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

¹ And it came to pass, when Jesus ended directing his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities. ² And John having heard in the prison the works of the Christ, having sent two of his disciples, ³ said to him, 'Art thou He who is coming, or for another do we look?'

⁴ And Jesus answering said to them, 'Having gone, declare to John the things that ye hear and see, ⁵ blind receive sight, and lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and deaf hear, dead are raised, and poor have good news proclaimed, ⁶ and happy is he who may not be stumbled in me.'

⁷ And as they are going, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John, 'What went ye out to the wilderness to view? -- a reed shaken by the wind? ⁸ But what went ye out to see? -- a man clothed in soft garments? lo, those wearing the soft things are in the kings' houses. ⁹ But what went ye out to see? -- a prophet? yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet, ¹⁰ for this is he of whom it hath been written, Lo, I do send My messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee.

¹¹ Verily I say to you, there hath not risen, among those born of women, a greater than John the Baptist, but he who is least in the reign of the heavens is greater than he. ¹² 'And, from the days of John the Baptist till now, the reign of the heavens doth suffer violence, and violent men do take it by force, ¹³ for all the prophets and the law till John did prophesy, ¹⁴ and if ye are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who was about to come; ¹⁵ he who is having ears to hear -- let him hear.

¹⁶ 'And to what shall I liken this generation? it is like little children in market-places, sitting and calling to their comrades,

¹⁷ and saying, We piped unto you, and ye did not dance, we lamented to you, and ye did not smite the breast.

¹⁸ 'For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a demon; ¹⁹ the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, Lo, a man, a glutton, and a wine-drinker, a friend of tax-gatherers and sinners, and wisdom was justified of her children.'

¹⁸ And the disciples of John told him about all these things, ¹⁹ and John having called near a certain two of his disciples, sent unto Jesus, saying, 'Art thou he who is coming, or for another do we look?'

²⁰ And having come near to him, the men said, 'John the Baptist sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he who is coming, or for another do we look?'

²¹ And in that hour he cured many from sicknesses, and plagues, and evil spirits, and to many blind he granted sight. ²² And Jesus answering said to them, 'Having gone on, report to John what ye saw and heard, that blind men do see again, lame do walk, lepers are cleansed, deaf do hear, dead are raised, poor have good news proclaimed; ²³ and happy is he whoever may not be stumbled in me.' ²⁴ And the messengers of John having gone away, he began to say unto the multitudes concerning John: 'What have ye gone forth to the wilderness to look on? a reed by the wind shaken? ²⁵ but what have ye gone forth to see? a man in soft garments clothed? lo, they in splendid apparellings, and living in luxury, are in the houses of kings! ²⁶ 'But what have ye gone forth to see? a prophet? Yes, I say to you, and much more than a prophet: ²⁷ this is he concerning whom it hath been written, Lo, I send my messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee;

²⁸ for I say to you, a greater prophet, among those born of women, than John the Baptist there is not; but the least in the reign of God is greater than he.'

²⁹ And all the people having heard, and the tax-gatherers, declared God righteous, having been baptized with the baptism of John, ³⁰ but the Pharisees, and the lawyers, the counsel of God did put away for themselves, not having been baptized by him.

³¹ And the Lord said, 'To what, then, shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like? ³² they are like to children, to those sitting in a market-place, and calling one to another, and saying, We piped to you, and ye did not dance, we mourned to you, and ye did not weep!

³³ 'For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and ye say, He hath a demon; ³⁴ the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and ye say, Lo, a man, a glutton, and a wine drinker, a friend of tax-gatherers and sinners; ³⁵ and the wisdom was justified from all her children.'