14. And if you believe what they said, then John is Elijah. He is the one they said would come.
15. You people who hear me, listen!
16. “What can I say about the people who live today? What are they like? The people today are like children sitting in the marketplace. One group of children calls to the other group,
17. ‘We played flute music for you, but you did not dance; we sang a funeral song, but you were not sad.’
18. Why do I say people are like that? Because John came, not eating like other people or drinking wine, and people say, ‘He has a demon inside him.’
19. The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and people say, ‘Look at him! He eats too much and drinks too much wine. He’s a friend of tax collectors and other sinners.’ But wisdom is shown to be right by what it does.”
20. Then Jesus criticized the cities where he did most of his miracles. He criticized these cities because the people there did not change their lives and stop sinning.
21. Jesus said, “It will be bad for you Chorazin! It will be bad for you Bethsaida! I did many miracles in you. If these same miracles had happened in Tyre and Sidon, the people there would have changed their lives a long time ago. They would have worn sackcloth and put ashes on themselves to show that they were sorry for their sins.
22. But I tell you, on the day of judgment it will be worse for you than for Tyre and Sidon.
23. “And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? No! You will be thrown down to the place of death. I did many miracles in you. If these same miracles had happened in Sodom, the people there would have stopped sinning, and it would still be a city today.
24. But I tell you, it will be worse for you in the day of judgment than for Sodom.”
25. Then Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. I am thankful that you have hidden these things from those who are so wise and so smart. But you have shown them to people who are like little children.
26. Yes, Father, you did this because it’s what you really wanted to do.
27. “My Father has given me everything. No one knows the Son—only the Father knows the Son. And no one knows the Father—only the Son knows the Father. And the only people who will know about the Father are those the Son chooses to tell.
28. “Come to me all of you who are tired from the heavy burden you have been forced to carry. I will give you rest.
29. Accept my teaching. Learn from me. I am gentle and humble in spirit. And you will be able to get some rest.