Matthew 11:1-19

International Standard Version

11 When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he left there to teach and preach in their home towns.

John the Baptist Sends Messengers to Jesus^(A)

² Now when John heard in prison about the activities of the Messiah,^[a] he sent a message^[b] by his disciples ³ and asked him, “Are you the Coming One, or should we wait for someone else?”

⁴ Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and observe: ⁵ the blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the destitute hear the good news. ⁶ How blessed is anyone who is not offended by me!”

⁷ As they were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John. “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? ⁸ Really, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fancy clothes? See, those who wear fancy clothes live in kings’ houses. ⁹ Really, what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and even more than a prophet! ¹⁰ This is the man about whom it is written,

¹¹ I tell all of you^[d] with certainty, among those born of women no one has appeared who is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least important person in the kingdom from^[e] heaven is greater than he.

¹² “From the days of John the Baptist until the present, the kingdom from^[f] heaven has been forcefully advancing, and violent people have been attacking it, ¹³ because the Law and all the Prophets prophesied up to the time of John. ¹⁴ If you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come.^{[g] 15} Let the person who has ears^[h] listen!

¹⁶ “To what can I compare the people living today? They’re^[i] like little children who sit in the marketplaces and shout to each other,

¹⁸ Because John didn’t come eating or drinking, yet people^[j] say, ‘He has a demon!’ ¹⁹ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunk, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’