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Luke 3:7-18
New Testament for Everyone
Luke 3:7-18
New Testament for Everyone
7 “You brood of vipers,” John used to say to the crowds who came out to be baptized by him. “Who told you to escape from the coming anger? 8 You’d better prove your repentance by bearing the proper fruit! Don’t start saying to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father’; let me tell you, God can raise up children for Abraham from these stones! 9 The axe is already standing by the roots of the tree—so every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”
John the Baptist confronts the crowds
10 “What shall we do?” asked the crowds.
11 “Anyone who has two cloaks,” replied John, “should give one to someone who hasn’t got one. The same applies to anyone who has plenty of food.”
12 Some toll-collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they said, “what should we do?”
13 “Don’t collect more than what is laid down,” he replied.
14 Some soldiers, too, asked John, “What about us? What should we do?”
“No extortion,” replied John, “and no blackmail. Be content with your wages.”
15 The people were very excited, and everyone was questioning in their hearts whether John might not be the Messiah. 16 To all of them John responded: “I am baptizing you with water. But someone is coming who is stronger than I am. I don’t deserve to untie his sandal-strap. He will baptize you with the holy spirit and with fire. 17 He will have his winnowing-fork to hand, ready to sort out the mess on his threshing floor and gather the corn into his barn. Any rubbish he will burn with a fire that will never go out.”
18 John urged his news on the people with many other words.
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Luke 3:7-18
New International Version
Luke 3:7-18
New International Version
7 John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers!(A) Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?(B) 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’(C) For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 9 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”(D)
10 “What should we do then?”(E) the crowd asked.
11 John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.”(F)
12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized.(G) “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?”
13 “Don’t collect any more than you are required to,”(H) he told them.
14 Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?”
He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely(I)—be content with your pay.”
15 The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John(J) might possibly be the Messiah.(K) 16 John answered them all, “I baptize you with[a] water.(L) But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with[b] the Holy Spirit and fire.(M) 17 His winnowing fork(N) is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”(O) 18 And with many other words John exhorted the people and proclaimed the good news to them.
New Testament for Everyone (NTFE) 
Scripture quotations from The New Testament for Everyone are copyright © Nicholas Thomas Wright 2011, 2018, 2019.
New International Version (NIV) 
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