A Question from John the Baptist
1 And it happened that when Jesus had finished giving orders to his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and to preach in their towns.
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Now [when] John heard in prison the deeds of Christ, he sent [word] by his disciples
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[and] said to him, "Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?"
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And Jesus answered [and] said to them, "Go [and] tell John what you hear and see:
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the blind receive sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised, and the poor have good news announced to [them].
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And whoever is not offended by me is blessed."
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Now [as] these were going away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?
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But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in the houses of kings.
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But why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and even more than a prophet!
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It is this man about whom it is written: 'Behold, I am sending my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.'
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Truly I say to you, among [those] born of women there has not arisen [one] greater than John the Baptist. But the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
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But from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven is treated violently, and the violent claim it.
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For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John,
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and if you are willing to accept [it], he is Elijah, the one who is going to come.
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The one who has ears, let him hear!
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"But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces who call out to one another,
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saying, 'We played the flute for you and you did not dance; we sang a lament and you did not mourn.'
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For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon!'
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The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a man [who is] a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' But wisdom is vindicated by her deeds."