Matthew 11:1-19 - A Question From John The Baptist

¹ After finishing these instructions to his twelve disciples, Jesus removed from there to teach and preach among their towns. ² Now when John heard in prison what the Christ was doing, he sent his disciples ³ to ask him, "Are you the Coming One? Or are we to look out for someone else?"

⁴ Jesus answered them, "Go and report to John what you hear and see: ⁵ the blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, and the dead are raised. ⁶ And blessed is he who is repelled by nothing in me!"

⁷ As the disciples of John went away, Jesus proceeded to speak to the crowds about John: "What did you go out to the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? ⁸ Come, what did you go out to see? A man arrayed in soft raiment? The wearers of soft raiment are in royal palaces. ⁹ Come, why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and far more than a prophet. ¹⁰ This is he of whom it is written, Here I send my messenger before your face to prepare the way for you.

¹¹ I tell you truly, no one has arisen among the sons of women who is greater than John the Baptist, and yet the least in the Realm of heaven is greater than he is. ¹² From the days of John the Baptist till now the Realm of heaven suffers violence, and the violent press into it. ¹³ For all the prophets and the law prophesied of it until John: ??14 if you care to believe it, he is the Elijah who is to come. ¹⁵ He who has an ear, let him listen to this.

¹⁶ But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplace, who call to their playmates,

¹⁷ 'We piped to you and you would not dance, we lamented and you would not beat your breasts.'

¹⁸ For John has come neither eating nor drinking, and men say, 'He has a devil'; ¹⁹ the Son of man has come eating and drinking, and men say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of taxgatherers and sinners!' Nevertheless, Wisdom is vindicated by all that she does."

¹⁸ John's disciples reported all this to him. ¹⁹ So John summoned two of his disciples and sent them to ask the Lord, "Are you the Coming One? Or are we to look out for someone else?"

²⁰ When the men reached Jesus they said, "John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask if you are the Coming One or if we are to look out for someone else?"

²¹ Jesus at that moment was healing many people of diseases and complaints and evil spirits; he also bestowed sight on many blind folk. ²² So he replied, "Go and report to John what you have seen and heard; that the blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and to the poor the gospel is preached. ²³ And blessed is he who is repelled by nothing in me!" ²⁴ When John's messengers had gone, he proceeded to speak to the crowds about John: "What did you go out to the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? ²⁵ Come, what did you go out to see? A man arrayed in soft robes? Those who are gorgeously dressed and luxurious live in royal palaces. ²⁶ Come, what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and far more than a prophet. ²⁷ This is he of whom it is written, Here I send my messenger before your face, to prepare the way for you.

²⁸ I tell you, among the sons of women there is none greater than John, and yet the least in the Realm of God is greater than he is."

²⁹ (On hearing this all the people and the taxgatherers acknowledged the justice of God, as they had been baptized with the baptism of John; ³⁰ but the Pharisees and jurists, who had refused his baptism, frustrated God's purpose for themselves.)

³¹ "To what then shall I compare the men of this generation? What are they like? ³² Like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another, 'We piped to you and you would not dance, we lamented and you would not weep.'

³³ For John the Baptist has come, eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, 'He has a devil'; ³⁴ the Son of man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of taxgatherers and sinners!' ³⁵ Nevertheless, Wisdom is vindicated by all her children."