Matthew 11

New American Standard Bible 1995

John’s Questions

11 ^(A)When Jesus had finished ^[a]giving instructions to His twelve disciples, He departed from there ^(B)to teach and ^[b]preach in their cities.

^2 (C)Now when ^(D)John, ^[c]while imprisoned, heard of the works of Christ, he sent word by his disciples ³ and said to Him, “Are You ^(E)the ^[d]Expected One, or shall we look for someone else?” ⁴ Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you hear and see: ^5 (F)the blind receive sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the ^(G)poor have the ^[e]gospel preached to them. ⁶ And blessed is he ^[f]who ^(H)does not ^[g]take offense at Me.”

Jesus’ Tribute to John

⁷ As these men were going away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John, “What did you go out into ^(I)the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? ^8 [h]But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ ^[i]palaces! ^9 [j]But what did you go out to see? ^(J)A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and one who is more than a prophet. ¹⁰ This is the one about whom it ^[k]is written,

¹¹ Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is ^[m]least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. ^12 (L)From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven ^[n]suffers violence, and violent men ^[o]take it by force. ¹³ For all the prophets and the Law prophesied until John. ¹⁴ And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is ^(M)Elijah who ^[p]was to come. ^15 (N)He who has ears to hear, ^[q]let him hear.

¹⁶ “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market places, who call out to the other children, ¹⁷ and say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not ^[r]mourn.’ ¹⁸ For John came neither ^(O)eating nor ^(P)drinking, and they say, ‘^(Q)He has a demon!’ ¹⁹ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a ^[s]drunkard, ^(R)a friend of tax collectors and ^[t]sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”

The Unrepenting Cities

²⁰ Then He began to denounce the cities in which most of His ^[u](S)miracles were done, because they did not repent. ²¹ “^(T)Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, ^(U)Bethsaida! For if the ^[v]miracles had occurred in ^(V)Tyre and ^(W)Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago in ^[w](X)sackcloth and ashes. ²² Nevertheless I say to you, ^(Y)it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in ^(Z)the day of judgment than for you. ²³ And you, ^(AA)Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You will ^(AB)descend to ^(AC)Hades; for if the ^[x]miracles had occurred in ^(AD)Sodom which occurred in you, it would have remained to this day. ²⁴ Nevertheless I say to you that ^(AE)it will be more tolerable for the land of ^(AF)Sodom in the day of judgment, than for you.”

Come to Me

^25 (AG)At that ^[y]time Jesus said, “I praise You, ^(AH)Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that ^(AI)You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. ²⁶ Yes, ^(AJ)Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight. ^27 (AK)All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father ^(AL)except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.

²⁸ “^(AM)Come to Me, all ^[z]who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take My yoke upon you and ^(AN)learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and ^(AO)you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For ^(AP)My yoke is ^[aa]easy and My burden is light.”