John the Baptizer is the one that Isaiah the prophet F34 was talking about. Isaiah said: "There is a person shouting in the desert: 'Prepare the way for the Lord. Make his paths straight.'" R3
Many Pharisees F37 and Sadducees F38 came to the place where John was baptizing people. When John saw them he said to them: "You are all snakes! Who warned you to run away from God's anger that is coming?
And don't think that you can boast and say to yourselves, 'Abraham F39 is our father.' I tell you that God could make children for Abraham from these rocks here.
"I baptize F41 you with water to show that you changed your hearts and lives. But there is a person coming later that is greater than I am. I am not good enough to take off his shoes for him. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit F42 and with fire.
He will come ready to clean the grain. F43 He will separate the good grain from the straw. He will put the good part of the grain into his barn. And he will burn the part that is not good. He will burn it with a fire that cannot be stopped."