Book of Common Prayer

The bridegroom and his friend

²² After this, Jesus and his disciples went into the countryside of Judaea, and he stayed there with them and baptized. ²³ John, too, was baptizing at Aenon, close to Salim. There was plenty of water there, and people came to him and were baptized. ²⁴ This, of course, was before John had been put into prison.

²⁵ There was, perhaps inevitably, a dispute between the disciples of John and a Judaean, on the subject of purification. ²⁶ They came to John.

“Rabbi,” they said. “Remember the man who was with you beyond the Jordan, the one you gave evidence about? Well, look! He’s baptizing, and everyone’s going to him!”

²⁷ “Nobody can receive anything unless heaven first gives it,” replied John. ²⁸ “You yourselves can bear me out that I said I wasn’t the Messiah, but that I was sent ahead of him. ²⁹ It’s the bridegroom who gets the bride. The bridegroom’s friend, who stands nearby and hears him, is very happy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. So, you see, my joy is now complete. ³⁰ He must increase, but I must decrease.”

² Meanwhile, John, who was in prison, heard about these messianic goings-on. He sent word through his followers.

³ “Are you the one who is coming?” he asked. “Or should we be looking for someone else?”

⁴ “Go and tell John what you’ve seen and heard,” replied Jesus. ⁵ “Blind people are seeing! Lame people are walking! People with virulent skin diseases are being cleansed! Deaf people can hear again! The dead are being raised to life! And—the poor are hearing the good news! ⁶ And God bless you if you’re not upset by what I’m doing.”

The identity of John the Baptist

⁷ As the messengers were going away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John.

“What were you expecting to see,” he asked, “when you went out into the desert? A reed wobbling in the wind? ⁸ No? Then, what were you expecting to see? Someone dressed in silks and satins? If you want to see people like that you’d have to go to somebody’s royal palace. ⁹ All right, so what were you expecting to see? A prophet? Ah, now we’re getting there: yes indeed, and much more than a prophet! ¹⁰ This is the one the Bible was talking about when it says,

¹¹ “I’m telling you the truth: John the Baptist is the greatest mother’s son there ever was. But even the least significant person in heaven’s kingdom is greater than he is. ¹² From the time of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has been forcing its way in—and the men of force are trying to grab it! ¹³ All the prophets and the law, you see, made their prophecies up to the time of John. ¹⁴ In fact, if you’ll believe it, he is Elijah, the one who was to come. ¹⁵ If you’ve got ears, then listen!”

Jesus condemns the cities

¹⁶ “What picture shall I give you for this generation?” asked Jesus. “It’s like a bunch of children sitting in the town square, and singing songs to each other. ¹⁷ This is how it goes:

¹⁸ “What do I mean? When John appeared, he didn’t have any normal food or drink—and people said ‘What’s got into him, then? Some demon?’ ¹⁹ Then along comes the son of man, eating and drinking normally, and people say, ‘Ooh, look at him—guzzling and boozing, hanging around with tax-collectors and other riff-raff.’ But, you know, wisdom is as wisdom does—and wisdom will be vindicated!”