Matthew
When Jesus had finished giving these instructions to his twelve disciples, he left there to teach and preach the Gospel in the towns.
Now when John heard in prison of the works of the Messiah, he sent his disciples
to ask him, “Are you the coming one, or should we look for someone else?”
Jesus answered them, “Go and report to John the things which you hear and see:
Blind people receive sight and lame people walk, lepers are healed and deaf people hear, dead people are resurrected and poor
people have the Gospel preached to them.
And blessed is he who will not be
offended by me.”
As these men were leaving, Jesus began to say to the crowds about John,
“What did you go out to the desert to see? A reed shaken by the wind?
But
what did you go out to see? A man wearing delicate clothes? Those who wear
such clothes are in kings’ palaces.
So then what did you go out to see? A
prophet? Yes, I say to you, and one who is more than a prophet.
This is the one about whom it is written: ‘Look, I send My messenger ahead of you, who
will prepare your way before you.’
I am telling you the truth: among those
born of women there has not arisen a greater one than John the Baptist. Yet
the one who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than John.
From the days of John the Baptist until now the Kingdom of Heaven suffers
violence, and violent people are trying to seize it for themselves.
For all the
prophets and the Law prophesied until John.
And if you are willing to
accept it, he is Elijah who was to come.
He who has ears to hear, listen!
“To what can I compare this generation?
It is like children sitting in
the market places calling to their companions,
‘We played the flute for you,
and you did not dance. We sang mournful songs for you, and you did not
weep.’
For John came neither feasting nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a
demon!’
But the Son of Man came feasting and drinking normally, and they
say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunk, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet
Wisdom is proven to be right by what she does.”
Then he began to denounce the towns where most of his miracles were
done, because they did not repent.
“Alas for you, Chorazin; alas for you,
Bethsaida! If the miracles which were done in you had been done in Tyre and
Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
But I say
to you that it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the Day of
Judgment than for you.
And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven,
will you? No, you will be brought down to Hades, because if the miracles
which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained
until this day.
But I say to you that it will be more tolerable for the land of
Sodom on the Day of Judgment than for you.”
At that time Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent, and have revealed them to children.
Yes, Father, because this was pleasing in your
sight.
All things have been delivered to me by my Father, and no one knows
the Son except the Father, nor does anyone know the Father except the Son,
and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.
Come to me, all you who
labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke on you, and
learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find
rest for your selves.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Matthew