135:0.1 (1496.1) JOHN the Baptist was born March 25, 7 b.c. , in accordance with the promise that Gabriel made to Elizabeth in June of the previous year. For five months Elizabeth kept secret Gabriel’s visitation; and when she told her husband, Zacharias, he was greatly troubled and fully believed her narrative only after he had an unusual dream about six weeks before the birth of John. Excepting the visit of Gabriel to Elizabeth and the dream of Zacharias, there was nothing unusual or supernatural connected with the birth of John the Baptist.
135:0.1 (1496.1) 施洗約翰出生於西元前7年3月25日，應驗了加百列上年6月向伊麗莎白所作的應許。伊麗莎白將加百利向她顯現一事隱藏了五個月；及至她將此事告知她丈夫撒迦利亞，他大為憂慮，直到在約翰出生前約六週，他做了一個不同尋常的夢，才完全相信了她所述之事。除加百列對伊麗莎白的造訪與撒迦利亞的夢以外，沒有任何其他不尋常或超自然之事與施洗約翰的降生有關聯。
135:0.2 (1496.2) On the eighth day John was circumcised according to the Jewish custom. He grew up as an ordinary child, day by day and year by year, in the small village known in those days as the City of Judah, about four miles west of Jerusalem.
135:0.2 (1496.2) 在第八天，依照猶太人的習俗，約翰受了割禮。日復一日，年復一年，他就在當時被稱為猶大城的小村子裡，像一個普通孩子那樣慢慢長大，村子位於耶路撒冷以西大約六公里處。
135:0.3 (1496.3) The most eventful occurrence in John’s early childhood was the visit, in company with his parents, to Jesus and the Nazareth family. This visit occurred in the month of June, 1 b.c. , when he was a little over six years of age.
135:0.3 (1496.3) 約翰幼年時期最重大的一件事，是跟父母一道去拜訪耶穌與拿撒勒一家人。這次拜訪發生在西元前1年6月，當時他六歲多一點。
135:0.4 (1496.4) After their return from Nazareth John’s parents began the systematic education of the lad. There was no synagogue school in this little village; however, as he was a priest, Zacharias was fairly well educated, and Elizabeth was far better educated than the average Judean woman; she was also of the priesthood, being a descendant of the “daughters of Aaron.” Since John was an only child, they spent a great deal of time on his mental and spiritual training. Zacharias had only short periods of service at the temple in Jerusalem so that he devoted much of his time to teaching his son.
135:0.4 (1496.4) 從拿撒勒回來後，約翰的父母便開始對孩子進行系統性教育。這個小村子裡沒有猶太教會堂學校；不過，身為祭司的撒迦利亞受過相當好的教育；伊麗莎白受的教育也遠比一般猶太婦女要多，她同樣屬於祭司階層，是「亞倫之女」的後裔。約翰是獨子，因此他們傾注了大量的時間在他心智與靈性方面的培養上。撒迦利亞在耶路撒冷城裡聖殿的當值時間很短，因此他投入許多時間教導兒子。
135:0.5 (1496.5) Zacharias and Elizabeth had a small farm on which they raised sheep. They hardly made a living on this land, but Zacharias received a regular allowance from the temple funds dedicated to the priesthood.
135:0.5 (1496.5) 撒迦利亞和伊麗莎白有一個小農場，他們在農場裡養羊。單靠這塊地，他們很難維持生計，不過，撒迦利亞能從祭司專屬的聖殿基金裡定期領取津貼。
135:1.1 (1496.6) John had no school from which to graduate at the age of fourteen, but his parents had selected this as the appropriate year for him to take the formal Nazarite vow. Accordingly, Zacharias and Elizabeth took their son to Engedi, down by the Dead Sea. This was the southern headquarters of the Nazarite brotherhood, and there the lad was duly and solemnly inducted into this order for life. After these ceremonies and the making of the vows to abstain from all intoxicating drinks, to let the hair grow, and to refrain from touching the dead, the family proceeded to Jerusalem, where, before the temple, John completed the making of the offerings which were required of those taking Nazarite vows.
135:1.1 (1496.6) 約翰十四歲時，並未從任何學校畢業，但他父母選擇這一年作為他立下正式拿細耳人誓願的合適時機。於是，撒迦利亞和伊麗莎白帶著兒子前往死海邊的隱基底。這是拿細耳人兄弟會的南方總部所在地，少年在那裡依循禮規、莊嚴地被接納為這個修道會的終身成員。他們參加了這些儀式，約翰立下了戒酒、留髮、不觸碰死人的誓言；然後一家人動身前往耶路撒冷，在那裡的聖殿前，約翰完成了立拿細耳人誓願者所必須的祭品供奉。
135:1.2 (1496.7) John took the same life vows that had been administered to his illustrious predecessors, Samson and the prophet Samuel. A life Nazarite was looked upon as a sanctified and holy personality. The Jews regarded a Nazarite with almost the respect and veneration accorded the high priest, and this was not strange since Nazarites of lifelong consecration were the only persons, except high priests, who were ever permitted to enter the holy of holies in the temple.
135:1.2 (1496.7) 約翰立下了參孫與先知撒母耳這兩位傑出的先輩曾同樣立下的終身誓願。終身拿細耳人被視為聖化、聖潔的人格體。猶太人對拿細耳人的敬重與尊崇，幾乎等同於對待大祭司。這並不稀奇，因為除大祭司以外，唯有終身奉獻的拿細耳人，才被允許進入聖殿的至聖所。
135:1.3 (1497.1) John returned home from Jerusalem to tend his father’s sheep and grew up to be a strong man with a noble character.
135:1.3 (1497.1) 約翰從耶路撒冷返回家中，照管他父親的綿羊群，也逐漸長大成為一個有著高尚品格的強健男子。
135:1.4 (1497.2) When sixteen years old, John, as a result of reading about Elijah, became greatly impressed with the prophet of Mount Carmel and decided to adopt his style of dress. From that day on John always wore a hairy garment with a leather girdle. At sixteen he was more than six feet tall and almost full grown. With his flowing hair and peculiar mode of dress he was indeed a picturesque youth. And his parents expected great things of this their only son, a child of promise and a Nazarite for life.
135:1.4 (1497.2) 十六歲那年，約翰讀到關於以利亞的事蹟，對這位迦密山的先知深感欽佩，於是決定採用他的衣著風格。從那天起，約翰總是身穿一件多毛的衣服，腰束皮帶。十六歲時，他身高已超過六英尺（約183釐米），體格差不多已長成。他長髮飄垂，衣著樣式奇特，實在是一個形象鮮明奪目的少年。他父母對他們的這個獨子寄予厚望—— 他是應許之子，是終身拿細耳人。
135:2.1 (1497.3) After an illness of several months Zacharias died in July, a.d. 12, when John was just past eighteen years of age. This was a time of great embarrassment to John since the Nazarite vow forbade contact with the dead, even in one’s own family. Although John had endeavored to comply with the restrictions of his vow regarding contamination by the dead, he doubted that he had been wholly obedient to the requirements of the Nazarite order; therefore, after his father’s burial he went to Jerusalem, where, in the Nazarite corner of the women’s court, he offered the sacrifices required for his cleansing.
135:2.1 (1497.3) 西元12年7月，撒迦利亞在經歷數月的病痛後，與世長辭，當時約翰剛滿十八歲。這段時間對約翰而言極其為難，因為拿細耳人的誓約禁止接觸死者，即使是自己的家人。雖然約翰已盡力遵守他誓約中關於沾染死者的各項限制規定，但他仍不確定自己是否已做到了全然遵循拿細耳修道會的各項要求；因此，在安葬父親之後，他便去了耶路撒冷，在婦人院的拿細耳人專區，獻上了潔淨禮所要求的祭品。
135:2.2 (1497.4) In September of this year Elizabeth and John made a journey to Nazareth to visit Mary and Jesus. John had just about made up his mind to launch out in his lifework, but he was admonished, not only by Jesus’ words but also by his example, to return home, take care of his mother, and await the “coming of the Father’s hour.” After bidding Jesus and Mary good-bye at the end of this enjoyable visit, John did not again see Jesus until the event of his baptism in the Jordan.
135:2.2 (1497.4) 這年9月，伊麗莎白與約翰前往拿撒勒，探望瑪利亞與耶穌。約翰本已幾乎下定決心，要放手展開他的畢生事工；但無論是耶穌的話語還是他的榜樣，都在勸誡他回到家中照顧母親，等候「父的時刻到來」。在這場愉快的拜訪結束、向耶穌與瑪利亞道別後，約翰未再見過耶穌，待到耶穌在約旦河受洗時才再次見到他。
135:2.3 (1497.5) John and Elizabeth returned to their home and began to lay plans for the future. Since John refused to accept the priest’s allowance due him from the temple funds, by the end of two years they had all but lost their home; so they decided to go south with the sheep herd. Accordingly, the summer that John was twenty years of age witnessed their removal to Hebron. In the so-called “wilderness of Judea” John tended his sheep along a brook that was tributary to a larger stream which entered the Dead Sea at Engedi. The Engedi colony included not only Nazarites of lifelong and time-period consecration but numerous other ascetic herdsmen who congregated in this region with their herds and fraternized with the Nazarite brotherhood. They supported themselves by sheep raising and from gifts which wealthy Jews made to the order.
135:2.3 (1497.5) 約翰與伊麗莎白回到自己家中，開始為將來籌劃。由於約翰拒絕接受聖殿基金應發給他的祭司津貼，差不多兩年光景，他們就幾乎要失去家宅；於是他們決定帶著羊群遷往南方。因此，約翰二十歲那年的夏天，他們搬到了希伯侖。在人所稱的「猶地亞曠野」之中，約翰沿一條溪澗放羊，溪澗是一條較大河流的支流，大河流在隱基底匯入死海。隱基底聚居地，不僅有終身奉獻與定期奉獻的拿細耳人，還有許多其他苦行的牧人，這些牧人帶著自己的牧群聚居在這一地區，與拿細耳人兄弟會友善往來。聚居地的這些人，靠牧羊以及富裕猶太人對修道會的捐贈維持生計。
135:2.4 (1497.6) As time passed, John returned less often to Hebron, while he made more frequent visits to Engedi. He was so entirely different from the majority of the Nazarites that he found it very difficult fully to fraternize with the brotherhood. But he was very fond of Abner, the acknowledged leader and head of the Engedi colony.
135:2.4 (1497.6) 隨著時間的推移，約翰漸少回希伯侖，去隱基底卻更為頻繁。他與多數的拿細耳人如此迥異，以至很難與兄弟會全然如兄弟般相交。但他十分喜歡艾伯納，此人是隱基底聚落公認的領袖與首領。
135:3.1 (1497.7) Along the valley of this little brook John built no less than a dozen stone shelters and night corrals, consisting of piled-up stones, wherein he could watch over and safeguard his herds of sheep and goats. John’s life as a shepherd afforded him a great deal of time for thought. He talked much with Ezda, an orphan lad of Beth-zur, whom he had in a way adopted, and who cared for the herds when he made trips to Hebron to see his mother and to sell sheep, as well as when he went down to Engedi for Sabbath services. John and the lad lived very simply, subsisting on mutton, goat’s milk, wild honey, and the edible locusts of that region. This, their regular diet, was supplemented by provisions brought from Hebron and Engedi from time to time.
135:3.1 (1497.7) 約翰沿這條小溪的溪谷壘起石塊，建了不下十二個石屋和夜間畜欄，他可以在屋欄裡照看、保護他的綿羊和山羊群。牧羊人的生活讓約翰有很多時間思考。他常與以斯達談天，以斯達是一個來自伯夙的孤兒，約翰在某種程度上收養了他，每次約翰去希伯侖看望母親、賣羊，或是往南去隱基底參加安息日禮拜時，便由以斯達照顧羊群。約翰與這少年兩人過著極為簡單的生活，以羊肉、山羊奶、野蜂蜜和當地可食用的蝗蟲為食。這是他們的日常飲食，時不時補充一些從希伯侖和隱基底帶來的食物。
135:3.2 (1498.1) Elizabeth kept John posted about Palestinian and world affairs, and his conviction grew deeper and deeper that the time was fast approaching when the old order was to end; that he was to become the herald of the approach of a new age, “the kingdom of heaven.” This rugged shepherd was very partial to the writings of the Prophet Daniel. He read a thousand times Daniel’s description of the great image, which Zacharias had told him represented the history of the great kingdoms of the world, beginning with Babylon, then Persia, Greece, and finally Rome. John perceived that already was Rome composed of such polyglot peoples and races that it could never become a strongly cemented and firmly consolidated empire. He believed that Rome was even then divided, as Syria, Egypt, Palestine, and other provinces; and then he further read “in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed. And this kingdom shall not be left to other people but shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.” “And there was given him dominion and glory and a kingdom that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom never shall be destroyed.” “And the kingdom and dominion and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.”
135:3.2 (1498.1) 伊麗莎白定期向約翰通報巴勒斯坦和天下的情勢；約翰也越來越堅定地相信，舊秩序落幕的時刻正迅速逼近，自己註定要成為一個新時代——「天國」——到來的傳報者。這個粗獷剛毅的牧羊人對先知但以理的著作情有獨鍾。但以理關於那大像的描述，他讀了上千遍；撒迦利亞曾跟他講過，大像象徵著世界上幾個大國的更迭史，從巴比倫開始，到波斯、希臘，最後是羅馬。約翰看出，羅馬已匯聚了這樣一些語言各異的民族與種族，因此永遠不可能成為一個凝聚力強、堅實穩固的帝國。他認為，羅馬甚至當前已然四分五裂，已分裂為敘利亞、埃及、巴勒斯坦及其他行省。此外，他還讀到，「當那列王在位的時候，天上的神必另立一國，永不敗壞，也不歸別國的人，卻要打碎滅絕那一切國，這國必存到永遠。」「得了權柄、榮耀和國度，使各方、各國、各族的人都侍奉他。他的權柄是永遠的，不能廢去，他的國必不敗壞。」「國度、權柄和天下王國的大權，必賜給至高者的聖民，他們的國是永遠的國，一切掌權的都必事奉他，順從他。」
135:3.3 (1498.2) John was never able completely to rise above the confusion produced by what he had heard from his parents concerning Jesus and by these passages which he read in the Scriptures. In Daniel he read: “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven, and there was given him dominion and glory and a kingdom.” But these words of the prophet did not harmonize with what his parents had taught him. Neither did his talk with Jesus, at the time of his visit when he was eighteen years old, correspond with these statements of the Scriptures. Notwithstanding this confusion, throughout all of his perplexity his mother assured him that his distant cousin, Jesus of Nazareth, was the true Messiah, that he had come to sit on the throne of David, and that he (John) was to become his advance herald and chief support.
135:3.3 (1498.2) 約翰始終無法完全擺脫內心的困惑，這些困惑一方面來自他從父母那裡聽到的關於耶穌的事，另一方面來自他在經文中讀到的這些章節。在《但以理書》中，他讀到：「我在夜間的異象中觀看，見有一位像人子的，駕著天雲而來，得了權柄、榮耀和國度。」但先知的這些話語，與他父母教導他的不吻合。他十八歲那年拜訪耶穌時與耶穌的交談，也與經文中的這些陳述無法對應。儘管他有這種困惑，但在他心懷迷茫的那段時間裡，他母親一直向他保證：他的遠房表弟——拿撒勒的耶穌——是真正的彌賽亞，他是來坐大衛寶座的，而他（約翰）則要成為他的先行傳報者與首要輔佐者。
135:3.4 (1498.3) From all John heard of the vice and wickedness of Rome and the dissoluteness and moral barrenness of the empire, from what he knew of the evil doings of Herod Antipas and the governors of Judea, he was minded to believe that the end of the age was impending. It seemed to this rugged and noble child of nature that the world was ripe for the end of the age of man and the dawn of the new and divine age—the kingdom of heaven. The feeling grew in John’s heart that he was to be the last of the old prophets and the first of the new. And he fairly vibrated with the mounting impulse to go forth and proclaim to all men: “Repent! Get right with God! Get ready for the end; prepare yourselves for the appearance of the new and eternal order of earth affairs, the kingdom of heaven.”
135:3.4 (1498.3) 聽聞了羅馬的墮落、邪惡，以及這個帝國的荒淫無度、道德淪喪，又知曉希律·安提帕斯和猶地亞歷任總督的種種惡行，約翰因此傾向於相信，這個時代的終結正在逼近。對這位粗獷剛毅而又高尚的自然之子而言，這世界似乎時機已然成熟，人的時代即將結束，世界正迎來新的、神的時代的曙光，這個新的屬神時代即是天國。這種感覺在約翰心中愈發強烈：他必將成為舊先知中的最後一位，也將是新先知中的第一位。他內心翻湧著一股越來越強烈的衝動，想要走出去向所有人宣告：「悔改吧！與神和好吧！要為終結的到來作好準備；要為世間事務那嶄新、永恆的新秩序——天國——的顯現，預備你們自身。」
135:4.1 (1499.1) On August 17, a.d. 22, when John was twenty-eight years of age, his mother suddenly passed away. Elizabeth’s friends, knowing of the Nazarite restrictions regarding contact with the dead, even in one’s own family, made all arrangements for the burial of Elizabeth before sending for John. When he received word of the death of his mother, he directed Ezda to drive his herds to Engedi and started for Hebron.
135:4.1 (1499.1) 西元22年8月17日，約翰二十八歲那年，他母親突然去世。伊麗莎白的親朋好友知道拿細耳人禁止接觸死者的規定，即使是至親也不例外，因此他們先妥善安排好伊麗莎白的後事，然後才派人告知約翰。收到母親過世的消息後，約翰吩咐以斯達將他的羊群趕往隱基底，自己動身趕往希伯侖。
135:4.2 (1499.2) On returning to Engedi from his mother’s funeral, he presented his flocks to the brotherhood and for a season detached himself from the outside world while he fasted and prayed. John knew only of the old methods of approach to divinity; he knew only of the records of such as Elijah, Samuel, and Daniel. Elijah was his ideal of a prophet. Elijah was the first of the teachers of Israel to be regarded as a prophet, and John truly believed that he was to be the last of this long and illustrious line of the messengers of heaven.
135:4.2 (1499.2) 參加了母親的葬禮、回到隱基底後，他將自己的羊群獻給了兄弟會，讓自己與外界脫離了一段時日，專心禁食、祈禱。約翰所知的親近神性之道，只有那些古老的方法；他所熟知的記載，也只有諸如以利亞、撒母耳和但以理等人的事蹟。以利亞是他心目中先知的典範。以利亞是以色列眾導師中第一位被視為先知的；而約翰由衷地相信，自己必將是這條悠長而聲名卓著的天國信使傳承中的最後一位。
135:4.3 (1499.3) For two and a half years John lived at Engedi, and he persuaded most of the brotherhood that “the end of the age was at hand”; that “the kingdom of heaven was about to appear.” And all his early teaching was based upon the current Jewish idea and concept of the Messiah as the promised deliverer of the Jewish nation from the domination of their gentile rulers.
135:4.3 (1499.3) 約翰在隱基底住了兩年半，並說服了兄弟會大多數的人相信，「這個時代終結的日子近了」，「天國就要出現了」。而他早期的所有教導，都是基於當時猶太人關於彌賽亞的普遍看法與觀念，即：將彌賽亞視為應許的拯救者，他會將猶太民族從外邦統治者的主宰中解救出來。
135:4.4 (1499.4) Throughout this period John read much in the sacred writings which he found at the Engedi home of the Nazarites. He was especially impressed by Isaiah and by Malachi, the last of the prophets up to that time. He read and reread the last five chapters of Isaiah, and he believed these prophecies. Then he would read in Malachi: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord; and he shall turn the hearts of the fathers toward the children and the hearts of the children toward their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.” And it was only this promise of Malachi that Elijah would return that deterred John from going forth to preach about the coming kingdom and to exhort his fellow Jews to flee from the wrath to come. John was ripe for the proclamation of the message of the coming kingdom, but this expectation of the coming of Elijah held him back for more than two years. He knew he was not Elijah. What did Malachi mean? Was the prophecy literal or figurative? How could he know the truth? He finally dared to think that, since the first of the prophets was called Elijah, so the last should be known, eventually, by the same name. Nevertheless, he had doubts, doubts sufficient to prevent his ever calling himself Elijah.
135:4.4 (1499.4) 在這段時間裡，約翰廣泛研讀了他在隱基底的拿細耳人聚居處發現的各種聖典。尤其是以賽亞與瑪拉基，讓他深受觸動，瑪拉基是到那個時代為止的最後一位先知。他反復地讀《以賽亞書》的最後五章，並且相信這些預言。之後他讀到《瑪拉基書》的內容：「看哪，在上主大而可畏之日到來以前，我必差遣先知以利亞到你們那裡去；他必使父親的心轉向兒女，兒女的心轉向父親，免得我來咒詛遍地。」 正是瑪拉基的以利亞必再來的這一應許，使約翰打消了念頭，沒有即刻走出去宣講天國的到來，勸告他的猶太同胞逃離即將來臨的忿怒。約翰已充分成長，已準備好宣講即將到來天國的訊息；但對以利亞即將到來的這份期盼，將他攔阻了兩年多。他知自己不是以利亞。瑪拉基所說的究竟是什麼意思？這一預言是字面意義上的，還是比喻性的？他要如何才能知曉真相？他最後甚至大膽猜想：既然眾先知中的第一位叫以利亞，那麼最後一位應是以同樣的名字為人所知。儘管如此，他仍有疑慮，疑慮重重，使他始終沒有以以利亞自居。
135:4.5 (1499.5) It was the influence of Elijah that caused John to adopt his methods of direct and blunt assault upon the sins and vices of his contemporaries. He sought to dress like Elijah, and he endeavored to talk like Elijah; in every outward aspect he was like the olden prophet. He was just such a stalwart and picturesque child of nature, just such a fearless and daring preacher of righteousness. John was not illiterate, he did well know the Jewish sacred writings, but he was hardly cultured. He was a clear thinker, a powerful speaker, and a fiery denunciator. He was hardly an example to his age, but he was an eloquent rebuke.
135:4.5 (1499.5) 正是以利亞的影響，使得約翰在抨擊他同時代人的罪行和墮落時，採用直截了當、單刀直入的方式；他追求穿著像以利亞，說話也力求像以利亞；在一切外在方面，他都很像那位古時的先知。他正是這樣一位強健而形象奪目的自然之子，這樣一位無畏、果敢的公義傳道者。約翰並非全無學識，他對猶太聖典瞭解頗深，但也算不得受過良好教育。他是一位思維清晰的思考者、極具感染力的演講者，也是熾烈的譴責者。他算不得是他那個時代的楷模，但他是一種振聾發聵的譴責。
135:4.6 (1499.6) At last he thought out the method of proclaiming the new age, the kingdom of God; he settled that he was to become the herald of the Messiah; he swept aside all doubts and departed from Engedi one day in March of a.d. 25 to begin his short but brilliant career as a public preacher.
135:4.6 (1499.6) 最後，他想出了宣告新時代——神的國——的方式；他確定，他要成為彌賽亞的傳報者；他將所有疑慮擱置一邊，在西元25年3月的一天，從隱基底出發，去展開他作為公眾佈道者那短暫卻輝煌的生涯。
135:5.1 (1500.1) In order to understand John’s message, account should be taken of the status of the Jewish people at the time he appeared upon the stage of action. For almost one hundred years all Israel had been in a quandary; they were at a loss to explain their continuous subjugation to gentile overlords. Had not Moses taught that righteousness was always rewarded with prosperity and power? Were they not God’s chosen people? Why was the throne of David desolate and vacant? In the light of the Mosaic doctrines and the precepts of the prophets the Jews found it difficult to explain their long-continued national desolation.
135:5.1 (1500.1) 要理解約翰的訊息，就應考慮他登上行動舞臺之時猶太民族的處境。近百年來，整個以色列民族一直深陷困境；對於他們一直被迫屈從於外邦領主的這種狀況，他們無從解釋。難道摩西不曾教導過，公義總是會被報以繁榮與權力？難道他們不是神的選民？為何大衛的寶座荒涼、空置？猶太人發現，依照摩西的教義與先知的訓誡，難以解釋他們長久持續的民族淒涼。
135:5.2 (1500.2) About one hundred years before the days of Jesus and John a new school of religious teachers arose in Palestine, the apocalyptists. These new teachers evolved a system of belief that accounted for the sufferings and humiliation of the Jews on the ground that they were paying the penalty for the nation’s sins. They fell back onto the well-known reasons assigned to explain the Babylonian and other captivities of former times. But, so taught the apocalyptists, Israel should take heart; the days of their affliction were almost over; the discipline of God’s chosen people was about finished; God’s patience with the gentile foreigners was about exhausted. The end of Roman rule was synonymous with the end of the age and, in a certain sense, with the end of the world. These new teachers leaned heavily on the predictions of Daniel, and they consistently taught that creation was about to pass into its final stage; the kingdoms of this world were about to become the kingdom of God. To the Jewish mind of that day this was the meaning of that phrase—the kingdom of heaven—which runs throughout the teachings of both John and Jesus. To the Jews of Palestine the phrase “kingdom of heaven” had but one meaning: an absolutely righteous state in which God (the Messiah) would rule the nations of earth in perfection of power just as he ruled in heaven—“Your will be done on earth as in heaven.”
135:5.2 (1500.2) 大約在耶穌與約翰時代的百年之前，在巴勒斯坦興起了一個新的宗教導師學派——啟示文學派。這些新學派導師發展出了一套信仰體系，對猶太人遭受的痛苦和屈辱作出了解釋，說猶太人是在為民族的罪受懲罰。他們退回到那個眾所周知的原由——那個用來解釋昔日巴比倫之囚及其他囚禁之事的原由。不過，啟示文學派如此教導：以色列人應振作起來，他們苦難的日子即將終結，對神之選民的懲戒就要結束，神對外邦人的忍耐就要耗盡。羅馬統治的終結，意味著這個時代的終結，在某種意義上，也等同於這個世界的終結。這些新學派導師極度倚重但以理的預言，他們一直教導：造物即將進入最後階段，這個世界上的眾國即將成為神的國。在當時猶太人的觀念裡，這便是「天國」一詞的含義；而這個詞也貫穿了約翰與耶穌二人的全部教導。對於巴勒斯坦的猶太人而言，「天國」這個詞只有一個含義：一個絕對正義的國度，在這個國中，神（彌賽亞）必以完全的權能統治地上萬邦，如同他在天上統治——「願你的旨意行在地上，如同行在天上」。
135:5.3 (1500.3) In the days of John all Jews were expectantly asking, “How soon will the kingdom come?” There was a general feeling that the end of the rule of the gentile nations was drawing near. There was present throughout all Jewry a lively hope and a keen expectation that the consummation of the desire of the ages would occur during the lifetime of that generation.
135:5.3 (1500.3) 在約翰的時代，所有的猶太人都在滿懷期待地問：「王國還要多久才會到來？」當時瀰漫著一種普遍看法：外邦民族的統治即將終結。整個猶太民族都懷抱著這樣的濃厚希望與熱切期盼：在他們這一代的有生之年，見證歷代的渴求轉變為圓滿的現實。
135:5.4 (1500.4) While the Jews differed greatly in their estimates of the nature of the coming kingdom, they were alike in their belief that the event was impending, near at hand, even at the door. Many who read the Old Testament literally looked expectantly for a new king in Palestine, for a regenerated Jewish nation delivered from its enemies and presided over by the successor of King David, the Messiah who would quickly be acknowledged as the rightful and righteous ruler of all the world. Another, though smaller, group of devout Jews held a vastly different view of this kingdom of God. They taught that the coming kingdom was not of this world, that the world was approaching its certain end, and that “a new heaven and a new earth” were to usher in the establishment of the kingdom of God; that this kingdom was to be an everlasting dominion, that sin was to be ended, and that the citizens of the new kingdom were to become immortal in their enjoyment of this endless bliss.
135:5.4 (1500.4) 儘管猶太人對即將到來之王國的性質有著各種極為不同的見解，但他們都同樣相信，這件大事即將發生，指日可待，甚至已在門口。許多按字面意思去讀《舊約》的人，熱切期盼一位在巴勒斯坦的新王，期盼一個從敵人手中得蒙拯救、重獲新生的猶太民族，由大衛王的後裔彌賽亞執掌；這位彌賽亞會迅速得到一致認可，成為全世界合法、正義的統治者。而另一群人數較少的虔誠猶太人卻對這一神的國有著截然不同的看法。他們教導說，那即將到來的王國不屬於這個世界，這個世界正邁向其必然的終結，「新天新地」將迎來神之王國的建立；這個王國將是永久的權柄，罪惡將終結，新王國的公民必將在享受這無盡的福佑中，成為永生不滅的存在。
135:5.5 (1500.5) All were agreed that some drastic purging or purifying discipline would of necessity precede the establishment of the new kingdom on earth. The literalists taught that a world-wide war would ensue which would destroy all unbelievers, while the faithful would sweep on to universal and eternal victory. The spiritists taught that the kingdom would be ushered in by the great judgment of God which would relegate the unrighteous to their well-deserved judgment of punishment and final destruction, at the same time elevating the believing saints of the chosen people to high seats of honor and authority with the Son of Man, who would rule over the redeemed nations in God’s name. And this latter group even believed that many devout gentiles might be admitted to the fellowship of the new kingdom.
135:5.5 (1500.5) 所有人都一致認同，新王國得以在世間建立起來之前，一些嚴厲的肅清性或是淨化性懲戒是必要的。字面派教導說，隨之而來的將是一場席捲全世界的戰爭，它將毀滅所有不信者，而忠信者將勢如破竹，直至贏得普世、永恆的勝利。靈意派則教導，王國將由神的偉大審判開啟：貶謫不義之人，使他們受到應有的懲罰，最終毀滅；與此同時，提升受選之民中的虔誠信徒，讓他們與人子同坐榮耀、權威的高位，而人子將以神之名統治得救贖的列國。靈意派甚至相信，許多虔誠的外邦人也可能會被接納，成為新王國的成員。
135:5.6 (1501.1) Some of the Jews held to the opinion that God might possibly establish this new kingdom by direct and divine intervention, but the vast majority believed that he would interpose some representative intermediary, the Messiah. And that was the only possible meaning the term Messiah could have had in the minds of the Jews of the generation of John and Jesus. Messiah could not possibly refer to one who merely taught God’s will or proclaimed the necessity for righteous living. To all such holy persons the Jews gave the title of prophet. The Messiah was to be more than a prophet; the Messiah was to bring in the establishment of the new kingdom, the kingdom of God. No one who failed to do this could be the Messiah in the traditional Jewish sense.
135:5.6 (1501.1) 部分猶太人認為，神或許會通過直接、神聖的干預來建立這個新王國；但大多數人相信，他會委派一位代表他的中間人——彌賽亞。在約翰與耶穌那個時代的猶太人心中，這是彌賽亞一詞唯一可能的含義。彌賽亞絕不可能指這樣一個人：他只是教導神的旨意，或只是宣揚公義生活的必要性。對所有這類聖人，猶太人都給予了「先知」的稱號。彌賽亞不只是先知；彌賽亞必將帶來新王國——神之王國——的建立。在猶太人的傳統觀念中，未能做到這一切的人，絕不可能是彌賽亞。
135:5.7 (1501.2) Who would this Messiah be? Again the Jewish teachers differed. The older ones clung to the doctrine of the son of David. The newer taught that, since the new kingdom was a heavenly kingdom, the new ruler might also be a divine personality, one who had long sat at God’s right hand in heaven. And strange as it may appear, those who thus conceived of the ruler of the new kingdom looked upon him not as a human Messiah, not as a mere man, but as “the Son of Man”—a Son of God—a heavenly Prince, long held in waiting thus to assume the rulership of the earth made new. Such was the religious background of the Jewish world when John went forth proclaiming: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”
135:5.7 (1501.2) 這位彌賽亞會是誰？猶太導師們再次意見不一。老一派導師們堅持大衛之子的教義。新一派導師則教導說，既然新王國是一個天國，那麼這位新的統治者可能也是一位神性的人格體，一位長久以來一直在天上坐在神的右手邊的存在。儘管這看起來有些奇怪，但那些這般構想新王國統治者的人，未將他視為一位人類彌賽亞，也就是說，未將他視為一個純粹的人，而是視為「人子」—— 一位神子—— 一位天上的君王，他等待已久，準備承擔這煥然一新的世間的統治權。在約翰走出去宣告「天國近了，悔改吧！」之際，猶太人世界正處於這樣的一種宗教背景之下。
135:5.8 (1501.3) It becomes apparent, therefore, that John’s announcement of the coming kingdom had not less than half a dozen different meanings in the minds of those who listened to his impassioned preaching. But no matter what significance they attached to the phrases which John employed, each of these various groups of Jewish-kingdom expectants was intrigued by the proclamations of this sincere, enthusiastic, rough-and-ready preacher of righteousness and repentance, who so solemnly exhorted his hearers to “flee from the wrath to come.”
135:5.8 (1501.3) 因此可以明顯看到，對約翰關於即將到來王國的宣告，聽他激情傳道的眾人，依各自的理解，生出了不下六種不同的解讀。不過，這些不同的猶太王國期盼者群體，無論他們對約翰所用的詞句賦予什麼樣的意義，都被這位真誠、熱情、粗獷而務實的傳道者的宣告，深深地吸引，這位宣揚公義與悔改的傳道者，他如此莊嚴地勸誡聽眾「逃離將要來的憤怒」。
135:6.1 (1501.4) Early in the month of March, a.d. 25, John journeyed around the western coast of the Dead Sea and up the river Jordan to opposite Jericho, the ancient ford over which Joshua and the children of Israel passed when they first entered the promised land; and crossing over to the other side of the river, he established himself near the entrance to the ford and began to preach to the people who passed by on their way back and forth across the river. This was the most frequented of all the Jordan crossings.
135:6.1 (1501.4) 西元25年3月初，約翰行走於死海西岸一帶，隨後沿約旦河向上游行至耶利哥對面，這裡是古老的淺灘渡口，約書亞和以色列人正是從此處渡河，首次進入應許之地。他淌過河，到了河對岸，在淺灘入口附近安頓下來，開始向往返渡河的民眾傳道。這裡是約旦河所有渡口中最為繁忙的。
135:6.2 (1501.5) It was apparent to all who heard John that he was more than a preacher. The great majority of those who listened to this strange man who had come up from the Judean wilderness went away believing that they had heard the voice of a prophet. No wonder the souls of these weary and expectant Jews were deeply stirred by such a phenomenon. Never in all Jewish history had the devout children of Abraham so longed for the “consolation of Israel” or more ardently anticipated “the restoration of the kingdom.” Never in all Jewish history could John’s message, “the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” have made such a deep and universal appeal as at the very time he so mysteriously appeared on the bank of this southern crossing of the Jordan.
135:6.2 (1501.5) 凡聽過約翰傳道的人都明顯地感覺到，他絕不只是一個傳道者。這位從猶地亞曠野走出來的奇人，絕大多數聽他傳道的人離去之時，都相信自己聽到了先知的聲音。難怪這些疲憊不堪、滿懷期盼的猶太人的靈魂，會被這樣一種現象深深震撼。在整個猶太歷史上，亞伯拉罕虔誠的子孫從未如此渴望「以色列的安慰者」，也從未如此熱切地期盼「王國的復興」。縱觀整個猶太歷史，約翰「天國近了」的信息，從未能像他神祕現身於這約旦河南部渡口時那樣，產生如此深刻且普遍的感染力。
135:6.3 (1502.1) He came from the herdsmen, like Amos. He was dressed like Elijah of old, and he thundered his admonitions and poured forth his warnings in the “spirit and power of Elijah.” It is not surprising that this strange preacher created a mighty stir throughout all Palestine as the travelers carried abroad the news of his preaching along the Jordan.
135:6.3 (1502.1) 他原是牧人，一如阿摩司。他的穿著像古時的以利亞，並以「以利亞的心志、能力」，嘶吼著發出告誡，傾瀉出他的警告。難怪隨著旅人們將他在約旦河邊傳道的消息四處傳揚，這位奇特的傳道者在整個巴勒斯坦引起極大轟動。
135:6.4 (1502.2) There was still another and a new feature about the work of this Nazarite preacher: He baptized every one of his believers in the Jordan “for the remission of sins.” Although baptism was not a new ceremony among the Jews, they had never seen it employed as John now made use of it. It had long been the practice thus to baptize the gentile proselytes into the fellowship of the outer court of the temple, but never had the Jews themselves been asked to submit to the baptism of repentance. Only fifteen months intervened between the time John began to preach and baptize and his arrest and imprisonment at the instigation of Herod Antipas, but in this short time he baptized considerably over one hundred thousand penitents.
135:6.4 (1502.2) 這位拿細耳人傳道者的事工還有一個新的特色：他在約旦河中為他的每一位信奉者施洗，「為使罪得赦」。儘管施洗在猶太人中並非新儀式，但他們從未見過像約翰如今這樣的用法。長久以來的慣例是，給外邦歸信者施洗禮，使他們可以進入聖殿外院的團契；但猶太人自己從未被要求接受這種悔改的洗禮。從約翰開始傳道、施洗，到希律·安提帕斯唆使人將他逮捕入獄，中間僅相隔十五個月，但就在這段短短的時間裡，他為十萬余名悔過者施了洗禮。
135:6.5 (1502.3) John preached four months at Bethany ford before starting north up the Jordan. Tens of thousands of listeners, some curious but many earnest and serious, came to hear him from all parts of Judea, Perea, and Samaria. Even a few came from Galilee.
135:6.5 (1502.3) 約翰在伯大尼淺灘傳道了四個月，隨後沿著約旦河北上。數以萬計的聽眾從猶地亞、比利亞和撒馬利亞各地趕來，他們有的是出於好奇，但也有許多人是認真而嚴肅的。甚至還有少數人是從加利利趕來的。
135:6.6 (1502.4) In May of this year, while he still lingered at Bethany ford, the priests and Levites sent a delegation out to inquire of John whether he claimed to be the Messiah, and by whose authority he preached. John answered these questioners by saying: “Go tell your masters that you have heard ‘the voice of one crying in the wilderness,’ as spoken by the prophet, saying, ‘make ready the way of the Lord, make straight a highway for our God. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; the uneven ground shall become a plain, while the rough places shall become a smooth valley; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”
135:6.6 (1502.4) 這年5月，當時他仍逗留在伯大尼淺灘渡口，祭司和利未人派了一個代表團前來詢問約翰，他是否宣稱自己是彌賽亞，他是憑藉誰的權威傳道。約翰如此回答這些問詢者：「回去告訴你們的主人，你們已聽到了『在曠野有人聲喊著說』，正如先知所言，『預備主的路，修直我們神的道。一切山谷都要填滿，大小山崗都要削平；高低不平之地必成為平原，崎嶇之處必成為平坦谷地；凡有血氣的都必看見神的救恩。』」
135:6.7 (1502.5) John was a heroic but tactless preacher. One day when he was preaching and baptizing on the west bank of the Jordan, a group of Pharisees and a number of Sadducees came forward and presented themselves for baptism. Before leading them down into the water, John, addressing them as a group said: “Who warned you to flee, as vipers before the fire, from the wrath to come? I will baptize you, but I warn you to bring forth fruit worthy of sincere repentance if you would receive the remission of your sins. Tell me not that Abraham is your father. I declare that God is able of these twelve stones here before you to raise up worthy children for Abraham. And even now is the ax laid to the very roots of the trees. Every tree that brings not forth good fruit is destined to be cut down and cast into the fire.” (The twelve stones to which he referred were the reputed memorial stones set up by Joshua to commemorate the crossing of the “twelve tribes” at this very point when they first entered the promised land.)
135:6.7 (1502.5) 作為一名傳道者，約翰充滿英雄氣概，但過於直言不諱。一天，當他在約旦河西岸傳道、施洗時，一群法利賽人和幾個撒都該人前來受洗。在領他們下水之前，約翰對這群人說：「誰告誡你們逃避將要來的憤怒，如同臨火的毒蛇？我將為你們施洗，但我告誡你們，若要罪得到赦免，你們要結出果子來，與真誠悔改的心相稱。不要同我講亞伯拉罕是你們的祖先。我宣告，神能從擺在你們面前的這十二塊石頭中，為亞伯拉罕興起相稱的子孫來。現在斧子已經放在樹根上。凡不結好果子的樹，註定要被砍下來，丟在火裡。」（他提到的那十二塊石頭，是「十二支派」首次進入應許之地時，約書亞為紀念他們穿過此處而設立的著名紀念石。）
135:6.8 (1502.6) John conducted classes for his disciples, in the course of which he instructed them in the details of their new life and endeavored to answer their many questions. He counseled the teachers to instruct in the spirit as well as the letter of the law. He instructed the rich to feed the poor; to the tax gatherers he said: “Extort no more than that which is assigned you.” To the soldiers he said: “Do no violence and exact nothing wrongfully—be content with your wages.” While he counseled all: “Make ready for the end of the age—the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
135:6.8 (1502.6) 約翰為他的門徒授課，在授課過程中，指導他們新生活的各項細節，並盡力回答他們的諸多疑問。他向教師們建議，教導律法時，既要按照其條文，也要依照其精神。他教導富人周濟窮人；對稅吏，他說道：「除了例定的數目，不要多取。」 對士兵，他說道：「不要施暴，也不要敲詐勒索——自己有錢糧就當知足。」 同時，他勸告所有人：「要為這個時代的終結作好準備——天國近了。」
135:7.1 (1503.1) John still had confused ideas about the coming kingdom and its king. The longer he preached the more confused he became, but never did this intellectual uncertainty concerning the nature of the coming kingdom in the least lessen his conviction of the certainty of the kingdom’s immediate appearance. In mind John might be confused, but in spirit never. He was in no doubt about the coming kingdom, but he was far from certain as to whether or not Jesus was to be the ruler of that kingdom. As long as John held to the idea of the restoration of the throne of David, the teachings of his parents that Jesus, born in the City of David, was to be the long-expected deliverer, seemed consistent; but at those times when he leaned more toward the doctrine of a spiritual kingdom and the end of the temporal age on earth, he was sorely in doubt as to the part Jesus would play in such events. Sometimes he questioned everything, but not for long. He really wished he might talk it all over with his cousin, but that was contrary to their expressed agreement.
135:7.1 (1503.1) 對於即將到來的王國及其君王，約翰心中仍有想法尚未釐清。傳道時間越久，他心中的困惑就越盛；不過，這種對即將到來王國的本質在智性上的不確定，絲毫未削弱他對王國即將出現之必然性的堅定信心。在智性上，約翰或許有困惑；但在靈性上，他卻從不曾迷茫。他對即將到來的王國十分確定，但對於耶穌是否將成為那個王國的統治者，他卻遠不敢確定。只要約翰抱持大衛寶座復興的想法，他父母關於「生於大衛之城的耶穌必將成為期待已久的拯救者」的教導，似乎仍站得住腳；但當他更傾向於靈性王國的教義，傾向於地上世俗時代即將終結的教義，他對於耶穌在這些大事中所扮演的角色，便極為不確定。有時他會對一切產生質疑，但不會持續太久。他真的非常希望能和他表弟將這一切都好好談一談，但那違反了他們定下的約定。
135:7.2 (1503.2) As John journeyed north, he thought much about Jesus. He paused at more than a dozen places as he traveled up the Jordan. It was at Adam that he first made reference to “another one who is to come after me” in answer to the direct question which his disciples asked him, “Are you the Messiah?” And he went on to say: “There will come after me one who is greater than I, whose sandal straps I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. And his shovel is in his hand thoroughly to cleanse his threshing floor; he will gather the wheat into his garner, but the chaff will he burn up with the judgment fire.”
135:7.2 (1503.2) 約翰一路向北行進，路上反覆思考關於耶穌之事。在沿著約旦河向上游行走的行程中，他前後在十多個地方駐足。正是在亞當這個地方，在回答門徒問的「你是否是彌賽亞？」這個很直接的問題時，他首次提到「另一位在我以後來的」。他接著說道： 「那在我以後來的，比我能力更大，我就是彎腰給他解鞋帶也不配。我是用水給你們施洗，但他要用聖靈給你們施洗。他手裡拿著鏟子，要揚淨他的場，把麥子收在倉裡，把糠用審判的火燒盡了。」
135:7.3 (1503.3) In response to the questions of his disciples John continued to expand his teachings, from day to day adding more that was helpful and comforting compared with his early and cryptic message: “Repent and be baptized.” By this time throngs were arriving from Galilee and the Decapolis. Scores of earnest believers lingered with their adored teacher day after day.
135:7.3 (1503.3) 應眾門徒的提問，約翰持續擴充他的教導，他每天都增添更多能帶來助益與慰藉的內容，與他早期隱晦的「悔改並受洗」這一訊息形成對比。到了這個時候，成群結隊的人正從加利利、德加波利斯趕來。許許多多誠摯的信徒日復一日流連在他們愛戴的導師身邊。
135:8.1 (1503.4) By December of a.d. 25, when John reached the neighborhood of Pella in his journey up the Jordan, his fame had extended throughout all Palestine, and his work had become the chief topic of conversation in all the towns about the lake of Galilee. Jesus had spoken favorably of John’s message, and this had caused many from Capernaum to join John’s cult of repentance and baptism. James and John the fishermen sons of Zebedee had gone down in December, soon after John took up his preaching position near Pella, and had offered themselves for baptism. They went to see John once a week and brought back to Jesus fresh, firsthand reports of the evangelist’s work.
135:8.1 (1503.4) 到了西元25年12月，約翰沿著約旦河向上游行至佩拉附近時，他的名聲已傳遍整個巴勒斯坦，他所開展的事工，已成為加利利湖周邊所有城鎮裡人們熱衷談論的主要話題。耶穌曾讚揚約翰所傳的訊息，這使得許多迦百農人加入了約翰那悔改與洗禮的熱潮。就在約翰開始在佩拉附近開壇講道後不久，在12月間，西庇太的兩個漁夫兒子詹姆斯和約翰便動身前往，並主動要求受洗。他們每週都會去見一次約翰，並給耶穌帶回關於這位福音傳道者的最新的第一手消息。
135:8.2 (1503.5) Jesus’ brothers James and Jude had talked about going down to John for baptism; and now that Jude had come over to Capernaum for the Sabbath services, both he and James, after listening to Jesus’ discourse in the synagogue, decided to take counsel with him concerning their plans. This was on Saturday night, January 12, a.d. 26. Jesus requested that they postpone the discussion until the following day, when he would give them his answer. He slept very little that night, being in close communion with the Father in heaven. He had arranged to have noontime lunch with his brothers and to advise them concerning baptism by John. That Sunday morning Jesus was working as usual in the boatshop. James and Jude had arrived with the lunch and were waiting in the lumber room for him, as it was not yet time for the midday recess, and they knew that Jesus was very regular about such matters.
135:8.2 (1503.5) 耶穌的弟弟詹姆斯和猶達兩人曾商議去約翰那裡受洗；現在猶達為參加安息日儀式來了迦百農，他和詹姆斯在聽完耶穌在猶太教會堂的講話後，決定和他商量他們的計畫。那是西元26年1月12日週六晚上。耶穌要他們將討論推遲到第二天，屆時他會給他們答覆。那晚他睡得很少，在與天上的父親密地共融交流。他已約好中午與兩個弟弟一起用午餐，就受約翰施洗之事給他們建議。那個周日的早晨，耶穌像往常一樣在造船作坊工作。詹姆斯和猶達帶著午餐來了，在木料間等他，因為還沒到午間休息時間，他們知道耶穌在這些事上極守規矩。
135:8.3 (1504.1) Just before the noon rest, Jesus laid down his tools, removed his work apron, and merely announced to the three workmen in the room with him, “My hour has come.” He went out to his brothers James and Jude, repeating, “My hour has come—let us go to John.” And they started immediately for Pella, eating their lunch as they journeyed. This was on Sunday, January 13. They tarried for the night in the Jordan valley and arrived on the scene of John’s baptizing about noon of the next day.
135:8.3 (1504.1) 將近午間休息時，耶穌放下手中的工具，脫去做工的圍裙，只鄭重地對同在工作間裡的三名工匠說:「我的時候到了。」他走出去找他弟弟詹姆斯和猶達，重複道:「我的時候到了——我們去見約翰吧。」於是他們即刻動身前往佩拉，在路上邊走邊吃午餐。那是1月13日週日。他們在約旦河谷逗留了一夜，在次日正午時分抵達了約翰施洗的現場。
135:8.4 (1504.2) John had just begun baptizing the candidates for the day. Scores of repentants were standing in line awaiting their turn when Jesus and his two brothers took up their positions in this line of earnest men and women who had become believers in John’s preaching of the coming kingdom. John had been inquiring about Jesus of Zebedee’s sons. He had heard of Jesus’ remarks concerning his preaching, and he was day by day expecting to see him arrive on the scene, but he had not expected to greet him in the line of baptismal candidates.
135:8.4 (1504.2) 約翰剛開始給當天準備受洗的人施洗。有大批的懺悔者在排隊，等待輪到他們，這些排隊的男男女女都是因約翰宣講即將到來之王國而成為了信徒；正是在這時，耶穌和兩個弟弟排進了隊中。約翰之前曾多次向西庇太的兩個兒子打聽耶穌的情況。他也聽說了耶穌對他傳道的評價，每天都期待著看到他來現場，不過他怎麼也沒想到會在等待受洗的隊伍中見到他。
135:8.5 (1504.3) Being engrossed with the details of rapidly baptizing such a large number of converts, John did not look up to see Jesus until the Son of Man stood in his immediate presence. When John recognized Jesus, the ceremonies were halted for a moment while he greeted his cousin in the flesh and asked, “But why do you come down into the water to greet me?” And Jesus answered, “To be subject to your baptism.” John replied: “But I have need to be baptized by you. Why do you come to me?” And Jesus whispered to John: “Bear with me now, for it becomes us to set this example for my brothers standing here with me, and that the people may know that my hour has come.”
135:8.5 (1504.3) 約翰當時正全神貫注於為如此眾多的歸信者迅速施洗的具體事宜，並未抬頭看；直到人子站在他面前，他才看見耶穌。約翰認出了耶穌，他向自己這位肉身中的表弟問候，問道:「不過，你為何反倒下到水裡來見我？」儀式因此停了片刻。耶穌回答道:「來接受你的施洗。」約翰回道：「但我本需要受你的洗。你為何反倒到我這裡來呢？」耶穌對約翰低聲說：「你暫且許我，因為我們理當為與我一道站在這裡的兄弟們立起這個樣子，好讓眾人知道，我的時候已到了。」
135:8.6 (1504.4) There was a tone of finality and authority in Jesus’ voice. John was atremble with emotion as he made ready to baptize Jesus of Nazareth in the Jordan at noon on Monday, January 14, a.d. 26. Thus did John baptize Jesus and his two brothers James and Jude. And when John had baptized these three, he dismissed the others for the day, announcing that he would resume baptisms at noon the next day. As the people were departing, the four men still standing in the water heard a strange sound, and presently there appeared for a moment an apparition immediately over the head of Jesus, and they heard a voice saying, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” A great change came over the countenance of Jesus, and coming up out of the water in silence he took leave of them, going toward the hills to the east. And no man saw Jesus again for forty days.
135:8.6 (1504.4) 耶穌的聲音裡帶著一種不容置疑的篤定與權威。西元26年1月14日週一中午，約翰準備就緒，在約旦河中給拿撒勒的耶穌施洗，當時他因激動而忍不住發抖。約翰就這樣為耶穌和他的兩個弟弟詹姆斯和猶達施了洗禮。為三人施洗後，約翰便遣散當天其他預備受洗的人，宣佈他會在次日中午繼續施洗。正當眾人散去的時候，仍站在水中的四人聽到了一種奇異的聲音，緊接著，一個異象在耶穌頭頂上方顯現了片刻，他們聽見一個聲音說:「這是我的愛子，我所喜悅的。」耶穌的面容發生了巨大的變化。他默默地從水裡走上岸，向他們道別，向東往山裡而去。此後的四十天裡，再無人見過耶穌。
135:8.7 (1504.5) John followed Jesus a sufficient distance to tell him the story of Gabriel’s visit to his mother ere either had been born, as he had heard it so many times from his mother’s lips. He allowed Jesus to continue on his way after he had said, “Now I know of a certainty that you are the Deliverer.” But Jesus made no reply.
135:8.7 (1504.5) 約翰跟著耶穌走了很長的一段距離，跟他講述了加百列在他們二人出生之前造訪他（耶穌）母親之事，這件事，他從母親口中聽過無數遍。他對耶穌說:「現在我確知，你就是那位拯救者。」說完，他便任由耶穌繼續前行。不過，耶穌對他的話並未作答。
135:9.1 (1505.1) When John returned to his disciples (he now had some twenty-five or thirty who abode with him constantly), he found them in earnest conference, discussing what had just happened in connection with Jesus’ baptism. They were all the more astonished when John now made known to them the story of the Gabriel visitation to Mary before Jesus was born, and also that Jesus spoke no word to him even after he had told him about this. There was no rain that evening, and this group of thirty or more talked long into the starlit night. They wondered where Jesus had gone, and when they would see him again.
135:9.1 (1505.1) 約翰回到門徒那裡時（當時已有大約二十五到三十人常伴他左右），發現他們正在熱切地討論著，話題正是剛才發生的、與耶穌受洗有關的事。約翰向他們講述了耶穌出生前加百列向瑪利亞顯現之事，還告訴他們，甚至在他將這一切告訴耶穌後，耶穌都未置一詞；他們聽了這些以後更驚訝了。那天晚上沒有下雨，這一群三十來人一直長談至星光輝映的深夜。他們滿心疑惑與好奇，想知道耶穌去了哪裡，何時能再見到他。
135:9.2 (1505.2) After the experience of this day the preaching of John took on new and certain notes of proclamation concerning the coming kingdom and the expected Messiah. It was a tense time, these forty days of tarrying, waiting for the return of Jesus. But John continued to preach with great power, and his disciples began at about this time to preach to the overflowing throngs which gathered around John at the Jordan.
35:9.2 (1505.2) 經過了這一日的經歷之後，對於即將到來的王國以及眾所盼望的彌賽亞，約翰的傳道呈現出全新、篤定的宣講口吻。這是一段緊張的日子——這四十天的守候，等待著耶穌的歸來。不過，約翰繼續以極大的力量傳道；大約就在那個時候，他的門徒開始向約旦河邊聚集在約翰周圍的群眾傳道。
135:9.3 (1505.3) In the course of these forty days of waiting, many rumors spread about the countryside and even to Tiberias and Jerusalem. Thousands came over to see the new attraction in John’s camp, the reputed Messiah, but Jesus was not to be seen. When the disciples of John asserted that the strange man of God had gone to the hills, many doubted the entire story.
135:9.3 (1505.3) 在這四十天等候期間，許多傳聞在鄉間傳開來，甚至傳到了提比裡亞和耶路撒冷。成千上萬的人趕來，想要見一見約翰營地中那位引人矚目的新人物——傳言中的彌賽亞，但卻不見耶穌的蹤影。聽到約翰的門徒堅稱這位奇特的神人去了山裡，許多人都開始對這一整件事表示懷疑。
135:9.4 (1505.4) About three weeks after Jesus had left them, there arrived on the scene at Pella a new deputation from the priests and Pharisees at Jerusalem. They asked John directly if he was Elijah or the prophet that Moses promised; and when John said, “I am not,” they made bold to ask, “Are you the Messiah?” and John answered, “I am not.” Then said these men from Jerusalem: “If you are not Elijah, nor the prophet, nor the Messiah, then why do you baptize the people and create all this stir?” And John replied: “It should be for those who have heard me and received my baptism to say who I am, but I declare to you that, while I baptize with water, there has been among us one who will return to baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
135:9.4 (1505.4) 在耶穌離開大約三週之後，耶路撒冷的祭司和法利賽人差來的一個新代表團抵達了佩拉現場。他們直接問約翰：他是否是以利亞，或是摩西應許的那位先知。聽到約翰說「我不是」，他們又大著膽子問道：「你是彌賽亞嗎？」約翰回答道:「我不是。」於是，這些來自耶路撒冷的人說道:「你既不是以利亞，也不是那先知，也不是彌賽亞，為什麼給眾人施洗，引起這一切騷動呢？」約翰回答道：「我是誰，應當由那些親耳聽了我講道、受了我施洗的人來說。但我向你們宣告，我是用水施洗，但我們當中已有一位，他將回來用聖靈給你們施洗。」
135:9.5 (1505.5) These forty days were a difficult period for John and his disciples. What was to be the relation of John to Jesus? A hundred questions came up for discussion. Politics and selfish preferment began to make their appearance. Intense discussions grew up around the various ideas and concepts of the Messiah. Would he become a military leader and a Davidic king? Would he smite the Roman armies as Joshua had the Canaanites? Or would he come to establish a spiritual kingdom? John rather decided, with the minority, that Jesus had come to establish the kingdom of heaven, although he was not altogether clear in his own mind as to just what was to be embraced within this mission of the establishment of the kingdom of heaven.
135:9.5 (1505.5) 這四十天，對約翰和他的眾門徒而言，是很難熬的一段時間。約翰與耶穌會是一種怎樣的關聯？上百個問題湧現出來，亟待討論。權術與逐私的擢升謀求開始顯現。圍繞關於彌賽亞的種種設想和觀念，激烈的討論漸漸興起。他會成為一位軍事領袖、一位大衛家系的君王嗎？他會像約書亞痛擊迦南人那樣擊敗羅馬軍隊嗎？抑或他會來建立一個屬靈的王國？約翰更傾向於少數派的觀點，認定耶穌來是為要建立天國，儘管對於建立天國這一使命理應涵括哪些內容，他自己心中也並未完全清晰。
135:9.6 (1505.6) These were strenuous days in John’s experience, and he prayed for the return of Jesus. Some of John’s disciples organized scouting parties to go in search of Jesus, but John forbade, saying: “Our times are in the hands of the God of heaven; he will direct his chosen Son.”
135:9.6 (1505.6) 這是約翰的經歷中一段艱辛的日子，他祈禱著耶穌歸來。約翰的一些門徒組織了幾個搜尋小隊，要去尋找耶穌，但約翰制止了他們，說道：「我們的時機在天上的神手中，他會指引他所選定的兒子。」
135:9.7 (1505.7) It was early on the morning of Sabbath, February 23, that the company of John, engaged in eating their morning meal, looked up toward the north and beheld Jesus coming to them. As he approached them, John stood upon a large rock and, lifting up his sonorous voice, said: “Behold the Son of God, the deliverer of the world! This is he of whom I have said, ‘After me there will come one who is preferred before me because he was before me.’ For this cause came I out of the wilderness to preach repentance and to baptize with water, proclaiming that the kingdom of heaven is at hand. And now comes one who shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit. And I beheld the divine spirit descending upon this man, and I heard the voice of God declare, ‘This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.’”
135:9.7 (1505.7) 那是2月23日安息日的清晨，約翰眾人正在用早餐，他們抬頭看向北邊，看到耶穌正向他們走來。耶穌走近時，約翰站到一塊大岩石上，用他洪亮的嗓音高聲說：「看那神子，世界的拯救者！這就是我曾說的，『有一位要在我以後來，反要超過我，因他本來在我以前。』為了這個緣故，我從曠野出來宣揚悔改，來用水施洗，宣告天國近了。現在，這位要用聖靈給你們施洗的來了。我曾看見神聖的靈降在這人身上，我還聽見神的聲音宣告:『這是我的愛子，我所喜悅的。』」
135:9.8 (1506.1) Jesus bade them return to their food while he sat down to eat with John, his brothers James and Jude having returned to Capernaum.
135:9.8 (1506.1) 耶穌吩咐他們繼續吃飯，自己坐下與約翰一起吃。他的弟弟詹姆斯和猶達早已回了迦百農。
135:9.9 (1506.2) Early in the morning of the next day he took leave of John and his disciples, going back to Galilee. He gave them no word as to when they would again see him. To John’s inquiries about his own preaching and mission Jesus only said, “My Father will guide you now and in the future as he has in the past.” And these two great men separated that morning on the banks of the Jordan, never again to greet each other in the flesh.
135:9.9 (1506.2) 次日清早，他辭別約翰和他的門徒，要回加利利去。對於他們何時會與他再次相見，他未給出隻言片語。對約翰關於自己傳道與使命的詢問，耶穌只說：「我的父必從今往後一直引導你，一如從前。」那個清晨，這兩位偉大的人在約旦河邊就此分別，彼此再也沒有在肉身中相見致意。
135:10.1 (1506.3) Since Jesus had gone north into Galilee, John felt led to retrace his steps southward. Accordingly, on Sunday morning, March 3, John and the remainder of his disciples began their journey south. About one quarter of John’s immediate followers had meantime departed for Galilee in quest of Jesus. There was a sadness of confusion about John. He never again preached as he had before baptizing Jesus. He somehow felt that the responsibility of the coming kingdom was no longer on his shoulders. He felt that his work was almost finished; he was disconsolate and lonely. But he preached, baptized, and journeyed on southward.
135:10.1 (1506.3) 因耶穌已向北去往加利利，約翰感覺受到指引，要折返往南而行。於是，3月3日週日早晨，約翰和餘下的門徒啟程向南行去。與此同時，約翰身邊的親隨中，約有四分之一已動身前往加利利，去尋找耶穌。約翰周身籠罩著一種憂傷與迷茫交織的情緒。他再也沒有像給耶穌施洗之前那樣傳道了。他隱約感覺到，即將到來之王國的責任，已不復在他肩上。他感覺到自己的事工已幾近完成；他鬱鬱不樂，孤單寂寥。但他依舊繼續傳道、施洗，一路向南而行。
135:10.2 (1506.4) Near the village of Adam, John tarried for several weeks, and it was here that he made the memorable attack upon Herod Antipas for unlawfully taking the wife of another man. By June of this year ( a.d. 26) John was back at the Bethany ford of the Jordan, where he had begun his preaching of the coming kingdom more than a year previously. In the weeks following the baptism of Jesus the character of John’s preaching gradually changed into a proclamation of mercy for the common people, while he denounced with renewed vehemence the corrupt political and religious rulers.
135:10.2 (1506.4) 在亞當村附近，約翰逗留了幾週；就是在這裡，他對希律·安提帕斯非法奪人妻子的行為，作出了令人難忘的抨擊。這一年（西元26年）6月，約翰回到約旦河的伯大尼淺灘，一年多前，他就是在這裡開始了他關於即將到來之王國的傳道。在耶穌受洗後的數週之內，約翰傳道的風格逐漸轉變，變為向普通百姓宣揚仁慈，同時，他以重燃的激烈態度，譴責那些腐敗的政治、宗教掌權者。
135:10.3 (1506.5) Herod Antipas, in whose territory John had been preaching, became alarmed lest he and his disciples should start a rebellion. Herod also resented John’s public criticisms of his domestic affairs. In view of all this, Herod decided to put John in prison. Accordingly, very early in the morning of June 12, before the multitude arrived to hear the preaching and witness the baptizing, the agents of Herod placed John under arrest. As weeks passed and he was not released, his disciples scattered over all Palestine, many of them going into Galilee to join the followers of Jesus.
135:10.3 (1506.5) 約翰當時一直在希律·安提帕斯的領地內傳道，希律心生警覺，擔心約翰和他的門徒發動造反。希律也對約翰公開批判他的家事懷恨在心。因這些緣故，希律決定將約翰下獄。於是，6月12日清早，群眾還未到達現場聽道、見證施洗，希律的爪牙就將約翰逮捕了。數週過去，約翰始終未獲釋；他的門徒遂散去，四散於全巴勒斯坦，他們中有許多人前往加利利，欲加入耶穌追隨者的行列。
135:11.1 (1506.6) John had a lonely and somewhat bitter experience in prison. Few of his followers were permitted to see him. He longed to see Jesus but had to be content with hearing of his work through those of his followers who had become believers in the Son of Man. He was often tempted to doubt Jesus and his divine mission. If Jesus were the Messiah, why did he do nothing to deliver him from this unbearable imprisonment? For more than a year and a half this rugged man of God’s outdoors languished in that despicable prison. And this experience was a great test of his faith in, and loyalty to, Jesus. Indeed, this whole experience was a great test of John’s faith even in God. Many times was he tempted to doubt even the genuineness of his own mission and experience.
135:11.1 (1506.6) 約翰在獄中的日子孤獨寂寥，頗有幾分苦楚。只有極少數他的追隨者被允許去見他。他渴望見到耶穌，但只能滿足於通過他的追隨者中已成為人子信徒的人，聽聞耶穌的事工。他常禁不住懷疑耶穌，懷疑耶穌的神聖使命。倘若耶穌真是彌賽亞，為什麼他沒有採取任何行動來救他脫離這難以忍受的監禁？這位慣於野外生活、粗獷剛毅的屬神之人，在那卑劣的獄中苦苦煎熬了一年半有餘。這段經歷，極大地考驗了他對耶穌的信實與忠誠。事實上，這整個經歷所極大考驗的，甚至是約翰對神的信仰。有許多次，他甚至禁不住懷疑他自己使命與經歷的真實性。
135:11.2 (1507.1) After he had been in prison several months, a group of his disciples came to him and, after reporting concerning the public activities of Jesus, said: “So you see, Teacher, that he who was with you at the upper Jordan prospers and receives all who come to him. He even feasts with publicans and sinners. You bore courageous witness to him, and yet he does nothing to effect your deliverance.” But John answered his friends: “This man can do nothing unless it has been given him by his Father in heaven. You well remember that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah, but I am one sent on before to prepare the way for him.’ And that I did. He who has the bride is the bridegroom, but the friend of the bridegroom who stands near by and hears him rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. This, my joy, therefore is fulfilled. He must increase but I must decrease. I am of this earth and have declared my message. Jesus of Nazareth comes down to the earth from heaven and is above us all. The Son of Man has descended from God, and the words of God he will declare to you. For the Father in heaven gives not the spirit by measure to his own Son. The Father loves his Son and will presently put all things in the hands of this Son. He who believes in the Son has eternal life. And these words which I speak are true and abiding.”
135:11.2 (1507.1) 約翰入獄數月後，他的一群門徒來看他，向他彙報耶穌的公眾活動，說：「你看，老師，從前與你同在約旦河上游的那位，如今興旺了，凡來投奔他的，他都接納。他甚至與稅吏和罪人一同坐席吃飯。你曾勇敢地為他作見證，但他卻未做任何事來救你脫困。」 但約翰這樣回答他的朋友們：「這人若非他天上的父賜給他，任何事都不可能做成。你們清楚記得我說過:『我不是彌賽亞，是奉差遣在他前面為他預備道路的。』而這事，我確實已照做了。娶新婦的是新郎，新郎的朋友站著，聽見新郎的聲音就甚喜樂。故此，我這喜悅滿足了。他必興旺，我必衰微。我來自這世間，已宣告了我的訊息。拿撒勒的耶穌從天上降世，是在萬有之上。人子從神那裡降下，他要向你們宣告神的話。因為天上的父賜靈給他自己的兒子是沒有限量的。父愛自己的兒子，不久就要將萬有交在他手裡。信子的人有永生。我講的這些話，真實不虛，恆久存續。」
135:11.3 (1507.2) These disciples were amazed at John’s pronouncement, so much so that they departed in silence. John was also much agitated, for he perceived that he had uttered a prophecy. Never again did he wholly doubt the mission and divinity of Jesus. But it was a sore disappointment to John that Jesus sent him no word, that he came not to see him, and that he exercised none of his great power to deliver him from prison. But Jesus knew all about this. He had great love for John, but being now cognizant of his divine nature and knowing fully the great things in preparation for John when he departed from this world and also knowing that John’s work on earth was finished, he constrained himself not to interfere in the natural outworking of the great preacher-prophet’s career.
135:11.3 (1507.2) 這些門徒對約翰的這番宣告甚感驚訝，以至於他們離去時都默默無語。約翰也很是激動，因為他察覺到自己說出了一個預言。從此，他對耶穌的使命與神性再無絲毫懷疑。但令約翰極為沮喪的是，耶穌沒給他傳遞隻言片語，沒有來見他，也沒有施展大能救他出獄。而耶穌了解這一切，他對約翰懷有深厚的愛；但既然他現在已認識到自己的神性本質，深知約翰離開這個世界後會有極好的事等著他，也知道約翰在世間的事工已完成，他便克制自己，不去干預這位偉大傳道者-先知的生涯的自然發展與結局。
135:11.4 (1507.3) This long suspense in prison was humanly unbearable. Just a few days before his death John again sent trusted messengers to Jesus, inquiring: “Is my work done? Why do I languish in prison? Are you truly the Messiah, or shall we look for another?” And when these two disciples gave this message to Jesus, the Son of Man replied: “Go back to John and tell him that I have not forgotten but to suffer me also this, for it becomes us to fulfill all righteousness. Tell John what you have seen and heard—that the poor have good tidings preached to them—and, finally, tell the beloved herald of my earth mission that he shall be abundantly blessed in the age to come if he finds no occasion to doubt and stumble over me.” And this was the last word John received from Jesus. This message greatly comforted him and did much to stabilize his faith and prepare him for the tragic end of his life in the flesh which followed so soon upon the heels of this memorable occasion.
135:11.4 (1507.3) 獄中這種漫長的懸而不決，實非人所能忍受。就在約翰殉難前數日，他再次派信得過的使者去見耶穌，詢問他：「我的事工完成了嗎？為何我還在獄中受煎熬？你真的是彌賽亞嗎？還是我們等候別人？」 兩個門徒將這口信轉達給耶穌，當時人子回答道：「回去見約翰，告訴他，我並沒有忘記他，但也容我如此行，因為我們理當這樣盡諸般的義。把你們的所見所聞告訴約翰——窮人有福音傳給他們——最後，告訴這位為我世間使命傳報的蒙愛使者，倘若他對我不生疑心，也不因我跌倒，在將來的時代他必蒙豐盛的賜福。」這便是約翰從耶穌那裡收到的最後的一番話。這條訊息大大安慰了他，極大地助他穩固了自己的信仰，也使他預備好面對自己肉身生命的悲劇性結局，而這悲劇，就在這段難忘的際遇之後很快接踵而至。
135:12.1 (1508.1) As John was working in southern Perea when arrested, he was taken immediately to the prison of the fortress of Machaerus, where he was incarcerated until his execution. Herod ruled over Perea as well as Galilee, and he maintained residence at this time at both Julias and Machaerus in Perea. In Galilee the official residence had been moved from Sepphoris to the new capital at Tiberias.
135:12.1 (1508.1) 約翰被捕時正在比利亞南部開展工作，因此他被立即送往馬卡魯斯堡壘的監獄；在被處死前，他一直被監禁於此。希律不僅統治著加利利，也統治著比利亞，當時他在比利亞的朱利亞斯和馬卡魯斯都設有宅邸。在加利利，官邸已經從塞佛瑞斯遷到了新首府提比裡亞。
135:12.2 (1508.2) Herod feared to release John lest he instigate rebellion. He feared to put him to death lest the multitude riot in the capital, for thousands of Pereans believed that John was a holy man, a prophet. Therefore Herod kept the Nazarite preacher in prison, not knowing what else to do with him. Several times John had been before Herod, but never would he agree either to leave the domains of Herod or to refrain from all public activities if he were released. And this new agitation concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was steadily increasing, admonished Herod that it was no time to turn John loose. Besides, John was also a victim of the intense and bitter hatred of Herodias, Herod’s unlawful wife.
135:12.2 (1508.2) 希律心懷恐懼，不敢釋放約翰，擔心他煽動造反。他也害怕處死他，擔心首府發生群眾暴亂，因為成千上萬的比利亞人相信約翰是聖人，是先知。因此，希律將這位拿細耳人傳道者關在監獄裡，不知該如何處置他。約翰曾多次被帶到希律面前，但約翰一直沒答應離開希律的領地，也沒答應獲釋後停止一切公眾活動。而這場與拿撒勒人耶穌有關的新騷動，聲勢日益高漲，提醒了希律現在不是釋放約翰的時候。此外，約翰還是希律那不合法的妻子希羅底強烈刻骨仇恨的受害者。
135:12.3 (1508.3) On numerous occasions Herod talked with John about the kingdom of heaven, and while sometimes seriously impressed with his message, he was afraid to release him from prison.
135:12.3 (1508.3) 希律曾多次與約翰談論天國；儘管有時他也被約翰的訊息深深觸動，但還是不敢釋放他。
135:12.4 (1508.4) Since much building was still going on at Tiberias, Herod spent considerable time at his Perean residences, and he was partial to the fortress of Machaerus. It was a matter of several years before all the public buildings and the official residence at Tiberias were fully completed.
135:12.4 (1508.4) 由於當時提比裡亞仍有許多營建工程在施工，希律有相當多時間都留在比利亞的各處府邸，他尤其偏愛馬卡魯斯堡壘。提比裡亞所有公共建築和官邸要全部竣工，大概還要好幾年的時間。
135:12.5 (1508.5) In celebration of his birthday Herod made a great feast in the Machaerian palace for his chief officers and other men high in the councils of the government of Galilee and Perea. Since Herodias had failed to bring about John’s death by direct appeal to Herod, she now set herself to the task of having John put to death by cunning planning.
135:12.5 (1508.5) 為慶祝自己的生日，希律在馬卡魯斯宮殿中大擺宴席，宴請眾大臣和加利利與比利亞政府議會的其他要員。希羅底先前曾直接向希律請求，企圖置約翰於死地，但未能如願；於是她著手籌謀，一心要用詭計除掉約翰。
135:12.6 (1508.6) In the course of the evening’s festivities and entertainment, Herodias presented her daughter to dance before the banqueters. Herod was very much pleased with the damsel’s performance and, calling her before him, said: “You are charming. I am much pleased with you. Ask me on this my birthday for whatever you desire, and I will give it to you, even to the half of my kingdom.” And Herod did all this while well under the influence of his many wines. The young lady drew aside and inquired of her mother what she should ask of Herod. Herodias said, “Go to Herod and ask for the head of John the Baptist.” And the young woman, returning to the banquet table, said to Herod, “I request that you forthwith give me the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”
135:12.6 (1508.6) 在當晚的宴樂慶典之中，希羅底讓她女兒上前，在眾賓客面前跳舞。希律對少女的表演大為喜悅，把她叫到面前，說道：「你十分動人。我很是喜悅你。今天是我的生辰，無論你想要什麼，儘管向我開口，我必賜給你，哪怕是我王國的一半。」希律做出這些事時，已喝了不少酒，醉得不輕。這年輕女子退到一旁，詢問她母親應向希律求什麼。希羅底說:「去希律那裡求施洗約翰的人頭。」年輕女子回到宴席桌前，對希律說:「我請求你即刻將施洗約翰的頭盛在盤子裡賜給我。」
135:12.7 (1508.7) Herod was filled with fear and sorrow, but because of his oath and because of all those who sat at meat with him, he would not deny the request. And Herod Antipas sent a soldier, commanding him to bring the head of John. So was John that night beheaded in the prison, the soldier bringing the head of the prophet on a platter and presenting it to the young woman at the rear of the banquet hall. And the damsel gave the platter to her mother. When John’s disciples heard of this, they came to the prison for the body of John, and after laying it in a tomb, they went and told Jesus.
135:12.7 (1508.7) 希律心中滿是恐懼與懊喪，然而因自己許下的重諾，又顧及所有同席的賓客，他不願拒絕這個請求。於是，希律·安提帕斯派了一個士兵，命他取來約翰的人頭。就這樣，那晚約翰在獄中被斬首；士兵將這位先知的人頭放在一個盤子上，端到宴會廳後方呈獻給這年輕女子。少女將盤子交給了她母親。約翰的門徒聽聞此事後，來監獄要走了約翰的遺體；將約翰安葬之後，他們便去稟告耶穌。