22. Then he said to John’s followers, “Go tell John what you have seen and heard: The blind can see. The crippled can walk. People with leprosy are healed. The deaf can hear. The dead are brought back to life. And the Good News is being told to the poor.
23. Great blessings belong to those who don’t have a problem accepting me.”
24. When John’s followers left, Jesus began talking to the people about John: “What did you people go out into the desert to see? Someone who is weak, like a stem of grass blowing in the wind?
25. Really, what did you expect to see? Someone dressed in fine clothes? Of course not. People who wear fancy clothes and live in luxury are all in kings’ palaces.
26. So what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, John is a prophet. But I tell you, he is more than that.
27. This Scripture was written about him: ‘Listen! I will send my messenger ahead of you. He will prepare the way for you.’ Malachi 3:1
28. I tell you, no one ever born is greater than John. But even the least important person in God’s kingdom is greater than John.”
29. (When the people heard this, they all agreed that God’s teaching was good. Even the tax collectors agreed. These were the people who were baptized by John.
30. But the Pharisees and experts in the law refused to accept God’s plan for themselves; they did not let John baptize them.)
31. “What shall I say about the people of this time? What can I compare them to? What are they like?
32. They are like children sitting in the marketplace. One group of children calls to the other children and says, ‘We played flute music for you, but you did not dance; we sang a sad song, but you did not cry.’