Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. The test of genuine repentance is not the performance of the baptism ritual but the fruit that follows. John is already anticipating Jesus' teaching in Matthew 7:15–20 where false prophets are known by their fruits, and Matthew 21:43 where the kingdom will be given to people producing its fruits. Repentance that produces no change in conduct is not repentance but religious performance. Isaiah 1:16–17 makes the same demand: cease to do evil, learn to do good, seek justice — the prophetic tradition consistently grounds religious acts in their ethical consequences. John is saying: do not come to my baptism unless you are prepared for your life to actually change.

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