⁷ But when he saw many of the ^[a]Pharisees and ^[b]Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the [divine] wrath and judgment to come? ⁸ So produce fruit that is consistent with repentance [demonstrating new behavior that proves a change of heart, and a conscious decision to turn away from sin]; ⁹ and do not presume to say to yourselves [as a defense], ‘We have Abraham for our father [so our inheritance assures us of salvation]’; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children (descendants) for Abraham.^{(A) 10} And already the axe [of God’s judgment] is ^[c]swinging toward the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.