Now while in prison, John heard about the works of Christ, and he sent word by his disciples,
Parallel translations
- WEB Now when John heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples
- KJV Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,
- BSB Meanwhile John heard in prison about the works of Christ, and he sent his disciples
- NKJV And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples
- NLT John the Baptist, who was in prison, heard about all the things the Messiah was doing. So he sent his disciples to ask Jesus,
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Imprisoned John the Baptist hears of Christ's works and sends disciples to question Him. His inquiry sets up Jesus' testimony about Himself and John.
Overview
John, now jailed by Herod (Matt. 14:3-4), hears reports of 'the works of Christ' and sends messengers to Jesus. The scene introduces a key passage on Jesus' identity and John's role. That even the great forerunner sought reassurance shows the honesty of Scripture and the trials faith can face in dark circumstances.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Mark 6:17For Herod himself had sent out and arrested John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, for he had married her.
- Matt 14:3For Herod had laid hold of John, and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife.
- Matt 4:12Now when Jesus heard that John was delivered up, he withdrew into Galilee.
- Luke 7:18–35The disciples of John told him about all these things.
- Matt 9:14Then John’s disciples came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples don’t fast?”
- Acts 19:1–3While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, having passed through the upper country, came to Ephesus, and found certain disciples.
- John 4:1Therefore when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John
- John 3:24–28For John was not yet thrown into prison.
- Luke 3:19but Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias, his brother’s wife, and for all the evil things which Herod had done,
- Matt 1:17So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the exile to Babylon fourteen generations; and from the carrying away to Babylon to the Christ, fourteen generations.
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 11:2 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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