The Testimony of John the Baptist

¹⁹ And this is the ^(A)testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ^(B)“Who are you?”

¹⁵ As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, ^(A)whether he might be ^(B)the Christ, ^16 (C)John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but ^(D)he who is mightier than I is coming, ^(E)the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you ^(F)with the Holy Spirit and ^(G)fire. ¹⁷ His ^(H)winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to ^(I)gather the wheat into his barn, ^(J)but the chaff he will burn with ^(K)unquenchable fire.”

¹⁸ So ^(L)with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people.

²⁴ So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are ^(A)the Christ, ^(B)tell us plainly.”

²⁵ And as John was finishing his course, ^(A)he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but behold, after me one is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’

⁴ And Paul said, ^(A)“John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people ^(B)to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.”

^33 (A)You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. ³⁴ Not that ^(B)the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. ³⁵ He was a burning and ^(C)shining lamp, and ^(D)you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. ³⁶ But ^(E)the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For ^(F)the works that the Father has given me ^(G)to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, ^(H)bear witness about me that ^(I)the Father has sent me.

The Authority of Jesus Challenged

^23 (A)And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him ^(B)as he was teaching, and said, ^(C)“By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” ²⁴ Jesus answered them, “I also will ask you one question, and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things. ²⁵ The baptism of John, ^(D)from where did it come? ^(E)From heaven or from man?” And they discussed it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ^(F)‘Why then did you not believe him?’ ²⁶ But if we say, ‘From man,’ ^(G)we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was ^(H)a prophet.” ²⁷ So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.

The Parable of the Two Sons

^28 (I)“What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in ^(J)the vineyard today.’ ²⁹ And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he ^(K)changed his mind and went. ³⁰ And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go. ³¹ Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, ^(L)the tax collectors and ^(M)the prostitutes go into ^(N)the kingdom of God before you. ³² For John came to you ^(O)in the way of righteousness, and ^(P)you did not believe him, but ^(Q)the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward ^(R)change your minds and believe him.

¹⁸ So the Jews said to him, ^(A)“What sign do you show us for doing these things?”

¹⁰ So the Jews^[a] said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and ^(A)it is not lawful for you to take up your bed.”