“ I tell you the truth, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least person in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he is!

我实在告诉你们，凡妇人所生的，没有一个兴起来大过施洗约翰的；然而天国里最小的比他还大。

我实在告诉你们，凡女子所生的，没有一个比施洗约翰大；但在天国里，最小的比他还大。

我实在告诉你们，凡女子所生的，没有一个比施洗约翰大；但在天国里，最小的比他还大。

我实在告诉你们，凡妇人所生的，没有一个兴起来比施洗者约翰大，然而天国里最微不足道的也比他大。

我实在告诉你们，妇人所生的，没有一个比施洗的约翰更大；然而天国里最小的比他还大。

“我确实地告诉你们：在女人所生的人中，没有出现过一个比施洗者约翰更大的；然而在天国里，再小的也比约翰更大。

我實在告訴你們，凡婦人所生的，沒有一個興起來大過施洗約翰的；然而天國裏最小的比他還大。

我實在告訴你們，凡女子所生的，沒有一個比施洗約翰大；但在天國裏，最小的比他還大。

我實在告訴你們，凡女子所生的，沒有一個比施洗約翰大；但在天國裏，最小的比他還大。

我實在告訴你們，凡婦人所生的，沒有一個興起來比施洗者約翰大，然而天國裡最微不足道的也比他大。

我實在告訴你們，婦人所生的，沒有一個比施洗的約翰更大；然而天國裡最小的比他還大。

我實在告訴你們，婦人所生的，沒有一個興起來比施洗者約翰更大的；然而在天國裏最小的比他還大！

「我確實地告訴你們：在女人所生的人中，沒有出現過一個比施洗者約翰更大的；然而在天國裡，再小的也比約翰更大。

我誠語汝、婦之所生、未有大於施洗約翰者、然在天國之微者、猶大於彼也、

我誠告爾、婦之所生、未有大於施洗約翰者、然天國之至微、尤大於是人也、

我誠告爾、凡婦之所生、未有大於施洗約翰、然在天國至小者猶大於彼、

我實語爾、婦女所生、未有大於施洗如望者；然天國中之小者、猶大於彼。

Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

What I’m about to tell you is true. No one more important than John the Baptist has ever been born. But the least important person in the kingdom of heaven is more important than he is.

Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

“ Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one greater than John the Baptist has appeared, but the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

“ Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not arisen a greater than John the Baptist: yet he that is but little in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

“ I assure you: Among those born of women no one greater than John the Baptist has appeared, but the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

“ I tell you the truth, among those born of women, no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he is.

Most certainly I tell you, among those who are born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptizer; yet he who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he.

I tell you, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John. Yet even the least person in the Kingdom of God is greater than he is!”

Now all glory to God, who is able to make you strong, just as my Good News says. This message about Jesus Christ has revealed his plan for you Gentiles, a plan kept secret from the beginning of time.But now as the prophets foretold and as the eternal God has commanded, this message is made known to all Gentiles everywhere, so that they too might believe and obey him.

For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church.

Though I am the least deserving of all God’s people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ.

And many followed him.“ John didn’t perform miraculous signs,” they remarked to one another,“ but everything he said about this man has come true.”

John was like a burning and shining lamp, and you were excited for a while about his message.

“ I baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am— so much greater that I’m not worthy even to be his slave and carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.

The moon will be as bright as the sun, and the sun will be seven times brighter— like the light of seven days in one! So it will be when the Lord begins to heal his people and cure the wounds he gave them.

If you have legal disputes about such matters, why go to outside judges who are not respected by the church?

( When he said“ living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)

How can a mortal be innocent before God? Can anyone born of a woman be pure?

Can any mortal be pure? Can anyone born of a woman be just?

Though his ministry follows mine, I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandal.”

Who can bring purity out of an impure person? No one!

Then he said to them,“ Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me also welcomes my Father who sent me. Whoever is the least among you is the greatest.”

“ How frail is humanity! How short is life, how full of trouble!

“ Therefore, the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I promised that your branch of the tribe of Levi would always be my priests. But I will honor those who honor me, and I will despise those who think lightly of me.

For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us.

On that day the Lord will defend the people of Jerusalem; the weakest among them will be as mighty as King David! And the royal descendants will be like God, like the angel of the Lord who goes before them!

John testified about him when he shouted to the crowds,“ This is the one I was talking about when I said,‘ Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’”

for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth.

He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.

For I was born a sinner— yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.

All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.

This salvation was something even the prophets wanted to know more about when they prophesied about this gracious salvation prepared for you.

And now he has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News.

This message was kept secret for centuries and generations past, but now it has been revealed to God’s people.For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.