Luke 3:3-17

3And he came into all 1the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance 2for the forgiveness of sins; 4as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: “3The voice of one calling 4out in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, Make His paths straight!55Every ravine will be filled, And every mountain and hill will be lowered; The crooked will become straight, And the rough roads smooth;66And all 7flesh will 8see the salvation of God!’”

7So he was saying to the crowds who were going out to be baptized by him, “9You 10offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8Therefore produce fruits that are consistent with repentance, and 11do not start saying 12to yourselves, ‘13We have Abraham as our father,’ for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children for Abraham. 9But indeed the axe is already being laid at the root of the trees; so 14every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

10And the crowds were questioning him, saying, “15Then what are we to do?” 11And he would answer and say to them, “The one who has two 16tunics is to 17share with the one who has none; and the one who has food is to do likewise.” 12Now even 18tax collectors came to be baptized, and they said to him, “Teacher, what are we to do?” 13And he said to them, “19Collect no more than what you have been ordered to.” 14And soldiers also were questioning him, saying, “What are we to do, we as well?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone, nor 2021harass anyone, and 22be content with your wages.”

15Now while the people were in a state of expectation and they all were thinking carefully in their hearts about John, 23whether he himself perhaps was the 24Christ, 1625John responded to them all, saying, “As for me, I baptize you with water; but He is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the straps of His sandals; He will baptize you 26with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17His 27winnowing fork is in His hand to thoroughly clear His threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with 28unquenchable fire.”