Prior to Jesus' ministry-- baptism & temptations (8 coverages)

2. Prior to Jesus' ministry John the Baptist baptizes Jesus Per Mark Mark 1:9-11 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee & was baptized by John in the Jordan. As Jesus was coming up out of the water & praying, per the Luke account, He (John) saw Heaven being torn open like a veil from top to bottom & the Spirit descending on Him like a dove And a voice came out of Heaven: You are MY Beloved Son, whom I love; with You I am well pleased.

3. Prior to Jesus' ministry John the Baptist baptizes Jesus Per Luke Luke 3:21-22 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. As He was praying, Heaven was opened & the Holy Spirit descended on Him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from Heaven: You are MY Son, whom I love; with You I am well pleased.

4. Prior to Jesus' ministry John the Baptist implies that he baptized Jesus; later, on the other side of the Jordan, he testifies farther Per John John 1:29-34; 3:22-36 The next day after speaking to the priests & Levites of Jerusalem, & the Pharisees of Bethany (see John 1:19,24,28) John saw Jesus coming towards Him & said to his disciples, "Look, the Lamb of GOD, who takes away the sin of the world. This is the 1 I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after Me has already surpassed Me because He was before Me.' I myself did not know Him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that He might be revealed to Israel." Then John gave this testimony: 'I saw the Spirit come down from Heaven as a dove & remain on Him. I would not have known Him, except the 1 who sent Me to baptize with water told Me, The 1 on whom You see the Spirit come down & remain is He who will baptize with the Holy Spirit. I have seen & I testify that this is the Son of GOD.' Later: After this (Nicodemus came to Jesus at night-- see PSALM 141 - 144 Psalm 143 1. Nicodemus...), Jesus & His disciples went out into the Judean country, before He went to Galilee, where He spent some time with Them, & He baptized. Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, & people were constantly coming to be baptized. (This was before John was put in prison-- see Matt 4:12.) An argument developed between some of John's disciples & a certain Jew (certain Jews) over the matter of ceremonial washing. They came to John & said to Him, 'Rabbi, that man who was with You on the other side of the Jordan-- the 1 You testified about --well, He is baptizing, & everyone is going to Him.' To this John replied, "A man can receive only what 1 is given from Heaven-- speaking of the dove. You yourselves can testify that I said, 'I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of Him.' The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits & listens for Him, & is full of joy when He hears the bridegrooms voice. That joy is Mine, & it is now complete. He must become greater-- baptizing with the Holy Spirit & fire, waiting for the bride to flourish; I must become less. The 1 who came from above is above all; the 1 who is from the earth belongs to the earth, & speaks as 1 from the earth. Repeat, the 1 who comes from Heaven is above all. He testifies to what He has seen & heard, but no 1 accepts His testimony. The son of man who has accepted it has already certified that GOD is Truthful. For the 1 who GOD the FATHER has sent speaks the Words of GOD, for GOD gives the Spirit without limit. The FATHER loves the SON & has now placed everything in His hands. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not ever see life, for GOD'S Wrath remains on him.

5. Also prior to Jesus' ministry 2 of John's disciples follow Jesus John 1:35-51 The next day after being baptized (while still at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan-- see John 1:28) John was there again with 2 of His disciples. When He saw Jesus passing by, He again said, 'Look, the Lamb of GOD!' When the 2 disciples heard Him say this, They followed Jesus that day. Turning around, Jesus saw Them following & asked, What do You want? They said, Rabbi (which means Teacher), where are You staying? Come, He replied, & You will see. So They went & saw where He was staying, & spent that day with Him. It was about the 10th hour. Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was 1 of the 2 who heard what John had said & who had followed Jesus. The 1st thing Andrew did was to find His brother Simon & tell Him, 'We have found the Messiah' (that is, the Christ). And He brought Him to Jesus. Jesus looked at Him & said, You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas (which when translated is Peter-- or Rock). The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, He said to Him, Follow Me. Philip, like Andrew & Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip found Nathanael & told Him, 'We have found the 1 Moses wrote about in the Law, & about whom the prophets also wrote-- Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.' 'Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?' Nathanael asked. 'Come & see,' said Philip. When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, He said of Him, Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false. How do You know Me?, Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, I saw You while You were still under the fig tree before Philip called You. Then Nathanael declared, Rabbi, You are the Son of GOD; You are the king of Israel. Jesus said, You believe because I told You I saw You under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that. He then added, I tell You the truth, You shall see Heaven open, & the Angels of GOD ascending & descending on the son of man. Those named above (Andrew, 1 of the disciples of John that had followed Jesus for 1 day on the other side of the Jordan; Andrew's brother, Simon Peter; & Philip, personally invited by Jesus) later also became disciples of Jesus at the Sea of Galilee.