Weekly Bible Verses: Luke 3: 7-18: Filled with Expectation

⁷John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, 

“You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath 

to come? ⁸Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin 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. ⁹Even now the ax 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.” ¹⁰And the crowds asked 

him, “What then should we do?” ¹¹In reply he said to them, 

“Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has 

none; and whoever has food must do likewise.” ¹²Even 

tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, 

“Teacher, what should we do?” ¹³He said to them, “Collect 

no more than the amount prescribed for you.” ¹⁴Soldiers also 

asked him, “And we, what should we do?” He said to them, 

“Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false 

accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.”

¹⁵As the people were filled with expectation, and all were 

questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he 

might be the Messiah,¹⁶John answered all of them by saying, 

“I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful 

than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his 

sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 

¹⁷His 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.” ¹⁸So, with many
other exhortations, he proclaimed the good
news to the people.