Luke 3:7-18
Holman Christian Standard Bible
7 He then said to the crowds who came out to be baptized by him, “Brood of vipers!(A) Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Therefore produce fruit consistent with repentance. And don’t start saying to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’(B) for I tell you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones! 9 Even now the ax is ready to strike[a] the root of the trees! Therefore, every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”(C)
10 “What then should we do?”(D) the crowds were asking him.
11 He replied to them, “The one who has two shirts[b] must share with someone who has none, and the one who has food must do the same.”(E)
12 Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?”(F)
13 He told them, “Don’t collect any more than what you have been authorized.”
14 Some soldiers also questioned him: “What should we do?”
He said to them, “Don’t take money from anyone by force or false accusation; be satisfied with your wages.”
15 Now the people were waiting expectantly, and all of them were debating in their minds[c] whether John might be the Messiah.(G) 16 John answered them all,(H) “I baptize you with[d] water, but One is coming who is more powerful than I. I am not worthy to untie the strap of His sandals. He will baptize you with[e] the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing shovel[f](I) is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and gather the wheat into His barn, but the chaff He will burn up with a fire that never goes out.”(J) 18 Then, along with many other exhortations, he proclaimed good news to the people.
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