Now in those days John the Baptist came preaching in the Judean wilderness

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."

Now John himself had his clothing made from camel's hair and a belt made of leather around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.

But when John saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he told them, "You children of serpents! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John in order to be baptized by him.

But John tried to prevent him, saying, "{I need} to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?"

So Jesus replied to him, "Let it happen now, for it is right for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then John yielded to him.

And as soon as Jesus was baptized, He at once went up out of the water, and look! the heavens opened, and John saw the Spirit of God coming down like a dove upon Him,

Now [when he] heard that John {had been arrested}, he withdrew into Galilee.

And going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James the [son] of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them.

Then the disciples of John approached him, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?"

Now these are the names of the twelve apostles: first Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, James the [son] of Zebedee, and John his brother,

James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas, and Matthew the publican, James the son of Alpheus, and Labbeus, whose sirname was Thaddeus, Simon the zelot,

But whoever disowns me in front of people [i.e., denies that I am the Christ, or that he is a disciple. See John 18:15-17, 25-27], I will disown him in front of my Father in heaven.

Now [when] John heard in prison the deeds of Christ, he sent [word] by his disciples

And Jesus answered [and] said to them, "Go [and] tell John what you hear and see:

Now [as] these were going away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

Truly I say to you, among [those] born of women there has not arisen [one] greater than John the Baptist. But the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

But from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven is treated violently, and the violent claim it.

For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John,

and if you are willing to accept it, John himself is the Elijah who was to come.

For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon!'

At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the fame of Jesus, And said to his servants, This is John the Baptist:

and he said to his servants, "This is John the Baptist! He has been raised from the dead, and for this [reason] miraculous powers are at work in him."

For Herod, [after] arresting John, bound him and put [him] in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip,

because John had been saying to him, "It is not permitted for you to have her."

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

And coached by her mother, she said, "Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter!"

Now King Herod became very distressed [over such a gruesome request]; but because he had [promised with] oaths and [to look good in front of] his party guests, he ordered John's head to be given [to her].

And he sent [orders] [and] had John beheaded in the prison,

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

Now when Jesus heard about John, He withdrew from there in a boat to a secluded place by Himself; and when the people heard of this, they followed Him on foot from the cities.

And they replied, "But we have here [only] five loaves of [barley] bread [See John 6:9] and two [probably smoked] fish."

And they said, {Some} [say] John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."

And after six days Jesus took along Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves.

Then the disciples understood that he had spoken to them about John the Baptist.

Then the mother of Zebedee's sons [i.e., James and John] came to Jesus with her sons and, bowing down in reverence before Him, made a request of Him.

But Jesus replied to her, "You [really] do not know what you are asking for. Are you able to drink the cup [i.e., of suffering] that I am about to drink?" They [i.e., James, John and their mother. See Mark 10:35ff] answered, "[Yes] we are able to."

He then left them and went out of the city [of Jerusalem] to Bethany [Note: This was a small village near Bethphage] and stayed there [i.e., probably at the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus. See John 11:1].

The immersion of John, whence was it? from heaven, or from men? But they reasoned among themselves, and said, If we reply, From heaven, he will say to us, Why then did you not believe him?

But if we reply, From men, we fear the multitude; for all regard John as a prophet.

So, they answered Jesus, "We do not know [where John got the authority for his immersion]." Jesus then replied to them, "[Then] neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things [i.e., miracles and teaching].

For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you believed him not. But the publicans and the harlots believed him. And you, when you had seen it, after ward felt no regret, that you might believe him.

He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee [i.e., James and John] with Him, and [soon] began to be grieved and very distressed.

Just then, one of those who were with Jesus [i.e., Peter. See John 18:10], reached out with his sword and struck the head priest's servant [with it], shearing off his ear.

But Peter followed Him from a distance [as they were going] to the courtyard of the head priest. He went inside [i.e., eventually. See John 18:15-16] and sat down with the [Jewish] officers to see how things would turn out [i.e., with Jesus' trial].

Among them were Mary from Magdala; Mary, the mother of James and Joseph [i.e., probably the wife of Clopas. See John 19:25]; and the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee [i.e., Salome. Mark 15:40].

And when they met Him [there], they [knelt down] to worship Him; but some [still] had doubts [i.e., about His resurrection. See John 20:25].