The Jesus Itinerary

[Lion IRC]

The Gospel of John then says that he began to gather certain disciples the next day...

Yes.

...So Jesus called Peter and Andrew, who lived in Bethsaida...

Yes. Came from originally. "...from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter"

...This does not sync with the Synoptic accounts, which establishes that Peter and Andrew lived in Capernaum.

Yes. Lived in one place and originally came from another place are not mutually exclusive. Ambiguous does not = contradictory.

...All this happened prior to the arrest of John the Baptist.

All what? This is where you are coming unstuck. You are assuming stuff happened which is not in the text and likewise assuming stuff did not happen just because it isn't in the text.

John 3:24 For John was not yet cast into prison.

Yes. Any Concordance will show you that there is evidently a lapse of time between Andrew (who was a follower of John the Baptist) telling his brother Peter about the newly discovered Lamb of God, and Jesus later calling Peter to become a fisher of men.

1. John is baptizing. Andrew is an early follower. Both behold the Lamb of God.

2. Andrew wants to tell his brother who earns his living as a professional fishing business about Jesus. Leaves John the Baptist. Jn 1:40

3. Time passes. Andrew and Peter do fishing stuff etc etc. They don't IMMEDIATELY drop everything and run off to find Jesus.

4. John the Baptist is arrested. Lk 3:19

5. Jesus calls Peter to become a disciple Mk 1:16 Mt 4:18