1 En toe Jesus klaar was met bevele aan sy twaalf dissipels te gee, het Hy daarvandaan weggegaan om te leer en te preek in hulle stede.

2 En Johannes het in die gevangenis gehoor van die werke van Christus, en twee van sy dissipels gestuur

3 en vir Hom gesê: Is U die Een wat sou kom, of moet ons 'n ander een verwag?

4 En Jesus het geantwoord en vir hulle gesê: Gaan vertel aan Johannes wat julle hoor en sien:

5 blindes sien weer en kreupeles loop, melaatses word gereinig en dowes hoor, dooies word opgewek en aan armes word die evangelie verkondig.

6 En salig is elkeen wat aan My nie aanstoot neem nie.

7 En toe hulle vertrek, begin Jesus vir die skare aangaande Johannes te sê: Wat het julle uitgegaan om in die woestyn te aanskou? 'n Riet wat deur die wind beweeg word?

8 Maar wat het julle uitgegaan om te sien? 'n Man met sagte klere aan? Kyk, die wat sagte klere dra, is in die huise van konings.

9 Maar wat het julle uitgegaan om te sien? 'n Profeet? Ja, Ek sê vir julle, ook baie meer as 'n profeet!

10 Want dit is hy van wie daar geskrywe is: Kyk, Ek stuur my boodskapper voor u aangesig, wat u weg voor U uit sal regmaak.

11 Voorwaar Ek sê vir julle, onder die wat uit vroue gebore is, het daar nie een opgestaan wat groter is as Johannes die Doper nie; maar die kleinste in die koninkryk van die hemele is groter as hy.

12 Maar van die dae van Johannes die Doper af tot nou toe word die koninkryk van die hemele bestorm, en bestormers gryp dit met geweld.

13 Want al die profete en die wet het tot op Johannes geprofeteer.

14 En as julle dit wil aanneem: hy is El¡a wat sou kom.

15 Wie ore het om te hoor, laat hom hoor.

16 Maar waarmee sal Ek hierdie geslag vergelyk? Dit is net soos kindertjies wat op die markte sit en na hulle maats roep

17 en sê: Ons het vir julle op die fluit gespeel, en julle het nie gedans nie; ons het vir julle 'n klaaglied gesing, en julle het nie getreur nie.

18 Want Johannes het gekom en nie geëet of gedrink nie, en hulle sê: Hy het 'n duiwel.

19 Die Seun van die mens het gekom -- Hy eet en drink, en hulle sê: D r is 'n mens wat 'n vraat en 'n wynsuiper is, 'n vriend van tollenaars en sondaars. Maar die wysheid is geregverdig deur sy kinders.

20 Toe het Hy die stede waarin die meeste van sy kragtige dade plaasgevind het, begin verwyt, omdat hulle hul nie bekeer het nie:

21 Wee jou, Gorasin, wee jou, Bets ida! want as in Tirus en Sidon die kragtige dade plaasgevind het wat in julle plaasgevind het, sou hulle hul lankal in sak en as bekeer het.

22 Maar Ek sê vir julle, dit sal vir Tirus en Sidon verdraagliker wees in die oordeelsdag as vir julle.

23 En jy, Kap,rnam, wat tot die hemel toe verhoog is, jy sal tot die doderyk toe neergestoot word; want as in Sodom die kragtige dade plaasgevind het wat in jou plaasgevind het, sou hy bly staan het tot vandag toe.

24 Maar Ek sê vir julle dat dit vir die land van Sodom verdraagliker sal wees in die oordeelsdag as vir jou.

25 In daardie tyd het Jesus gespreek en gesê: Ek loof U, Vader, Here van die hemel en die aarde, dat U hierdie dinge verberg het vir wyse en verstandige mense en dit aan kindertjies geopenbaar het.

26 Ja, Vader, want so was dit u welbehae.

27 Alles is aan My oorgegee deur my Vader, en niemand ken die Seun nie, behalwe die Vader; ook ken niemand die Vader nie, behalwe die Seun en elkeen aan wie die Seun dit wil openbaar.

28 Kom na My toe, almal wat vermoeid en belas is, en Ek sal julle rus gee.

29 Neem my juk op julle en leer van My, want Ek is sagmoedig en nederig van hart, en julle sal rus vind vir julle siele;

30 want my juk is sag en my las is lig.

1 And it came about that when Jesus had come to the end of giving these orders to his twelve disciples, he went away from there, teaching and preaching in their towns.

2 Now when John had news in prison of the works of the Christ, he sent his disciples

3 To say to him, Are you he who is to come, or are we waiting for another?

4 And Jesus, answering, said to them, Go and give news to John of the things which you are seeing and hearing:

5 The blind see; those who were not able to, are walking; lepers are made clean; those who were without hearing, now have their ears open; the dead come to life again, and the poor have the good news given to them.

6 And a blessing will be on him who has no doubts about me.

7 And when they were going away, Jesus, talking of John, said to all the people, What went you out into the waste land to see? a tall stem moving in the wind?

8 But what went you out to see? a man delicately clothed? Those who have fair robes are in kings' houses.

9 But why did you go out? to see a prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet.

10 This is he of whom it has been said, See, I send my servant before your face, who will make ready your way before you.

11 Truly I say to you, Among the sons of women there has not been a greater than John the Baptist: but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

12 And from the days of John the Baptist till now, the kingdom of heaven is forcing its way in, and men of force take it.

13 For all the prophets and the law were in force till John.

14 And if you are able to see it, this is Elijah who was to come.

15 He who has ears, let him give ear.

16 But what comparison may I make of this generation? It is like children seated in the market-places, crying out to one another,

17 We made music for you and you did not take part in the dance; we gave cries of sorrow and you made no signs of grief.

18 For John came, taking no food or drink, and they say, He has an evil spirit.

19 The Son of man has come feasting, and they say, See, a lover of food and wine, a friend of tax-farmers and sinners! And wisdom is judged to be right by her works.

20 Then he went on to say hard things to the towns where most of his works of power were done, because they had not been turned from their sins.

21 Unhappy are you, Chorazin! Unhappy are you, Beth-saida! For if the works of power which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have been turned from their sins in days gone by, clothing themselves in haircloth and putting dust on their heads.

22 But I say to you, It will be better for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judging, than for you.

23 And you, Capernaum, were you not to be lifted up to heaven? you will go down into hell: for if the works of power which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have been here to this day.

24 But I say to you that it will be better for the land of Sodom in the day of judging, than for you.

25 At that time Jesus made answer and said, I give praise to you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have kept these things secret from the wise and the men of learning, and have made them clear to little children.

26 Yes, Father, for so it was pleasing in your eyes.

27 All things have been given to me by my Father; and no one has knowledge of the Son, but the Father; and no one has knowledge of the Father, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will make it clear.

28 Come to me, all you who are troubled and weighted down with care, and I will give you rest.

29 Take my yoke on you and become like me, for I am gentle and without pride, and you will have rest for your souls;

30 For my yoke is good, and the weight I take up is not hard.