Bible Time

¹WHEN Jesus had finished commanding his 12 disciples, he departed from that place to teach and to preach in their cities. ²But when John heard in prison of the works of Messiah, he sent by his disciples, ³And said to him, Are you the one who is to come, or are we to expect another? ⁴Jesus answered and said, Go and describe to John the things which you see and hear. ⁵The blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead rise up, and the poor are given hope. ⁶Blessed is he who does not stumble on account of me. ⁷When they went away, Jesus began to speak to the people concerning John, What did you go out to the wilderness to see? A reed which is shaken by the wind? ⁸If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? Look those who wear fine clothes are in kings' houses. ⁹And if not, what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet. ¹⁰For this is he of whom it is written, Look, I send my messenger before your face, to prepare the way before you. ¹¹Truly I say to you, among those born of women, there has never risen one who is greater than John the Baptist; yet even the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. ¹²From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been administered by force, and only those in power control it. ¹³For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. ¹⁴And if you wish, accept it, that he is Elijah who was to come. ¹⁵He who has ears to hear, let him hear. ¹⁶But to whom will I liken this generation? It is like boys who sit in the street and call to their friends. ¹⁷And say, We have sung to you, but you would not dance; and we have wailed to you but you did not mourn. ¹⁸For John came, neither eating nor drinking, and they said he is crazy. ¹⁹The Son of man came, eating and drinking, and they said, Look, a glutton and a wine drinker, and a friend of tax collectors and sinners. Yet wisdom is justified by its works.

²⁰Then Jesus began to disgrace the cities in which his many works were done, and which did not repent. And he said, ²¹Woe to you, Chorazin. Woe to you, Bethsaida. If the works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they might have repented in sackcloth and ashes. ²²But I say to you, It will be easier for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment, than for you. ²³And you, Capernaum, which have exalted yourself up to heaven, will be brought down to Sheol; if the works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would be standing to this day. ²⁴But I say to you, It will be easier for the land of Sodom in the judgment day, than for you.

²⁵At that time, Jesus answered and said, I thank you, my Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the men of understanding, and you have revealed them to children. ²⁶Yes, my Father, for such was your will. ²⁷Everything has been delivered to me by my Father, and no man knows the Son except the Father, nor does any man know the Father but the Son, and to whom the Son wishes to reveal him. ²⁸Come to me, all you who labor and carry burdens, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take my yoke on you, and learn from me, for I am genial and meek in my heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰For my yoke is pleasant, and my burden is light.