⁷ As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out ^(A)into the wilderness to see? ^(B)A reed shaken by the wind? ⁸ What then did you go out to see? A man^[a] dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. ⁹ What then did you go out to see? ^(C)A prophet?^[b] Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. ¹⁰ This is he of whom it is written,

¹¹ Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. ^12 (E)From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence,^[c] and the violent take it by force. ^13 (F)For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, ¹⁴ and if you are willing to accept it, he is ^(G)Elijah who is to come. ^15 (H)He who has ears to hear,^[d] let him hear.

¹⁶ “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates,

¹⁸ For John came ^(I)neither eating ^(J)nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ ¹⁹ The Son of Man came ^(K)eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, ^(L)a friend of ^(M)tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.”^[e]

Woe to Unrepentant Cities

^20 (N)Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent. ^21 (O)“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in ^(P)Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. ^22 (Q)But I tell you, it will be more bearable on ^(R)the day of judgment for ^(S)Tyre and Sidon than for you. ²³ And you, ^(T)Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to ^(U)Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. ^24 (V)But I tell you that ^(W)it will be more tolerable on ^(X)the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.”