John the Baptist

הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי שֹׁלֵחַ לָכֶם אֵת אֵלִיָּה הַנָּבִיא לִפְנֵי בּוֹא יוֹם יְהוָה הַגָּדוֹל וְהַנּוֹרָא׃

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming Of the great and terrible day of the LORD.

As these went their way, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

But what did you go out to see? A man in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses.

But why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet.

For this is he, of whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’

Most certainly I tell you, amongst those who are born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptiser; yet he who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he.

From the days of John the Baptiser until now, the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.

For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.

If you are willing to receive it, this is Elijah, who is to come.

He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

At that time, Herod the tetrarch heard the report concerning Jesus,

and said to his servants, “This is John the Baptiser. He is risen from the dead. That is why these powers work in him.”

For Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife.

For John said to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”

When he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.

But when Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced amongst them and pleased Herod.

Therefore he promised with an oath to give her whatever she should ask.

She, being prompted by her mother, said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptiser.”

The king was grieved, but for the sake of his oaths and of those who sat at the table with him, he commanded it to be given,

and he sent and beheaded John in the prison.

As it is written in the prophets, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you:

the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord! Make his paths straight!’”

John came baptising in the wilderness and preaching the baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins.

All the country of Judea and all those of Jerusalem went out to him. They were baptised by him in the Jordan river, confessing their sins.

John was clothed with camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey.

He preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and loosen.

I baptised you in water, but he will baptise you in the Holy Spirit.”

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

Immediately coming up from the water, he saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.

A voice came out of the sky, “You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

King Herod heard this, for his name had become known, and he said, “John the Baptiser has risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him.”

But others said, “He is Elijah.” Others said, “He is a prophet, or like one of the prophets.”

But Herod, when he heard this, said, “This is John, whom I beheaded. He has risen from the dead.”

For Herod himself had sent out and arrested John and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, for he had married her.

For John had said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”

Herodias set herself against him and desired to kill him, but she couldn’t,

for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and kept him safe. When he heard him, he did many things, and he heard him gladly.

Then a convenient day came when Herod on his birthday made a supper for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee.

When the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced, she pleased Herod and those sitting with him. The king said to the young lady, “Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you.”

He swore to her, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.”

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

during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness.

He came into all the region around the Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for remission of sins.

As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord. Make his paths straight.

Every valley will be filled. Every mountain and hill will be brought low. The crooked will become straight, and the rough ways smooth.

All flesh will see God’s salvation.’”

He said therefore to the multitudes who went out to be baptised by him, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

Therefore produce fruits worthy of repentance, and don’t begin to say amongst yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father;’ for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones!

Even now the axe also lies at the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

The multitudes asked him, “What then must we do?”

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

The same came as a witness, that he might testify about the light, that all might believe through him.

He was not the light, but was sent that he might testify about the light.

The true light that enlightens everyone was coming into the world.

He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world didn’t recognise him.

He came to his own, and those who were his own didn’t receive him.

But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become God’s children, to those who believe in his name:

who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

The Word became flesh and lived amongst us. We saw his glory, such glory as of the only born Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.

John testified about him. He cried out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me, for he was before me.’”

يَٰيَحْيَىٰ خُذِ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ بِقُوَّةٍۢ ۖ وَءَاتَيْنَٰهُ ٱلْحُكْمَ صَبِيًّۭا

(And it was said unto his son): O John! Hold fast the Scripture. And we gave him wisdom when a child,

وَحَنَانًۭا مِّن لَّدُنَّا وَزَكَوٰةًۭ ۖ وَكَانَ تَقِيًّۭا

And compassion from Our presence, and purity; and he was devout,

وَبَرًّۢا بِوَٰلِدَيْهِ وَلَمْ يَكُن جَبَّارًا عَصِيًّۭا

And dutiful toward his parents. And he was not arrogant, rebellious.

وَسَلَٰمٌ عَلَيْهِ يَوْمَ وُلِدَ وَيَوْمَ يَمُوتُ وَيَوْمَ يُبْعَثُ حَيًّۭا

Peace on him the day he was born, and the day he dieth and the day he shall be raised alive!

فَنَادَتْهُ ٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ وَهُوَ قَآئِمٌۭ يُصَلِّى فِى ٱلْمِحْرَابِ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُبَشِّرُكَ بِيَحْيَىٰ مُصَدِّقًۢا بِكَلِمَةٍۢ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَسَيِّدًۭا وَحَصُورًۭا وَنَبِيًّۭا مِّنَ ٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ

And the angels called to him as he stood praying in the sanctuary: Allah giveth thee glad tidings of (a son whose name is) John, (who cometh) to confirm a word from Allah lordly, chaste, a prophet of the righteous.

وَزَكَرِيَّا وَيَحْيَىٰ وَعِيسَىٰ وَإِلْيَاسَ ۖ كُلٌّۭ مِّنَ ٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ

And Zachariah and John and Jesus and Elias. Each one (of them) was of the righteous.

يَٰزَكَرِيَّآ إِنَّا نُبَشِّرُكَ بِغُلَٰمٍ ٱسْمُهُۥ يَحْيَىٰ لَمْ نَجْعَل لَّهُۥ مِن قَبْلُ سَمِيًّۭا

(It was said unto him): O Zachariah! Lo! We bring thee tidings of a son whose name is John; we have given the same name to none before (him).

فَٱسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُۥ وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُۥ يَحْيَىٰ وَأَصْلَحْنَا لَهُۥ زَوْجَهُۥٓ ۚ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ يُسَٰرِعُونَ فِى ٱلْخَيْرَٰتِ وَيَدْعُونَنَا رَغَبًۭا وَرَهَبًۭا ۖ وَكَانُوا۟ لَنَا خَٰشِعِينَ

Then We heard his prayer, and bestowed upon him John, and adjusted his wife (to bear a child) for him. Lo! they used to vie one with the other in good deeds, and they cried unto Us in longing and in fear, and were submissive unto Us.