4. As it is written in the book of Isaiah the prophet:“This is a voice of a manwho calls out in the desert:‘Prepare the way for the Lord.Make the road straight for him.
5. Every valley should be filled in.Every mountain and hill should be made flat.Roads with turns should be made straight,and rough roads should be made smooth.
6. And all people will know about the salvation of God!’” Isaiah 40:3-5
7. Crowds of people came to be baptized by John. He said to them, “You poisonous snakes! Who warned you to run away from God’s anger that is coming?
8. You must do the things that will show that you really have changed your hearts. Don’t say, ‘Abraham is our father.’ I tell you that God can make children for Abraham from these rocks here.
9. 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.”
10. The people asked John, “What should we do?”
11. John answered, “If you have two shirts, share with the person who does not have one. If you have food, share that too.”
12. Even tax collectors came to John to be baptized. They said to John, “Teacher, what should we do?”
13. John said to them, “Don’t take more taxes from people than you have been ordered to take.”
14. The soldiers asked John, “What about us? What should we do?”John said to them, “Don’t force people to give you money. Don’t lie about them. Be satisfied with the pay you get.”
15. All the people were hoping for the Christ to come, and they wondered about John. They thought, “Maybe he is the Christ.”
16. John answered everyone, “I baptize you with water, but there is one coming later who can do more than I can. I am not good enough to untie his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
17. He will come ready to clean the grain. He will separate the good grain from the chaff. He will put the good part of the grain into his barn. Then he will burn the chaff with a fire that cannot be put out.”
18. And John continued to preach the Good News, saying many other things to encourage the people.