Matthew 11 Comparison: Bible in Basic English vs New Heart English Bible

Matthew 11

¹And it came about that when Jesus had come to the end of giving these orders to his twelve disciples, he went away from there, teaching and preaching in their towns.

²Now when John had news in prison of the works of the Christ, he sent his disciples

³To say to him, Are you he who is to come, or are we waiting for another?

⁴And Jesus, answering, said to them, Go and give news to John of the things which you are seeing and hearing:

⁵The blind see; those who were not able to, are walking; lepers are made clean; those who were without hearing, now have their ears open; the dead come to life again, and the poor have the good news given to them.

⁶And a blessing will be on him who has no doubts about me.

⁷And when they were going away, Jesus, talking of John, said to all the people, What went you out into the waste land to see? a tall stem moving in the wind?

⁸But what went you out to see? a man delicately clothed? Those who have fair robes are in kings' houses.

⁹But why did you go out? to see a prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet.

¹⁰This is he of whom it has been said, See, I send my servant before your face, who will make ready your way before you.

¹¹Truly I say to you, Among the sons of women there has not been a greater than John the Baptist: but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

¹²And from the days of John the Baptist till now, the kingdom of heaven is forcing its way in, and men of force take it.

¹³For all the prophets and the law were in force till John.

¹⁴And if you are able to see it, this is Elijah who was to come.

¹⁵He who has ears, let him give ear.

¹⁶But what comparison may I make of this generation? It is like children seated in the market-places, crying out to one another,

¹⁷We made music for you and you did not take part in the dance; we gave cries of sorrow and you made no signs of grief.

¹⁸For John came, taking no food or drink, and they say, He has an evil spirit.

¹⁹The Son of man has come feasting, and they say, See, a lover of food and wine, a friend of tax-farmers and sinners! And wisdom is judged to be right by her works.

²⁰Then he went on to say hard things to the towns where most of his works of power were done, because they had not been turned from their sins.

²¹Unhappy are you, Chorazin! Unhappy are you, Beth-saida! For if the works of power which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have been turned from their sins in days gone by, clothing themselves in haircloth and putting dust on their heads.

²²But I say to you, It will be better for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judging, than for you.

²³And you, Capernaum, were you not to be lifted up to heaven? you will go down into hell: for if the works of power which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have been here to this day.

²⁴But I say to you that it will be better for the land of Sodom in the day of judging, than for you.

²⁵At that time Jesus made answer and said, I give praise to you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have kept these things secret from the wise and the men of learning, and have made them clear to little children.

²⁶Yes, Father, for so it was pleasing in your eyes.

²⁷All things have been given to me by my Father; and no one has knowledge of the Son, but the Father; and no one has knowledge of the Father, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will make it clear.

²⁸Come to me, all you who are troubled and weighted down with care, and I will give you rest.

²⁹Take my yoke on you and become like me, for I am gentle and without pride, and you will have rest for your souls;

³⁰For my yoke is good, and the weight I take up is not hard.

Matthew 11

¹And it happened that when Jesus had finished directing his twelve disciples, he departed from there to teach and proclaim in their cities.

²Now when John heard in the prison the works of the Messiah, he sent his disciples

³and said to him, "Are you the One who is to come, or should we look for another?"

⁴And Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John the things which you hear and see:

⁵the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.

⁶And blessed is he who is not offended by me."

⁷And as these went their way, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning 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 in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.

⁹But why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet.

¹⁰This is the one of whom it is written, 'Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.'

¹¹Truly I tell you, among those who are born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he.

¹²And from the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.

¹³For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John.

¹⁴And if you are willing to receive it, this is Elijah, who is to come.

¹⁵He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

¹⁶"But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces, who call to their companions

¹⁷and say, '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, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' But wisdom is justified by her actions."

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 had been done in Tyre and Sidon which were done in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

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

²³And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, you will go down to hell. For if the mighty works had been done in Sodom which were done in you, it would have remained until this day.

²⁴But I tell you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom, on the day of judgment, than for you."

²⁵At that time, Jesus answered, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you hid these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to infants.

²⁶Yes, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in your sight.

²⁷All things have been delivered to me by my Father. No one knows the Son, except the Father; neither does anyone know the Father, except the Son, and he to whom the Son desires to reveal him.

²⁸"Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, 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.

³⁰For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."