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In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea
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and saying, Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
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For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, who said, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.
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And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair and a leathern girdle about his loins, and his food was locusts and wild honey.
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Then Jerusalem and all Judaea and all the region round about Jordan went out to him
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and were baptized of him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.
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But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who taught you to flee from the wrath to come?
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Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance
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and think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham as
our father, for I say unto you that God is able to raise up children unto Abraham of these stones.
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And now the axe is also laid unto the root of the trees; therefore, every tree which does not bring forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire.
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I indeed baptize you in water unto repentance, but he that comes after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear; he shall baptize you in
the Holy Spirit and fire,
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whose fan
is in his hand; and he will thoroughly purge his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the storehouse, but he will burn up the chaff with fire that shall never be quenched.