Questions from John the Baptist

^18 (A)And the disciples of John reported to him about all these things. ¹⁹ Summoning ^[a]two of his disciples, John sent them to ^(B)the Lord, saying, “Are You the One who is to come, or should we look for someone else?” ²⁰ When the men came to Him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, saying, ‘Are You the One who is to come, or should we look for someone else?’” ²¹ At that ^[b]very time He ^(C)cured many people of diseases and ^(D)afflictions and evil spirits, and He granted sight to many who were blind. ²² And He answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: the ^(E)blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the ^(F)poor have the gospel preached to them. ²³ Blessed is he ^[c]who does not take offense at Me.”

²⁴ And when the messengers of John had left, He began to speak to the crowds about John, “What did you go out into the wilderness to behold? A reed shaken by the wind? ^25 [d]But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft garments? Behold, those who are splendidly clothed and live in luxury are found in royal palaces! ²⁶ But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and even more than a prophet. ²⁷ This is the one about whom it is written,

²⁸ I say to you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet he who is ^[f]least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” ²⁹ And when all the people and the tax collectors heard this, they ^[g]acknowledged ^(H)God’s justice, ^(I)having been baptized with ^(J)the baptism of John. ³⁰ But the Pharisees and the ^(K)scholars of the Law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, not having been baptized by ^[h]John.

³¹ “To what then shall I compare the men of this generation, and what are they like? ³² They are like children, sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another, who say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not cry.’ ³³ For John the Baptist has come ^(L)eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon!’ ³⁴ The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a ^[i]drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and ^[j]sinners!’ ³⁵ Yet wisdom ^(M)is vindicated ^[k]by all her children.”

^2 (A)Now when ^(B)John in prison heard of the works of Christ, he sent word by his disciples ³ and said to Him, “Are You ^(C)the One who is to come, or shall we look for someone else?” ⁴ And Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you hear and see: ^5 (D)the blind receive sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the ^(E)poor have the ^[a]gospel preached to them. ⁶ And blessed is he ^[b]who ^(F)does not ^[c]take offense at Me.”

Jesus’ Tribute to John the Baptist

⁷ Now as these men were going away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John, “What did you go out into ^(G)the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? ^8 [d]But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ ^[e]palaces! ^9 [f]But what did you go out to see? ^(H)A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and one who is more than a prophet. ¹⁰ This is the one about whom it ^[g]is written,

¹¹ Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is ^[i]least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. ^12 (J)And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven ^[j]suffers violence, and violent men ^[k]take it by force. ¹³ For all the prophets and the Law prophesied until John. ¹⁴ And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is ^(K)Elijah who ^[l]was to come. ^15 (L)He who has ears to hear, ^[m]let him hear.

¹⁶ “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces, who call out to the other children, ¹⁷ and say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not ^[n]mourn.’ ¹⁸ For John came neither ^(M)eating nor ^(N)drinking, and they say, ‘^(O)He has a demon!’ ¹⁹ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a ^[o]drunkard, ^(P)a friend of tax collectors and ^[p]sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated ^[q]by her deeds.”