In those days came John the Baptist preaching in the desert of Judea;

This John it was of whom it was said through Isaiah, the prophet, The voice of one who cries aloud in the desert, "Prepare a way for the Lord, Make the paths straight for him."

This John wore a garment of camel's hair, and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.

But when John saw that many of the Pharisees and Sadducees were coming for baptism, he said: "O brood of vipers! Who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

At that very time Jesus was on his way from Galilee to the Jordan, to John, to be baptized by him.

Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee.

As he went farther on he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them.

At that time the disciples of John came and asked him, "Why are we and the Pharisees always fasting, while your disciples are not?"

These are the names of the apostles (missionaries). First, Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew, his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John, his brother;

But when John heard, in the prison, what the Christ was doing, he sent by some of his disciples to ask him,

"Go and tell John," was Jesus' answer, "what you hear and see;

As these men started to go away, Jesus began to speak to the throngs, about John.

"In solemn truth I tell you that there has not arisen among those born of women a greater than John the Baptist; yet one of the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

"From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by storm.

"For the prophets and the Law prophesied until John;

"For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they said, 'He has a demon';

In reply Jesus told them. "An evil and faithless generation seeks a sign, and no sign will be given them except the sign of the prophet Jonah.

"For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the sea-monster's belly, so the Son of man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

"The men of Nineveh will stand up in the Judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented under the preaching of Jonah, and lo! a greater than Jonah is here!

"This man is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead. That is why miraculous powers are working through him."

For Herod had apprehended John, shackled him, and thrust him into prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife,

because John kept telling him, "It is not right for you to have her."

And although he wished to kill John, he feared the people, for they considered John a prophet.

So, prompted by her mother, the girl said, "Give me at once, upon a dish, the head of John the Baptist."

He sent and beheaded John in prison;

Then John's disciples went and removed his body, and came and told Jesus.

A wicked and faithless generation is seeking a sign, but no sign shall be given it but the sign of Jonah." So he left them and went away.

They replied, "Some say 'John the Baptist'; others, however, say that 'He is Elijah'; others, 'Jeremiah,' or 'One of the Prophets.'"

"Blessed are you, Simon, Son of Jonah," said Jesus; "for flesh and blood have not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven!

Six days later Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John, and led them up a high mountain, by themselves apart.

Then the disciples divined that he had been speaking to them about John, the Baptist.

John's baptism, whence was it, from heaven or from man?" So they began debating about it among themselves.

"If we say, 'From heaven,' he will ask us, 'Why then did you not believe him?' But if we say, 'From men,' we are afraid of the crowd, for they all regard John as a prophet."

"For John came to you in the road of righteousness, and you did not give credence to him; but the tax-gatherers and the harlots gave credence to him. But you, although you saw this, did not even then change your minds and give credence to him.