⁷ [^LSo; Therefore] To the crowds of people who came to be baptized by John, he said, “You ·are all snakes [^Tbrood/offspring of vipers]! Who warned you to ·run [slither; ^Lflee] away from God’s coming ·punishment [wrath; retribution]? ⁸ ·Do the things [^LProduce the fruit] ·that show you really have changed your hearts and lives [that prove your repentance; ^Lof repentance]. Don’t begin to say to yourselves, ‘Abraham is our father [^Ca claim to be God’s special people, since their ancestor Abraham was chosen and blessed by God; Gen. 12:1–3].’ [^LFor] I tell you that God could ·make [^Lraise up] children for Abraham from these rocks. ⁹ The ax ·is now ready to cut down [^Lalready lies at the root of] the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire [^Ca metaphor for judgment against those who disobey God].”