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In
those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness
of Judea, proclaiming, Repent, for the kingdom of
heaven has come near. This is the one of whom the
prophet Isaiah spoke when he said,
The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.
Now John wore clothing of camels hair with a leather
belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild
honey. Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were
going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan,
and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing
their sins.
But when he saw many Pharisees and
Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, You
brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath
to come? Bear fruit worthy of repentance. Do not presume
to say to yourselves, We have Abraham as our ancestor;
for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise
up children to Abraham. Even now the axe is lying at the
root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not
bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
I baptize you with* water for
repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming
after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will
baptize you with* the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing-fork
is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing-floor
and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff
he will burn with unquenchable fire.
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