John the Baptist, from calling people in the wilderness to dying in Herod’s prison

John the Baptist was a prophet who preached repentance around the Jordan and testified about Jesus. His father, Zechariah, belonged to the division of Abijah, a group of priests serving in turn at the temple. His mother, Elizabeth, also descended from Aaron. Luke describes them as keeping God’s commands and regulations. They had no children and were advanced in age.

While Zechariah was burning incense in the temple, the angel Gabriel appeared. He said that Elizabeth would bear a son who was to be named John. The child would drink neither wine nor strong drink and would be filled with the Holy Spirit before birth. He would go before the Lord in Elijah’s spirit and power and turn many Israelites back to God.

Zechariah asked how he could know this, since he and his wife were old. The angel said that because he had not believed, he would be unable to speak until the words were fulfilled. People outside wondered at his delay. When he came out, he communicated by gestures. After his service ended, he returned home, and Elizabeth became pregnant.

Around the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, Mary, who was carrying Jesus, visited her. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb. Filled with the Holy Spirit, Elizabeth pronounced Mary and her unborn child blessed.

Elizabeth gave birth to a son, and neighbors and relatives rejoiced with her. On the eighth day, when the child was circumcised, they wanted to name him Zechariah after his father. Elizabeth said he must be called John. Zechariah asked for a writing tablet and wrote that the child’s name was John. His mouth was immediately opened, and he spoke and praised God.

Filled with the Holy Spirit, Zechariah praised God and prophesied about his son’s work. John would be called a prophet of the Most High, go before the Lord to prepare his way, and give the people knowledge of salvation through forgiveness of sins. Luke says that John grew strong in spirit and remained in the wilderness until his public appearance to Israel.

In the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar, God’s word came to John in the wilderness. He preached a baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins around the Jordan. Matthew and Mark describe his camel-hair clothing and leather belt, and his food of locusts and wild honey. People came from Jerusalem, Judea, and the Jordan region, confessed their sins, and were baptized.

John called people to produce fruit worthy of repentance and not rely on Abraham being their ancestor. He warned of judgment through the picture of a fruitless tree cut down and thrown into the fire. The one coming after him would separate wheat from chaff with a winnowing tool, gather the wheat into his barn, and burn the chaff with unquenchable fire.

When the crowds asked what they should do, John told people with two coats to share with those who had none, and people with food to share it too. He told tax collectors to collect no more than they were authorized to collect. Soldiers were to avoid extortion and false accusations and be content with their wages.

People wondered whether John was the Christ. He said that someone mightier was coming: John baptized with water, but that person would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. In John’s Gospel, priests and Levites from Jerusalem asked who he was. He denied being the Christ, Elijah, or the prophet, identifying himself with Isaiah’s voice in the wilderness calling people to make the Lord’s way straight. He also said that someone they did not know stood among them.

Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized. John objected that he needed baptism from Jesus instead. When Jesus told him to permit it for now to fulfill all righteousness, John baptized him. As Jesus came out of the water, heaven opened, the Spirit descended like a dove, and a voice identified him as the beloved Son. In John’s Gospel, John introduces Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. He says he saw the Spirit remain on Jesus and testified that Jesus was the Son of God.

The next day, John stood with two disciples and again called Jesus the Lamb of God as he passed. Both disciples followed Jesus. One was Andrew, who found his brother Simon and announced that they had found the Messiah, or Christ.

John also baptized in Enon near Salim. When his disciples reported people gathering around Jesus, John replied that a person could receive nothing unless it was given from heaven. He repeated that he was not the Christ but had been sent before him. Comparing himself to the bridegroom’s friend rejoicing at his voice, John said his joy was complete. Jesus must increase, and John must decrease.

Herod, the ruler of Galilee, married Herodias, his brother’s wife. John rebuked this and Herod’s other evil deeds, and Herod imprisoned him. Hearing about Jesus’ works in prison, John sent disciples to ask whether Jesus was the one they awaited. Jesus told them to report blind people seeing, those unable to walk walking, people with leprosy being cleansed, deaf people hearing, the dead being raised, and good news reaching the poor.

After John’s disciples left, Jesus spoke to the crowd about him. He asked whether they had gone into the wilderness to see a reed shaken by the wind or a man wearing fine clothes. John was more than a prophet: he was the messenger sent ahead to prepare the way.

At Herod’s birthday banquet, Herodias’s daughter danced, and Herod swore to give her whatever she wanted. She consulted her mother and then requested John’s head. Herod was distressed, but because of his oath and the guests, he did not refuse. He sent a soldier, who beheaded John in prison and brought his head on a platter to the daughter. She gave it to her mother. When John’s disciples heard, they took his body and buried it.