"TrulyI sayto you, amongthose bornof womenthere has not arisen[anyone] greaterthan Johnthe Baptist!Yetthe onewho is leastin the kingdomof heavenis greaterthan he.
"Man,who is bornof woman,Is short-livedand fullof turmoil.
"Whocan makethe cleanout of the unclean?Noone!
"Whatis man,that he should be pure,Or he who is bornof a woman,that he should be righteous?
"Howthen can a manbe justwith God?Or howcan he be cleanwho is bornof woman?
Behold,I was broughtforthin iniquity,And in sinmy motherconceivedme.
The lightof the moonwill be as the lightof the sun,and the lightof the sunwill be seventimes[brighter], like the lightof sevendays,on the daythe LORDbindsup the fractureof His peopleand healsthe bruiseHe has inflicted.
"In that daythe LORDwill defendthe inhabitantsof Jerusalem,and the one who is feebleamong them in that daywill be like David,and the houseof David[will be] like God,like the angelof the LORDbeforethem.
"Thisis the one aboutwhomit is written,BEHOLD,I SENDMY MESSENGERAHEAD OF YOU, WHOWILL PREPAREYOUR WAYBEFOREYOU.'
"From the daysof Johnthe Baptistuntilnowthe kingdomof heavensuffers violence,and violent mentake it by force.
Nowin thosedaysJohnthe Baptistcame,preachingin the wildernessof Judea,saying,
"As for me, I baptizeyou with waterfor repentance,but He who is comingafterme is mightierthan I, and I amnot fitto removeHis sandals;He will baptizeyou with the HolySpiritand fire.
"Whoeverthenannulsoneof the leastof thesecommandments,and teachesothers[to do] the same,shall be calledleastin the kingdomof heaven;but whoeverkeepsand teaches[them], he shall be calledgreatin the kingdomof heaven.
"For he will be greatin the sightof the Lord;and he will drinknowineorliquor,and he will be filledwith the HolySpiritwhile yetin his mother'swomb.
"I sayto you, amongthose bornof womenthere is no onegreaterthan John;yethe who is leastin the kingdomof Godis greaterthan he."
and saidto them, "Whoeverreceivesthischildin My namereceivesMe, and whoeverreceivesMe receivesHim who sentMe; for the onewho is leastamongallof you, thisis the one who is great."
JohntestifiedaboutHim and criedout, saying,"Thiswas He of whomI said,He who comesafterme hasa higher rankthan I, for He existedbeforeme.'"
"[It is] He who comesafterme, the thongof whosesandalI amnot worthyto untie."
Manycameto Him and were saying,"WhileJohnperformednosign,yeteverythingJohnsaidaboutthis manwas true."
"He mustincrease,but I must decrease.
"He was the lampthat was burningand was shiningand you were willingto rejoicefor a whilein his light.
But thisHe spokeof the Spirit,whomthosewho believedin Him were to receive;for the Spiritwas not yet[given], becauseJesuswas not yetglorified.
For I amthe leastof the apostles,and not fitto be calledan apostle,becauseI persecutedthe churchof God.
Soifyou havelaw courtsdealing with matters of this life,do you appointthem as judges who are of no accountin the church?
Amongthem we tooallformerlylivedin the lustsof our flesh,indulgingthe desiresof the fleshand of the mind,and were by naturechildrenof wrath,evenas the rest.
To me, the very leastof allsaints,thisgracewas given,to preachto the Gentilesthe unfathomablerichesof Christ,
but nowhas been revealedby the appearingof our SaviorChristJesus,who abolisheddeathand broughtlifeand immortalityto lightthroughthe gospel,
because Godhad providedsomethingbetterfor us, sothat apartfrom us they would not be made perfect.
As to thissalvation,the prophetswho prophesiedof the gracethat [would come] to you madecarefulsearchesand inquiries,
"Thereforethe LORDGodof Israeldeclares,I did indeedsaythat your houseand the houseof your fathershould walkbeforeMe forever;but nowthe LORDdeclares,'Farbe it from Me-- for those who honorMe I will honor,and those who despiseMe will be lightlyesteemed.
