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

^{2 Ref} And John having heard in the prison the works of the Christ, having sent two of his disciples,

^{3 Ref} said to him, `Art thou He who is coming, or for another do we look?'

⁴ And Jesus answering said to them, `Having gone, declare to John the things that ye hear and see,

^{5 Ref} blind receive sight, and lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and deaf hear, dead are raised, and poor have good news proclaimed,

^{6 Ref} and happy is he who may not be stumbled in me.'

^{7 Ref} And as they are going, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John, `What went ye out to the wilderness to view? -- a reed shaken by the wind?

^{8 Ref} `But what went ye out to see? -- a man clothed in soft garments? lo, those wearing the soft things are in the kings' houses.

^{9 Ref} `But what went ye out to see? -- a prophet? yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet,

^{10 Ref} for this is he of whom it hath been written, Lo, I do send My messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee.

^{11 Ref} Verily I say to you, there hath not risen, among those born of women, a greater than John the Baptist, but he who is least in the reign of the heavens is greater than he.

^{12 Ref} `And, from the days of John the Baptist till now, the reign of the heavens doth suffer violence, and violent men do take it by force,

^{13 Ref} for all the prophets and the law till John did prophesy,

^{14 Ref} and if ye are willing to receive `it', he is Elijah who was about to come;

^{15 Ref} he who is having ears to hear -- let him hear.

^{16 Ref} `And to what shall I liken this generation? it is like little children in market-places, sitting and calling to their comrades,

^{17 Ref} and saying, We piped unto you, and ye did not dance, we lamented to you, and ye did not smite the breast.

^{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, Lo, a man, a glutton, and a wine-drinker, a friend of tax-gatherers and sinners, and wisdom was justified of her children.'

^{20 Ref} Then began he to reproach the cities in which were done most of his mighty works, because they did not reform.

^{21 Ref} `Wo to thee, Chorazin! wo to thee, Bethsaida! because, if in Tyre and Sidon had been done the mighty works that were done in you, long ago in sackcloth and ashes they had reformed;

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

^{23 Ref} `And thou, Capernaum, which unto the heaven wast exalted, unto hades shalt be brought down, because if in Sodom had been done the mighty works that were done in thee, it had remained unto this day;

^{24 Ref} but I say to you, to the land of Sodom it shall be more tolerable in a day of judgment than to thee.'

^{25 Ref} At that time Jesus answering said, `I do confess to Thee, Father, Lord of the heavens and of the earth, that thou didst hide these things from wise and understanding ones, and didst reveal them to babes.

^{26 Ref} Yes, Father, because so it was good pleasure before Thee.

^{27 Ref} `All things were delivered to me by my Father, and none doth know the Son, except the Father, nor doth any know the Father, except the Son, and he to whom the Son may wish to reveal `Him'.

^{28 Ref} `Come unto me, all ye labouring and burdened ones, and I will give you rest,

^{29 Ref} take up my yoke upon you, and learn from me, because I am meek and humble in heart, and ye shall find rest to your souls,

^{30 Ref} for my yoke `is' easy, and my burden is light.'

^{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} It happened that when Jesus had finished directing his twelve disciples, he departed from there to teach and preach in their cities.

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

^{3 Ref} and said to him, "Are you he who comes, or should we look for another?"

⁴ Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John the things which you hear and see:

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

^{6 Ref} Blessed is he who finds no occasion for stumbling in me."

^{7 Ref} As these went their way, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John, "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

^{8 Ref} But what did you go out to see? A man in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in king's houses.

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

^{10 Ref} For this is he, of whom it is written, 'Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.'

^{11 Ref} Most assuredly I tell you, among those who are born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptizer; yet he who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he.

^{12 Ref} From the days of John the Baptizer until now, the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.

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

^{14 Ref} If you are willing to receive it, this is Elijah, who is to come.

^{15 Ref} He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

^{16 Ref} "But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces, who call to their companions

^{17 Ref} and say, 'We played the flute for you, and you didn't dance. We mourned for you, and you didn't lament.'

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

^{19 Ref} The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' But wisdom is justified by her children."

^{20 Ref} Then he began to denounce the cities in which most of his mighty works had been done, because they didn't repent.

^{21 Ref} "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, 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 tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.

^{23 Ref} You, Capernaum, who are exalted to Heaven, you will go down to Hades. For if the mighty works had been done in Sodom which were done in you, it would have remained until this day.

^{24 Ref} But I tell you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom, on the day of judgment, than for you."

^{25 Ref} At that time, Jesus answered, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you hid these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to infants.

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

^{27 Ref} All things have been delivered to me by my Father. No one knows the Son, except the Father; neither does anyone know the Father, except the Son, and he to whom the Son desires to reveal him.

^{28 Ref} "Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest.

^{29 Ref} Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart; and you will find rest for your souls.

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