Knox Bible

1

When Jesus had done giving instructions to his twelve disciples, he left the place where he was, to teach and preach in their cities.

2

Now John had heard in his prison of Christ’s doings, and he sent two of his disciples to him;

3

Is it thy coming that was foretold, he asked, or are we yet waiting for some other?

4

Jesus answered them, Go and tell John what your own ears and eyes have witnessed;

5

how the blind see, and the lame walk, how the lepers are made clean, and the deaf hear, how the dead are raised to life, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.✻

6

Blessed is the man who does not lose confidence in me.

7

As they went out, Jesus took occasion to speak of John to the multitudes; What was it, he asked, that you expected to see when you went out into the wilderness? Was it a reed trembling in the wind?

8

No, not that; what was it you went out to see? Was it a man clad in silk? You must look in kings’ palaces for men that go clad in silk.

9

What was it, then, that you went out to see? A prophet? Yes, and something more, I tell you, than a prophet.

10

This is the man of whom it was written, Behold, I am sending before thee that angel of mine, who is to prepare the way for thy coming.✻

11

Believe me, God has raised up no greater son of woman than John the Baptist; and yet to be least in the kingdom of heaven is to be greater than he.✻

12

Ever since John the Baptist’s time, the kingdom of heaven has opened to force; and the forceful are even now making it their prize;

13

whereas all the prophets and the law, before John’s time, could only speak of things that were to come.

14

And this I tell you, if you will make room for it in your minds, that he is that Elias whose coming was prophesied.✻

15

Listen, you that have ears to hear with.

16

As for this generation, to what shall I compare it? It reminds me of those children who call out to their companions as they sit in the market-place,

17

and say, You would not dance when we piped to you, or beat the breast when we wept to you.

18

When John came, he would neither eat nor drink, and they say of him that he is possessed.

19

When the Son of Man came, he ate and drank with them, and of him they say, Here is a glutton; he loves wine; he is a friend of publicans and sinners. It is by her own children that wisdom is vindicated.✻

20

Thereupon he took occasion to reproach for their impenitence the cities in which he had done most of his miracles:

21

Woe to thee, Corozain, woe to thee, Bethsaida: Tyre and Sidon would have repented in sackcloth and ashes long ago, if the miracles done in you had been done there instead.

22

And I say this, that it shall go less hard with Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgement than with you.

23

And thou, Capharnaum, dost thou hope to be lifted up high as heaven? Thou shalt fall low as hell. Sodom itself, if the miracles done in thee had been done there, might have stood to this day.

24

And I say this, that it shall go less hard with the country of Sodom at the day of judgement than with thee.

25

At that time Jesus said openly, Father, who art Lord of heaven and earth, I give thee praise that thou hast hidden all this from the wise and the prudent, and revealed it to little children.

26

Be it so, Father, since this finds favour in thy sight.

27

My Father has entrusted everything into my hands; none knows the Son truly except the Father, and none knows the Father truly except the Son, and those to whom it is the Son’s good pleasure to reveal him.

28

Come to me, all you that labour and are burdened; I will give you rest.

29

Take my yoke upon yourselves, and learn from me; I am gentle and humble of heart; and you shall find rest for your souls.

30

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