Luke 7:24-33

24The two disciples of John then left. Jesus spoke to the crowd about John. He said to them, ‘You went out to the wilderness. What did you go there to see? Was it a tall piece of grass which the wind was blowing this way and that? No, you did not go to see that.

25Did you go to see a man who was wearing expensive clothes? No! People like that do not live in the wilderness. They have many beautiful things and they live in great houses.

26So what did you go to see? Did you go to see a prophet sent by God? Yes! But I tell you, John was even more important than a prophet.

27This is what they wrote about him a long time ago in the Bible, when God said: “Listen! I will send someone to go in front of you. He will speak my message. He will prepare a way for you.” ’

28Jesus also said to the people, ‘I tell you, John is greater than any person who has ever lived up to now. But now anyone who belongs in the kingdom of God is greater than John, even the least important of them.’

29Many people heard what Jesus said. Even the men who took taxes from people agreed with his message. They had gone to John to baptize them. They all said, ‘What God says about us is right.’

30But the Pharisees and the men that studied God's Law had not asked John to baptize them. They did not believe the message that God was giving to them.

31Jesus continued to teach. He said, ‘I will talk to you about the people that are alive today. I will tell you what they are like.

32They are like children who are sitting in the market place. They are playing games. They shout to other children, “We made happy music on a flute for you, but you did not dance. Then we sang a sad song but you did not cry.”

33You are like those children. When John the Baptist came to you, he did not eat ordinary food. He never drank wine. So you say that John has a bad spirit in him.