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Luke 3:2-17

2 during ^athe high priesthood of Annas and ^bCaiaphas ^cthe word of God came to ^dJohn the son of Zechariah in ^ethe wilderness. 3 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming ^fa baptism of repentance ^gfor the forgiveness of sins. 4 As it is written in ^hthe book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,

ⁱ“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
^j‘Prepare the way of the Lord ^{▼

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Or crying, Prepare in the wilderness the way of the Lord}
make his paths straight.
5 ^lEvery valley shall be filled,
^mand every mountain and hill shall be made low,
ⁿand the crooked shall become straight,
and the rough places shall become level ways,
6 ^oand all flesh shall see ^pthe salvation of God.’”

7 He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, ^q“You brood of ^rvipers! Who warned you to flee from ^sthe wrath to come? 8 Bear fruits ^tin keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves ^u‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from ^vthese stones to raise up children for Abraham. 9 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. ^wEvery tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

10 And the crowds asked him ^x“What then shall we do?” 11 And he answered them ^y“Whoever has two tunics ^{▼

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Greek chiton, a long garment worn under the cloak next to the skin} is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” 12 ^aaTax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher ^abwhat shall we do?” 13 And he said to them ^ac“Collect no more than you are authorized to do.” 14 Soldiers also asked him, “And we, ^adwhat shall we do?” And he said to them ^ae“Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your ^afwages.”

15 As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John ^agwhether he might be ^ahthe Christ, 16 ^aiJohn answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but ^ajhe who is mightier than I is coming ^akthe strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you ^alwith the Holy Spirit and ^amfire. 17 His ^anwinnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to ^aogather the wheat into his barn ^apbut the chaff he will burn with ^aqunquenchable fire.”