Did Jesus re-visit John after his wilderness experience?

Question

The Gospel of John describes a scene where John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and he made the following statement:

“Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.” Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one.” (John 1:29-34)

At first sight, it seems the writer was describing the actual baptism itself, as per Matthew’s account. However, the next few days finds Jesus choosing his disciples – not going into the wilderness as the Synoptics relate it. So, is this scene a ‘revisit’ so to speak? Is it Jesus coming out of the wilderness, walking past John, at about Passover season, some months following his actual baptism? If so, then the Gospel of John is not recording the baptism event directly, but is recording John B’s testimony of that event. In other words, John B. sees Jesus returning, and calls out, "This is the man I baptised several months ago! This is the man the dove descended upon!"

So, is the Gospel of John recording the actual baptism event, or is he recording an occasion when Jesus revisited the same place on his way back from the wilderness? The latter explanation may reconcile some of the perceived differences between John and the Synoptic Gospels.

Answer 1

The scene definitely depicts Jesus returning from the wilderness to "Bethany, across the Jordan, where John was baptizing." As the question says, the Gospel of John is not recording the baptism event directly, but is recording John B’s testimony of that event.

We can draw the tightest possible timeline of events as:

• Baptism, wilderness: 6 weeks (42 days);
• Bethany, travel to Galilee, wedding in Cana: 1 week;
• Stay in Capernaum (Jn 2:12): 1 week;
• Travel to Jerusalem, Passover (Jn 2:13): 1 week.

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Total time from Baptism to first Passover: 9 weeks

If Jesus' first Passover in his public life was that of 28 AD (30 March), then Jesus' baptism must have taken place no later than 9 weeks before 30 March 28 AD, i.e. no later than 28 January 28 AD.

This is in line with Jesus' baptism having been always celebrated in January, even before Christmas began to be celebrated.

Answer 2

According to the Diatessaron of Tatian - probably the earliest harmony of the Gospels, dating to the late 2nd century - and the Eusebian Canon (early 4th century) the sequence in the Gospels is as follows:

John's Initial Witness - Matt 3:1-12; Mark 1:1-8; Luke 3:1-18; John 1:15-31
Baptism of Christ - Matt 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22; John 1:32-34
Temptation in the Wilderness - Matt 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13
First Disciples Called - John 1:35-51

John 1:32-34 is, in fact, a recollection. This is clear in the text: And John bare record (ἐμαρτύρησεν) in verse 32. John is stating this recollection in the midst of Christ's calling the first disciples.

Answer 3

To my mind, Mark 1:13-14 and Matt 4:11-12 strongly imply that John was in prison when Jesus returned from the wilderness. If that is the case, then Jesus could not have made a second visit to John. I have thought that maybe Jesus spent a few days after his baptism, and just before his journey into the wilderness, selecting his disciples. The testimony from John, if I am right, would have occurred during this short time. Mark says that the spirit "immediately" led Jesus into the wilderness, but Mark says "immediately" and similar words alot, so we have to ask exactly what "immediately" means when he says it.

Answer 4

From John passage on this in his First Epistle, I would say you are right. This was at a later date. 6) This is He that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is Truth. 7) For there are Three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost; and these Three are One. 8) And there are three that bear witness in earth the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. 9) If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater, for this is the witness of God which He hath testified of His Son. 10) He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made Him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of Himself. I John 5:6-10

As you have noted the Apostle John gives no eyewitness account of the Baptism of Jesus in his Gospel. Yet he refers to John the Baptist in John 1:29-34 as giving record to Jesus as the Son of God, but John the Baptist stated he bare record that God bare record that Jesus was His Son, remember John stated:33) 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. 34) And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. John 1:33-34 strong text The Baptist mention water so that we might know that Jesus water baptism, was God record to the World that our LORD Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit along with the Father are Three separate Person, yea United as One Godhead/Trinity. Yes I say God's record because all Three Members of the Godhead; the Father, and the Word (Who of course is the Son), and the Holy Spirit gave a heavenly witness because the Son was sent from heaven, the Holy Ghost descended from heaven as a Dove, and the Father's voice, came down from heaven.
While we continue to read I John 5 after verse 7, which many modern scholars question; we see the Apostle John state if we receive men's witness the witness of God is greater. Yet even Jesus tells us that many will not receive His witness--John 3:11; 32. So that we see that the record of the Trinity came at Jesus Water Baptism, hence Jesus came by water. We know that Cyprian in 250 AD, quoted the TR complete verse of I John 5:7 with the only difference being instead of the Word, he called Jesus the Son.

But what was the witness of men. We see in I John 5:6 that Jesus came by water but also water and blood. In John 19:30-37 we see the Apostle John bearing the witness of men. For in at the end of verse 30 John states that Jesus gave up the Ghost (Spirit). But we also see at our Savior physical death, that instead of breaking any bones in His body, they pierced Him with a spear and what came out, blood and water, John 19:32-34. So that the Apostle states that he bear record in verse 35, So that at Jesus death we see that the Spirit departed, which is a sign of death, and blood and water coming out of the side agree with this sign.

So I see John in his Gospel, in passing mentioning Jesus baptism, after it happen, but later in his first epistle, mentioning it again in I John 5:7 as the Heavenly Witness; for all Three Members of the Trinity were presence and this according to John the Baptist was the Father record. While at Jesus death we see John baring witness, to the Spirit departing and the blood and water coming out of His side.

Answer 5

Although it's an important exercise to do, I think you're expecting too much trying to fit the gospels together and expect the results to be neat. They are memoirs by different people of amazing events that happened many decades before, and as such will have places where they remember things differently and can't be reconciled, such as this case.

Sometimes you can after painstaking effort do extraordinary gymnastics to reconcile things, but that's usually a sign the wrong solution is being adopted. Enjoy the memoirs, the gist is well-recorded, but don't expect every individual detail in them to be well-remembered/accurately depicted by the writers and their sources.

Answer 6

Lord Jesus Christ came to be baptised by John B and only after the baptism did John B recognise our Lord. Next day again he came by and john exclaimed' Here comes the lamb of God'. The day after also our Lord came by and again John exclaimed 'Here comes the lamb of God'. This time around, Andrew and John, who were John B's disciples, started following our Lord. They go to see where he is staying and then they take our lord to Peter. There is a wedding at Cana and the first miracle. Our Lord heals Peter's mother in laws probably after a few days. Then he goes with Philip to meet Nathaniel. His journey to the wilderness, led by the spirit, to fast and pray would be after this. He was not led by the spirit to be tempted, even though it may sound like that, but at the end of 40 days of fasting, he hungered, and Satan waiting for an opportune moment strikes. After that he goes seeking his disciples again, and finds that some of them like Peter have gone back to fishing. Maybe his absence of 40 days prompted Peter's actions. He sits on a boat by the shore belonging to Peter facing the crowd sitting on the shore while Peter in another boat is fishing. Miraculous catch of fish ensues and then Peter comes into hois senses and exclaims in repentance 'Depart from me Lord, I am a sinful man'. our Lord re-instates Peter with these words, 'I will make you fishers of men'.

Answer 7

Yes, Jesus meets John the Baptist again immediately after the 40 days in wilderness. Then later on Jesus and Disciples travel to Judea to where John the Baptist is when John gives another testimony of Jesus. So the answer is twice does Jesus meet John after the 40 days in the wilderness.

and here is a timeline of events pieced together from the gospels of John and Mark. A hypothetical gospel of JOHN MARK that includes when Jesus went to re visit John the Baptist, the day of the 40 days in the wilderness. The timeline of the baptism and wilderness cannot be changed according to Matthew, Mark, and Luke that includes the gospel of John too. Not without drastically re interpreting what the 40 days in the wilderness was as a Hebrew idiom that would have to include Jesus meeting disciples before or during the baptism and ending of the 40 days in the wilderness. It gets messy. The traditional story and timeline of Jesus being baptized and immediately departing alone into the wilderness is the easiest story to make sense of. I did not sway from that specific order of events traditional story in my hypothetical Gospel of JOHN MARK. However, my order of events does place the appointing of the TWELVE at the mountain at a later time according to the traditional order of miracles.

Only Mark was used because Matthew, Mark, Luke all describe the same Sea of Galilee meeting of Andrew, Simon, James, John after John the Baptist had been imprisoned. John records a seperate incident that does not occur at the Sea of Galilee. Because the gospel of John records accounts with John the Baptist being present. Those events in John must have occurred before John the Baptist was imprisoned.

Here is a hypothetical timeline gospel pieced together from John and Mark where everything is in chronological order, except for the last chapter because we don’t know exactly when John the Baptist was beheaded. The work is my own and I sought no other sources or previous academic research to piece it together, except for the four gospels KJV. Any similarity between someone else’s previous work is a coincidence.

(John 1:1-14) (Mark 1:1-13) (John 1:29-51) (John 2:1-12) (Mark 1:21-37) (Mark 1:40-45) (Mark 3:7-12) (Mark 2:1-28) (Mark 3:20-35) (Mark 3:1-6) (Mark 3:20-35) (Mark 4:1-20) (John 3:22-36) (John 1:15-28) (John 4:1-53) Mark 1:14-20) (John 6:1-15) (Mark 3:13-19) (Mark 6:14-29)

The work assumes that a few chapters were altered by the later second and third century scribes of John and Mark to piece together that gospels record of events. In John 4, I remove the final verse 54 because the order of miracles does not match with the timeline I piece together. Only John specifically mentions that miracle as being the second. A few verses are removed from Mark 1, verses 38 and 39 so that the logistics is a match. If not familiar with the logistics, Capernaum is town near the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Cana is a city beyond the mountains west of Capernaum. The Jordan River is north of and flows into the Sea of Galilee. Jerusalem is south and west of Capernaum. Nazareth is north of Jerusalem and west of Capernaum. Judea is the southern territory. Galilee and Samaria are the northern territories, with Galilee being near the Sea of Galilee. Samaria is west of Galilee. There is so such unified territory known as Israel during the events of the NT as in OT times of King David and King Solomon.

JOHN 1:1-14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

MARK 1:1-13 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; 2 As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. 3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. 5 And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey; 7 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. 8 I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost. 9 And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. 10 And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: 11 And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. 12 And immediately the spirit driveth him into the wilderness. 13 And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.

JOHN 1:29-51 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. 30 This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. 31 And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. 32 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. 33 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. 34 And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. 35 Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; 36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! 37 And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38 Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou? 39 He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour. 40 One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. 42 And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone. 43 The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me. 44 Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. 46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see. 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! 48 Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. 49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel. 50 Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these. 51 And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

JOHN 2:1-12 And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: 2 And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. 3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. 4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. 5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. 6 And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. 7 Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. 9 When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, 10 And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now. 11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him. 12 After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days.

MARK 1:21-37 And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught. 22 And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes. 23 And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, 24 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God. 25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. 26 And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him. 27 And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him. 28 And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee. 29 And forthwith, when they were come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 But Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever, and anon they tell him of her. 31 And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them. 32 And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils. 33 And all the city was gathered together at the door. 34 And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him. 35 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. 36 And Simon and they that were with him followed after him. 37 And when they had found him, they said unto him, All men seek for thee.

MARK 1:40-45 And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. 41 And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean. 42 And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed. 43 And he straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away; 44 And saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them. 45 But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter.

MARK 3:7-12 But Jesus withdrew himself with his disciples to the sea: and a great multitude from Galilee followed him, and from Judaea, 8 And from Jerusalem, and from Idumaea, and from beyond Jordan; and they about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they had heard what great things he did, came unto him. 9 And he spake to his disciples, that a small ship should wait on him because of the multitude, lest they should throng him. 10 For he had healed many; insomuch that they pressed upon him for to touch him, as many as had plagues. 11 And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God. 12 And he straitly charged them that they should not make him known.

MARK 2:1-28 And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house. 2 And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them. 3 And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. 4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. 6 But there was certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, 7 Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? 8 And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? 9 Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? 10 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) 11 I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. 12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion. 13 And he went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them. 14 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him. 15 And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him. 16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? 17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. 18 And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not? 19 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. 20 But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days. 21 No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse. 22 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles. 23 And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn. 24 And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful? 25 And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him? 26 How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him? 27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: 28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

MARK 3:1-6 And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand. 2 And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him. 3 And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth. 4 And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace. 5 And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other. 6 And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.

MARK 3:20-35 And the multitude cometh together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread. 21 And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself. 22 And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils. 23 And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan? 24 And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26 And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end. 27 No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house. 28 Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: 29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation. 30 Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit. 31 There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him. 32 And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee. 33 And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren? 34 And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! 35 For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.

MARK 4:1-20 And he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land. 2 And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine, 3 Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow: 4 And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up. 5 And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: 6 But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. 8 And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred. 9 And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. 10 And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable. 11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: 12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them. 13 And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables? 14 The sower soweth the word. 15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts. 16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; 17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended. 18 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, 19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. 20 And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.

JOHN 3:22-36 After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized. 23 And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized. 24 For John was not yet cast into prison. 25 Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying. 26 And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him. 27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. 28 Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. 29 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. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease. 31 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. 32 And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony. 33 He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true. 34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. 35 The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. 36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

JOHN 1:15-28 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. 16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. 18 No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. 19 And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? 20 And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. 21 And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No. 22 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? 23 He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias. 24 And they which were sent were of the Pharisees. 25 And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet? 26 John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; 27 He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose. 28 These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.