734 B
734 B
You offspring of vipers, who
Here "offspring" means "those who are like something." Vipers are dangerous snakes and represent evil. Alternate translation: "You evil poisonous snakes! Who" or "You are evil like poisonous snakes! Who"
who warned you to flee from the wrath that is coming?
John rebukes the Pharisees and Sadducees. Alternate translation: "you cannot flee from God's wrath like this." or "do not think that you can flee from God's wrath just because I baptize you."
flee from the wrath that is coming
The word "wrath" is used here to refer to God's punishment because his wrath precedes it. Alternate translation: "run away from the punishment that is coming" or "escape because God is about to punish you"