Luke 3:8

8 If you have really turned from your sins, produce fruit that will prove it! And don't start saying to yourselves, `Avraham is our father'! For I tell you that God can raise up for Avraham sons from these stones!

Luke 3:8 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 3:8

Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance
Or "meet" for it, such as will show it to be true and genuine: "and begin not to say within yourselves": in one of Beza's copies, and in another of Stephens's, it was read, "think not", as in ( Matthew 3:9 ) . the sense is the same. The Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions, leave out the phrase, "within yourselves": what they are forbid to say follows,

we have Abraham to our father, for I say unto you, God is able of
these stones to raise up children unto Abraham;
which need not be thought strange, when the creation of Adam out of the earth, and the production of such a numerous offspring, as the Israelites were, from Abraham and Sarah, when past all hope of children, and are signified by the rock and pit in ( Isaiah 51:1 Isaiah 51:2 ) are considered; (See Gill on Matthew 3:9).

Luke 3:8 In-Context

6 Then all humanity will see God's deliverance.'"

7 Therefore, Yochanan said to the crowds who came out to be immersed by him, "You snakes! Who warned you to escape the coming punishment?

8 If you have really turned from your sins, produce fruit that will prove it! And don't start saying to yourselves, `Avraham is our father'! For I tell you that God can raise up for Avraham sons from these stones!

9 Already the axe is at the root of the trees, ready to strike; every tree that doesn't produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown in the fire!"

10 The crowds asked Yochanan, "So then, what should we do?"