The Gospel According to St Matthew

 1 And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to ^apreach in their cities.

 2 Now when ^aJohn had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,

 3 And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?

 4 Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those ^athings which ye do hear and see:

 5 The ^ablind receive their ^bsight, and the lame walk, the ^clepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the ^dpoor have the gospel preached to them.

 6 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be ^aoffended in me.

 7 ¶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?

 8 But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in ^akings’ houses.

 9 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a ^aprophet.

 10 For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my ^amessenger before thy face, which shall ^bprepare thy way before thee.

 11 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of ^awomen there hath not risen a greater than ^bJohn the Baptist: ^cnotwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

 12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and ^athe violent take it by force.

 13 ^aFor all the ^bprophets and the law ^cprophesied until John.

 14 And if ye will receive it, this is ^aElias, which was for to come.

 15 He that hath ears to ^ahear, let him hear.

 16 ¶But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows,

 17 And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.

 18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil.

 19 The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and ^aa winebibber, a friend of ^bpublicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified ^cof her children.

 20 ¶Then began he to upbraid the ^acities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not:

 21 Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have ^arepented long ago in sackcloth and ^bashes.

 22 But I say unto you, It shall be more ^atolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.

 23 And thou, Capernaum, which art ^aexalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to ^bhell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

 24 But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of ^aSodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.

 25 ¶At that time Jesus answered and said, I ^athank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast ^bhid these things from the wise and ^cprudent, and hast ^drevealed them unto ^ebabes.

 26 Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight.

 27 All ^athings are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither ^bknoweth any man the Father, save the Son, ^cand he to whomsoever the Son will ^dreveal him.

 28 ¶^aCome unto me, all ye that ^blabour and are heavy laden, and I will give you ^crest.

 29 Take my ^ayoke upon you, and ^blearn of me; for I am ^cmeek and ^dlowly in ^eheart: and ye shall find ^frest unto your souls.

 30 For my yoke is ^aeasy, and my burden is light.