because it is talking about the fire of the Holy Spirit
Keep in mind that you are reading this in. The text doesn't say "He will baptize the saints with the Holy Spirit and the sinners with fire." This would be changing the object of the action in mid sentence, and with no qualifiers, which creates a very unnatural reading.
I know you're attempting to use the surrounding context as your proof, but the internal context of the verse itself argues strongly against it.
Matthew 3:5-12 KJV
5) Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,
6) And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.
7) But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8) Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
9) And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
10) And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
11) I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
12) Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
I'm still thinking the evidence here is with the eternal kingdom and the lake of fire.
John is addressing the Pharisees and Sadducees, who do not have the fruit of repentance. So John is not saying that Jesus will baptize them necessarily in the Holy Spirit, I think he's saying generally to the people, Jesus will do these things, baptize in the Spirit, and baptize in fire.
Are you wheat, or are you chaff? A good tree, or a bad tree? Will you be gathered, or will you be burned?
Much love!
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