7. Then John said to the crowds who came to be baptized by him, "You children of snakes! Who warned you to escape from the angry judgment that is coming soon?
8. Produce fruit that shows you have changed your hearts and lives. And don’t even think about saying to yourselves, Abraham is our father. I tell you that God is able to raise up Abraham’s children from these stones.
9. The ax is already at the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be chopped down and tossed into the fire."
10. The crowds asked him, "What then should we do?"
11. He answered, "Whoever has two shirts must share with the one who has none, and whoever has food must do the same."
12. Even tax collectors came to be baptized. They said to him, "Teacher, what should we do?"
13. He replied, "Collect no more than you are authorized to collect."
14. Soldiers asked, "What about us? What should we do?" He answered, "Don’t cheat or harass anyone, and be satisfied with your pay."
15. The people were filled with expectation, and everyone wondered whether John might be the Christ.
16. John replied to them all, "I baptize you with water, but the one who is more powerful than me is coming. I’m not worthy to loosen the strap of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
17. The shovel he uses to sift the wheat from the husks is in his hands. He will clean out his threshing area and bring the wheat into his barn. But he will burn the husks with a fire that can’t be put out."
18. With many other words John appealed to them, proclaiming good news to the people.
19. But Herod the ruler had been criticized harshly by John because of Herodias, Herod’s brother’s wife, and because of all the evil he had done.
20. He added this to the list of his evil deeds: he locked John up in prison.
21. When everyone was being baptized, Jesus also was baptized. While he was praying, heaven was opened
22. and the Holy Spirit came down on him in bodily form like a dove. And there was a voice from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I dearly love; in you I find happiness."
23. Jesus was about 30 years old when he began his ministry. People supposed that he was the son of Joseph son of Heli
24. son of Matthat son of Levi son of Melchi son of Jannai son of Joseph
25. son of Mattathias son of Amos son of Nahum son of Esli son of Naggai
26. son of Maath son of Mattathias son of Semein son of Josech son of Joda
27. son of Joanan son of Rhesa son of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel son of Neri