John the Baptist Prepares the Way

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

John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey.

The Baptism of Jesus

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

Jesus Begins His Ministry

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God,

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

Jesus Heals Many

And immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.

A Question About Fasting

Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to him, “Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?”

James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder);

And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James.

The Death of John the Baptist

King Herod heard of it, for Jesus' name had become known. Some said, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead. That is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.”

But when Herod heard of it, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.”

For it was Herod who had sent and seized John and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, because he had married her.

For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife.”

for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he heard him gladly.

And she went out and said to her mother, “For what should I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.”

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

And immediately the king sent an executioner with orders to bring John's head. He went and beheaded him in the prison

And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.”

The Transfiguration

And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them,

Anyone Not Against Us Is for Us

John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.”

The Request of James and John

And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.”

And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John.

Was the baptism of John from heaven or from man? Answer me.”

But shall we say, ‘From man’?”—they were afraid of the people, for they all held that John really was a prophet.