^7 (A)As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? ^(B)A reed shaken by the wind?

^6 (A)But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.

³⁵ He was the burning and ^(A)shining lamp, and ^(B)you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light.

¹⁴ that we should no longer be ^(A)children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of ^(B)deceitful plotting,

^24 (A)When the messengers of John had departed, He began to speak to the multitudes 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 clothed in soft garments? Indeed those who are gorgeously appareled and live in luxury are in kings’ courts. ²⁶ But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. ²⁷ This is he of whom it is written:

²⁸ For I say to you, among those born of women there is ^[a]not a ^(C)greater prophet than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

²⁹ And when all the people heard Him, even the tax collectors ^[b]justified God, ^(D)having been baptized with the baptism of John. ³⁰ But the Pharisees and ^[c]lawyers rejected ^(E)the will of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.

^4 (B)John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance ^[a]for the remission of sins. ^5 (C)Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.

¹⁷ Therefore, when I was planning this, did I do it lightly? Or the things I plan, do I plan ^(A)according to the flesh, that with me there should be Yes, Yes, and No, No? ¹⁸ But as God is ^(B)faithful, our ^[a]word to you was not Yes and No.

¹⁸ Therefore take heed how you hear. ^(A)For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he ^[a]seems to ^(B)have will be taken from him.”