rsv Luke:3:2-20 SEEK
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in the high-priesthood of Annas and Ca '
iaphas ,
the word of God came to John the son of Zechari '
ah in the wilderness ;
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and he went into all the region about the Jordan ,
preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins .
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As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet , "
The voice of one crying in the wilderness :
Prepare the way of the Lord ,
make his paths straight .
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Every valley shall be filled ,
and every mountain and hill shall be brought low ,
and the crooked shall be made straight ,
and the rough ways shall be made smooth ;
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and all flesh shall see the salvation of God ."
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He said therefore to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him , "
You brood of vipers !
Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come ?
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Bear fruits that befit repentance ,
and do not begin to say to yourselves , `
We have Abraham as our father ';
for I tell you ,
God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham .
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Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees ;
every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire ."
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And the multitudes asked him , "
What then shall we do ?"
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And he answered them , "
He who has two coats ,
let him share with him who has none ;
and he who has food ,
let him do likewise ."
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Tax collectors also came to be baptized ,
and said to him , "
Teacher ,
what shall we do ?"
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And he said to them , "
Collect no more than is appointed you ."
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Soldiers also asked him , "
And we ,
what shall we do ?"
And he said to them , "
Rob no one by violence or by false accusation ,
and be content with your wages ."
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As the people were in expectation ,
and all men questioned in their hearts concerning John ,
whether perhaps he were the Christ ,
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John answered them all , "
I baptize you with water ;
but he who is mightier than I is coming ,
the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie ;
he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire .
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His winnowing fork is in his hand ,
to clear his threshing floor ,
and to gather the wheat into his granary ,
but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire ."
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So ,
with many other exhortations ,
he preached good news to the people .
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But Herod the tetrarch ,
who had been reproved by him for Hero '
di-as ,
his brother '
s wife ,
and for all the evil things that Herod had done ,
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added this to them all ,
that he shut up John in prison .