Matthew 11:2-11
EasyEnglish Bible
2 At that time, John the Baptist was in prison. But people told him about all the things that Jesus the Messiah was doing. So John sent some of his own disciples to ask Jesus some questions.[a] 3 They said to him, ‘John the Baptist wants to know this: Are you the special person that God has promised to send to us? If not, should we still look for someone else?’
4 Jesus replied, ‘Go back to John. Tell him what you have been hearing. Also, tell him what you have been seeing. 5 Blind people can now see again. People who could not walk can now walk again. People who had a bad disease of the skin are now well again. Deaf people can now hear again. People who had died now live again. Poor people are hearing God's good news. 6 If anyone believes in me and does not turn away, he will be really happy.’
7 John's disciples went away again. Jesus spoke to the crowd about John. He said to them, ‘You went out to the wilderness. What did you go there to see? Was it a tall piece of grass which the wind was blowing this way and that? No, you did not go to see that. 8 Did you go to see a man who was wearing expensive clothes? No! People like that do not live in the wilderness. They live in kings' great houses. 9 So what did you go to see? Did you go to see a prophet sent by God? Yes! But I tell you, John was even more important than a prophet. 10 This is what someone wrote about him a long time ago in the Bible. God said:
“Listen! I will send someone to go in front of you.
He will speak my message.
He will prepare a way for you.” ’[b]
11 Jesus then said, ‘I tell you this: John the Baptist is greater than any person who has ever lived until now. But now, anyone who belongs in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John. Even the least important of them is greater than he is.[c]
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 11:2 John was alone in prison. He had trouble in his mind. He was thinking about Jesus. Everyone was waiting for God to send a special person. John had told everyone about that person. He thought that Jesus was that person. But now he was not sure. So he sent some of his disciples to ask Jesus who he was.
- 11:10 See Malachi 3:1. John the Baptist was a very important man. He brought a message from God. He told all the people that Jesus was coming soon. God had promised that he would send a special person to save them.
- 11:11 The people who believed John's message about Jesus now knew God as their king. They are in the kingdom of God. This means that they are very important to God. They are all even more important than John was.
Isaiah 35
EasyEnglish Bible
A message of hope
35 The desert and the dry land will be happy!
The wilderness will be happy too,
and beautiful flowers will grow there.
2 Yes, there will be lots of flowers!
The land will sing and shout with joy!
The desert will be as beautiful as Lebanon.
It will seem like lovely places in Carmel and in Sharon.
In those places, people will see the Lord's glory.
They will see that our God is very great.
3 If your hands feel weak,
now be strong!
If your knees are shaking,
now be brave!
4 Say this to people who are afraid:
‘Be strong! Do not be afraid!
Your God is coming now.
He is coming to punish his enemies
for the bad things that they have done.
He is coming to rescue you!’
5 At that time, he will open the eyes of blind people.
Deaf people will hear again.
6 People with weak legs will jump like deer.
People who cannot speak now will shout with joy.
Water will pour from springs in the desert.
Streams of water will run in the wilderness.
7 The hot earth will become a pool of water.
The dry ground will have springs of water.
In the places where jackals made their homes,
there will now be grasses and reeds.
8 There will be a great road there.
It will be called ‘The Holy Way’.
People who are unclean will not travel on it.
It will be for those people who know God's way.
Evil fools will not walk on it.
9 No lions will be there.
No dangerous wild animals will come onto it.
They will not come near to it.
It is the people that the Lord has rescued
who will travel on that road.
10 He has paid the price to rescue them,
and they will return home along it.
They will be happy and they will sing,
as they go into Zion city.
They will be very happy for ever.
They will never again be sad or upset.
All the time they will be completely happy.
Psalm 146:5-10
EasyEnglish Bible
5 The person who knows that the God of Jacob will help him is a happy person![a]
If he trusts in the Lord as his God, he is happy.
6 The Lord made the skies, the earth and the sea.
He also made everything that is in them.
He always does what he has promised to do.
7 He helps poor people to receive justice.
He gives food to the hungry.
He makes people that are in a prison go free.
8 The Lord makes blind people see again.
The Lord lifts up people who have fallen down.
The Lord loves people who are righteous.
9 The Lord takes care of strangers who live among us.
He helps widows and children who have no family.
But he stops wicked people doing what they want.
10 The Lord will rule as king for ever!
Zion's people, he will always be your God
and your descendants' God.
Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!
Footnotes
- 146:5 Jacob was the ancestor of the Israelites. ‘The God of Jacob’ means the God that Jacob worshipped. So it also means the God that the Israelites worshipped, who is the Lord.
James 5:7-10
EasyEnglish Bible
Be patient until the Lord comes again
7 So, my Christian friends, be patient until the Lord Jesus returns. Think about how a farmer is patient. He waits for the ground to give him valuable food to eat. He waits patiently for the rain to come in the autumn and in the spring. 8 You also must be patient, because the Lord will return soon. Be strong as you continue to trust him.
9 My Christian friends, do not complain against each other. If you do, God will punish you. So be careful! He is the Judge and he is ready now to judge people.
10 Think about how God's prophets were also patient. They spoke messages on behalf of the Lord. Many troubles happened to them but they were patient. So, my Christian friends, you should copy their example.
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