as john's followers were going away, jesus spoke to the crowds about john: what sort of person did you go out into the desert to see? was he like tall grass blown about by the wind? what kind of man did you go out to see? was he someone dressed in fine clothes? people who dress like that live in the king's palace. what did you really go out to see? was he a prophet? he certainly was. i tell you that he was more than a prophet. in the scriptures god says about him, i am sending my messenger ahead to get things ready for you. i tell you no one ever born on this earth is greater than john the baptist. but whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than john. from the time of john the baptist until now, violent people have been trying to take over the kingdom of heaven by force. all the books of the prophets and the law of moses told what was going to happen up to the time of john. and if you believe them, john is elijah, the prophet you are waiting for. if you have ears, pay attention! you people are like children sitting in the market and shouting to each other, we played the flute,  but you would not dance! we sang a funeral song,  but you would not mourn! john the baptist did not go around eating and drinking, and you said, that man has a demon in him! but the son of man goes around eating and drinking, and you say, that man eats and drinks too much! he is even a friend of tax collectors and sinners. yet wisdom is shown to be right by what it does.
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