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

¹ After Jesus had finished giving directions to his twelve Disciples, he left that place in order to teach and preach in their towns. ² Now John had heard in prison what the Christ was doing, and he sent a message by his disciples, ³ And asked--" Are you 'The Coming One,' or are we to look for someone else?"

⁴ The answer of Jesus to the question was-- "Go and report to John what you hear and see-- ⁵ The blind recover their sight and the lame walk, the lepers are made clean and the deaf hear, the dead, too, are raised to life, and the good news is told to the poor. ⁶ And blessed is the man who finds no hindrance in me."

⁷ While these men were going back, Jesus began to say to the crowds with reference to John: ⁸ "What did you go out into the Wilderness to look at? A reed waving in the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man richly dressed? Why, those who wear rich things are to be found in the courts of kings! ⁹ What, then, did you go for? To see a Prophet? Yes, I tell you, and far more than a Prophet. ¹⁰ This is the man of whom Scripture says--'Behold, I am myself sending my Messenger before thy face, And he shall prepare thy way before thee.'

¹¹ I tell you, no one born of a woman has yet appeared who is greater than John the Baptist; and yet the lowliest in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he. ¹² From the time of John the Baptist to this very hour, the Kingdom of Heaven has been taken by force, and men using force have been seizing it. ¹³ For the teaching of all the Prophets and of the Law continued till the time of John; ¹⁴ And--if you are ready to accept it--John is himself the Elijah who was destined to come. ¹⁵ Let him who has ears hear.

¹⁶ But to what shall I compare the present generation? It is like little children sitting in the market-places and calling out to their playmates--

¹⁷ 'We have played the flute for you, but you have not danced; We have wailed, but you have not mourned.'

¹⁸ For, when John came, neither eating nor drinking, men said 'He has a demon in him'; ¹⁹ And now that the Son of Man has come, eating and drinking, they are saying 'Here is a glutton and a wine-drinker, a friend of tax-gatherers and outcasts!' And yet Wisdom is vindicated by her actions."

¹⁸ All these events were reported to John by his disciples. ¹⁹ So he summoned two of them, and sent them to the Master to ask--"Are you 'The Coming One,' or are we to look for some one else?"

²⁰ When these men found Jesus, they said: "John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask--'Are you 'The Coming One,' or are we to look for somebody else?'"

²¹ At that very time Jesus had cured many people of diseases, afflictions, and wicked spirits, and had given many blind people their sight. ²² So his answer to the question was: "Go and report to John what you have witnessed and heard--the blind recover their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are made clean, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, the Good News is told to the poor. ²³ And blessed is the man who finds no hindrance in me." ²⁴ When John's messengers had left, Jesus, speaking to the crowds, began to say with reference to John: ²⁵ "What did you go out into the Wilderness to look at? A reed waving in the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in rich clothing? Why, those who are accustomed to fine clothes and luxury live in royal palaces. ²⁶ What then did you go to see? A Prophet? Yes, I tell you, and far more than a Prophet. ²⁷ This is the very man of whom Scripture says--'Behold, I am sending my Messenger before thy face, And he shall prepare thy way before thee.'

²⁸ There is, I tell you, no one born of a woman who is greater than John; and yet the lowliest in the Kingdom of God is greater than he."

²⁹ (All the people, when they heard this, and even the tax- gatherers, having accepted John's baptism, acknowledged the justice of God. ³⁰ But the Pharisees and the Students of the Law, having rejected John's baptism, frustrated God's purpose in regard to them.)

³¹ "To what then," Jesus continued, "shall I compare the people of the present generation? What are they like? ³² They are like some little children who are sitting in the market-place and calling out to one another--'We have played the flute for you, but you have not danced; We have wailed, but you have not wept!'

³³ For now that John the Baptist has come, not eating bread or drinking wine, you are saying 'He has a demon in him'; ³⁴ And now that the Son of Man has come, eating and drinking, you are saying 'Here is a glutton and a wine-drinker, a friend of tax- gatherers and outcasts.' ³⁵ And yet Wisdom is vindicated by all her children."