¶ And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding¹ his twelve disciples, he departed² thence to teach and to preach in their cities.

Now when John had heard in³ the prison the works of Christ, he⁴ sent two of his disciples,

And said unto him, Art⁵ thou he that⁶ should come, or do we look for another?

Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:

The blind⁷ receive their sight, and the lame⁸ walk, the lepers⁹ are cleansed, and the deaf¹⁰ hear, the dead¹¹ are raised up, and the poor¹² have the gospel preached to them.

And blessed¹³ is he, whosoever¹⁴ shall not be offended in me.

¶ And as they departed, Jesus¹⁵ began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What¹⁶ went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed¹⁷ shaken with the wind?

But what went ye out for to see? A man¹⁸ clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.

But what went ye out for to see? A prophet¹⁹? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.

¶²⁰For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born²¹ of women there hath not risen a greater²² than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that²³ is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater²⁴ than he.

And from²⁵ the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take²⁶ it by force.

²⁷For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.

And if²⁸ ye will receive it, this²⁹ is Elias, which was for to come.

³⁰He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

¶ But whereunto³¹ shall I liken this³² generation? It is³³ like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows,

And saying, We³⁴ have piped³⁵ unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.

For John³⁶ came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He³⁷ hath a devil.

The Son of man came³⁸ eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend³⁹ of publicans and sinners. But⁴⁰ wisdom is justified of her children.

¶ Then began⁴¹ he to upbraid⁴² the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because⁴³ they repented not:

Woe⁴⁴ unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida⁴⁵! for⁴⁶ if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented⁴⁷ long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

But I say unto you, It shall⁴⁸ be more tolerable for Tyre⁴⁹ and Sidon at the day⁵⁰ of judgment, than for you.

And thou, Capernaum⁵¹, which art⁵² exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom⁵³, it would have remained until this day.

But I say unto you, That it shall be more⁵⁴ tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.

¶ At that time Jesus⁵⁵ answered and said, I thank⁵⁶ thee, O Father, Lord⁵⁷ of heaven and earth, because⁵⁸ thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast⁵⁹ revealed them unto babes.

Even so, Father: for⁶⁰ so it seemed good in thy sight.

All things are⁶¹ delivered unto me of my Father: and no man⁶² knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither⁶³ knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.

Come⁶⁴ unto me, all⁶⁵ ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I⁶⁶ will give you rest.

Take my⁶⁷ yoke upon you, and learn⁶⁸ of me; for⁶⁹ I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye⁷⁰ shall find rest unto your souls.

¶ For my yoke⁷¹ is easy, and my burden⁷² is light.