11 When Jesus had finished directing his twelve disciples, he departed from there to teach and preach in their cities.

² Now when John heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples ³ and said to him, “Are you he who comes, or should we look for another?”

⁴ Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: ⁵ the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear,Isaiah 35:5 the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.Isaiah 61:1-4 ⁶ Blessed is he who finds no occasion for stumbling in me.”

⁷ As these went their way, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? ⁸ But what did you go out to see? A man in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. ⁹ But why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet. ¹⁰ For this is he, of whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’Malachi 3:1 ¹¹ Most certainly I tell you, among those who are born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptizer; yet he who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he. ¹² From the days of John the Baptizer until now, the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.^{[a] 13} For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. ¹⁴ If you are willing to receive it, this is Elijah, who is to come. ¹⁵ He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

¹⁶ “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces, who call to their companions ¹⁷ and say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you didn’t dance. We mourned for you, and you didn’t lament.’ ¹⁸ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ ¹⁹ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is justified by her children.”^[b]