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

So ¹  she went out and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?” Her mother ²  said, “The head of John the baptizer.” ³ 

Immediately she hurried back to the king and made her request: ¹  “I want the head of John the Baptist on a platter immediately.”

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

John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him because he was not following us.”

Then ¹  James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him and said, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”

So ¹  while he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, ²  and Andrew asked him privately,

While the people were filled with anticipation ¹  and they all wondered ²  whether perhaps John ³  could be the Christ, ⁴ 

I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater ¹  than John. ²  Yet the one who is least ³  in the kingdom of God ⁴  is greater than he is.”

Now Herod ¹  the tetrarch ²  heard about everything that was happening, and he was thoroughly perplexed, ³  because some people were saying that John ⁴  had been raised from the dead,

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.

John answered, ¹  “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop ²  him because he is not a disciple ³  along with us.”

Now when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do you want us to call fire to come down from heaven and consume ¹  them?” ² 

“The law and the prophets were in force ¹  until John; ²  since then, ³  the good news of the kingdom of God ⁴  has been proclaimed, and everyone is urged to enter it. ⁵ 

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

John answered them, ¹  “I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not recognize, ² 

Then ¹  John testified, ²  “I saw the Spirit descending like a dove ³  from heaven, ⁴  and it remained on him. ⁵ 

Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two disciples who heard what John said ¹  and followed Jesus. ²