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

⁵ And although he wanted to put him to death, he feared the multitude, ^(A)because they counted him as a prophet.

¹⁵ For he will be ^(A)great in the sight of the Lord, and ^(B)shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, ^(C)even from his mother’s womb. ¹⁶ And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. ^17 (D)He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

¹¹ And they asked Him, saying, “Why do the scribes say ^(A)that Elijah must come first?”

¹² Then He answered and told them, “Indeed, Elijah is coming first and restores all things. And ^(B)how is it written concerning the Son of Man, that He must suffer many things and ^(C)be treated with contempt? ¹³ But I say to you that ^(D)Elijah has also come, and they did to him whatever they wished, as it is written of him.”

²⁴ But Jesus answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things: ²⁵ The ^(A)baptism of ^(B)John—where was it from? From heaven or from men?”

And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ ²⁶ But if we say, ‘From men,’ we ^(C)fear the multitude, ^(D)for all count John as a prophet.”

^12 (A)But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they ^(B)did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise ^(C)the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands.” ^13 (D)Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist.

^13 (A)For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. ¹⁴ And if you are willing to receive it, he is ^(B)Elijah who is to come.