¹¹ “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. ^12 (A)And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. ^13 (B)For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. ¹⁴ And if you are willing to receive it, he is ^(C)Elijah who is to come. ^15 (D)He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

^16 (E)“But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, ¹⁷ and saying:

¹⁸ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ ¹⁹ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a ^[b]winebibber, ^(F)a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ ^(G)But wisdom is justified by her ^[c]children.”