John

It was during those days thatYochanan the Immerser arrived in the desert ofY'hudah and began proclaiming the message,

Yochanan wore clothes of camel's hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.

Then Yeshua came from the Galil to the Yarden to be immersed by Yochanan.

But Yochanan tried to stop him. "You are coming to me? I ought to be immersed by you!"

When Yeshua heard that Yochanan had been put in prison, he returned to the Galil;

Next, Yochanan's talmidim came to him and asked, "Why is it that we and the P'rushim fast frequently, but your talmidim don't fast at all?"

Meanwhile, Yochanan the Immerser, who had been put in prison, heard what the Messiah had been doing; so he sent a message to him through his talmidim,

Yeshua answered, "Go and tell Yochanan what you are hearing and seeing --

As they were leaving, Yeshua began speaking about Yochanan to the crowds: "What did you go out to the desert to see? Reeds swaying in the breeze?

Yes! I tell you that among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than Yochanan the Immerser! Yet the one who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he!

From the time of Yochanan the Immerser until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been suffering violence; yes, violent ones are trying to snatch it away.

For all the prophets and the Torah prophesied until Yochanan.

For Yochanan came, fasting, not drinking -- so they say, `He has a demon.'

and said to his attendants, "This must be Yochanan the Immerser. He has been raised from the dead; that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him."

For Herod had arrested Yochanan, put him in chains and thrown him in prison because of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip;

since Yochanan had told Herod, "It violates the Torah for you to have her as your wife."

Prompted by her mother, she said, "Give me here on a platter the head of Yochanan the Immerser."

and sent and had Yochanan beheaded in prison.

They said, "Well, some say Yochanan the Immerser, others Eliyahu, still others Yirmeyahu or one of the prophets."

Then the talmidim understood that he was talking to them about Yochanan the Immerser.

The immersion of Yochanan -- where did it come from? From Heaven or from a human source?" They discussed it among themselves: "If we say, `From Heaven,' he will say, `Then why didn't you believe him?'

But if we say, `From a human source,' we are afraid of the people, for they all regard Yochanan as a prophet."

For Yochanan came to you showing the path to righteousness, and you wouldn't trust him. The tax-collectors and prostitutes trusted him; but you, even after you saw this, didn't change your minds later and trust him.

So it was that Yochanan the Immerser appeared in the desert, proclaiming an immersion involving turning to God from sin in order to be forgiven.

Yochanan wore clothes of camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist; he ate locusts and wild honey.