Matthew 11:1-19
Holman Christian Standard Bible
In Praise of John the Baptist
11 When Jesus had finished giving orders to His 12 disciples, He moved on from there to teach and preach in their towns.(A) 2 When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent a message by his disciples(B) 3 and asked Him, “Are You the One who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”(C)
4 Jesus replied to them, “Go and report to John what you hear and see: 5 the blind see, the lame walk, those with skin diseases are healed,[a] the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor are told the good news.(D) 6 And if anyone is not offended because of Me, he is blessed.”(E)
7 As these men went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the wind?(F) 8 What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothes? Look, those who wear soft clothes are in kings’ palaces. 9 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and far more than a prophet.(G) 10 This is the one it is written about:
11 “I assure you: Among those born of women no one greater than John the Baptist has appeared,[d] but the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been suffering violence,[e] and the violent have been seizing it by force. 13 For all the prophets and the Law prophesied until John; 14 if you’re willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who is to come.(I) 15 Anyone who has ears[f] should listen!(J)
An Unresponsive Generation
16 “To what should I compare this generation? It’s like children sitting in the marketplaces who call out to each other:
17 We played the flute for you,
but you didn’t dance;
we sang a lament,
but you didn’t mourn![g]
18 For John did not come eating or drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’(K) 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard,(L) a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’(M) Yet wisdom is vindicated[h] by her deeds.”[i]
Read full chapterNotas al pie
- Matthew 11:5 Lit cleansed
- Matthew 11:10 Lit messenger before Your face
- Matthew 11:10 Mal 3:1
- Matthew 11:11 Lit arisen
- Matthew 11:12 Or has been forcefully advancing
- Matthew 11:15 Other mss add to hear
- Matthew 11:17 Or beat your breasts
- Matthew 11:19 Or declared right
- Matthew 11:19 Other mss read children
Matthew 11:1-19
New Living Translation
Jesus and John the Baptist
11 When Jesus had finished giving these instructions to his twelve disciples, he went out to teach and preach in towns throughout the region.
2 John the Baptist, who was in prison, heard about all the things the Messiah was doing. So he sent his disciples to ask Jesus, 3 “Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting,[a] or should we keep looking for someone else?”
4 Jesus told them, “Go back to John and tell him what you have heard and seen— 5 the blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor.” 6 And he added, “God blesses those who do not fall away because of me.[b]”
7 As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began talking about him to the crowds. “What kind of man did you go into the wilderness to see? Was he a weak reed, swayed by every breath of wind? 8 Or were you expecting to see a man dressed in expensive clothes? No, people with expensive clothes live in palaces. 9 Were you looking for a prophet? Yes, and he is more than a prophet. 10 John is the man to whom the Scriptures refer when they say,
‘Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
and he will prepare your way before you.’[c]
11 “I tell you the truth, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least person in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he is! 12 And from the time John the Baptist began preaching until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing,[d] and violent people are attacking it. 13 For before John came, all the prophets and the law of Moses looked forward to this present time. 14 And if you are willing to accept what I say, he is Elijah, the one the prophets said would come.[e] 15 Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!
16 “To what can I compare this generation? It is like children playing a game in the public square. They complain to their friends,
17 ‘We played wedding songs,
and you didn’t dance,
so we played funeral songs,
and you didn’t mourn.’
18 For John didn’t spend his time eating and drinking, and you say, ‘He’s possessed by a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man,[f] on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say, ‘He’s a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!’ But wisdom is shown to be right by its results.”
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Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
