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 was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist, and his diet was locusts and wild honey.

The Baptism of Jesus

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

Jesus Preaches in Galilee

Now after John was taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God,

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

Crowds Healed

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

John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting; and they *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 them He gave the name Boanerges, which means, “Sons of Thunder”);

And He allowed no one to accompany Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James.

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.”

But when Herod heard about it, he kept saying, “John, whom I beheaded, has risen!”

For Herod himself had sent men and had John arrested and bound in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, 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 was afraid of John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he had been protecting him. And when he heard him, he was very perplexed; and yet he used to enjoy listening to 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.”

And six days later Jesus *took with Him Peter, James, and John, and *brought them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them;

Dire Warnings

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

James and John, the two sons of Zebedee, *came up to Jesus, saying to Him, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask of You.”

Hearing this, the other ten began to feel indignant with James and John.

Was the baptism of John from heaven, or from men? Answer Me.”

But should we say, ‘From men’?”—they were afraid of the people, for they all considered John to have been a real prophet.

As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew were questioning Him privately,