In those days John the Baptist came into the wilderness of Judea proclaiming,

Now John wore clothing made from camel's hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his diet consisted of locusts and wild honey.

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

But John tried to prevent him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and yet 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.

Now when Jesus heard that John had been imprisoned, he went into Galilee.

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

Then John's disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples don't fast?"

Now these are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (called Peter), and Andrew his brother; James son of Zebedee and John his brother;

Now when John heard in prison about the deeds Christ had done, he sent his disciples to ask a question:

Jesus answered them, "Go tell John what you hear and see:

While they were going away, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

"I tell you the truth, among those born of women, no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he is.

From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and forceful people lay hold of it.

For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John appeared.

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

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

For Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife,

because John had repeatedly told him, "It is not lawful for you to have her."

Although Herod wanted to kill John, he feared the crowd because they accepted John as a prophet.

Instructed by her mother, she said, "Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter."

So he sent and had John beheaded in the prison.

Then John's disciples came and took the body and buried it and went and told Jesus.

They answered, "Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."

Six days later Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John the brother of James, and led them privately up a high mountain.

Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them about John the Baptist.

Where did John's baptism come from? From heaven or from people?" They discussed this among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say, 'Then why did you not believe him?'

But if we say, 'From people,' we fear the crowd, for they all consider John to be a prophet."

For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him. But the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe. Although you saw this, you did not later change your minds and believe him.