14 And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. 15 Whoever has ears, let them hear.

16 “To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others:

17 “ ‘We played the pipe for you,

and you did not dance;

we sang a dirge,

and you did not mourn.’

14 and if you are willing to accept it, he 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 and calling to their playmates,

17 “ ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;

we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’

14 And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come. 15 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

16 But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, 17 And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.

14 And if you are willing to accept what I say, he is Elijah, the one the prophets said would come. 15 Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!

16 “To what can I compare this generation? It is like children playing a game in the public square. They complain to their friends,

17 ‘We played wedding songs,

and you didn’t dance,

so we played funeral songs,

and you didn’t mourn.’

14 And if you will believe what they said, you will believe that John is Elijah, whom they said would come. 15 Let those with ears use them and listen!

16 “What can I say about the people of this time? What are they like? They are like children sitting in the marketplace, who call out to each other,

17 ‘We played music for you, but you did not dance;

we sang a sad song, but you did not cry.’

14 And if ye are willing to receive it, this is Elijah, that is to come. 15 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. 16 But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the marketplaces, who call unto their fellows 17 and say, We piped unto you, and ye did not dance; we wailed, and ye did not mourn.

14 And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, who is to come. 15 He that has ears to hear, let him hear.

16 But to whom shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the markets, which, calling to their companions, 17 say, We have piped to you, and ye have not danced: we have mourned to you, and ye have not wailed.

14 If you are willing to accept their message, John is the Elijah who was to come. 15 Let the person who has ears listen! 

16 “How can I describe the people who are living now? They are like children who sit in the marketplaces and shout to other children, 

17 ‘We played music for you, 

but you didn’t dance. 

We sang a funeral song, 

but you didn’t show any sadness.’ 

14 if you’re willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who is to come. 15 Anyone who has ears should listen!

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

17 We played the flute for you,

but you didn’t dance;

we sang a lament,

but you didn’t mourn!

14 and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. 15 Let anyone with ears listen!

16 “But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one another,

17 ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;

we wailed, and you did not mourn.’

14 and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah, the one who is going to come. 15 The one who has ears, let him hear!

16 “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces who call out to one another, 17 saying,

‘We played the flute for you and you did not dance;

we sang a lament and you did not mourn.’

14 If you are willing to accept it, John is the Elijah who was supposed to come. 15 Those who have ears should listen.

16 “What can I compare today’s people to? They are like children sitting in the market places and calling out to others. They say,

17 “ ‘We played the flute for you.

But you didn’t dance.

We sang a funeral song.

But you didn’t become sad.’

14 “And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is Elijah who was 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 market places, who call out to the other children,

17 and say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’