1 And it came to pass when Jesus had finished commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and preach in their cities. 2 But John, having heard in the prison the works of the Christ, sent by his disciples, 3 and said to him, Art thou the coming one? or are we to wait for another? 4 And Jesus answering said to them, Go, report to John what ye hear and see. 5 Blind men see and lame walk; lepers are cleansed, and deaf hear; and dead are raised, and poor have glad tidings preached to them: 6 and blessed is whosoever shall not be offended in me.

7 But as they went away, Jesus began to say to the crowds concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? a reed moved about by the wind? 8 But what went ye out to see? a man clothed in delicate raiment? behold, those who wear delicate things are in the houses of kings. 9 But what went ye out to see? a prophet? Yea, I say to you, and more than a prophet: 10 this is he of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee. 11 Verily I say to you, that there is not arisen among the born of women a greater than John the baptist. But he who is a little one in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he. 12 But from the days of John the baptist until now, the kingdom of the heavens is taken by violence, and the violent seize on it. 13 For all the prophets and the law have prophesied unto John. 14 And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, who is to come. 15 He that has ears to hear, let him hear.

16 But to whom shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the markets, which, calling to their companions, 17 say, We have piped to you, and ye have not danced: we have mourned to you, and ye have not wailed. 18 For John has come neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He has a demon. 19 The Son of man has come eating and drinking, and they say, Behold, a man that is eating and wine-drinking, a friend of tax-gatherers, and of sinners: — and wisdom has been justified by her children. 20 Then began he to reproach the cities in which most of his works of power had taken place, because they had not repented. 21 Woe to thee, Chorazin! woe to thee Bethsaida! for if the works of power which have taken place in you, had taken place in Tyre and Sidon, they had long ago repented in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I say to you, that it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in judgment-day than for you. 23 And thou, Capernaum, who hast been raised up to heaven, shalt be brought down even to hades. For if the works of power which have taken place in thee, had taken place in Sodom, it had remained until this day. 24 But I say to you, that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in judgment-day than for thee.

25 At that time, Jesus answering said, I praise thee, Father, Lord of the heaven and of the earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them to babes. 26 Yea, Father, for thus has it been well-pleasing in thy sight. 27 All things have been delivered to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son but the Father, nor does any one know the Father, but the Son, and he to whom the Son may be pleased to reveal him. 28 Come to me, all ye who labour and are burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest to your souls; 30 for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

1 Kui Jeesus oli lõpetanud juhiste jagamise oma kaheteistkümnele jüngrile, läks ta sealt edasi õpetama ja kuulutama Galilea linnadesse.

2 Kui nüüd Johannes vanglas olles kuulis Messia tegudest, saatis ta kaks oma jüngritest 3 temalt küsima: „Kas sina oled see, kes pidi tulema, või me peame ootama kedagi teist?"

4 Jeesus vastas neile: „Minge ja teatage Johannesele, mida te kuulete ja näete: 5 pimedad saavad nägijaks, jalust vigased kõnnivad, pidalitõbised saavad puhtaks, kurdid kuulevad, surnud tõusevad üles, vaestele kuulutatakse evangeeliumi. 6 Õnnistatud on igaüks, kes minu pärast ei pahanda."

7 Kui Johannese jüngrid olid lahkunud, hakkas Jeesus rahvale temast rääkima:

„Mida te käisite kõrbes vaatamas? Kas tuules kõikuvat kõrt? 8 Või mida te tahtsite välja minnes näha? Kas peenetes rõivastes meest? Need, kes kannavad peeneid rõivaid, on kuningakodades. 9 Mida te siis tahtsite näha? Kas prohvetit? Jah, ma ütlen teile, palju enam kui prohvetit! 10 Tema on see, kellest on kirjutatud:

„Vaata, ma saadan sinu ees oma saadiku,

kes valmistab sinu tee su ees!"

11 Tõesti, ma ütlen teile, naisest sündinute seast ei ole tõusnud esile kedagi suuremat kui Ristija Johannes, ent kõige pisemgi taevariigis on temast suurem. 12 Ristija Johannese päevist tänini rünnatakse taevariiki ja ründajad kisuvad selle endale. 13 Kogu Seadus ja Prohvetid on ette kuulutanud Johanneseni, 14 ja kui teada tahate, siis tema ongi Eelija, kes pidi tulema. 15 Kellel kõrvad on, see kuulgu!

16 Aga millega ma võrdleksin praegust sugupõlve? Nad on nagu lapsed, kes turuplatsil istuvad ja vastastikku hüüavad:

17 „Meie mängisime teile vilepilli,

aga teie ei tantsinud!

Meie itkesime kurvalt,

aga teie ei leinanud!"

18 Sest Johannes tuli, ei söönud ega joonud, ja nad ütlevad: „Tal on kuri vaim!" 19 Inimese Poeg tuli ning sööb ja joob, ja siis te ütlete: „Vaadake, see inimene on õgard ja joodik, maksukogujate ja patuste sõber!" Ometi tunnistatakse tarkus õigeks tema tegudest."

20 Siis hakkas Jeesus sõitlema linnu, kus oli tehtud enamus ta imetegudest, sest nad ei parandanud meelt: 21 „Häda sulle, Korasin! Häda sulle, Betsaida! Kui Tüüroses ja Siidonis oleksid sündinud need imeteod, mis teie juures sündisid, siis oleksid nad ammugi kotiriides ja tuhas meelt parandanud. 22 Tõepoolest, ma ütlen teile, Tüürosel ja Siidonil läheb kohtupäeval kergemini kui teil. 23 Ja sina, Kapernaum, kas sind peaks ülendatama taevani? Sa langed alla põrgupõhja! Sest kui Soodomas oleksid sündinud imeteod, mis sündisid sinus, siis oleks ta püsinud tänase päevani. 24 Tõepoolest, ma ütlen teile, Soodomal läheb kohtupäeval kergemini kui sinul."

25 Selsamal tunnil ütles Jeesus veel: „Ma ülistan sind, Isa, taeva ja maa Issand, et sa selle oled pannud varjule tarkade ja arusaajate eest, kuid ilmutanud lapsemeelsetele! 26 Jah, Isa, nõnda on see olnud sulle meelepärane.

27 Kõik on mu Isa andnud minu kätte. Keegi ei tunne Poega peale Isa, ja keegi ei tunne Isa peale Poja ja nende, kellele Poeg soovib teda ilmutada.

28 Tulge minu juurde, kõik kurnatud ja koormatud, ja mina annan teile hingamise! 29 Võtke kanda minu ike ja õppige minult, sest mina olen tasane ja südamelt alandlik; siis te leiate rahu oma hingele; 30 sest minu ike on hea ja minu koorem on kerge!"