About this time John the Baptist made his appearance, preaching in the Desert of Judaea.

This man John wore a garment of camel's hair, and a loincloth of leather; and he lived upon locusts and wild honey.

Just at that time Jesus, coming from Galilee to the Jordan, presents Himself to John to be baptized by him.

John protested. "It is I," he said, "who have need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?"

Now when Jesus heard that John was thrown into prison, He withdrew into Galilee,

He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zabdi and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zabdi mending their nets; and He called them.

At that time John's disciples came and asked Jesus, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not?"

Now the names of the twelve Apostles were these: first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James the son of Zabdi, and his brother John;

Now John had heard in prison about the Christ's doings, and he sent some of his disciples to inquire:

"Go and report to John what you see and hear," replied Jesus;

When the messengers had taken their leave, Jesus proceeded to say to the multitude concerning John, "What did you go out into the Desert to gaze at? A reed waving in the wind?

"I solemnly tell you that among all of woman born no greater has ever been raised up than John the Baptist; yet one who is of lower rank in the Kingdom of the Heavens is greater than he.

But from the time of John the Baptist till now, the Kingdom of the Heavens has been suffering violent assault, and the violent have been seizing it by force.

For all the Prophets and the Law taught until John.

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

and he said to his courtiers, "This is John the Baptist: he has come back to life--and that is why these miraculous Powers are working in him."

For Herod had arrested John, and had put him in chains, and imprisoned him, for the sake of Herodias his brother Philip's wife,

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

And he would have liked to put him to death, but was afraid of the people, because they regarded John as a Prophet.

So she, instigated by her mother, said, "Give me here on a dish the head of John the Baptist."

and he sent and beheaded John in the prison.

Then John's disciples went and removed the body and buried it, and came and informed Jesus.

"Some say John the Baptist," they replied; "others Elijah; others Jeremiah or one of the Prophets."

Six day later, Jesus took with Him Peter and the brothers James and John, and brought them up a high mountain to a solitary place.

Then it dawned upon the disciples that it was John the Baptist about whom He had spoken to them.

John's Baptism, whence was it? --had it a heavenly or a human origin?" So they debated the matter among themselves. "If we say 'a heavenly origin,'" they argued, "he will say, 'Why then did you not believe him?'

and if we say 'a human origin' we have the people to fear, for they all hold John to have been a Prophet."

For John came to you observing all sorts of ritual, and you put no faith in him: the tax-gatherers and the notorious sinners did put faith in him, and you, though you saw this example set you, were not even afterwards sorry so as to believe him.