Not long afterward, when John the Baptist had been beheaded by the younger Herod, the divine Scripture of the gospels makes mention of it; and Josephus likewise confirms the account, recording Herodias by name, and telling how Herod took her in marriage although she was his brother's wife, having set aside his former lawful wife (and she was the daughter of Aretas, king of the Petraeans), and how he separated Herodias from her husband while he was still living; and how, on her account, after putting John to death, he stirred up war against Aretas, who held himself dishonoured through his daughter.
And he says that in a battle that took place in this war the whole army of Herod was destroyed, and that he suffered this on account of the plot that had been carried out against John.
The same Josephus, acknowledging that John was a man preeminently righteous and a baptist, bears witness in agreement with what is recorded concerning him in the writing of the gospels. He relates also that Herod was deprived of his kingdom on account of this same Herodias, with whom he was driven into exile, being condemned to dwell at Vienne, a city of Gaul.
And these things have been set forth by him in the eighteenth book of the Antiquities, where he writes concerning John in these very words: "But to some of the Jews it seemed that the army of Herod had been destroyed by God, and that very justly, as a penalty exacted on behalf of John who was called the Baptist."
"For Herod slew this man, a good man, who exhorted the Jews to practise virtue and to deal with one another in righteousness and toward God in piety, and so to come together for baptism. For thus, he said, would baptism appear acceptable to God, if they used it not as a means of pardon for certain sins, but for the purity of the body, the soul having already been thoroughly cleansed beforehand by righteousness."
"And when the rest gathered together (for they were greatly delighted at hearing his words), Herod, fearing that such great persuasiveness of his over men might lead to some uprising—for they appeared ready to do everything by his counsel—judged it far better, before any revolt should arise from him, to put him to death in anticipation, rather than to fall into trouble through some change and afterward repent. And so this man, through Herod's suspicion, was sent in bonds to Machaerus, the fortress mentioned above, and there was put to death."
After narrating these things about John, in the same historical work he likewise makes mention of our Saviour as follows: "And about this time there arose Jesus, a wise man, if indeed it is fitting to call him a man; for he was a doer of marvellous deeds, a teacher of men who receive the truth with gladness, and he drew to himself many of the Jews and many also of the Greeks."
"This was the Christ. And when, at the indictment of the leading men among us, Pilate had condemned him to the cross, those who had first loved him did not cease to do so; for he appeared to them alive again on the third day, the divine prophets having foretold both this and ten thousand other wonders concerning him. And even to the present time the tribe of the Christians, named after him, has not failed."
Since, then, a writer sprung from the Hebrews themselves has handed down in his own writing, from of old, these things concerning John the Baptist and our Saviour, what escape can be left to those who have fabricated the memoranda against them, but to be convicted of shamelessness? But let this matter rest here.