⁹ Then what did you go out to see? A prophet?^(A) Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.

⁵ Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered John a prophet.^(A)

¹⁵ for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink,^(A) and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit^(B) even before he is born.^{(C) 16} He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. ¹⁷ And he will go on before the Lord,^(D) in the spirit and power of Elijah,^(E) to turn the hearts of the parents to their children^(F) and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”^(G)

¹¹ And they asked him, “Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”

¹² Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah does come first, and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man^(A) must suffer much^(B) and be rejected?^{(C) 13} But I tell you, Elijah has come,^(D) and they have done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about him.”

²⁴ Jesus replied, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. ²⁵ John’s baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?”

They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ ²⁶ But if we say, ‘Of human origin’—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.”^(A)

¹² But I tell you, Elijah has already come,^(A) and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished.^(B) In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer^(C) at their hands.” ¹³ Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.^(D)

¹³ For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John.^{(A) 14} And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come.^(B)