Matthew 3:1-12

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

1 aIn those days bJohn the Baptist came preaching in cthe wilderness of Judea, 2 dRepent, for ethe kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 3For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said,

f“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
gPrepare
Or  crying: Prepare in the wilderness
the way of the Lord;
make his paths straight.’”
4Now John wore ia garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was jlocusts and kwild honey. 5Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, 6and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, lconfessing their sins.

7But when he saw many of mthe Pharisees and nSadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, o“You brood of pvipers! Who warned you to flee from qthe wrath to come? 8Bear fruit rin keeping with repentance. 9And do not presume to say to yourselves, s‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from tthese stones to raise up children for Abraham. 10Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. uEvery tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

11 vI baptize you with water wfor repentance, but xhe who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you ywith the Holy Spirit and zfire. 12His aawinnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and abgather his wheat into the barn, acbut the chaff he will burn with adunquenchable fire.”

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