4 As the prophet Isaiah wrote in his book,“A voice cries out in the desert:‘Prepare the way for the Lord!Make his paths straight!
5 Every valley will be filled.Every mountain and hill will be leveled.The crooked ways will be made straight.The rough roads will be made smooth.
6 All people will see the salvation that God gives.’ ”
7 Crowds of people were coming to be baptized by John. He would say to them, “You poisonous snakes! Who showed you how to flee from God’s coming anger?
8 Do those things that prove that you have turned to God and have changed the way you think and act. Don’t say, ‘Abraham is our ancestor.’ I guarantee that God can raise up descendants for Abraham from these stones.
9 The ax is now ready to cut the roots of the trees. Any tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into a fire.”
10 The crowds asked him, “What should we do?”