¹⁷ I will rescue you^(A) from your own people and from the Gentiles.^(B) I am sending you to them ¹⁸ to open their eyes^(C) and turn them from darkness to light,^(D) and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins^(E) and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’^(F)

¹⁹ “So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient^(G) to the vision from heaven. ²⁰ First to those in Damascus,^(H) then to those in Jerusalem^(I) and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles,^(J) I preached that they should repent^(K) and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds.^(L)

⁸ Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’^(A) For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. ⁹ The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”^(B)

¹⁰ “What should we do then?”^(C) the crowd asked.

¹¹ John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.”^(D)

¹² Even tax collectors came to be baptized.^(E) “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?”

¹³ “Don’t collect any more than you are required to,”^(F) he told them.

¹⁴ Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?”

He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely^(G)—be content with your pay.”