John the Baptist Sends Messengers to Jesus^(A)

^18 (B)Then the disciples of John reported to him concerning all these things.

^2 (A)And when John had heard ^(B)in prison about the works of Christ, he ^[a]sent two of his disciples ³ and said to Him, “Are You ^(C)the Coming One, or do we look for another?”

²⁰ When the men had come to Him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, saying, ‘Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?’ ” ²¹ And that very hour He cured many of ^[a]infirmities, afflictions, and evil spirits; and to many blind He gave sight.

^22 (A)Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: ^(B)that the blind ^(C)see, the lame ^(D)walk, the lepers are ^(E)cleansed, the deaf ^(F)hear, the dead are raised, ^(G)the poor have the gospel preached to them. ²³ And blessed is he who is not ^[b]offended because of Me.”

^24 (H)When the messengers of John had departed, He began to speak to the multitudes concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? ²⁵ But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed those who are gorgeously appareled and live in luxury are in kings’ courts. ²⁶ But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. ²⁷ This is he of whom it is written:

¹¹ “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. ^12 (A)And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. ^13 (B)For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. ¹⁴ And if you are willing to receive it, he is ^(C)Elijah who is to come. ^15 (D)He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

²⁹ And when all the people heard Him, even the tax collectors ^[a]justified God, ^(A)having been baptized with the baptism of John. ³⁰ But the Pharisees and ^[b]lawyers rejected ^(B)the will of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.

^31 [c]And the Lord said, ^(C)“To what then shall I liken the men of this generation, and what are they like? ³² They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another, saying:

³³ For ^(D)John the Baptist came ^(E)neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ ³⁴ The Son of Man has come ^(F)eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a glutton and a ^[d]winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ ^35 (G)But wisdom is justified by all her children.”