The Testimony of John the Baptist

¹⁹ And this is the ^(A)testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ^(B)“Who are you?” ^20 (C)He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” ²¹ And they asked him, “What then? ^(D)Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you ^(E)the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” ²² So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” ²³ He said, “I am ^(F)the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight^[a] the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”

Comfort for God's People

Persecution Will Come

^16 (A)“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be ^(B)wise as serpents and ^(C)innocent as doves. ¹⁷ Beware of men, for ^(D)they will deliver you over to courts and flog you ^(E)in their synagogues, ^18 (F)and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, ^(G)to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. ^19 (H)When ^(I)they deliver you over, ^(J)do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for ^(K)what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. ^20 (L)For it is not you who speak, but ^(M)the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. ^21 (N)Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, ^22 (O)and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. ^(P)But the one who endures to the end will be saved. ²³ When they ^(Q)persecute you in one town, ^(R)flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel ^(S)before the Son of Man comes.

^24 (T)“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant^[a] above his master. ²⁵ It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. ^(U)If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign^[b] those of his household.