1When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he departed from there to teach and preach in the cities of Galilee.

Messengers from John the Baptist

2Now when John heard in prison about the works Christ had done, he sent ⁷⁷two of his disciples

3to ask him, “Are yoʋ the one who is to come, or should we wait for another?”

4Jesus answered them, “Go tell John what you hear and see:

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

6And blessed is anyone who does not take offense at me.”

7As these men went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

8What then did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Behold, those who wear soft garments are in the palaces of kings.

9But ⁷⁸what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.

10⁷⁹For this is the one of whom it is written,
‘Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of yoʋ,
who will prepare yoʋr way before yoʋ.’

11Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist, but whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

12From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has been suffering violence, and the violent try to take it by force.

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

14And if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come.

15He who has ears ⁸⁰to hear, let him hear.

16“But to what should I compare this generation? It is like ⁸¹children sitting in the ⁸²marketplaces and calling out to their companions,

17‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance;
we sang a lament ⁸³for you, but you did not mourn.’

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

19The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her ⁸⁴children.”

Woe to the Unrepentant

20Then Jesus began to reproach the cities in which most of his miracles had been done, because they did not repent:

21“Woe to yoʋ, Chorazin! Woe to yoʋ, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ⁸⁵ago in sackcloth and ashes.

22But I tell you, it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you.

23And yoʋ, Capernaum, ⁸⁶who have been exalted to heaven, will ⁸⁷be brought down to Hades. For if the miracles that were done in yoʋ had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

24But I tell you, it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for yoʋ.”

Come to Me, and I Will Give You Rest

25At that time Jesus said, “I praise yoʋ, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because yoʋ have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent, and revealed them to infants.

26Yes, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in yoʋr sight.

27All things have been delivered to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

28Come to me, all of you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.

29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for 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.”