12"Collect no more than you are authorized to do."
14
Soldiers also asked him, "And we,
13what shall we do?" And he said to them,
14"Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your
15wages."
15
As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John,
16whether he might be
17the Christ,
16
18John answered them all, saying, "I baptize you with water, but
19he who is mightier than I is coming,
20the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you
21with the Holy Spirit and with
22fire.
17
His
23winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to
24gather the wheat into his barn,
25but the chaff he will burn with
26unquenchable fire."