The Daily Audio Bible

John Says To Produce Fruit Worthy of Repentance, Because The Chaff Will Be Burned

⁷ But having seen many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to^[a] his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers— who showed^[b] you to flee from the coming wrath? ⁸ Therefore produce fruit worthy of repentance. ⁹ And do not think that you may say within^[c] yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father’. For I say to you that God is able to raise-up children for Abraham from these stones! ¹⁰ And the axe is already lying^[d] at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree not producing good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ¹¹ I am baptizing you with^[e] water for repentance, but the One coming after me is more powerful than me, of Whom I am not fit to carry the sandals. He will baptize you with^[f] the Holy Spirit and fire^[g]— ¹² Whose winnowing-tool is in His hand, and He will cleanse-out His threshing floor and gather His wheat into the barn. But He will burn up the chaff with an inextinguishable fire”.

When Jesus Is Baptized, The Spirit Descends Upon Him And His Father Expresses His Pleasure

¹³ Then Jesus comes from Galilee to the Jordan to John that He might be baptized by him. ¹⁴ But John was preventing Him, saying, “I have a need to be baptized by You, and You are coming to me?” ¹⁵ But having responded, Jesus said to him, “Permit it at this time. For it is fitting^[h] for us to fulfill all righteousness in this manner”. Then he permits Him. ¹⁶ And having been baptized, Jesus immediately ascended^[i] from^[j] the water. And behold— the heavens were opened to Him, and he^[k] saw the Spirit of God descending as-if ^[l] a dove, and coming upon Him. ¹⁷ And behold— a voice from the heavens saying, “This is My beloved Son with Whom I was^[m] well-pleased”.

Satan Tempts The Son of God To Act Contrary To His Father’s Will

4 Then Jesus was led-up into the wilderness by the Spirit to be tempted by the devil. ² And having fasted for forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. ³ And having come to Him, the one tempting said to Him, “If You are^[n] God’s Son, say that these stones should become loaves-of-bread”. ⁴ But the One, having responded, said, “It has been written [in Deut 8:3]: ‘Mankind^[o] shall live not on bread alone, but on every word proceeding-out through the mouth of God’” ⁵ Then the devil takes Him into the holy city. And he stood Him on the pinnacle of the temple. ⁶ And he says to Him, “If You are God’s Son, throw Yourself down. For it has been written: ‘Because^[p] He will command His angels concerning You, and they will lift You up on their hands that You may not ever strike Your foot against a stone’” [Ps 91:11-12]. ⁷ Jesus said to him, “Again^[q], it has been written: ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test’” [Deut 6:16]. ⁸ Again, the devil takes Him to a very high mountain and shows Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. ⁹ And he said to Him, “I will give all these things to You if, having fallen-down, You give-worship to me”. ¹⁰ Then Jesus says to him, “Go-away, Satan! For it has been written: ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only’” [Deut 6:13]. ¹¹ Then the devil leaves Him. And behold— angels came to Him and were ministering to Him.