Luke 7:24–35

²⁴When John’s messengers had gone, Jesus^a began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? ²⁵What, then, did you go out to see? Someone^b dressed in soft robes? Look, those who put on fine clothing and live in luxury are in royal palaces. ²⁶What, then, did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. ²⁷This is the one about whom it is written,

‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,

who will prepare your way before you.’

²⁸“I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater than John, yet the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” ²⁹(And all the people who heard this, including the tax collectors, acknowledged the justice of God,^c having been baptized with John’s baptism.^{* 30}But the Pharisees and the experts in the law, not having been baptized by him, rejected God’s purpose for themselves.)^*

³¹“To what, then, will I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like? ³²They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another,

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

we wailed, and you did not weep.’

³³“For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon’;^{* 34}the Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’^{* 35}Nevertheless, wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”