⁷ But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to be baptized, he said to them, “You poisonous snakes! Who showed you how to flee from God’s coming anger? ⁸ Do those things that prove you have turned to God and have changed the way you think and act. ⁹ Don’t think you can say, ‘Abraham is our ancestor.’ I can guarantee that God can raise up descendants for Abraham from these stones. ¹⁰ The ax is now ready to cut the roots of the trees. Any tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into a fire. ¹¹ I baptize you with water so that you will change the way you think and act. But the one who comes after me is more powerful than I. I am not worthy to remove his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹² His winnowing ^[a] shovel is in his hand, and he will clean up his threshing floor.^[b] He will gather his wheat into a barn, but he will burn the husks in a fire that can never be put out.”

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.”