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24 When John’s messengers had gone, Jesus^* began to speak to the crowds about John:^* ‘What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? ²⁵What then did you go out to see? Someone^* dressed in soft robes? Look, those who put on fine clothing and live in luxury are in royal palaces. ²⁶What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. ²⁷This is the one about whom it is written,
“See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
   who will prepare your way before you.”
²⁸I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater than John; yet the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.’ ²⁹(And all the people who heard this, including the tax-collectors, acknowledged the justice of God,^* because they had been baptized with John’s baptism. ³⁰But by refusing to be baptized by him, the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected God’s purpose for themselves.)

31 ‘To what then will I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like? ³²They are like children sitting in the market-place and calling to one another,
“We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
   we wailed, and you did not weep.”
³³For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, “He has a demon”; ³⁴the Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, “Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax-collectors and sinners!” ³⁵Nevertheless, wisdom is vindicated by all her children.’