1When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities.
John's Question from Prison
2Now when John heard in prison about the works of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples
3and said to him, “Are you the Coming One, or should we expect another?”
4And Jesus answered them, “Go and report to John what you hear and see:
5the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news preached to them.
6And blessed is anyone who is not offended by me.”
Jesus Testifies About John
7As they were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?
8But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Look, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses.
9Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
10This is he of whom it is written: ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’
11Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
12From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has been suffering violence, and violent men are seizing it.
13For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John.
14And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who is to come.
15He who has ears, let him hear.
16“But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces who call out to their companions,
17saying: ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’
18For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’
19The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her works.”
The Towns That Would Not Repent
20Then he began to denounce the cities in which most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent.
21“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
22But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.
23And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will go down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.
24But I say to you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”
Come to Me for Rest
25At that time Jesus declared, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and have revealed them to little children.
26Yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.
27All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, nor does anyone know the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
28Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Where this passage connects across Scripture — each link typed and reasoned, part of the AIT Bible Nexus Chart.
John's Question from Prison
fulfillmentIsaiah 35:5— Jesus lists the blind seeing, lame walking, and deaf hearing as fulfillment of Isaiah's promised signs of restoration.
fulfillmentIsaiah 61:1— The poor having good news preached to them echoes Isaiah's anointed preaching good news to the poor.
fulfilled inIsaiah 35:1— Jesus points to the blind seeing, deaf hearing, and lame walking as signs of his messianic work, echoing this list.
parallelLuke 7:18— Luke records the same episode of John's question and Jesus' testimony about John and this generation.
allusionIsaiah 26:19— The dead being raised echoes Isaiah's promise that the dead shall live.
echoed inIsaiah 29:17— Jesus' list of eschatological signs echoes the deaf hearing and blind seeing on that day.
Jesus Testifies About John
quotationMalachi 3:1— Jesus quotes Malachi's promise of a messenger sent to prepare the way.
quoted byMalachi 2:17— Jesus quotes this verse about sending the messenger to identify John the Baptist.
fulfillmentMalachi 4:5— Jesus identifies John as the Elijah who is to come, fulfilling Malachi's prophecy of Elijah's return.
fulfilled inMalachi 4:4— Jesus identifies John the Baptist as the promised Elijah sent before the day of Yahweh.
parallelLuke 16:14— Parallel saying about the Law and the Prophets until John and the kingdom being forced/pressed into.
parallelMark 1:2— Mark applies the same Malachi/Exodus messenger citation to John the Baptist.
echoed inDeuteronomy 21:18— The charge 'a glutton and a drunkard' is echoed in the accusation against Jesus.
allusionExodus 23:20— The wording 'I send my messenger before your face' echoes the LXX of Exodus 23:20.
echoed inLuke 8:4— Recurring saying 'He who has ears to hear, let him hear.'
thematicLuke 1:17— John coming in the spirit and power of Elijah connects to Jesus' identification of John as Elijah.
The Towns That Would Not Repent
parallelLuke 10:1— Same woes against Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum with reference to Tyre, Sidon, and Hades.
allusionGenesis 19:24— Capernaum is compared to Sodom, alluding to the destruction of Sodom in Genesis.
allusionIsaiah 23:1— The judgment on Tyre and Sidon recalls the OT oracles against those Phoenician cities.
allusionIsaiah 14:13— 'exalted to heaven... go down to Hades' echoes Isaiah's taunt against the king of Babylon brought down to Sheol.
echoed inIsaiah 14:3— Jesus' warning to Capernaum, 'you will be brought down to Hades,' echoes the taunt of being brought down to Sheol.
Come to Me for Rest
parallelLuke 10:21— The same thanksgiving prayer praising the Father for hiding things from the wise and revealing them to little children, and the mutual knowledge of Father and Son.
allusionJeremiah 6:16— 'you will find rest for your souls' echoes Jeremiah's call to walk in the good way and find rest for your souls.
allusionSirach 51:23— The invitation to take the yoke and find rest echoes Ben Sira's wisdom appeal to draw near and bear her yoke.
thematic1 John 5:1— Echoes Jesus' teaching that his yoke/commandments are not burdensome.
thematic2 Corinthians 10:1— Paul appeals by the 'meekness and gentleness of Christ,' echoing Jesus' self-description as meek and lowly.
thematicActs 15:1— The image of an unbearable yoke contrasts with the yoke Jesus calls easy.
thematicJohn 10:15— The mutual knowledge of Father and Son and the Son's exclusive revelation parallels Johannine teaching.