The Preaching of John the Baptist

Now in those days John the Baptist *came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying,

Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has been treated violently, and violent men take it by force.

John the Baptist Beheaded

At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the news about Jesus,

and said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist; he himself has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”

And after being prompted by her mother, she *said, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.”

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

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

Preaching of John the Baptist

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God,

John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

John’s Fate Recalled

And King Herod heard about it, for His name had become well known; and people were saying, “John the Baptist has risen from the dead, and that is why these miraculous powers are at work in Him.”

And she went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.”

Immediately she came in a hurry to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”

They told Him, saying, “John the Baptist; and others say Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.”

John the Baptist’s Birth Foretold

In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah; and he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.

John the Baptist Is Born

Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son.

John the Baptist Preaches

Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee and his brother Philip was tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene,

When the men came to Him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, to ask, ‘Are You the Coming One, or are we to look for another?’”

For John the Baptist has come neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon!’

They answered and said, “John the Baptist, and others say Elijah; but others, that one of the prophets of old has risen.”

The Witness John the Baptist

A man came, one sent from God, and his name was John.

The Testimony of John the Baptist

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

John the Baptist’s Last Testimony

After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea; and there He was spending time with them and baptizing.

Testimony of John the Baptist

You have sent messengers to John, and he has testified to the truth.