394 : Jesus Sends Word To John The Baptist
THE disciples of John told Him of all these things.
And John called two of them and sent them to Jesus, saying,
"Are you he that is to come, or are we to look for another?"
In the same hour when the men came, He cured many of their sicknesses and plagues, and evil spirits.
Then Jesus answered: "Go your way, and tell John what things you have seen and heard,
how the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised,
and to the poor the gospel is preached.
And blessed is he who shall not be offended by me."
When the messengers of John had departed, he began to speak to the people concerning John :
"What did you go into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?
What did you go out to discover?
Behold, they who are gorgeously dressed and live delicately are in kings' courts.
But what did you go out to see?
A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and much more than a prophet.
This is he of whom it is written:
'Behold, I send my messenger who shall prepare your way before you.'
For I say to you, among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist.
But he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.
"To what therefore shall I compare the men of this generation? What are they like?
They are like children sitting in the market place, and calling to one another and saying,
'We have piped for you, and you have not danced; we cried for you, and you have not wept.'
For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, 'He has a demon.'
The Son of man has come eating and drinking, and you say,
'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of publicans and sinners.' "
Hearing this Jesus says "it is not those who are healthy that need a doctor but those who are sick,I did not come to call the righteous but the sinners"
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