MLV(i)
3 And he came into all the region around the Jordan, preaching the immersion of repentance into the forgiveness of sins;
4 as it has been written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying, ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare the way of the Lord. Make*\'b0 his paths straight.
5 Every valley will be filled and every mountain and hill will be humbled. And the crooked will become straight and the rough ways, smooth.
6 And all flesh will be seeing the salvation of God.’
7 Therefore, he was saying to the crowds who traveled out to be immersed by him, Offspring of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the future wrath? 8 Therefore produce fruits worthy of repentance and do not begin to say among yourselves, We have Abraham as our father; for I say to you, that God is able to lift up children to Abraham from these stones. 9 Now the ax is also already destined toward the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree which is not producing good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire.
10 And the crowds asked him, saying, Therefore what shall we do?
11 But he answered and said to them, He who has two tunics, let him give one to the one who has none, and he who has food, let him do likewise.
12 Now tax collectors also came to be immersed, and they said to him, Teacher, what shall we do?
13 Now he said to them, Appropriate no more than what has been appointed for you.
14 But the active soldiers were also asking him, saying, And we, what shall we do?
And he said to them, Intimidate no one, nor cheat anyone, and be content with your rations.
15 But the people are expecting, and all are reasoning in their hearts concerning John, maybe, he might be the Christ; 16 John answered, saying to them all, I indeed immerse you in water, but the mightier one than I is coming, the strap of whose shoes I am not sufficient to loose. He will immerse you in the Holy Spirit, and in fire; 17 whose winnowing fan is in his hand, and he will be thoroughly cleansing his threshing floor, and will be gathering the grain into his barn, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.
18 Therefore indeed, he was proclaiming the good-news to the people, encouraging them also with many other things.
19 But Herod the Tetrarch, being reproved by him concerning Herodias his brother’s wife and concerning all the evil things which Herod practiced, 20 also added this to them all, and locked up John in the prison.
7 Therefore, he was saying to the crowds who traveled out to be immersed by him, Offspring of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the future wrath? 8 Therefore produce fruits worthy of repentance and do not begin to say among yourselves, We have Abraham as our father; for I say to you, that God is able to lift up children to Abraham from these stones. 9 Now the ax is also already destined toward the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree which is not producing good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire.
10 And the crowds asked him, saying, Therefore what shall we do?
11 But he answered and said to them, He who has two tunics, let him give one to the one who has none, and he who has food, let him do likewise.
12 Now tax collectors also came to be immersed, and they said to him, Teacher, what shall we do?
13 Now he said to them, Appropriate no more than what has been appointed for you.
14 But the active soldiers were also asking him, saying, And we, what shall we do?
And he said to them, Intimidate no one, nor cheat anyone, and be content with your rations.
15 But the people are expecting, and all are reasoning in their hearts concerning John, maybe, he might be the Christ; 16 John answered, saying to them all, I indeed immerse you in water, but the mightier one than I is coming, the strap of whose shoes I am not sufficient to loose. He will immerse you in the Holy Spirit, and in fire; 17 whose winnowing fan is in his hand, and he will be thoroughly cleansing his threshing floor, and will be gathering the grain into his barn, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.
18 Therefore indeed, he was proclaiming the good-news to the people, encouraging them also with many other things.
19 But Herod the Tetrarch, being reproved by him concerning Herodias his brother’s wife and concerning all the evil things which Herod practiced, 20 also added this to them all, and locked up John in the prison.