1And so it was, when Jesus finished directing His twelve disciples, that He moved on from there to teach and preach in their towns.

John needs reassuring

2But John, hearing in prison about the works of the Messiah, sent two of his disciples

3to say to Him, “Are you the Coming One, or do we look for another?” ¹⁶⁸

4By way of answer Jesus said to them: “Go and report to John the things that you hear and see:

5blind regain sight and lame walk, lepers are cleansed and deaf hear, dead are raised and the poor are evangelized.

6And, blessed be whoever is not offended at Me!” ¹⁶⁹

Jesus commends John the Baptizer

7So as they departed Jesus began to say to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see, a reed shaken by the wind?

8But what did you go out to see, a man clothed in soft garments? Actually, those who wear soft material are in kings' houses.

9But really, what did you go out to see, a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and far more than a prophet.

10For this is he of whom it is written: ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way ahead of you.’ ¹⁷⁰

11Assuredly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen a greater than John the Baptizer; but he who is least in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he. ¹⁷¹

12But from the days of John the Baptizer until now the kingdom of the heavens is being aggressive and aggressive people are seizing upon it. ¹⁷²

13For all the prophets and the Law prophesied until John,

14and if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come. ¹⁷³

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

16“But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in a marketplace and calling to their friends

17and saying, ‘We played the flute for you and you did not dance; we mourned for you and you did not lament.’

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

19the Son of the Man came eating and drinking and they say, ‘Just look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Indeed, wisdom is vindicated by her children.” ¹⁷⁴

Jesus denounces three cities

20Then He began to reproach the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent.

21“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! Because if the mighty works that were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

22So I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the Day of judgment than for you!

23And you, Capernaum, ‘the one having been exalted to heaven’, you will be brought down to Hades! Because if the mighty works that were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

24So I say to you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the Day of judgment than for you.” ¹⁷⁵

“I praise You, Father”

25At that time Jesus reacted and said: “ ‘I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to ‘babes’.

26Yes, Father, because thus it was good to You.’ ¹⁷⁶

27“All things have been delivered to me by my Father, and no one really knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone really know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son may will to reveal Him.

28Come to me all you who are laboring and are loaded down, and I will give you rest.

29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls;

30for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” ¹⁷⁷