Matthew 11 - Easy To Read Version

¹ Jesus 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\}.

² John the Baptizer was in prison. He heard about the things Christ was doing. So John sent some of his followers to Jesus.

³ John’s followers asked Jesus, “Are you the man that \{John said\} was coming, or should we wait for another man?”

⁴ Jesus answered, “Go back to John and tell him about the things that you hear and see:

⁵ Blind people are able to see again; crippled people are able to walk again; people that have leprosy {\cf2\super [131]} are healed; deaf people can hear again; dead people are raised from death; and the Good News {\cf2\super [132]} is told to the poor people.

⁶ The person that can accept {\cf2\super [133]} me is blessed.”

⁷ While 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 {\cf2\super [134]} blown by the wind? No!

⁸ Really, 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.

⁹ So what did you go out to see? A prophet {\cf2\super [135]} ? Yes, and I tell you, John is more than a prophet.

¹⁰ This Scripture {\cf2\super [136]} was written about John:

¹¹ I 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.

¹² Since the time John the Baptizer came until now, the kingdom of heaven has been going forward strongly. {\cf2\super [138]} People using force have been trying to get the kingdom.

¹³ All the prophets {\cf2\super [139]} and the law \{of Moses\} spoke until the time John came. They told about the things that would happen.

¹⁴ And if you will believe the things the law and the prophets said, then you will believe that John is Elijah. {\cf2\super [140]} The law and the prophets said he would come.

¹⁵ You 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 flute music for you,\par but you did not dance;\par we sang a sad song,\par but you were not sad.’\par

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 {\cf2\super [141]} inside him.’

¹⁹ The Son of Man {\cf2\super [142]} 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 {\cf2\super [143]} and other bad people.’ But wisdom is shown to be right by the things it does.”

²⁰ Then Jesus criticized the cities where he did most of his miracles. {\cf2\super [144]} Jesus criticized those cities because the people there did not change their lives and stop sinning.

²¹ Jesus said, “It will be bad for you Chorazin. {\cf2\super [145]} It will be bad for you Bethsaida. {\cf2\super [146]} I did many miracles in you. If those same miracles had happened in Tyre and Sidon, {\cf2\super [147]} then those people in Tyre and Sidon would have changed their lives a long time ago. Those people would have worn sackcloth {\cf2\super [148]} and put ashes on themselves to show that they were sorry for their sins.

²² But I tell you, on the day of judgment it will be worse for you than for Tyre and Sidon.

²³ And you, Capernaum, {\cf2\super [149]} 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, {\cf2\super [150]} \{the people of\} Sodom \{would have stopped sinning and it\} would still be a city today.

²⁴ But I tell you it will be worse for you in the day of judgment than for Sodom.”

²⁵ Then 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.

²⁶ Yes, 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.

²⁹ Accept my work and learn from me. I am gentle and humble in spirit. And you will find rest for your souls.

³⁰ Yes, the work that I ask you to accept is easy. The burden I give you to carry is not heavy.”