Luke 3:7-9
The Voice
7 In fulfillment of those words, crowds streamed out from the villages and towns to be baptized[a] by John at the Jordan.
John the Baptist: You bunch of venomous snakes! Who told you that you could escape God’s coming wrath? 8 Don’t just talk of turning to God; you’d better bear the authentic fruit of a changed life. Don’t take pride in your religious heritage, saying, “We have Abraham for our father!” Listen—God could turn these rocks into children of Abraham!
9 God wants you to bear fruit! If you don’t produce good fruit, then you’ll be chopped down like a fruitless tree and made into firewood. God’s ax is taking aim and ready to swing!
Footnotes
- 3:7 Literally, immersed, to show repentance
Luke 3:7-9
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)
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