1 After finishing his instructions to his twelve disciples, Jesus left that place, in order to teach and to preach in the neighboring cities. 2 But when John heard, in the prison, what the Christ was doing, he sent by some of his disciples to ask him, 3 "Are you the Coming One, or are we to look for someone else?"
4 "Go and tell John," was Jesus' answer, "what you hear and see; 5 "the lame are walking, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf are hearing, the dead are being raised up, and the gospel is being preached to the poor. 6 "And blessed is the man who finds no cause of stumbling in me."
7 As these men started to go away, Jesus began to speak to the throngs, about John. 8 "What did you go out into the desert to behold?" he asked; "A reed shaken by the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, those who wear soft raiment dwell in kings' palaces! 9 "But why did you go? To see a prophet? I tell you, yes, and more than a prophet; 10 "for this is he of whom it is written. "Behold, I send my messenger before my face, And he will prepare thy road for thee.
11 "In solemn truth I tell you that there has not arisen among those born of women a greater than John the Baptist; yet one of 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 suffers violence, and the violent take it by storm. 13 "For the prophets and the Law prophesied until John; 14 "and, if you are willing to receive it, he is the Elijah who was to come. 15 "Let all who have ears, listen!
16 "To what shall I compare this generation? It is like little children sitting in the market-place, who call to the other children,
17 "saying. 'We have piped to you and you have not danced; We have wailed, but you have not beaten your breasts.'
18 "For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they said, 'He has a demon'; 19 and the Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Lo, a glutton and a wine-drinker, a friend of tax-gatherers and sinners!' Nevertheless, Wisdom is justified by her deeds."
20 Then he began to upbraid the cities in which most of his mighty works had been done, because they had not repented. 21 "Woe unto you, Chorazin! Woe unto you, Bethsaida! Because if the mighty works which have been done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented, long ago, in sackcloth and ashes. 22 "Moreover, I tell you it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the Day of Judgment, than for you. 23 "And you too, Capernaum! Will you be exalted even to heaven? You shall go down to the Place of Death! For if the mighty works had been done in Sodom which have been done in you, it would have remained until this day. 24 "I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the Day of Judgment, than for you."
25 At that time Jesus answered and said: "I praise thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and wary, and hast revealed them to the children. 26 "Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight. 27 "Everything has been handed over to me by my Father; neither does any one know the Son, except the Father, nor any one know the Father except the Son, and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.
28 "Come unto me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 "Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 "For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."