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¹ And when Jesus had ended the instructions to his twelve disciples, he went from there, to teach and to proclaim in their cities.² Now when John, in the house of prisoners, heard of the works of Messiah, he sent by the hand of his disciples,³ and said to him: Art thou he that cometh, or are we to expect another?⁴ Jesus answered, and said to them: Go, tell John the things that ye hear and see:⁵ the blind see, and the lame walk, and the leprous are cleansed, and the deaf hear, and the dead rise up, and the needy hear good tidings:⁶ and happy is he, who shall not be stumbled at me.

⁷ And when they were gone, Jesus began to say to the multitudes, concerning John: What went ye into the wilderness to see? A reed that waved in the wind?⁸ And if not; what went ye out to see? A man clothed in delicate robes? Lo, they that are clothed in delicate [fn] , are in the dwelling of kings. ⁹ And if not; what went ye out to see? A prophet? Yes, say I to you, and more than a prophet.¹⁰ For this is he of whom it is written: Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, that he may prepare the way before thee.¹¹ Verily I say to you, Among those born of women, there hath not arisen a greater than John the Baptizer: yet the small one in the kingdom of heaven, is greater than he.¹² And from the days of John the Baptizer, until now, the kingdom of heaven is assailed by force, and the violent seize it.¹³ For all the prophets and the law prophesied, until the time of John.¹⁴ And, if ye are willing, receive ye, that this is he who was to come.¹⁵ He that hath ears to hear, let him hear !

¹⁶ But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like to children, that sit in the marketplace and call to their associates,¹⁷ and say: We have sung to you, and ye did not dance: we have wailed to you, and ye did not lament.¹⁸ For John came, not eating and not drinking; and they said, He hath a demon.¹⁹ The Son of man came, eating and drinking; and they say: Behold, a gluttonous man, and a wine drinker, and a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified by her works.²⁰ Then began Jesus to reproach the cities, in which his many deeds of power were wrought, yet they repented not.²¹ And he said: Woe to thee, Chorazin ! Woe to thee, Bethsaida ! For if the deeds of power done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, doubtless, they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes.²² But I say to you, It will be comfortable for Tyre and Sidon, in the day of judgment, rather than for you.²³ And thou, Capernaum, which hast been lifted up to heaven, shalt be brought down to the grave. For if those deeds of power which were done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have stood to this day.²⁴ But I say to thee, It will be comfortable for the land of Sodom, in the day of judgment, rather than for thee.

²⁵ At that time Jesus answered and said: I praise thee, O my Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and knowing, and hast revealed them to little children.²⁶ Yes, my Father; for so it seemed good before thee.²⁷ Every thing is given up by my Father to me. And no one knoweth the Son, except the Father. Also, no one knoweth the Father, except the Son, and he to whom the Son is pleased to reveal [fn] . ²⁸ Come unto me, all ye wearied and heavily burdened, and I will ease you.²⁹ Take my yoke upon you; and learn from me, that I am gentle and subdued in my heart: and ye will find rest for your souls:³⁰ for my yoke is pleasant, and my burden is light.