Fruit Worthy of Repentance

John Prepares the Way · Luke 3

Story guide: John refuses inherited status as a substitute for change; the crowds, tax collectors, and soldiers receive concrete directions toward generosity, honesty, and restraint.

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7So he was saying to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “Offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?”

8Therefore produce fruits worthy of reorientation toward God, and do not begin to say among yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones.

9And already the ax is laid at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree not producing good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

10And the crowds were asking him, saying, “What then should we do?”

11And answering, he said to them, “The one who has two tunics must share with the one who has none, and the one who has food must do likewise.”

12Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they said to him, “Teacher, what should we do?”

13And he said to them, “Collect no more than what has been ordered for you.”

14And soldiers also were asking him, saying, “What should we also do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone, nor accuse anyone falsely, and be content with your wages.”

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