Joy in God’s Faithfulness

John Preaches to the People^(A)

⁷ Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, ^(B)“Brood^[a] of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸ Therefore bear fruits ^(C)worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. ⁹ And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore ^(D)every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

¹⁰ So the people asked him, saying, ^(E)“What shall we do then?”

¹¹ He answered and said to them, ^(F)“He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, ^(G)let him do likewise.”

¹² Then ^(H)tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?”

¹³ And he said to them, ^(I)“Collect no more than what is appointed for you.”

¹⁴ Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, “And what shall we do?”

So he said to them, “Do not ^[b]intimidate anyone ^(J)or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages.”

¹⁵ Now as the people were in expectation, and all reasoned in their hearts about John, whether he was the Christ or not, ¹⁶ John answered, saying to all, ^(K)“I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will ^(L)baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹⁷ His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and ^(M)gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire.”

¹⁸ And with many other exhortations he preached to the people.

^4 (A)Love suffers long and is ^(B)kind; love ^(C)does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not ^[a]puffed up; ⁵ does not behave rudely, ^(D)does not seek its own, is not provoked, ^[b]thinks no evil;