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.

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.

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.

“ 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!

“ 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, no one more important than John has ever been born. But the least important person in God’s kingdom is more important than John is.”

May God receive glory. He is able to strengthen your faith. He does this in keeping with the good news and the message I preach. It is the message about Jesus Christ. This message is in keeping with the mystery hidden for a very long time.The mystery has now been made known through the writings of the prophets. The eternal God commanded that it be made known. God wanted all the Gentiles to obey him by trusting in him.

I am the least important of the apostles. I’m not even fit to be called an apostle. I tried to destroy God’s church.

I am by far the least important of all the Lord’s holy people. But he gave me the grace to preach to the Gentiles about the unlimited riches that Christ gives.

Many people came to him. They said,“ John never performed a sign. But everything he said about this man was true.”

John was like a lamp that burned and gave light. For a while you chose to enjoy his light.

“ I baptize you with water, calling you to turn away from your sins. But after me, someone is coming who is more powerful than I am. I’m not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Do not ignore even one of the least important commands. And do not teach others to ignore them. If you do, you will be called the least important person in the kingdom of heaven. Instead, practice and teach these commands. Then you will be called important in the kingdom of heaven.

The moon will shine like the sun. And the sunlight will be seven times brighter than usual. It will be like the light of seven full days. That will happen when the Lord bandages and heals the wounds and bruises he has brought on his people.

So suppose you disagree with one another in matters like this. Who do you ask to decide which of you is right? Do you ask people who live in a way the church disapproves of? Of course not!

When he said this, he meant the Holy Spirit. Those who believed in Jesus would receive the Spirit later. Up to that time, the Spirit had not been given. This was because Jesus had not yet received glory.

How can human beings be right with God? How can mere people really be pure?

“ Can human beings really be pure? Can those who are born really be right with God?

He is the one who comes after me. I am not good enough to untie his sandals.”

Who can bring what is pure from something that isn’t pure? No one!

Then he spoke to them.“ Anyone who welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me,” he said.“ And anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. The one considered least important among all of you is really the most important.”

Human beings have only a few days to live. Their lives are full of trouble.

“ The Lord is the God of Israel. He announced,‘ I promised that members of your family line would serve me as priests forever.’ But now the Lord announces,‘ I will not let that happen! I will honor those who honor me. But I will turn away from those who look down on me.

That’s because God had planned something better for us. So they would only be made perfect together with us.

At that time I will be like a shield to those who live in Jerusalem. Then even the weakest among them will be great warriors like David. And David’s family line will be like the angel of the Lord who leads them.

John was a witness about the Word. John cried out and said,“ This was the one I was talking about. I said,‘ He who comes after me is more important than I am. He is more important because he existed before I was born.’ ”

He will be important in the sight of the Lord. He must never drink wine or other such drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born.

He must become more important. I must become less important.

I know I’ve been a sinner ever since I was born. I’ve been a sinner ever since my mother became pregnant with me.

At one time we all lived among them. Our desires were controlled by sin. We tried to satisfy what they wanted us to do. We followed our desires and thoughts. God was angry with us like he was with everyone else. That’s because of the kind of people we all were.

The prophets searched very hard and with great care to find out about this salvation. They spoke about the grace that was going to come to you.

It has now been made known through the coming of our Savior, Christ Jesus. He has broken the power of death. Because of the good news, he has brought life out into the light. That life never dies.

That word contains the mystery that has been hidden for many ages. But now it has been made known to the Lord’s people.God has chosen to make known to them the glorious riches of that mystery. He has made it known among the Gentiles. And here is what it is. Christ is in you. He is your hope of glory.