Luke:3:1-20

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* Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar , Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea , and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee , and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis , and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene , * in the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas , the word of God came to John , the son of Zacharias , in the wilderness . * He came into all the region around the Jordan , preaching the baptism of repentance for remission of sins . * As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet , "The voice of one crying in the wilderness , 'Make ready the way of the Lord . Make his paths straight . * Every valley will be filled . Every mountain and hill will be brought low . The crooked will become straight , and the rough ways smooth . * All flesh will see God 's salvation .'" {Isaiah strkjv @40:3-5 } * He said therefore to the multitudes who went out to be baptized by him , "You offspring of vipers , who warned you to flee from the wrath to come ? * Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance , and don 't begin to say among yourselves , 'We have Abraham for our father ;' for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones ! * Even now the axe also lies at the root of the trees . Every tree therefore that doesn 't bring forth good fruit is cut down , and thrown into the fire ." * The multitudes asked him , "What then must we do ?" * He answered them , "He who has two coats , let him give to him who has none . He who has food , let him do likewise ." * Tax collectors also came to be baptized , and they said to him , "Teacher , what must we do ?" * He said to them , "Collect no more than that which is appointed to you ." * Soldiers also asked him , saying , "What about us ? What must we do ?" He said to them , "Extort from no one by violence , neither accuse anyone wrongfully . Be content with your wages ." * As the people were in expectation , and all men reasoned in their hearts concerning John , whether perhaps he was the Christ , * John answered them all , "I indeed baptize you with water , but he comes who is mightier than I , the latchet of whose sandals I am not worthy to loosen . He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire , * whose fan is in his hand , and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor , and will gather the wheat into his barn ; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire ." * Then with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people , * but Herod the tetrarch , being reproved by him for Herodias , his brother 's {TR reads "brother Philip 's " instead of "brother 's "} wife , and for all the evil things which Herod had done , * added this also to them all , that he shut up John in prison .

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