The Preaching of John the Baptist

Mark 1:7–9; Luke 3:7–9, 16, 17

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, k“Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from lthe wrath to come? 8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, 9 and do not think to say to yourselves, m‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 10 And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. nTherefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 oI indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. pHe will baptize you with the Holy Spirit 1and fire. 12 qHis winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will rburn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”