Jesus and John the Baptist^(A)

¹⁸ John’s^(B) disciples^(C) told him about all these things. Calling two of them, ¹⁹ he sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”

²⁰ When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’”

²¹ At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses^(D) and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. ²² So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy^[a] are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.^{(E) 23} Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”

²⁴ After John’s messengers left, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? ²⁵ If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear expensive clothes and indulge in luxury are in palaces. ²⁶ But what did you go out to see? A prophet?^(F) Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. ²⁷ This is the one about whom it is written:

²⁸ I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God^(H) is greater than he.”

²⁹ (All the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard Jesus’ words, acknowledged that God’s way was right, because they had been baptized by John.^{(I) 30} But the Pharisees and the experts in the law^(J) rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.)

³¹ Jesus went on to say, “To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? ³² They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to each other:

³³ For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine,^(K) and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ ³⁴ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’^{(L) 35} But wisdom is proved right by all her children.”

Breaking Covenant Through Injustice

¹⁷ You have wearied^(A) the Lord with your words.

“How have we wearied him?” you ask.^(B)

By saying, “All who do evil are good in the eyes of the Lord, and he is pleased^(C) with them” or “Where is the God of justice?^(D)”

3 “I will send my messenger,^(E) who will prepare the way before me.^(F) Then suddenly the Lord^(G) you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant,^(H) whom you desire,^(I) will come,” says the Lord Almighty.

² But who can endure^(J) the day of his coming?^(K) Who can stand^(L) when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire^(M) or a launderer’s soap.^{(N) 3} He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver;^(O) he will purify^(P) the Levites and refine them like gold and silver.^(Q) Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness,^{(R) 4} and the offerings^(S) of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in days gone by, as in former years.^(T)

⁵ “So I will come to put you on trial. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers,^(U) adulterers^(V) and perjurers,^(W) against those who defraud laborers of their wages,^(X) who oppress the widows^(Y) and the fatherless, and deprive the foreigners^(Z) among you of justice, but do not fear^(AA) me,” says the Lord Almighty.