UJohane indodana kaZekhariya lo-Elizabethi waba ngumphrofethi esekhulile. UJehova wasebenzisa uJohane ukuthi atshele abantu ngokuza kukaMesiya. UJohane wayetshumayela enkangala hatshi emasinagogeni kumbe emadolobheni. Abantu babebuya bevela eJerusalema lasezindaweni zonke zaseJudiya bezofundiswa nguJohane. Wabafundisa ukuthi kumele bayekele ukwenza okubi ukuze bathokozise uNkulunkulu. Abanengi bayekela ukwenza okubi futhi uJohane wababhabhathiza emfuleni uJodani.

UJohane wayengelazinto ezinengi. Izigqoko zakhe zazenziwe ngoboya bekamela futhi wayesidla intethe loluju. Abantu babezibuza ukuthi uJohane ngubani. AbaFarisi labaSadusi babezigqaja kodwa beza bazombona. UJohane wabatshela wathi: ‘Kumele lintshintshe. Lingaboni angani liqakathekile ngoba lizithi lingabantwana baka-Abhrahama. Lokho akutsho ukuthi lingabantwana bakaNkulunkulu.’

Abantu abanengi bambuza bathi: ‘Kumele senzeni ukuze sithokozise uNkulunkulu?’ UJohane wabatshela wathi: ‘Nxa ulamajazi amabili, elilodwa linike omunye ongelalo.’ Uyakwazi ukuthi kungani watsho njalo? Wayefuna abafundi bakhe bakwazi ukuthi kumele bathande abanye ukuze bathokozise uNkulunkulu.

UJohane watshela abathelisi wathi: ‘Thembekani njalo lingaqili muntu.’ Emasotsheni wasesithi: ‘Lingavumi ukufumbathiswa futhi lingakhulumi amanga.’

 Abaphristi labaLevi labo baya kuJohane bathi: ‘Ungubani? Abantu bonke bafuna ukwazi.’ UJohane wathi: ‘Ngililizwi elimemezayo enkangala, elikhokhela abantu libasa kuJehova, njengoba u-Isaya waphrofetha.’

Abantu babekuthanda ababekufundiswa nguJohane. Babezibuza ukuthi uJohane nguye yini uMesiya. Kodwa wabatshela wathi: ‘Ukhona omkhulu kulami ozayo. Kakungifanelanga lokuthukulula intambo zembatata zakhe. Mina ngibhabhathiza ngamanzi kodwa yena uzabhabhathiza ngomoya ongcwele.’