7 ¹⁸ John too was informed of all this by his disciples. 7 ¹⁹ Summoning two of their number he sent them to the Lord with this message: 'Are you the one who is to come, or are we to expect some other?' 7 ²⁰ The messengers made their way to Jesus and said, 'John the Baptist has sent us to you: he asks, "Are you the one who is to come, or are we to expect some other?" ' 7 ²¹ There and then he cured many sufferers from diseases, plagues, and evil spirits; and on many blind people he bestowed sight. 7 ^{22 [ Mal.3.1. ]} Then he gave them his answer: 'Go', he said, 'and tell John what you have seen and heard: how the blind recover their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are clean, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, the poor are hearing the good news— 7 ²³ and happy is the man who does not find me a stumbling-block.'

7 ²⁴ After John's messengers had left, Jesus began to speak about him to the crowds: 'What was the spectacle that drew you to the wilderness? A reed-bed swept by the wind? 7 ²⁵ No? Then what did you go out to see? A man dressed in silks and satins? Surely you must look in palaces for grand clothes and luxury. 7 ²⁶ But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes indeed, and far more than a prophet. 7 ²⁷ He is the man of whom Scripture says,

"Here is my herald, whom I send on ahead of you,
And he will prepare your way before you." 7 ²⁸ I tell you, there is not a mother's son greater than John, and yet the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.' 7 ²⁹ When they heard him, all the people, including the tax-gatherers, praised God, for they had accepted John's baptism; 7 ³⁰ but the Pharisees and lawyers, who refused his baptism, had rejected Or: ' ... greater than he. And all the people, including the tax-gatherers, when they heard him, accepted John's baptism and acknowledged the righteous dealing of God; but the Pharisees and lawyers, by refusing his baptism, rejected ... ' God's purpose for themselves.

7 ³¹ 'How can I describe the people of this generation? What are they like? 7 ³² They are like children sitting in the market-place and shouting at each other,

"We piped for you and you would not dance."
"We wept and wailed, and you would not mourn." 7 ³³ For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, "He is possessed." 7 ³⁴ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, "Look at him! a glutton and a drinker, a friend of tax-gatherers and sinners!" 7 ³⁵ And yet God's wisdom is proved right by all who are her children.'


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Notes: This page displays the Revised Standard Version as flowing text. The katapi New Study Bible reference section has been incorporated into the page as follows: Links to parallel passages show below passage headings. Links to Old Testament quotations in New Testament verses show after the verse number.
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Please e-mail me. © Paul Ingram 2012.