Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene,

Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.

Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.

For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.

But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod.

And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger.

And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.

And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus.

And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.

And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.

But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.

Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.

The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?

And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.

John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

But when Herod heard thereof, he said, It is John, whom I beheaded: he is risen from the dead.

For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife.

For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.

And when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat with him, the king said unto the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee.

And she went forth, and said unto her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, The head of John the Baptist.

And the king was exceeding sorry; yet for his oath's sake, and for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her.

And brought his head in a charger, and gave it to the damsel: and the damsel gave it to her mother.

But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.

For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.

And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, 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.

Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.

As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?

Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do?

And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.

John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:

And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people.

Added yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.

For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?

And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.

He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.

And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?

He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.

The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.

And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.

Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;

John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.

He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.

He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.

He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.

The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.

Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.

When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.

And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not he. But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose.

And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.

Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.

The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.

And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, 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.

And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?

And now, behold, the LORD hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the LORD spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old.

In the wilderness, Betharabah, Middin, and Secacah,

And Nibshan, and the city of Salt, and Engedi; six cities with their villages.

And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak unto the people concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness for to see? A reed shaken with the wind?