King James Bible
"And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire."
John the Baptist warns of imminent judgment, using the vivid image of an axe already positioned at the tree's base—not merely threatened but ready to strike. The 'now' emphasizes urgency, indicating God's judgment is no longer distant but has arrived with the coming kingdom. The metaphor shifts to evaluation criteria: trees represent people, and fruit symbolizes righteous deeds flowing from genuine repentance. John challenges his Jewish audience who relied on Abraham's lineage, insisting that heritage without moral transformation is worthless. The consequence is total destruction—cut down and burned, leaving nothing. This echoes prophetic judgment language and anticipates Jesus' teachings about final judgment, emphasizing that God's patience has limits and unrepentant lives face eternal separation.