Jesus and John the Baptizer (Lk. 7:18-35)

11 ¹Jesus finished telling these things to his twelve followers. Then Jesus left there and went to the towns in Galilee to teach the people and tell them [about God]. ²John the Baptizer was in prison. He heard about the things Christ was doing. So John sent some of his followers to Jesus. ³John's followers asked Jesus, "Are you the man that [John said] was coming, or should we wait for another man?" ⁴Jesus answered, "Go back to John and tell him about the things that you hear and see: ⁵Blind people are able to see again; crippled people are able to walk again; people that have leprosy* are healed; deaf people can hear again; dead people are raised from death; and the Good News* is told to the poor people. ⁶The person that can accept* me is blessed." ⁷While John's followers were leaving, Jesus began talking to the people about John. Jesus said, "What did you people go out to the desert to see? A weed* blown by the wind? No! ⁸Really, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No! Those people that wear fine clothes live in king's palaces. ⁹So what did you go out to see? A prophet*? Yes, and I tell you, John is more than a prophet. ¹⁰This Scripture* was written about John: 'Listen! I (God) will send my helper* ahead of you. He will prepare the way for you.' Malachi 3:1

¹¹I tell you the truth: John the Baptizer is greater than any man that has ever lived. But even the least important person in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John. ¹²Since the time John the Baptizer came until now, the kingdom of heaven has been going forward strongly.* People using force have been trying to get the kingdom. ¹³All the prophets* and the law [of Moses] spoke until the time John came. They told about the things that would happen. ¹⁴And if you will believe the things the law and the prophets said, then you will believe that John is Elijah.* The law and the prophets said he would come. ¹⁵You people that hear me, listen! ¹⁶"What can I say about the people that live today? What are they like? The people today are like children sitting in the market place. One group of children calls to the other group, ¹⁷'We played music for you, but you did not dance; we sang a sad song, but you were not sad.' ¹⁸[Why do I say people are like that]? Because John* came and he did not eat [like other people] or drink wine. And people say, 'He has a demon* inside him.' ¹⁹The Son of Man* came eating [like other people] and drinking wine, and people say, 'Look at him! He eats too much and drinks too much wine. He is a friend of tax collectors* and other bad people.' But wisdom is shown to be right by the things it does."

Jesus Warns People That Don't Believe (Lk. 10:13-15)

²⁰Then Jesus criticized the cities where he did most of his miracles.* Jesus criticized those cities because the people there did not change their lives and stop sinning. ²¹Jesus said, "It will be bad for you Chorazin.* It will be bad for you Bethsaida.* I did many miracles in you. If those same miracles had happened in Tyre and Sidon,* then those people in Tyre and Sidon would have changed their lives a long time ago. Those people would have worn sackcloth* and put ashes on themselves to show that they were sorry for their sins. ²²But I tell you, on the day of judgment it will be worse for you than for Tyre and Sidon. ²³And 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 those same miracles had happened in Sodom,* [the people of] Sodom [would have stopped sinning and it] would still be a city today. ²⁴But I tell you it will be worse for you in the day of judgment than for Sodom."

Jesus Offers Rest to His People (Lk. 10:21-22)

²⁵Then Jesus said, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. I praise you because you have hidden these things from the wise and smart people. But you have shown these things to people that are like little children. ²⁶Yes, Father, you did this because this is what you really wanted to do. ²⁷"My Father has given me all things. No person knows the Son--only the Father knows the Son. And no person knows the Father--only the Son knows the Father. And the only people that will know about the Father are those people the Son chooses to tell. ²⁸"Come to me all you people that are tired and have heavy burdens. I will give you rest. ²⁹Accept my work and learn from me. I am gentle and humble in spirit. And you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰Yes, the work that I ask you to accept is easy. The burden I give you to carry is not heavy."

leprosy A very bad skin disease. Good News The news that God has made a way for people to have their sins forgiven and live with him forever. can accept Literally, "is not offended by." weed Literally, "reed." Jesus means that John was not weak. prophet A person that spoke for God. Scripture Part of the Holy Writings--Old Testament. helper Literally, "messenger." has been ... strongly Or, "has suffered violence." prophets People that spoke for God. Some of them wrote books that are part of the Old Testament. Elijah See Mal. 4:5-6. John John the Baptizer. He preached to people about Christ's coming (Mt. 3; Lk. 3). demon(s) Demons are evil spirits from the devil. Son of Man A name Jesus used for himself. In Dan. 7:13-14, this is the name for the Messiah, the one God chose to save his people. tax collector(s) Jews hired by the Romans to collect taxes. They often cheated, and the other Jews hated them. miracle(s) Amazing works done by God's power. Chorazin, Bethsaida Towns by Lake Galilee where Jesus preached to the people. Tyre and Sidon Towns in Lebanon where bad people lived. sackcloth A rough cloth made from animal hair. People sometimes wore it to show sadness. Capernaum A town in Galilee where Jesus taught. Sodom A city that God destroyed to punish the evil people that lived there.