Tell me, what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes indeed, but you saw much more than a prophet.

I assure you that John the Baptist is greater than anyone who has ever lived. But the one who is least in the Kingdom of heaven is greater than John.

Until the time of John all the prophets and the Law of Moses spoke about the Kingdom;

Listen, then, if you have ears!

Jesus came back to the Temple; and as he taught, the chief priests and the elders came to him and asked, "What right do you have to do these things? Who gave you such right?"

Where did John's right to baptize come from: was it from God or from human beings?" They started to argue among themselves, "What shall we say? If we answer, 'From God,' he will say to us, 'Why, then, did you not believe John?'

His answer was, "Elijah is indeed coming first in order to get everything ready. Yet why do the Scriptures say that the Son of Man will suffer much and be rejected?

I tell you, however, that Elijah has already come and that people treated him just as they pleased, as the Scriptures say about him."

Tell me, where did John's right to baptize come from: was it from God or from human beings?"

But if we say, 'From human beings...' " (They were afraid of the people, because everyone was convinced that John had been a prophet.)

John the Baptist came, and he fasted and drank no wine, and you said, 'He has a demon in him!'

He came to his own country, but his own people did not receive him.

But there is someone else who testifies on my behalf, and I know that what he says about me is true.

It is not that I must have a human witness; I say this only in order that you may be saved.

But I have a witness on my behalf which is even greater than the witness that John gave: what I do, that is, the deeds my Father gave me to do, these speak on my behalf and show that the Father has sent me.

Before Jesus began his work, John preached to all the people of Israel that they should turn from their sins and be baptized.

"My fellow Israelites, descendants of Abraham, and all Gentiles here who worship God: it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent!

And even though they could find no reason to pass the death sentence on him, they asked Pilate to have him put to death.

When John the Baptist heard in prison about the things that Christ was doing, he sent some of his disciples to him.

For Herod had earlier ordered John's arrest, and he had him tied up and put in prison. He had done this because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife.

Herod wanted to kill him, but he was afraid of the Jewish people, because they considered John to be a prophet.

that he promised her, "I swear that I will give you anything you ask for!"

The king was sad, but because of the promise he had made in front of all his guests he gave orders that her wish be granted.

Now King Herod heard about all this, because Jesus' reputation had spread everywhere. Some people were saying, "John the Baptist has come back to life! That is why he has this power to perform miracles."

When Herod heard it, he said, "He is John the Baptist! I had his head cut off, but he has come back to life!"

John the Baptist kept telling Herod, "It isn't right for you to marry your brother's wife!"

Herod was afraid of John because he knew that John was a good and holy man, and so he kept him safe. He liked to listen to him, even though he became greatly disturbed every time he heard him.

The daughter of Herodias came in and danced, and pleased Herod and his guests. So the king said to the girl, "What would you like to have? I will give you anything you want."

So the girl went out and asked her mother, "What shall I ask for?" "The head of John the Baptist," she answered.

This made the king very sad, but he could not refuse her because of the vows he had made in front of all his guests.

then he brought it on a plate and gave it to the girl, who gave it to her mother.

But John reprimanded Governor Herod, because he had married Herodias, his brother's wife, and had done many other evil things.

Then Herod did an even worse thing by putting John in prison.

Was there any prophet that your ancestors did not persecute? They killed God's messengers, who long ago announced the coming of his righteous Servant. And now you have betrayed and murdered him.

From that time on Jesus began to say plainly to his disciples, "I must go to Jerusalem and suffer much from the elders, the chief priests, and the teachers of the Law. I will be put to death, but three days later I will be raised to life."

We despised him and rejected him; he endured suffering and pain. No one would even look at him--- we ignored him as if he were nothing.

But because of our sins he was wounded, beaten because of the evil we did. We are healed by the punishment he suffered, made whole by the blows he received.

"He was treated harshly, but endured it humbly; he never said a word. Like a lamb about to be slaughtered, like a sheep about to be sheared, he never said a word.

He was placed in a grave with those who are evil, he was buried with the rich, even though he had never committed a crime or ever told a lie."

After a life of suffering, he will again have joy; he will know that he did not suffer in vain. My devoted servant, with whom I am pleased, will bear the punishment of many and for his sake I will forgive them.

Then Jesus gave them strict orders not to tell this to anyone.

And he said to them all, "If you want to come with me, you must forget yourself, take up your cross every day, and follow me.

Will you gain anything if you win the whole world but are yourself lost or defeated? Of course not!

In accordance with his own plan God had already decided that Jesus would be handed over to you; and you killed him by letting sinful men crucify him.

He was holy and good, but you rejected him, and instead you asked Pilate to do you the favor of turning loose a murderer.

You killed the one who leads to life, but God raised him from death---and we are witnesses to this.

then you should all know, and all the people of Israel should know, that this man stands here before you completely well through the power of the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth---whom you crucified and whom God raised from death.