Luke:3:1-20

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* Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar , while Pontius Pilate was governing Judea , and while Herod governed as tetrarch of Galilee , and while Philip his brother governed as tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis , and while Lysanias governed as tetrarch of Abilene , * in the time of the high priest Annas and [the high priest ]Caiaphas , the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness . * And he went into all the surrounding region of the Jordan , preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins , * as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet , saying : "A voice of one crying in the wilderness : 'Prepare the way of the LORD , make His paths straight . * Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be humbled ; the crooked roads shall become straight , and the rough [roads ] shall become smooth ; * and all flesh shall see the salvation of God .' " * Then he said to the crowds which came out to be baptized by him , "Brood of vipers ! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath ? * Therefore produce fruits worthy of repentance , and do not begin to say among yourselves , 'We have Abraham as our father .' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham out of these stones . * And even now the ax is being laid to the root of the trees . Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and is thrown into the fire ." * So the people were asking him , saying , "What shall we do then ?" * He answered and said to them , "He who has two shirts , let him give to him who has none ; and he who has food , let him do likewise ." * Then tax collectors also came to be baptized , and said to him , "Teacher , what shall we do ?" * And he said to them , "Collect nothing more than the [amount ] which has been commanded to you ." * Likewise the soldiers also were asking him , saying , "And what shall we do ?"So he said to them , "Do not intimidate anyone or accuse [anyone ]falsely , and be content with your wages ." * Now while the people waited , and all considered in their hearts about John , whether he might be the Christ , * John answered , saying to all , "I indeed baptize you with water ; but One mightier than I is coming , whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose . He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire ; * whose winnowing shovel is in His hand , and He will thoroughly purge His threshing floor , and will gather the wheat into His barn ; but the chaff He will burn up with unquenchable fire ." * And with many other exhortations he proclaimed the good news to the people . * But Herod the tetrarch , being rebuked by him concerning Herodias , his brother 's wife , and for all the evils which Herod had done , * he also added this to all [his other ] [sins ], and locked up John in the prison .

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