As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began talking about him to the crowds.“ What kind of man did you go into the wilderness to see? Was he a weak reed, swayed by every breath of wind?

他们走的时候，耶稣就对众人讲论约翰说：“你们从前出到旷野是要看什么呢？要看风吹动的芦苇吗？

他们一走，耶稣就对众人谈到约翰，说：“你们从前到旷野去，是要看什么呢？看风吹动的芦苇吗？

他们一走，耶稣就对众人谈到约翰，说：“你们从前到旷野去，是要看什么呢？看风吹动的芦苇吗？

他们离开后，耶稣对众人谈起约翰，说：“你们从前去旷野要看什么呢？看随风摇动的芦苇吗？

他们走了之后，耶稣对群众讲起约翰来，说：“你们到旷野去，是要看什么？被风吹动的芦苇吗？

约翰的门徒们走了，耶稣就开始对众人谈论约翰，说：“你们曾经到旷野去，是要观看什么呢？一根被风吹动的芦苇吗？

他們走的時候，耶穌就對眾人講論約翰說：「你們從前出到曠野是要看甚麼呢？要看風吹動的蘆葦嗎？

他們一走，耶穌就對眾人談到約翰，說：「你們從前到曠野去，是要看甚麼呢？看風吹動的蘆葦嗎？

他們一走，耶穌就對眾人談到約翰，說：「你們從前到曠野去，是要看甚麼呢？看風吹動的蘆葦嗎？

他們離開後，耶穌對眾人談起約翰，說：「你們從前去曠野要看什麼呢？看隨風搖動的蘆葦嗎？

他們走了之後，耶穌對群眾講起約翰來，說：“你們到曠野去，是要看甚麼？被風吹動的蘆葦嗎？

他們走了，耶穌就對羣眾講論約翰說：『你們出去到野地裏要看甚麼呢？被風搖動的蘆葦麼？

約翰的門徒們走了，耶穌就開始對眾人談論約翰，說：「你們曾經到曠野去，是要觀看什麼呢？一根被風吹動的蘆葦嗎？

其人歸、耶穌舉約翰語眾曰、爾曩出野、何觀耶、風動之葦乎、

約翰之徒歸、耶穌舉約翰示眾曰、爾素出野、欲何觀耶、葦動於風乎、

約翰門徒去後、耶穌舉約翰語眾曰、爾昔出野、欲何觀耶、觀葦動於風乎、

二徒既返、耶穌向眾論如望曰：『曩者爾曹適彼曠野、出視何物？將風中之蘆葦乎？

As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John:“ What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind?

As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John. He said,“ What did you go out into the desert to see? Tall grass waving in the wind?

As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John:“ What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

As these men were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John:“ What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the wind?

As these disciples of John were going away, Jesus began speaking to the crowds about John:“ What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

As they departed, 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?

And as these went their way, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to behold? a reed shaken with the wind?

As these men went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John:“ What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the wind?

And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?

While they were going away, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John:“ What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

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?

But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.

Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth.

John was like a burning and shining lamp, and you were excited for a while about his message.

He is a voice shouting in the wilderness,‘ Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for him!’”This messenger was John the Baptist. He was in the wilderness and preached that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven.All of Judea, including all the people of Jerusalem, went out to see and hear John. And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.

After John’s disciples left, Jesus began talking about him to the crowds.“ What kind of man did you go into the wilderness to see? Was he a weak reed, swayed by every breath of wind?Or were you expecting to see a man dressed in expensive clothes? No, people who wear beautiful clothes and live in luxury are found in palaces.Were you looking for a prophet? Yes, and he is more than a prophet.John is the man to whom the Scriptures refer when they say,‘ Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, and he will prepare your way before you.’I tell you, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John. Yet even the least person in the Kingdom of God is greater than he is!”When they heard this, all the people— even the tax collectors— agreed that God’s way was right, for they had been baptized by John.But the Pharisees and experts in religious law rejected God’s plan for them, for they had refused John’s baptism.

“ So pay attention to how you hear. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what they think they understand will be taken away from them.”

People from Jerusalem and from all of Judea and all over the Jordan Valley went out to see and hear John.

“ Did John’s authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human?” They talked it over among themselves.“ If we say it was from heaven, he will ask us why we didn’t believe John.

Then John went from place to place on both sides of the Jordan River, preaching that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven.Isaiah had spoken of John when he said,“ He is a voice shouting in the wilderness,‘ Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for him!The valleys will be filled, and the mountains and hills made level. The curves will be straightened, and the rough places made smooth.And then all people will see the salvation sent from God.’”When the crowds came to John for baptism, he said,“ You brood of snakes! Who warned you to flee the coming wrath?

Jesus looked around and saw them following.“ What do you want?” he asked them. They replied,“ Rabbi”( which means“ Teacher”),“ where are you staying?”

You may be asking why I changed my plan. Do you think I make my plans carelessly? Do you think I am like people of the world who say“ Yes” when they really mean“ No”?As surely as God is faithful, our word to you does not waver between“ Yes” and“ No.”

In those days John the Baptist came to the Judean wilderness and began preaching. His message was,“ Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”The prophet Isaiah was speaking about John when he said,“ He is a voice shouting in the wilderness,‘ Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for him!’”

But you are as unruly as a flood, and you will be first no longer. For you went to bed with my wife; you defiled my marriage couch.