In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Wilderness of Judea

John himself had a camel-hair garment with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.

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

But John tried to stop Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and yet You come to me?”

When He heard that John had been arrested, He withdrew into Galilee.

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

Then John’s disciples came to Him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?”

These are the names of the 12 apostles:

First, Simon, who is called Peter,
and Andrew his brother;
James the son of Zebedee,
and John his brother;

When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent a message by his disciples

Jesus replied to them, “Go and report to John what you hear and see:

As these men went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the wind?

“I assure you: Among those born of women no one greater than John the Baptist has appeared, but the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been suffering violence, and the violent have been seizing it by force.

For all the prophets and the Law prophesied until John;

For John did not come eating or drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’

But He answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation demands a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.

For as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.

The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at Jonah’s proclamation; and look—something greater than Jonah is here!

“This is John the Baptist!” he told his servants. “He has been raised from the dead, and that’s why supernatural powers are at work in him.”

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

since John had been telling him, “It’s not lawful for you to have her!”

And prompted by her mother, she answered, “Give me John the Baptist’s head here on a platter!”

So he sent orders and had John beheaded in the prison.

An evil and adulterous generation demands a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” Then He left them and went away.

And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

And Jesus responded, “Simon son of Jonah, you are blessed because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father in heaven.

After six days Jesus took Peter, 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 began to argue among themselves, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’

But if we say, ‘From men,’ we’re afraid of the crowd, because everyone thought John was a prophet.”

For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you didn’t believe him. Tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him, but you, when you saw it, didn’t even change your minds then and believe him.

John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

John wore a camel-hair garment with a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey.

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John.

After John was arrested, Jesus went to Galilee, preaching the good news of God:

Going on a little farther, He saw James the son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in their boat mending their nets.

As soon as they left the synagogue, they went into Simon and Andrew’s house with James and John.

Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. People came and asked Him, “Why do John’s disciples and the Pharisees’ disciples fast, but Your disciples do not fast?”

and to James the son of Zebedee,
and to his brother John,
He gave the name “Boanerges”
(that is, “Sons of Thunder”);

He did not let anyone accompany Him except Peter, James, and John, James’s brother.

King Herod heard of this, because Jesus’ name had become well known. Some said, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that’s why supernatural powers are at work in him.”

When Herod heard of it, he said, “John, the one I beheaded, has been raised!”

For Herod himself had given orders to arrest John and to chain him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married.

John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife!”

because Herod was in awe of John and was protecting him, knowing he was a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard him he would be very disturbed, yet would hear him gladly.

Then she went out and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?”

“John the Baptist’s head!” she said.

Immediately she hurried to the king and said, “I want you to give me John the Baptist’s head on a platter—right now!”

The king immediately sent for an executioner and commanded him to bring John’s head. So he went and beheaded him in prison,

They answered Him, “John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, one of the prophets.”

After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up on a high mountain by themselves to be alone. He was transformed in front of them,

John said to Him, “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in Your name, and we tried to stop him because he wasn’t following us.”

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, approached Him and said, “Teacher, we want You to do something for us if we ask You.”

When the other 10 disciples heard this, they began to be indignant with James and John.

Was John’s baptism from heaven or from men? Answer Me.”

But if we say, ‘From men’”—they were afraid of the crowd, because everyone thought that John was a genuine prophet.

While He was sitting on the Mount of Olives across from the temple complex, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him privately,

He took Peter, James, and John with Him, and He began to be deeply distressed and horrified.

But the angel said to him:

Do not be afraid, Zechariah,
because your prayer has been heard.
Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son,
and you will name him John.

But his mother responded, “No! He will be called John.”

He asked for a writing tablet and wrote:

HIS NAME IS JOHN.

And they were all amazed.

during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, God’s word came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness.

Now the people were waiting expectantly, and all of them were debating in their minds whether John might be the Messiah.

John answered them all, “I baptize you with water, but One is coming who is more powerful than I. I am not worthy to untie the strap of His sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

added this to everything else—he locked John up in prison.

son of Matthat, son of Levi,
son of Melchi, son of Jannai,
son of Joseph,

and so were James and John, Zebedee’s sons, who were Simon’s partners.

“Don’t be afraid,” Jesus told Simon. “From now on you will be catching people!”

Then they said to Him, “John’s disciples fast often and say prayers, and those of the Pharisees do the same, but Yours eat and drink.”

Simon, whom He also named Peter,
and Andrew his brother;
James and John;
Philip and Bartholomew;

Then John’s disciples told him about all these things. So John summoned two of his disciples

When the men reached Him, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to ask You, ‘Are You the One who is to come, or should we look for someone else?’”

He replied to them, “Go and report to John the things you have seen and heard: The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, those with skin diseases are healed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor are told the good news.

After John’s messengers left, He began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the wind?

I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater than John, but the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

(And when all the people, including the tax collectors, heard this, they acknowledged God’s way of righteousness, because they had been baptized with John’s baptism.

For John the Baptist did not come eating bread or drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon!’

Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward; Susanna; and many others who were supporting them from their possessions.

After He came to the house, He let no one enter with Him except Peter, John, James, and the child’s father and mother.

Herod the tetrarch heard about everything that was going on. He was perplexed, because some said that John had been raised from the dead,

“I beheaded John,” Herod said, “but who is this I hear such things about?” And he wanted to see Him.

They answered, “John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, that one of the ancient prophets has come back.”

About eight days after these words, He took along Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to pray.

John responded, “Master, we saw someone driving out demons in Your name, and we tried to stop him because he does not follow us.”

When the disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?”

He was praying in a certain place, and when He finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John also taught his disciples.”

As the crowds were increasing, He began saying: “This generation is an evil generation. It demands a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.

For just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation.

The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at Jonah’s proclamation, and look—something greater than Jonah is here!

“The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then, the good news of the kingdom of God has been proclaimed, and everyone is strongly urged to enter it.

was the baptism of John from heaven or from men?”

But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, because they are convinced that John was a prophet.”

Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover meal for us, so we can eat it.”

Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them were telling the apostles these things.

There was a man named John
who was sent from God.

(John testified concerning Him and exclaimed,
“This was the One of whom I said,
‘The One coming after me has surpassed me,
because He existed before me.’”)

This is John’s testimony when the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him, “Who are you?”

“I baptize with water,” John answered them. “Someone stands among you, but you don’t know Him.

All this happened in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Here is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

And John testified, “I watched the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He rested on Him.

Again the next day, John was standing with two of his disciples.