In those days came John the Baptist preaching in the desert of Judea;

This John it was of whom it was said through Isaiah, the prophet, The voice of one who cries aloud in the desert, "Prepare a way for the Lord, Make the paths straight for him."

This John wore a garment of camel's hair, and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.

But when John saw that many of the Pharisees and Sadducees were coming for baptism, he said: "O brood of vipers! Who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

At that very time Jesus was on his way from Galilee to the Jordan, to John, to be baptized by him.

Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee.

As he went farther on he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them.

At that time the disciples of John came and asked him, "Why are we and the Pharisees always fasting, while your disciples are not?"

These are the names of the apostles (missionaries). First, Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew, his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John, his brother;

But when John heard, in the prison, what the Christ was doing, he sent by some of his disciples to ask him,

"Go and tell John," was Jesus' answer, "what you hear and see;

As these men started to go away, Jesus began to speak to the throngs, about John.

"In solemn truth I tell you that there has not arisen among those born of women a greater than John the Baptist; yet one of the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

"From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by storm.

"For the prophets and the Law prophesied until John;

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

In reply Jesus told them. "An evil and faithless generation seeks a sign, and no sign will be given them except the sign of the prophet Jonah.

"For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the sea-monster's belly, so the Son of man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

"The men of Nineveh will stand up in the Judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented under the preaching of Jonah, and lo! a greater than Jonah is here!

"This man is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead. That is why miraculous powers are working through him."

For Herod had apprehended John, shackled him, and thrust him into prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife,

because John kept telling him, "It is not right for you to have her."

And although he wished to kill John, he feared the people, for they considered John a prophet.

So, prompted by her mother, the girl said, "Give me at once, upon a dish, the head of John the Baptist."

He sent and beheaded John in prison;

Then John's disciples went and removed his body, and came and told Jesus.

A wicked and faithless generation is seeking a sign, but no sign shall be given it but the sign of Jonah." So he left them and went away.

They replied, "Some say 'John the Baptist'; others, however, say that 'He is Elijah'; others, 'Jeremiah,' or 'One of the Prophets.'"

"Blessed are you, Simon, Son of Jonah," said Jesus; "for flesh and blood have not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven!

Six days later Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John, and led them up a high mountain, by themselves apart.

Then the disciples divined that he had been speaking to them about John, the Baptist.

John's baptism, whence was it, from heaven or from man?" So they began debating about it among themselves.

"If we say, 'From heaven,' he will ask us, 'Why then did you not believe him?' But if we say, 'From men,' we are afraid of the crowd, for they all regard John as a prophet."

"For John came to you in the road of righteousness, and you did not give credence to him; but the tax-gatherers and the harlots gave credence to him. But you, although you saw this, did not even then change your minds and give credence to him.

In the desert came John who baptized, and preached a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;

And John was clothed with camel's hair, and he had a leather girdle round his loins, and he ate locusts, and "honey of the wood."

It was at that time that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan;

After John had been thrown into prison Jesus came into Galilee preaching the gospel of God.

As he went a little farther on he saw James, the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in their boat mending the nets.

On leaving the synagogue they went at once with James and John to the house of Simon and Andrew.

Now the disciples of John and the Pharisees were keeping a fast, and people came to ask him, "How is it that the disciples of John and the Pharisees are fasting, but your disciples are not?"

He would not permit any one to go with him, except Peter and James and John, the brother of James.

King Herod heard it, for the name of Jesus had become well known, People were saying, "John the Baptist is risen from the dead, and on that account these powers are working in him."

But when Herod heard, he said, "That John whom I beheaded has come back to life."

Now this Herod had sent and arrested John, and bound him in prison, for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, whom he had married.

For John had often told Herod, "It is not right for you to live with your brother's wife."

but she could not, for Herod was afraid of John because he knew that he was a just and holy man. So he kept him safe. When he listened to John he was much exercised, yet he found pleasure in listening to him.

So she came out and said to her mother, "What shall I ask for?" "The head of John the Baptist," she replied.

So she at once hurried in to the king and made her request, "I want you," she said, "to give me, without delay, the head of John the Baptist on a charger."

And he went and beheaded John in prison, brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the young girl, and she gave it to her mother.

When John's disciples heard of this, they came, and took his body, and laid it in a tomb.

And they told him. "Some say John the Baptist, others, Elijah, and others that you are one of the prophets."

Six days later Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and brought them by themselves up a high mountain apart from the rest.

"Master," said John, "we saw a man casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him because he did not follow us."

Presently there came up to him James and John, the sons of Zebedee, and said, "Teacher, we wish you would do for us whatever we ask you."

When they heard this the ten began to be indignant at James and John, so Jesus called them to him and said:

The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or from men? Answer me!"

On the other hand, if we say, 'From men'!" They were afraid, however, of the people, for every one held that John had been really a prophet.

When he had seated himself on the Mount of Olives, facing the Temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately,

Then he took Peter and James and John with him, and began to be full of terror and distress;

But the Angel said to him. "Do not be afraid, Zachariah, because your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.

when his mother said, "No, he is to be called John."

So he asked for a writing tablet and wrote down, "His name is John."

during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John, the son of Zachariah, in the Desert.

And John went into all the region about the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

So John used to say to the crowd of those who were going out to be baptized by him. "You breed of vipers, who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

And while the people were in expectation, and all men were debating in their hearts about John,

whether perhaps he were the Christ, John answered, saying to all of them. "I indeed am baptizing you in water, but One is coming after me, mightier than I, whose shoe-latchet I am not worthy to unloose. He shall baptize you in the Holy Ghost and in fire.

With many other exhortations then John declared the gospel to the people;

added yet this above them all that he shut up John in prison.

and so were Simon's partners, James and John, sons of Zebedee.) But Jesus answered Simon. "Fear not; from this time on, you will be catching men."

Again they said unto him. "Why do the disciples of John fast frequently, and make supplications, as also do the disciples of the Pharisees, but your disciples are eating and drinking?"

They were Simon, whom he had also called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John;

John's disciples brought him word of all these things

So the men came to Jesus and said, "John the Baptist has sent us to ask you if you are the coming one, or if we are to expect another."

So he answered them. "Go your way, tell John what you have seen and heard. How the blind are seeing, the lame are walking, the lepers are being cleansed, the deaf are hearing, the dead are being raised, and the poor are hearing the proclamations of glad tidings.

When John's messengers were gone he began to speak to the crowds about John, saying, "What went out you out to the desert to behold? A reed shaken by the wind?

"I tell you that among all that are born of women not one is greater than John; yet he that is little in the kingdom of God is greater than he."

On hearing this all the people and the tax-gatherers acknowledged the justice of God by being baptized with the baptism of John;

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

and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many other women, who used to minister to him out of their substance.

So he came to the house, and would not permit anyone to go in with him except Peter and John and James, and the father and Mother of the little girl.

Now Herod, the Tetrarch, heard of all that was happening; and he was perplexed because of its being said by someone that John was risen from the dead;

So Herod said, "I beheaded John, but who is this of whom I am hearing such reports," And he kept seeking to see him.

"John the Baptist," they answered, "But others say Elijah, and others that one of the ancient prophets is risen again."

About eight days after this it happened that Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and went up on the mountain to pray.

"Master," said John, "we saw a man who was casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him, because he was not following us."

And when his disciples, James and John, saw this they said, "Lord, are you willing for us to bid fire come down from heaven and destroy them?" As Elijah did.

It happened he was praying in a certain place, and when he stopped, one of his disciples said to him, "Master, teach us how to pray, just as John taught his disciples."

When the crowd were beginning to throng about him he proceeded to say. "This is an evil generation! It seeks a sign, and there shall be no sign be given to it except the sign of Jonah;

"for as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so shall the Son of man be to this generation.

"The men of the Nineveh shall stand up in the judgment with his generation and shall condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and lo! one greater than Jonah is here!

"Or what king as he goes forth to join battle with another king in war does not sit down first and deliberate whether he can meet with ten thousand men the one who is advancing against him with twenty thousand?

"The Law and the Prophet lasted until John; since then the gospel of the kingdom of God is preached, and any one presses in.

"Was John's baptism from heaven or from man?"

"And if we say, 'From man,' all the people will stone us, for they were persuaded that John was a prophet."

So Jesus went to Peter and John saying, "Go and prepare for us the Passover, that we may eat it."

It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary, the mother of James, and the rest of the women who were telling all this to the apostles.

A man came into being, sent from God, whose name was John.

John bore witness concerning him, and cried aloud, saying, "This is he of whom I said, 'He who is coming after me has been put before me, for he was before me.'"