Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see:
Parallel translations
- WEB Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see:
- KJV Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:
- NKJV Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see:
- NASB Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you hear and see:
- NLT Jesus told them, “Go back to John and tell him what you have heard and seen—
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
Jesus answers John by pointing to the evidence of what is heard and seen. He lets His messianic works speak for themselves.
Overview
Rather than a bare 'yes,' Jesus directs John's disciples to report His deeds. This invites John to weigh the evidence against Scripture's promises. The Lord meets doubt not with rebuke but with the testimony of His works, grounding faith in the reality of His ministry.
Cross-references & the web
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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 11:4 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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