Acts 13:25

¹¹“I indeed baptize you in water for repentance, but he who comes after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.

⁷He 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.

²⁶John answered them, “I baptize in water, but among you stands one whom you don’t know. ²⁷He is the one who comes after me, who is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I’m not worthy to loosen.”

²⁴But these things don’t count; nor do I hold my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to fully testify to the Good News of the grace of God.

¹⁵As the people were in expectation, and all men reasoned in their hearts concerning John, whether perhaps he was the Christ, ¹⁶John answered them all, “I indeed baptize you with water, but he comes who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to loosen. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire.

²⁰He declared, and didn’t deny, but he declared, “I am not the Christ.”

²¹They asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the prophet?” He answered, “No.”

²²They said therefore to him, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”

²³He said, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’as Isaiah the prophet said.”

¹⁶But Herod, when he heard this, said, “This is John, whom I beheaded. He has risen from the dead.” ¹⁷For 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. ¹⁸For John had said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” ¹⁹Herodias set herself against him and desired to kill him, but she couldn’t, ²⁰for 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.

²¹Then a convenient day came when Herod on his birthday made a supper for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee. ²²When 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.” ²³He swore to her, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.”

²⁴She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask?” She said, “The head of John the Baptizer.”

²⁵She came in immediately with haste to the king and requested, “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptizer on a platter.”

²⁶The king was exceedingly sorry, but for the sake of his oaths and of his dinner guests, he didn’t wish to refuse her. ²⁷Immediately the king sent out a soldier of his guard and commanded to bring John’s head; and he went and beheaded him in the prison, ²⁸and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the young lady; and the young lady gave it to her mother.

¹⁸He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory, but he who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.

²⁸After this, Jesus, seeing^[+] that all things were now finished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I am thirsty!” ²⁹Now a vessel full of vinegar was set there; so they put a sponge full of the vinegar on hyssop, and held it at his mouth. ³⁰When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

⁴Paul said, “John indeed baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe in the one who would come after him, that is, in Christ Jesus.”