11 When Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) had finished giving those instructions to his twelve apprentices, he also left there and went to teach and preach in the Jewish cities.

2 When Yohan (John; Grk. Yoannes), who was in prison, heard about what the messiah was doing, he sent some of his apprentices 3 to ask Yeshua, “Are you the promised one, or should we be waiting for someone else?”

4 “Well,” Yeshua answered, “go and tell Yohan everything you’re hearing and seeing: 5 people who were blind can see now, lame people are now walking, people with leprosy are ‘clean’, deaf people can now hear,[ref] dead people have been brought back to life, and the good message is being declared to poor people.[ref] 6 Anyone who’s not embarrassed by me will be blessed.”

7 As Yohan’s apprentices left, Yeshua started talking to the crowd about Yohan: “What was it that you crowds went out to the wilderness to see? A reed being blown around by the wind?”[fn] 8 Yes, I’m asking you all, what did you go out to see? A man wearing fine clothes? People in palaces wear fine clothes. 9 So why did you go out there? To see a prophet? Yes, I’m telling you that he is a prophet, and even more important than the prophets. 10 He’s the one that was written about: ‘See, I’m sending out my messenger ahead of you, and he’ll get your path ready for you.’[ref] 11 I can assure you that no person who’s ever been born is greater than Yohan-the-immerser. But even the least important person in the heavenly kingdom is greater than him. 12 From the time of Yohan-the-immerser through to the present time, the heavenly kingdom has been opposed, and the opposition is grabbing at it.[ref] 13 All the prophets and the law prophesied before Yohan came, 14 and now, if you crowds are willing to believe it, he’s Eliyah (Elijah)—the one who would come in advance.[ref] 15 Anyone who’s willing is to strive to understand this.

16 “So what should I liken this generation to? It’s like young children sitting in the town centre who are calling out to others 17 and saying, ‘We played lively music for you but you didn’t dance. Then we played sad music, but you didn’t mourn.’ 18 After all, when Yohan came, he wasn’t eating or drinking, and they said, ‘He’s possessed by a demon!’ 19 Then the son of humanity came, and he was eating and drinking, but they said, ‘Look at this fellow—he’s a glutton and a drunkard—a friend of tax collectors and immoral people.’ But wisdom is only recognised with hindsight.