The Preaching of John the Baptist
Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when aPontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and bHerod was tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip was tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene, 2 during the high priesthood of aAnnas and bCaiaphas, cthe word of God came to John, the son of Zechariah, in the wilderness. 3 And he came into all athe district around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins; 4 as 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 Lord,
Make His paths straight.
5 aEvery ravine will be filled,
And every mountain and hill will be brought low;
The crooked will be straight,
And the rough roads smooth.
6 aAnd all flesh will bsee the salvation of God.’”
7 So 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 to 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.”
10 And the crowds were questioning him, saying, “aThen what should we do?” 11 And he would answer and say to them, “The man who has two tunics is to ashare with him who has none; and he who has food is to do likewise.” 12 And atax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, “Teacher, what should we do?” 13 And he said to them, “Collect no more than what you have been ordered to.” 14 And 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.”
15 Now while the people were in a state of expectation and all were reasoning in their hearts about John, aas to whether he was the Christ, 16 aJohn 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. 17 His awinnowing fork is in His hand to thoroughly clear His threshing floor and to gather the wheat into His barn, but He will burn up the chaff with bunquenchable fire.”
18 So with many other exhortations he proclaimed the gospel to the people.