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And he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins,
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as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight.
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Every valley shall be filled And every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight And the rough ways smooth;
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And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.' "
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Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
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Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.
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And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."
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So the people asked him, saying, "What shall we do then?"
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He answered and said to them, "He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise."
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Then tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, "Teacher, what shall we do?"
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And he said to them, "Collect no more than what is appointed for you."