2
Andsaying , Repent ye : for the kingdom of heaven is at hand .
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Forthis is he that was spoken of by the prophetEsaias,saying , The voice of one cryingin the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord,makehispathsstraight.
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And the sameJohnhadhisraimentofcamel'shair,and a leatherngirdleabouthisloins;andhismeatwaslocustsandwildhoney.
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Then went outtohimJerusalem,andallJudaea,andall the region round aboutJordan,
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And were baptizedofhiminJordan,confessingtheirsins.
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But when he sawmany of the PhariseesandSadduceescometohisbaptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers,who hath warnedyou to fleefrom the wrath to come ?
9
Andthinknot to saywithinyourselves, We haveAbraham to our father:for I say unto you,thatGod is ableofthesestones to raise upchildren unto Abraham.
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Andnowalso the axe is laidunto the root of the trees:thereforeeverytree which bringethnotforthgoodfruit is hewn down , andcastinto the fire.
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Iindeedbaptizeyouwithwateruntorepentance:but he that comethaftermeis mightier thanI,whoseshoes I amnotworthy to bear : he shall baptizeyouwith the HolyGhost,and with fire:
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Whosefan is inhishand,and he will throughly purgehisfloor,andgatherhiswheatinto the garner;but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchablefire.