A Question from John the Baptist

¹⁸ And his disciples reported to John about all these things. And summoning a certain two of his disciples, John ¹⁹ sent them^[a] to the Lord,^[b] saying, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” ²⁰ And when^[c] the men came to him, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?’” ²¹ In that hour he healed many people of diseases and suffering and evil spirits, and he granted sight to many blind people. ²² And he answered and^[d] said to them, “Go and^[e] tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear;^[f] the dead are raised, the poor have good news announced to them.^{[g] 23} And whoever is not offended by me is blessed.”

²⁴ And when^[h] the messengers of John had departed, he began to speak to the crowds 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 dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are in splendid clothing and luxury are in the royal palaces. ²⁶ But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and even more than a prophet! ²⁷ It is this man about whom it is written:

²⁸ I tell you, there is no one greater among those born of women than John, but the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he. ²⁹ (And all the people, when they^[j] heard this^[k]—even the tax collectors—affirmed the righteousness of God, because they^[l] had been baptized with the baptism of John, ³⁰ but the Pharisees and the legal experts rejected the purpose of God for themselves, because they^[m] had not been baptized by him.)