9. I know what you are thinking. You want to say, ‘but Abraham is our father!’ That means nothing. I tell you, God could make children for Abraham from these rocks.
10. The ax is now ready to cut down the trees. Every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
11. “I baptize you with water to show that you have changed your hearts and lives. But there is someone coming later who is able to do more than I can. I am not good enough to be the slave who takes off his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
12. He will come ready to clean the grain. He will separate the good grain from the straw, and he will put the good part into his barn. Then he will burn the useless part with a fire that cannot be stopped.”
13. Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan River. He came to John, wanting John to baptize him.
14. But John tried to stop him. John said, “Why do you come to me to be baptized? I should be baptized by you!”
15. Jesus answered, “Let it be this way for now. We should do whatever God says is right.” Then John agreed.
16. So Jesus was baptized. As soon as he came up out of the water, the sky opened, and he saw God’s Spirit coming down on him like a dove.
17. A voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, the one I love. I am very pleased with him.”