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

¹ When Jesus had closed this charge to His disciples, He left there to teach and preach in their towns. ² Now when John in prison heard of the doings of the Christ, he sent this message by his disciples: ³ "Are you the One who was to come, or should we keep on looking for a different one?"

⁴ And Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John what you hear and see: ⁵ the blind are seeing and the crippled are walking, the lepers are being healed and the deaf are hearing, the dead are being raised and the poor are having the good news preached to them. ⁶ And happy is the man who finds no cause for stumbling over me."

⁷ But as they were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: "What did you go out into the desert to gaze at? A reed that is tossed to and fro by the wind? ⁸ If not, what did you go out there to see? A man dressed in silks and satins? No, people who dress in that way are found in the palaces of kings. ⁹ If not, why did you go out there? To see a prophet? ¹⁰ This is the man of whom the Scripture says, "'Attention! I am sending my messenger on before you; He will prepare the road ahead of you.'

¹¹ "I solemnly say to you, of all men born of women no one greater than John the Baptist has ever appeared; and yet the one who is least important in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. ¹² And from the days of John the Baptist until the present moment the kingdom of heaven has been continuously taken by storm, and those who take it by storm are seizing it as a precious prize. ¹³ For up to the days of John all the prophets, and even the law, prophesied about it, ¹⁴ and if you are willing to accept it, John himself is the Elijah who was to come. ¹⁵ Let him who has ears listen!

¹⁶ "But to what can I compare the leaders of this age? They are like little children sitting in the market places and calling to their fellows in the game,

¹⁷ "'We played the wedding march for you, but you did not dance. We sang the funeral dirge, but you did not beat your breasts.'

¹⁸ For John came neither eating nor drinking with others, and yet they said, 'He has a demon.' ¹⁹ The Son of Man came eating and drinking with others, and they say, 'Just look at Him! A glutton and a wine-drinker, a chum of tax-collectors and notorious sinners!' And yet wisdom is vindicated by her doings!"

¹⁸ Now John's disciples told him about all these things. ¹⁹ So John called two of them to him and sent them to the Lord, to ask, "Are you the One who was to come, or should we continue to look for someone else?"

²⁰ So the men went to Him and said, "John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, 'Are you the One who was to come, or should we continue to look for someone else?'"

²¹ At that very hour He cured many people of diseases and scourges and evil spirits, and graciously granted sight to many blind persons. ²² And so He answered them, "Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind are seeing and the crippled are walking, the lepers are being healed and the deaf are hearing, the dead are being raised and the poor are having the good news preached to them. ²³ And happy is the man who finds no cause for stumbling over me." ²⁴ But when John's messengers had gone, He began to speak to the crowds about John: "What did you go out into the desert to gaze at? A reed that is tossed to and fro by the wind? ²⁵ If not, what did you go out there to see? A man dressed in silks and satins? No. People who dress gorgeously and live luxuriously are found in royal palaces. ²⁶ If not, then what did you go out there to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and one who is far more than a prophet. ²⁷ This is the man of whom the Scripture says: "'Attention! I send my messenger on before you. He will prepare the road ahead of you.'

²⁸ "I tell you, of all men born of women there is not one greater than John; and yet the one who is of least importance in the kingdom of God is greater than he.

²⁹ And all the people, even the tax-collectors, when they heard him, vindicated the righteous requirements of God by submitting to John's baptism, ³⁰ but the Pharisees and experts in the law thwarted God's purpose for themselves by refusing to be baptized by him.

³¹ So to what can I compare the men of this age, and what are they like? ³² They are like little children sitting in the market-place and calling to their fellows in the game: "'We played the wedding march for you, but you did not dance. We sang the funeral dirge, but you did not mourn.'

³³ "For John the Baptist came eating no bread and drinking no wine, and yet you say, 'He has a demon!' ³⁴ The Son of Man has come eating and drinking with others, and yet you say, 'Just look at Him! A glutton and a wine-drinker, an intimate friend of tax-collectors and notorious sinners!' ³⁵ But wisdom is vindicated by all who are truly wise."