Luke 3:2-16
Read Luke 3 in full →2during the high priesthood of aAnnas and bCaiaphas, cthe word of God came to John, the son of Zechariah, in the wilderness. 3And he came into all athe district around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins; 4as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “aThe voice of one crying in the wilderness,‘Make ready the way of the 1Lord,Make His paths straight.
5‘aEvery ravine will be filled,And every mountain and hill will be 1brought low;The crooked will be straight,And the rough roads smooth.6aAnd all 1flesh will bsee the salvation of God.’”7So he was saying to the crowds who were going out to be baptized by him, “aYou brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8“Therefore bear fruits in keeping with repentance, and ado not begin to say 1to yourselves, ‘bWe have Abraham for our father,’ for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. 9“But indeed the axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore, aevery tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
10And the crowds were questioning him, saying, “aThen what should we do?” 11And he would answer and say to them, “The man who has two 1tunics is to ashare with him who has none; and he who has food is to do likewise.” 12And atax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, “Teacher, what should we do?” 13And he said to them, “1Collect no more than what you have been ordered to.” 14And soldiers were also questioning him, saying, “What should we also do?” And he said to them, “Do not take money from anyone by force, or aextort anyone, and bbe content with your wages.”
15Now while the people were in a state of expectation and all were reasoning in their hearts about John, aas to whether he was the 1Christ, 16aJohn answered, saying to them all, “As for me, I baptize you with water, but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the strap of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.