3. This is he who was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: "A voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.'"
7. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
8. Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.
9. And do not think you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.
10. The ax is at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
11. "I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
12. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire."
14. But John tried to deter him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?"
<“I am the one who needs to be baptized by you,” he said, “so why are you coming to me?” - NLT>
15. Jesus replied, "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness ." Then John consented.
16. As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lightning on him.
17. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."
** deterrent / deterrence / detergent
