8. Therefore produce fruits worthy of repentance; and don’t even begin to say among yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father’! For I tell you that from these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.
9. Even now the axe is laid at the root of the trees, so every tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire!”
10. The crowds were asking him, “What should we do?”
11. He answered them, saying, “Whoever has two coats, let him give to the one who has none; and whoever has food, let him do the same.”
12. Tax collectors also came to him to be immersed. “Teacher,” they said to him, “what should we do?”
13. He said to them, “Do not take more than you are supposed to.”
14. Also soldiers asked him, saying, “And what should we do?” He said to them, “Do not take things from anyone by force, do not falsely accuse anyone, and be content with your wages.”
15. Now the people were filled with expectation, and all were wondering in their hearts about John, whether he might be the Messiah.
16. John answered them all, saying, “As for me, I immerse you with water. But One is coming who is mightier than I am; I am not worthy to untie the strap of His sandals! He will immerse you in the Ruach ha-Kodesh and fire.
17. His winnowing fork is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and gather the wheat into His barn, but the chaff He will burn up with inextinguishable fire.”
18. So with many other exhortations, John proclaimed Good News to the people.
19. But Herod the tetrarch—after being rebuked by John because of Herodias, his brother’s wife, and because of all the evil things Herod had done—
20. added even this on top of them all: he shut up John in prison.