7 The after midday hours were given to the multitudes who came to learn the way of life and to be healed; and many did believe and were baptized. 8 Now, in his prison by the Bitter Sea the harbinger had heard of all the mighty works that Jesus did. 9 His prison life was hard, and he was sore distressed, and he began to doubt. 10 And to himself he said, I wonder if this Jesus is the Christ of whom the prophets wrote! 11 Was I mistaken in my work? Was I, indeed, one sent from God to pave the way for him who shall redeem our people, Israel? 12 And then he sent some of his friends, who came to see him in his prison cell, up to Capernaum that they might learn about this man, and bring him word. 13 The men found Jesus in his home, and said, Behold the harbinger sent us to ask, Are you the Christ? or is he yet to come? 14 But Jesus answered not; he simply bade the men to tarry certain days that they might see and hear. 15 They saw him heal the sick, and cause the lame to walk, the deaf to hear, the blind to see; 16 They saw him cast the evil spirits out of those obsessed; they saw him raise the dead. 17 They heard him preach the gospel to the poor. 18 Then Jesus said to them, Go on your way; return to John and tell him all that you have seen and heard; then he will know. They went their way. 19 The multitudes were there, and Jesus said to them, Once you were crowding Jordan’s fords; you filled the wilderness. 20 What did you go to see? The trees of Juda, and the flowers of Heth? Or did you go to see a man in kingly garb? Or did you go to see a prophet and a seer? 21 I tell you, men, you know not whom you saw. A prophet? Yea, and more; a messenger whom God had sent to pave the way for what you see and hear this day. 22 Among the men of earth a greater man has never lived than John. 23 Behold I say, This man whom Herod bound in chains and cast into a prison cell, is God’s Elijah come again to earth. 24 Elijah, who did not pass the gates of death, whose body of this flesh was changed, and he awoke in Paradise. 25 When John came forth and preached the gospel of repentance for the cleansing of the soul, the common folks believed and were baptized. 26 The lawyers and the Pharisees accepted not the teachings of this man; were not baptized. 27 Behold, neglected opportunities will never come again. 28 Behold, the people are unstable as the waters of the sea; they seek to be excused from righteousness. 29 John came and ate no bread, and drank no wine. He lived the simplest life apart from men, and people said, He is obsessed. 30 Another comes who eats and drinks and lives in homes like other men, and people say, He is a glutton, an inebriate, a friend of publicans and those who sin. 31 Woe unto you, you cities of the vale of Galilee, where all the mighty works of God are done! Woe to Chorazan and Bethsaida!