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The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;
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As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
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The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
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John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
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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.
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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;
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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.
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I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.
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And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan.
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And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:
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And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
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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?
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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.
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But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.
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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.
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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.
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And king Herod heard of him; (for his name was spread abroad:) and he said, That John the Baptist was risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.
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Others said, That it is Elias. And others said, That it is a prophet, or as one of the prophets.
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But when Herod heard thereof, he said, It is John, whom I beheaded: he is risen from the dead.
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For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife: for he had married her.
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For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife.
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Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not:
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For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.
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And when a convenient day was come, that Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords, high captains, and chief estates of Galilee;
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And when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat with him, the king said unto the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee.
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And he sware unto her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom.
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And she went forth, and said unto her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, The head of John the Baptist.
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And she came in straightway with haste unto the king, and asked, saying, I will that thou give me by and by in a charger the head of John the Baptist.
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And the king was exceeding sorry; yet for his oath's sake, and for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her.
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And immediately the king sent an executioner, and commanded his head to be brought: and he went and beheaded him in the prison,
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And brought his head in a charger, and gave it to the damsel: and the damsel gave it to her mother.
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And when his disciples heard of it, they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb.