² Now when John heard in prison what the Christ was doing, he sent a message through his disciples^{(A) 3} and asked him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” ^(B)

⁴ Jesus replied to them, “Go and report to John what you hear and see: ⁵ The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, those with leprosy^[a] are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor are told the good news,^{(C) 6} and blessed is the one who isn’t offended by me.”^(D)

⁷ As these men were leaving, 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?^{(E) 8} What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothes? See, those who wear soft clothes are in royal palaces. ⁹ What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.^{(F) 10} This is the one about whom it is written:

¹¹ “Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one greater than John the Baptist has appeared,^[c] 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,^[d] and the violent have been seizing it by force. ¹³ For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. ¹⁴ And if you’re willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who is to come.^{(H) 15} Let anyone who has ears^[e] listen.^(I)

An Unresponsive Generation

¹⁶ “To what should I compare this generation? It’s like children sitting in the marketplaces who call out to other children:

¹⁸ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’^{(J) 19} The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard,^(K) a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’^(L) Yet wisdom is vindicated^[g] by her deeds.”^[h]