In those days John the Baptist appeared, and kept preaching in the desert of Judea,

This very John had his clothing made of camel's hair, and wore a leather belt around his waist; his food was dried locusts and wild honey.

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

But John tried to prevent Him, by saying, "I have need to be baptized by you, and you come to me!"

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 Jesus heard that John had been arrested, He set out for Galilee.

And as He was going on from that point, He saw two others, brothers, James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, getting their nets in order; and He called them.

Then John's disciples went up to Him, and said, "Why do we and the Pharisees practice fasting, but your disciples do not?"

Here are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, who was named Peter, and his brother Andrew, James the son of Zebedee and his brother John,

Now when John in prison heard of the doings of the Christ, he sent this message by his disciples:

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

But as they were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: "What did you go out into the desert to gaze at? A reed that is tossed to and fro by the wind?

"I solemnly say to you, of all men born of women no one greater than John the Baptist has ever appeared; and yet the one who is least important in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

And from the days of John the Baptist until the present moment the kingdom of heaven has been continuously taken by storm, and those who take it by storm are seizing it as a precious prize.

For up to the days of John all the prophets, and even the law, prophesied about it,

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

For John came neither eating nor drinking with others, and yet they said, 'He has a demon.'

and said to his attendants, "This is John the Baptist. He has risen from the dead, and that is why the powers are at work through him."

For Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him out of the way by putting him in prison, just to please Herodias, his brother Philip's wife,

for John had said to him, "It is not right for you to have her as wife."

And she, prompted by her mother, said, "Give me John the Baptist's head right here on a platter."

And he sent and had John beheaded in prison.

Then John's disciples came and carried off his corpse, and buried him, and went and reported it to Jesus.

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

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

Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them about John the Baptist.

Where did John's baptism come from? From heaven, or from men?" They argued it out among themselves in this way, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say to us, 'Then why did you not believe him?'

But if we say, 'From men,' we are afraid of the people, for they all consider John a prophet."

For John came to you walking in the way of uprightness, and yet you did not believe him. The tax-collectors and prostitutes did believe him, but you, even though you saw that, would not change your minds afterward and believe him.