Matthew 11

¹When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples , he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities .

²Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ , he sent word by his disciples

³and said to him , Are you the one who is to come , or shall we look for another ?

⁴And Jesus answered them , Go and tell John what you hear and see :

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

⁶And blessed is the one who is not offended by me .

⁷As they went 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 ?

⁸What then did you go out to see ? A man dressed in soft clothing ? Behold , those who wear soft clothing are in kings ’ houses .

⁹What then did you go out to see ? A prophet ? Yes , I tell you , and more than a prophet .

¹⁰This is he of whom it is written , Behold , I send my messenger before your face , who will prepare your way before you .

¹¹Truly , I say to you , among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist . Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he .

¹²From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence , and the violent take it by force .

¹³For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John ,

¹⁴and if you are willing to accept it , he is Elijah who is to come .

¹⁵He who has ears to hear , let him hear .

¹⁶But to what shall I compare this generation ? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates ,

¹⁷We played the flute for you , and you did not dance ; we sang a dirge , and you did not mourn .

¹⁸For John came neither eating nor drinking , and they say , He has a demon .

¹⁹The Son of Man came eating and drinking , and they say , Look at him ! A glutton and a drunkard , a friend of tax collectors and sinners ! Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds .

²⁰Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done , because they did not repent .

²¹Woe to you , Chorazin ! Woe to you , Bethsaida ! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon , they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes .

²²But I tell you , it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you .

²³And you , Capernaum , will you be exalted to heaven ? You will be brought down to Hades . For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom , it would have remained until this day .

²⁴But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you .

²⁵At that time Jesus declared , I thank you , Father , Lord of heaven and earth , that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children ;

²⁶yes , Father , for such was your gracious will .

²⁷All things have been handed over to me by my Father , and no one knows the Son except the Father , and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

²⁸Come to me , all who labor and are heavy laden , and I will give you rest .

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

³⁰For my yoke is easy , and my burden is light .