Baptistes identifies John as the man characterized in the narratives as one who baptizes.

The attested use consistently identifies John by his activity of baptizing: he comes preaching, sends messengers, is named among public opinions, and is referred to in accounts concerning his death.

1. John’s identifying designation · dominant

   In Luke 7:20 and Luke 7:33, the nominative singular masculine form identifies John in clauses about his sending messengers and coming without eating bread or drinking wine. In Matthew 3:1 the same form occurs as John comes preaching; Mark 6:25 and Matthew 14:8 use the genitive singular masculine form in requests for John’s head, while Matthew 14:2 uses the nominative form in the assertion, “This is John the baptizer.”

   Luke 7:20Luke 7:33Matthew 3:1Mark 6:25Matthew 14:8Matthew 14:2

In the Anselm Project Bible: The APB usually presents the designation as “John the Baptist,” but Luke 7:20 and Luke 7:33 read “John the one who baptizes,” and Matthew 14:2 and Matthew 14:8 read “John the baptizer.” These are translation renderings of whole clauses.