Luke 3:7-18
3:7 John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
3:8 Therefore,
bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to
yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our ancestor,' for I tell you, God is
able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham.
3:9 Even
now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that
does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire."
3:10 And the crowds asked him, "What, then, should we do?"
3:11 In
reply he said to them, "Whoever has two coats must share with anyone
who has none, and whoever has food must do likewise."
3:12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, "Teacher, what should we do?"
3:13 He said to them, "Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you."
3:14 Soldiers
also asked him, "And we, what should we do?" He said to them, "Do not
extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be
satisfied with your wages."
3:15 As the people were filled with
expectation and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John,
whether he might be the Messiah,
3:16 John answered all of them by
saying, "I baptize you with water, but one who is more powerful than I
is coming; I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandals. He will
baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
3:17 His winnowing fork
is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat
into his granary, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."
3:18 So with many other exhortations he proclaimed the good news to the people.
