Matthew 11

11 ¹After Jesus finished instructing his twelve disciples, he left there to teach and preach in their towns.

John's Question From Prison

²John, hearing in prison of the Christ's works, sent word through his disciples, ³and asked him, "Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?"

⁴Jesus answered them, "Go and report to John what you hear and see:

⁵"Blind eyes see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are made clean, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and good news is preached to the poor. ⁶And blessed is the one who does not stumble on account of me."

⁷As they left, Jesus began telling the crowds about John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? ⁸But why go out—to see a man dressed in soft clothes? Look, those who wear soft clothes are in royal palaces. ⁹But why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, far more than a prophet. ¹⁰This is the one written about: 'Look, I send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.' ¹¹Truly I tell you: among those born of women, none greater than John the Baptist has arisen; yet the least in our Father's kingdom is greater than he. ¹²From John the Baptist's days until now, the kingdom of our Father endures violence, and the violent seize it. ¹³For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, ¹⁴and if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. ¹⁵Whoever has ears, let him hear.

¹⁶To what can I compare this generation? It's like children sitting in the marketplaces, calling out to others: ¹⁷'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a funeral song, 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, 'A glutton and drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is proved right by her deeds."

Woe to the Unrepentant Towns

²⁰Then he began denouncing the towns where he'd done most of his miracles, because they hadn't repented.

²¹"Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they'd have turned back long ago in mourning clothes and ashes. ²²But I tell you: judgment day will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon than for you. ²³And you, Capernaum—will you be lifted to heaven? You'll be brought down to the grave. If the miracles done in you had been done in Sodom, it would still stand today. ²⁴But I tell you: Sodom's land will fare better on judgment day than you."

The Father Revealed by the Son

²⁵At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Sovereign of heaven and earth, for hiding this from the wise and discerning, and revealing it to infants. ²⁶Yes, Father, for this pleased you. ²⁷Everything was entrusted to me by my Father. Only the Father knows the Son, only the Son knows the Father, and anyone the Son chooses to reveal the Father to.

²⁸"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Put my yoke on you and learn from me, since I'm gentle and humble in heart, and you'll find rest for your souls. ³⁰For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."