24. And when the messengers of Yoḥanan had left, He began to speak to the crowds concerning Yoḥanan, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?
25. “But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft garments? Look, those who are splendidly dressed and living in luxury are in the houses of sovereigns.
26. “But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yea, I say to you, and more than a prophet.
27. “This is he concerning whom it has been written, ‘See, I send My messenger before Your face, who shall prepare Your way before You.’
28. “For I say to you, among those born of women there is not a greater prophet than Yoḥanan the Immerser, but he who is least in the reign of Elohim is greater than he.”
29. And all the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard, declared Elohim righteous, having been immersed with the immersion of Yoḥanan.
30. But the Pharisees and those learned in the Torah rejected the counsel of Elohim for themselves, not having been immersed by him.
31. And the Master said, “To what then shall I compare the men of this generation, and what are they like?
32. “They are like children sitting in the market-place and calling to each other, saying, ‘We played the flute for you and you did not dance, we lamented for you and you did not weep.’
33. “For Yoḥanan the Immerser came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’
34. “The Son of Aḏam has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a man, a glutton and a winedrinker, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’