7. Therefore, Yochanan was saying to the multitudes coming out to have the mikveh mayim's tevilah supervised by him, You banim of nachashim, who warned you to flee from the charon af [Hashem] habah (the coming burning wrath of Hashem)?
8. Therefore, produce p'ri tov l'teshuva (fruit worthy of repentance), and do not begin to presume within yourselves, saying, We have the zechut Avot (merit of the Fathers) of Avraham Avinu, for, I say to you, that Hashem is able from these avanim (stones) to raise up banim to Avraham Avinu.
9. And already the ax is laid at the shoresh haetzim (the root of the trees). Therefore, every etz not producing pri tov is cut down and is thrown into the Eish.
10. And the multitudes were questioning him, saying, What then should we do?
11. And in reply, Yochanan was saying to them, Let the one having two kaftans share with the one having none, and let the one having okhel (food) do likewise.
12. Now came also mochesim (tax collectors) to receive the tevilah of teshuva, and they said to him, Rabbi, what should we do?
13. And Yochanan said to them, Collect nothing more than the amount having been commanded you.
14. And chaiyalim (soldiers) as well were asking him, What should we do also? And Yochanan said to them, Extort kesef from no one, and let there be no lashon hora, and be satisfied with your loin (wages).
15. As the Am [Berit] were filled with expectation, and all were wondering in their levavot (hearts) concerning Yochanan, whether perhaps he might be the Moshiach,
16. Yochanan answered everyone, saying, I give you a tevilah with a mikveh mayim, but Hu HaBah (He Who Comes, i.e., Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach) has more chozek (strength) than me; I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandals. He will give you a tevilah with the Ruach Hakodesh and with Eish.
17. The winnowing fork is in his hand to clean out his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his storehouse, but the MOTZ (chaff) he will burn up with an EISH LO TIKHBEH (fire not [ever] extinguished.
18. Therefore, with many other dvarim Yochanan was exhorting them, preaching the Besuras HaGeulah to the Am [Berit].
19. Now Herod the tetrarch, when he was reproved by Yochanan about Herodias, the wife of his brother, and about all reshaim (evil) which he did,
20. Herod added this above all: he locked up Yochanan in the beit hasohar (prison).
21. And it came about while all the Am [Berit] were receiving the tevilah, and when Yehoshua also had been given the tevilah and was davening, Shomayim was opened,