^{1 Ref} And it came about that when Jesus had come to the end of giving these orders to his twelve disciples, he went away from there, teaching and preaching in their towns.

^{2 Ref} Now when John had news in prison of the works of the Christ, he sent his disciples

^{3 Ref} To say to him, Are you he who is to come, or are we waiting for another?

⁴ And Jesus, answering, said to them, Go and give news to John of the things which you are seeing and hearing:

^{5 Ref} The blind see; those who were not able to, are walking; lepers are made clean; those who were without hearing, now have their ears open; the dead come to life again, and the poor have the good news given to them.

^{6 Ref} And a blessing will be on him who has no doubts about me.

^{7 Ref} And when they were going away, Jesus, talking of John, said to all the people, What went you out into the waste land to see? a tall stem moving in the wind?

^{8 Ref} But what went you out to see? a man delicately clothed? Those who have fair robes are in kings' houses.

^{9 Ref} But why did you go out? to see a prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet.

^{10 Ref} This is he of whom it has been said, See, I send my servant before your face, who will make ready your way before you.

^{11 Ref} Truly I say to you, Among the sons of women there has not been a greater than John the Baptist: but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

^{12 Ref} And from the days of John the Baptist till now, the kingdom of heaven is forcing its way in, and men of force take it.

^{13 Ref} For all the prophets and the law were in force till John.

^{14 Ref} And if you are able to see it, this is Elijah who was to come.

^{15 Ref} He who has ears, let him give ear.

^{16 Ref} But what comparison may I make of this generation? It is like children seated in the market-places, crying out to one another,

^{17 Ref} We made music for you and you did not take part in the dance; we gave cries of sorrow and you made no signs of grief.

^{18 Ref} For John came, taking no food or drink, and they say, He has an evil spirit.

^{19 Ref} The Son of man has come feasting, and they say, See, a lover of food and wine, a friend of tax-farmers and sinners! And wisdom is judged to be right by her works.

^{20 Ref} Then he went on to say hard things to the towns where most of his works of power were done, because they had not been turned from their sins.

^{21 Ref} Unhappy are you, Chorazin! Unhappy are you, Beth-saida! For if the works of power which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have been turned from their sins in days gone by, clothing themselves in haircloth and putting dust on their heads.

^{22 Ref} But I say to you, It will be better for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judging, than for you.

^{23 Ref} And you, Capernaum, were you not to be lifted up to heaven? you will go down into hell: for if the works of power which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have been here to this day.

^{24 Ref} But I say to you that it will be better for the land of Sodom in the day of judging, than for you.

^{25 Ref} At that time Jesus made answer and said, I give praise to you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have kept these things secret from the wise and the men of learning, and have made them clear to little children.

^{26 Ref} Yes, Father, for so it was pleasing in your eyes.

^{27 Ref} All things have been given to me by my Father; and no one has knowledge of the Son, but the Father; and no one has knowledge of the Father, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will make it clear.

^{28 Ref} Come to me, all you who are troubled and weighted down with care, and I will give you rest.

^{29 Ref} Take my yoke on you and become like me, for I am gentle and without pride, and you will have rest for your souls;

^{30 Ref} For my yoke is good, and the weight I take up is not hard.

^{1 Ref} And it came to pass when Jesus had finished commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and preach in their cities.

^{2 Ref} Now when John heard in the prison the works of the Christ, he sent by his disciples

^{3 Ref} and said unto him, Art thou he that cometh, or look we for another?

⁴ And Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and tell John the things which ye hear and see:

^{5 Ref} the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good tidings preached to them.

^{6 Ref} And blessed is he, whosoever shall find no occasion of stumbling in me.

^{7 Ref} And as these went their way, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to behold? a reed shaken with the wind?

^{8 Ref} But what went ye out to see? a man clothed in soft `raiment'? Behold, they that wear soft `raiment' are in king's houses.

^{9 Ref} But wherefore went ye out? to see a prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet.

^{10 Ref} This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, Who shall prepare thy way before thee.

^{11 Ref} Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not arisen a greater than John the Baptist: yet he that is but little in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

^{12 Ref} And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and men of violence take it by force.

^{13 Ref} For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.

^{14 Ref} And if ye are willing to receive `it,' this is Elijah, that is to come.

^{15 Ref} He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

^{16 Ref} But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the marketplaces, who call unto their fellows

^{17 Ref} and say, We piped unto you, and ye did not dance; we wailed, and ye did not mourn.

^{18 Ref} For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a demon.

^{19 Ref} The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold, a gluttonous man and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners! And wisdom is justified by her works.

^{20 Ref} Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not.

^{21 Ref} Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which were done in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

^{22 Ref} But I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you.

^{23 Ref} And thou, Capernaum, shalt thou be exalted unto heaven? thou shalt go down unto Hades: for if the mighty works had been done in Sodom which were done in thee, it would have remained until this day.

^{24 Ref} But I say unto you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.

^{25 Ref} At that season Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou didst hide these things from the wise and understanding, and didst reveal them unto babes:

^{26 Ref} yea, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in thy sight.

^{27 Ref} All things have been delivered unto me of my Father: and no one knoweth the Son, save the Father; neither doth any know the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son willeth to reveal `him.'

^{28 Ref} Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

^{29 Ref} Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

^{30 Ref} For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.