He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James, ¹  and John, the brother of James.

They said, ¹  “John the Baptist, others say Elijah, ²  and still others, one of the prophets.”

Herod said, “I had John ¹  beheaded, but who is this about whom I hear such things?” So Herod wanted to learn about Jesus. ² 

They ¹  answered, ²  “John the Baptist; others say Elijah; ³  and still others that one of the prophets of long ago has risen.” ⁴ 

Now ¹  about eight days ²  after these sayings, Jesus ³  took with him Peter, John, and James, and went up the mountain to pray.

But if we say, ‘From people,’ all the people will stone us, because they are convinced that John was a prophet.”

While the man ¹  was hanging on to Peter and John, all the people, completely astounded, ran together to them in the covered walkway ²  called Solomon’s Portico. ³ 

Now when the apostles in Jerusalem ¹  heard that Samaria had accepted the word ²  of God, they sent ³  Peter and John to them.

When ¹  they arrived ²  in Salamis, ³  they began to proclaim ⁴  the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. ⁵  (Now they also had John ⁶  as their assistant.) ⁷ 

Going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in a boat ¹  with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. Then ²  he called them.

For Herod himself had sent men, arrested John, and bound him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because Herod ¹  had married her.

because Herod stood in awe of ¹  John and protected him, since he knew that John ²  was a righteous and holy man. When Herod ³  heard him, he was thoroughly baffled, ⁴  and yet ⁵  he liked to listen to John. ⁶ 

Six days later ¹  Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John and led them alone up a high mountain privately. And he was transfigured before them, ² 

But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, ¹  and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son; you ²  will name him John. ³ 

and so were James and John, Zebedee’s sons, who were Simon’s business partners. ¹  Then ²  Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on ³  you will be catching people.” ⁴ 

Now when he came to the house, Jesus ¹  did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John, ²  and James, and the child’s father and mother.

So they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, the one who was with you on the other side of the Jordan River, ¹  about whom you testified – see, he is baptizing, and everyone is flocking to him!”