"Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater that John the Baptist." (Matthew 11:11)

"Behold I sent my messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight. Behold He is coming," says the Lord of Hosts. (Malachi 3:1)

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There was in the days of Herod the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was a daughter of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, waling in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord, blameless. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years. So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense. (Luke 1:5-10)

Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and you wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah. To turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient o the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." (Luke 1:11-17)

Zacharias said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years. "And the angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their own time." (Luke 1:18-20)

And so it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house. Now after those days, his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, "Thus the Lord has dealt with me, and the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among men." (Luke 1:23-25)

Now Elizabeth’s full time came for her to be delivered, and she brought forth a son. When her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had shown great mercy to her, they rejoiced with her. (Luke 1:57-58)

Now so it was, on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him by the name of his father, Zacharias. And his mother answered and said, "No; he shall be called John." But they said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name." So they made signs to his father – what he would have him called. And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, "His name is John." And they all marveled, saying, "What kind of child will this be?" and the hand of the Lord was with him. (Luke 1:59-66)

Later, when Herod saw that he was deceived by the wise men, he was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth to put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all its districts, from two years old and under. The Holy Family fled to Egypt as instructed by the angel, but Elizabeth took John and escaped to the wilderness. However, when the soldiers came to kill John, and did not find him, they killed his father Zacharias in the temple. John and his mother stayed in the wilderness until Elizabeth died when John was about seven years old. John lived alone in the wilderness in the care of God and the angels, until the day he appeared to Israel.

And John himself was clothed in camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. (Matthew, 3:4)

John went in all the regions around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet saying, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness; prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill brought low; and the crooked places shall be made straight and rough ways made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God. (Luke 3:3-6)

Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance and do not begin to say to yourselves, "We have Abraham as our father." For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones." (Luke 3:7-8)

Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him saying, "I have need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?" but Jesus answered and said to him, "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he allowed him. Then Jesus, when he had been baptized, came up immediately from the water; and behold the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (Matthew 3:13-17)

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world! This is He of whom I said, "After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me. I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, "Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptize with the Holy Spirit." And I have seen and testified that this is the Son Of God." (John 3:29-34)

Then it came to pass that Herod the tetrarch laid hold of John and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife. For John had said to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her." And although he wanted to put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet. But when Herod’s birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod. Therefore he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask. So she, having been prompted by her mother, said, "Give me John the Baptist’s head here on a platter." And the king was sorry; nevertheless, because of the oath and because of those who sat with him at the table, he commanded it to be given to her. So he sent and had John beheaded in prison. And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. Then his disciples came and took away the body and buried it, and went and told Jesus (Matthew 3:3-12). May the intercession and the prayers of this great martyr: Saint John the Baptist, and the Forerunner be with us all. Amen.