But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your petition has been heard: and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call his name John.

His mother, however, said, "No, he is to be called John."

So he asked for a writing-tablet, and wrote, "His name is John." And they all wondered.

during the High-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, a message from God came to John, the son of Zechariah, in the Desert.

John went into all the district about the Jordan proclaiming a baptism of the penitent for the forgiveness of sins;

Accordingly John used to say to the crowds who came out to be baptized by him, "O vipers' brood, who has warned you to flee from the coming wrath?

And while the people were in suspense and all were debating in their minds whether John might possibly be the Anointed One,

now added this to crown all the rest, that he threw John into prison.

and so were Simon's partners James and John, the sons of Zabdi.)

Again they said to Him, "John's disciples fast often and pray, as do also those of the pharisees; but yours eat and drink."

These were Simon, to whom also He had given the name of Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew;

John's disciples brought him an account of all these things;

so John called two of his disciples and sent them to the Lord. "Are you the Coming One?" he asked, "or is there another that we are to expect?"

The men came to Jesus and said, "John the Baptist has sent us to you with this question: 'Are you the Coming One, or is there another that we are to expect?'"

Then He answered the messengers, "Go and report to John what you have seen and heard. Blind men receive sight, the lame walk, lepers are purified, deaf persons hear, the dead are raised to life, the poor have the Good News proclaimed to them.

When John's messengers were gone, He 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?

John is the man about whom it is written, 'See, I am sending My messenger before thy face, and he shall make ready thy way before thee.'

"I tell you that among all of women born there is not one greater than John. Yet one who is of lower rank in the Kingdom of God is greater than he.

And all the people, including the tax-gatherers, when they listened to him upheld the righteousness of God, by being baptized with John's baptism.

For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, 'He has a demon!'

So He came to the house, but allowed no one to go in with Him but Peter and John and James and the girl's father and mother.

Now Herod the Tetrarch heard of all that was going on; and he was bewildered because of its being said by some that John had come back to life,

And Herod said, "John I have beheaded; but who is this, of whom I hear such reports?" And he sought for an opportunity of seeing Jesus.

"John the Baptist," they replied; "but others say Elijah; and others that some one of the ancient Prophets has come back to life."

It was about eight days after this that Jesus, taking with Him Peter, John, and James, went up the mountain to pray.

"Rabbi," replied John, "we have seen a man making use of your name to expel demons; and we forbad him, because he does not come with us."

When the disciples James and John saw this, they said, "Master, do you wish us to order fire to come down from Heaven and consume them?"

At one place where He was praying, when He rose from His knees one of His disciples said to Him, "Master, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples."

The Law and the Prophets continued until John came: from that time the Good News of the Kingdom of God has been spreading, and all classes have been forcing their way into it.

"was John's baptism of Heavenly or of human origin?"

And if we say, 'human,' the people will all stone us; for they are thoroughly convinced that John was a Prophet."

Jesus sent Peter and John with instructions. "Go," He said, "and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat it."