11 After Jesus finished giving his twelve disciples these instructions, he moved on from there to teach his message in their cities.

John Sends Two Disciples^(A)

² When John was in prison, he heard about the things Christ had done. So he sent his disciples ³ to ask Jesus, “Are you the one who is coming, or should we look for someone else?”

⁴ Jesus answered John’s disciples, “Go back, and tell John what you hear and see: ⁵ Blind people see again, lame people are walking, those with skin diseases are made clean, deaf people hear again, dead people are brought back to life, and poor people hear the Good News. ⁶ Whoever doesn’t lose his faith in me is indeed blessed.”

Jesus Speaks about John^(B)

⁷ As they were leaving, Jesus spoke to the crowds about John. “What did you go into the desert to see? Tall grass swaying in the wind? ⁸ Really, what did you go to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? Those who wear fine clothes are in royal palaces.

⁹ “Really, what did you go to see? A prophet? Let me tell you that he is far more than a prophet. ¹⁰ John is the one about whom Scripture says,

¹¹ “I can guarantee this truth: Of all the people ever born, no one is greater than John the Baptizer. Yet, the least important person in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John. ¹² From the time of John the Baptizer until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful people have been seizing it. ¹³ All the Prophets and Moses’ Teachings prophesied up to the time of John. ¹⁴ If you are willing to accept their message, John is the Elijah who was to come. ¹⁵ Let the person who has ears listen!

¹⁶ “How can I describe the people who are living now? They are like children who sit in the marketplaces and shout to other children,

¹⁸ “John came neither eating nor drinking, and people say, ‘There’s a demon in him!’ ¹⁹ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and people say, ‘Look at him! He’s a glutton and a drunk, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’

“Yet, wisdom is proved right by its actions.”

Jesus Warns Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum

²⁰ Then Jesus denounced the cities where he had worked most of his miracles because they had not changed the way they thought and acted. ²¹ “How horrible it will be for you, Chorazin! How horrible it will be for you, Bethsaida! If the miracles worked in you had been worked in Tyre and Sidon, they would have changed the way they thought and acted long ago in sackcloth and ashes. ²² I can guarantee that judgment day will be better for Tyre and Sidon than for you. ²³ And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to heaven? No, you will go down to hell! If the miracles that had been worked in you had been worked in Sodom, it would still be there today. ²⁴ I can guarantee that judgment day will be better for Sodom than for you.”

Jesus Praises the Father and Invites Disciples to Come to Him

²⁵ At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for hiding these things from wise and intelligent people and revealing them to little children. ²⁶ Yes, Father, this is what pleased you.

²⁷ “My Father has turned everything over to me. Only the Father knows the Son. And no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son is willing to reveal him.

²⁸ “Come to me, all who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Place my yoke ^[a] over your shoulders, and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble. Then you will find rest for yourselves ³⁰ because my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”