Matthew 11:2–19

²When John,^q who was in prison,^r heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples ³to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come,^s or should we expect someone else?”

⁴Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: ⁵The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy^b are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.^{t 6}Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”^u

⁷As John’s^v disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness^w to see? A reed swayed by the wind? ⁸If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. ⁹Then what did you go out to see? A prophet?^x Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. ¹⁰This is the one about whom it is written:

“ ‘I will send my messenger ahead of you,^y

who will prepare your way before you.’^cz

¹¹Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet 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 subjected to violence,^d and violent people have been raiding it. ¹³For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John.^{a 14}And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come.^{b 15}Whoever has ears, let them hear.^c

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.’

¹⁸For John came neither eating^d nor drinking,^e and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ ¹⁹The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’^f But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.”