John Sends a Question to Jesus

Matthew 11

¹ When Jesus had finished directing his twelve disciples, he departed from there to teach and preach in their cities.

² Now when John heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples

³ and said to him, “Are you he who comes, or should we look for another?”

⁴ Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see:

⁵ the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.

⁶ Blessed is he who finds no occasion for stumbling in me.”

⁷ As these went their way, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

⁸ But what did you go out to see? A man in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses.

⁹ But why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet.

¹⁰ For this is he, of whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’

¹¹ Most certainly I tell you, among those who are born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptizer; yet he who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he.

¹² From the days of John the Baptizer until now, the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.

¹³ For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.

¹⁴ If you are willing to receive it, this is Elijah, who is to come.

¹⁵ He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

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

¹⁷ and say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you didn’t dance. We mourned for you, and you didn’t lament.’

¹⁸ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’

¹⁹ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is justified by her children.”

Luke 7

¹⁸ The disciples of John told him about all these things.

¹⁹ John, calling to himself two of his disciples, sent them to Jesus, saying, “Are you the one who is coming, or should we look for another?”

²⁰ When the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptizer has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you he who comes, or should we look for another?’ ”

²¹ In that hour he cured many of diseases and plagues and evil spirits; and to many who were blind he gave sight.

²² Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John the things which you have seen and heard: that the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.

²³ Blessed is he who finds no occasion for stumbling in me.”

²⁴ When John’s messengers had departed, he began to tell the multitudes about John, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

²⁵ But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are gorgeously dressed and live delicately are in kings’ courts.

²⁶ But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet.

²⁷ This is he of whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’

²⁸ “For I tell you, among those who are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptizer; yet he who is least in God’s Kingdom is greater than he.”

²⁹ When all the people and the tax collectors heard this, they declared God to be just, having been baptized with John’s baptism.

³⁰ But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the counsel of God, not being baptized by him themselves.

³¹ “To what then should I compare the people of this generation? What are they like?

³² They are like children who sit in the marketplace and call to one another, saying, ‘We piped to you, and you didn’t dance. We mourned, and you didn’t weep.’

³³ For John the Baptizer came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’

³⁴ The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Behold, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’

³⁵ Wisdom is justified by all her children.”