This document is about John (John the Baptist). For other homonyms, please refer to the John document. John the Baptist was the last prophet of the Old Testament who announced the coming of Jesus Christ to people before He arrived and prepared them for His coming. Regarding his ministry, the Gospel of Mark records him as "the voice of one crying in the wilderness" and "one who prepares the way for the Lord." 
Matthew 3:1“Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!”Matthew 3:2For this is he who was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, make the way of the Lord ready! Make his paths straight!”Matthew 3:3Now John himself wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.
Isaiah 40:3Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The uneven shall be made level, and the rough places a plain.
구약 성경의 마지막은 말라기이나, 그 이후 하나님의 기나긴 침북 끝에 세례 요한이 태어났고 그의 선지자적 활동을 끝으로 구약 시대가 끝난 것으로 볼 수 있다.
제사장 중 하나였던 사가랴와 그의 아내 엘리사벳에게는 자녀가 없었는데, 어느날 하나님의 은혜로 아들을 잉태하게 되었다.
Luke 1:5They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.Luke 1:6But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they both were well advanced in years.Luke 1:7Now while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his divisionLuke 1:8according to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to enter into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.Luke 1:9The whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.Luke 1:10An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.Luke 1:11Zacharias was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.Luke 1:12But the angel said to him, “Don’t be afraid, Zacharias, because your request has been heard. Your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.Luke 1:13You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.Luke 1:14For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he will drink no wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.Luke 1:15He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.Luke 1:16He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to prepare a people prepared for the Lord.”Luke 1:17Zacharias said to the angel, “How can I be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.”Luke 1:18The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God. I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.Luke 1:19Behold, you will be silent and not able to speak until the day that these things will happen, because you didn’t believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”Luke 1:20The people were waiting for Zacharias, and they marveled that he delayed in the temple.Luke 1:21When he came out, he could not speak to them. They perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple. He continued making signs to them, and remained mute.Luke 1:22When the days of his service were fulfilled, he departed to his house.Luke 1:23After these days Elizabeth his wife conceived, and she hid herself five months, saying,Luke 1:24“Thus has the Lord done to me in the days in which he looked at me, to take away my reproach among men.”Luke 1:25Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,
아직 그가 어머니의 태중에 있었을 때에 마리아(예수님의 어머니)가 문안을 왔는데, 태중의 요한이 마리아의 태중에 있던 예수님을 느끼고 뛰어놀았다.
Luke 1:39and entered into the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.Luke 1:40When Elizabeth) heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.Luke 1:41She called out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!Luke 1:42Why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?Luke 1:43For behold, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy!Luke 1:44Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord!”Luke 1:45Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord.
이후 분봉 왕 헤롯가 자신의 여동생을 후궁으로 취한 것을 비판한 일로, 여동생 헤로디아에게 미움을 샀고, 그 결과 목베어 죽임을 당하게 되었다.
Luke 7:28When all the people and the tax collectors heard this, they declared God to be just, having been baptized with John’s baptism.
세례 요한은 당시로서는 생소한 "세례(또는 침례)"라는 행위를 통해 회개의 의미에 대해 강조했다. 기존까지 율법에 의하면 죄사함은 속죄제 또는 속건제를 통해서 가능한 일이었다. 그렇기에 유대인들은 절기가 되면 전국 각지에서 예루살렘으로 제사를 드리러 모여들었다.