God's New Bible

The Gospel According to St. Matthew

Unlocked Dynamic Bible :: World English Bible Catholic

- Chapter 11 -

(Luke 7:18–23)
1
When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples about what they should do, he sent them to various Israelite towns. Then he went to teach and preach in other Israelite towns in that area.
2
While John the Baptizer was in prison, he heard what the Messiah was doing. So he sent some of his disciples to him
3
to ask him, “Are you the Messiah whom the prophets said would come, or is it someone else that we should expect to come?”
4
Jesus answered John’s disciples, “Go back and report to John what you hear me telling people and what you see me doing.
5
I am making blind people to see again and lame people to walk. I am healing people who have leprosy. I am making deaf people to hear again and dead people to become alive again. I am telling the poor people God’s good news.
6
Also tell John that God is pleased with people who do not stop believing in me because they do not like what I am doing.”

Jesus Testifies about John

(Malachi 3:1–5; Luke 7:24–35)
7
When John’s disciples had gone away, Jesus began to talk to the crowd of people about John. He said to them, “When you went out into the wilderness to see John, what was it you expected to see? You did not go there just to look at the tall grass blowing in the wind, did you?
8
So what kind of person did you expect to see? Surely not a man who was wearing expensive clothes. No! You know very well that people who wear clothes like that reside in kings’ palaces and not in the wilderness.
9
So really, what kind of person did you expect to see? A prophet? Oh, yes! But let me tell you this: John is not just any ordinary prophet.
10
He is the one to whom God was referring when someone wrote in the scriptures and said, ‘Notice this! I am sending my messenger to go ahead of you to prepare the people for your coming.’
11
Note this: Of all the people who have ever lived, God does not consider any of them to be greater than John the Baptizer. At the same time, God considers those that are not important in the kingdom he rules from heaven to be greater than John.
12
From the time that John the Baptizer preached until now, some people have been trying to make God rule from heaven in their own way, and they have been using force for this purpose.
13
Everything that I am saying about John is just what you can read in what the prophets have written and what the law has been saying until the time of John the Baptizer.
14
Not only that, but if you are willing to try to understand this, I will tell you that John is in fact the second Elijah, the prophet who was to come in the future.
15
If you want to understand this, you must think carefully about what I have just said.
16
But you and the other people who are alive now, you are like children who are playing games in the marketplace. Some of them call to their friends,
17
‘We played happy music on the flute for you, but you refused to dance! Then we sang sad funeral songs for you, but you refused to cry!’
18
I say this because you are dissatisfied with both John and me! When John came and preached to you, he did not eat good food and did not drink wine, like most people do. But you rejected him and said, ‘A demon is controlling him!’
19
I, the Son of Man, was not like John. I eat the same food and drink wine as other people do. But you also reject me and say, ‘Look! This man eats too much food and drinks too much wine, and he is friends with tax collectors and other sinners!’ But anyone who is truly wise will show it by doing good deeds.”

Woe to the Unrepentant

(Luke 10:13–16)
20
In the towns where Jesus had performed most of his miracles, the people there still refused to turn to God. So he began to rebuke them by saying to them,
21
“You people who live in the city of Chorazin and you in the city of Bethsaida, how terribly you will suffer! I did great miracles in your cities, but you did not stop sinning. If I had done these things in the cities of Tyre and Sidon of long ago, those wicked people would certainly have stopped sinning; they would have put on rough clothing and sat in the cold ashes of their fires, so sorry they would have been.
22
Let me tell you this: God will punish the wicked people who lived in the cities of Tyre and Sidon, but he will punish you even more severely on the final day when he judges all people.
23
I also have something to say to you people who live in the city of Capernaum. Do you think that others will praise you so much that you will go right up to heaven? That will not happen! On the contrary, you will go down to where God punishes people after they die! If I had done these same miracles in Sodom of long ago, those wicked people would certainly have stopped sinning, and their city would have been here even today. But you have not stopped sinning.
24
Let me tell you this: God will punish the wicked people who lived in Sodom, but he will punish you even more severely on the final day when he judges all people.”

Rest for the Weary

(Luke 10:21–24)
25
At that time Jesus prayed, “Father, you rule over everything in heaven and on the earth. I thank you that you have prevented people who think that they are wise and well educated from knowing these things. Instead, you have revealed them to people who accept your truth just as little children believe what an adult tells them.
26
Yes, Father, you have done that because it seemed good to you to do so.”
27
Then Jesus said to the people, “God, my Father, has revealed to me all the things that I need to know in order to do my work. Only my Father knows who I really am. Furthermore, only I and those people to whom I wish to reveal him really know him.
28
Come to me, all you people who are very weary of trying to obey all the laws your leaders say you should. I will let you rest from all that.
29
Submit to me, like an ox to its yoke, and learn what I have to teach you. I am gentle and humble, and you will truly rest.
30
For the load I will give you is light, and you will carry it easily.”
(Luke 7:18–23)
1
When Jesus had finished directing his twelve disciples, he departed from there to teach and preach in their cities.
2
Now when John heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples
3
and said to him, “Are you he who comes, or should we look for another?”
4
Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see:
5
the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, (a) the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. (b)
6
Blessed is he who finds no occasion for stumbling in me.”

Jesus Testifies about John

(Malachi 3:1–5; Luke 7:24–35)
7
As these went their way, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?
8
But what did you go out to see? A man in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses.
9
But why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet.
10
For this is he, of whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’ (c)
11
Most certainly I tell you, among those who are born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptizer; yet he who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he.
12
From the days of John the Baptizer until now, the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. (d)
13
For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
14
If you are willing to receive it, this is Elijah, who is to come.
15
He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
16
“But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces, who call to their companions
17
and say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you didn’t dance. We mourned for you, and you didn’t lament.’
18
For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’
19
The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is justified by her children.” (e)

Woe to the Unrepentant

(Luke 10:13–16)
20
Then he began to denounce the cities in which most of his mighty works had been done, because they didn’t repent.
21
“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which were done in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
22
But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.
23
You, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, you will go down to Hades. (f) For if the mighty works had been done in Sodom which were done in you, it would have remained until today.
24
But I tell you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment, than for you.”

Rest for the Weary

(Luke 10:21–24)
25
At that time, Jesus answered, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you hid these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to infants.
26
Yes, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in your sight.
27
All things have been delivered to me by my Father. No one knows the Son, except the Father; neither does anyone know the Father, except the Son and he to whom the Son desires to reveal him.
28
“Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest.
29
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you will find rest for your souls.
30
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Footnotes

(a)11:5 ℘ Isaiah 35:5
(b)11:5 ℘ Isaiah 61:1-4
(c)11:10 ℘ Malachi 3:1
(d)11:12 or, plunder it.
(e)11:19 NU reads “actions” instead of “children”
(f)11:23 or, Hell