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John, meanwhile, had been locked up in prison. When he got wind of what Jesus was doing, he sent his own disciples
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to ask, "Are you the One we've been expecting, or are we still waiting?"
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Jesus told them, "Go back and tell John what's going on:
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The blind see, The lame walk, Lepers are cleansed, The deaf hear, The dead are raised, The wretched of the earth learn that God is on their side.
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"Is this what you were expecting? Then count yourselves most blessed!"
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When John's disciples left to report, Jesus started talking to the crowd about John. "What did you expect when you went out to see him in the wild? A weekend camper?
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Hardly. What then? A sheik in silk pajamas? Not in the wilderness, not by a long shot.
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What then? A prophet? That's right, a prophet! Probably the best prophet you'll ever hear.
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He is the prophet that Malachi announced when he wrote, 'I'm sending my prophet ahead of you, to make the road smooth for you.'
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"Let me tell you what's going on here: No one in history surpasses John the Baptizer; but in the kingdom he prepared you for, the lowliest person is ahead of him.
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For a long time now people have tried to force themselves into God's kingdom.