Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always; and again I say, rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentleness be known to all men.

The Lord is at hand. ⁶ Be anxious for nothing, but in all things let your requests be made known to God, in prayer and supplication with giving of thanks. ⁷ And may the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

⁷ Then he said to the people who came to be baptized by him, O offspring of vipers, who has taught you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸ Bring forth the due fruits of repentance, and do not begin to say in yourselves, We have Abraham for our father. For I say to you, God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. ⁹ And now also is the axe laid to the root of the trees, so that every tree that does not bring forth good fruit shall be hewn down and cast into the fire.

¹⁰ And the people asked him, saying, What should we do then? ¹¹ He answered and said to them, He who has two coats, let him share with him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.

¹² Then there came publicans to be baptized, who asked him, Master, what should we do? ¹³ And he said to them, Require no more than that which is appointed to you.

¹⁴ The soldiers likewise enquired of him, saying, And what should we do? And he said to them, Do violence to no man, neither trouble any man wrongfully, but be content with your wages.

¹⁵ And as the people were in expectation, and all musing in their hearts about John, whether he was the Christ, ¹⁶ John answered and said to them all, I baptize you with water, but one stronger than I is coming after me, whose shoe latchet I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. ¹⁷ He has his fan in his hand, and will purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his barn; but the chaff he will burn with fire that never shall be quenched.

¹⁸ And with many other exhortations, John preached to the people.