Josephus on Herod, the high priests and John the Baptist
A first-century Jewish historian independently describes the rulers, priests and executions the Gospels and Acts are set among — including the death of John the Baptist.
Lave'i 'i tu'a mei he Tohi TapuTohi tangata motu'ac. AD 93–94
Beyond his references to Jesus and James, Josephus supplies an independent narrative of the whole world the Gospels are set in: Herod the Great's building programme and family killings, the succession of high priests including Annas and Caiaphas, the governorships of Pilate and Felix, Agrippa's death, and the execution of John the Baptist by Herod Antipas.
Herod slew him, who was a good man… John, that was called the Baptist… he was a man of great righteousness.
- Na'e 'ilo'i
- Transmitted in medieval manuscripts
- 'Oku tauhi 'i
- Various manuscript collections
- Lea
- Greek
- Na'e a'u mai fēfē kiate kitautolu
- Na'e 'ikai ke tanu — na'e hiki nima, to'utangata ki he to'utangata, kae 'oua kuo a'u ki he pulusi.
Ko e me'a 'oku ne fakahā
Josephus's account of John's death differs from Mark's in its motive: he gives politics where Mark gives Herodias. The differences are as informative as the agreements.
Founga hono ngāue'aki 'e he kau hisitōlia
The principal narrative source for first-century Judaea in all secular scholarship.
'I he Folofola
Fekau'aki mo
Ngaahi ma'u'anga fakamatala
- Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, books 17–20
'Oku 'i he lea faka-Pilitānia 'a e ngaahi fakamatala ko 'eni he taimi ni. 'E muimui mai 'a e liliu.