Luke 3:7-18

New American Standard Bible

⁷So he was saying to the crowds who were going out to be baptized by him, “^(A)You ^[a]offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸Therefore produce fruits that are consistent with repentance, and ^(B)do not start saying ^[b]to yourselves, ‘^(C)We 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 ^(D)every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

¹⁰And the crowds were questioning him, saying, “^(E)Then what are we to do?” ¹¹And he would answer and say to them, “The one who has two ^[c]tunics is to ^(F)share with the one who has none; and the one who has food is to do likewise.” ¹²Now even ^(G)tax collectors came to be baptized, and they said to him, “Teacher, what are we to do?” ¹³And he said to them, “^[d]Collect 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 ^[e]^(H)harass anyone, and ^(I)be 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, ^(J)whether he himself perhaps was the ^[f]Christ, ¹⁶^(K)John 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 ^[g]with the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹⁷His ^(L)winnowing 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 ^(M)unquenchable fire.”