Matthew 11:7–19

⁷As these men were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the wind?^{al 8}What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothes? See, those who wear soft clothes are in royal palaces. ⁹What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.^{a 10}This is the one about whom it is written:

See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you;

he will prepare your way before you.^Fb

¹¹“Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one greater than John the Baptist has appeared,^G but the 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,^A and the violent have been seizing it by force. ¹³For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. ¹⁴And if you’re willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who is to come.^{c 15}Let anyone who has ears^B listen.^d

AN UNRESPONSIVE GENERATION

¹⁶“To what should I compare this generation? It’s like children sitting in the marketplaces who call out to other children:

¹⁷We played the flute for you,

but you didn’t dance;

we sang a lament,

but you didn’t mourn!^C

¹⁸For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’^{e 19}The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard,^f a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’^g Yet wisdom is vindicated^D by her deeds.”^E