24 And when the messengers of Yochanan had departed, he began to say to the multitudes about Yochanan, What did you go out bamidbar to see? A reed shaken by the wind?
25 But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in a dandy's soft clothing? The ones with glorious apparel are living in luxury as courtiers in the palaces.
26 But what did you go out to see? A navi? Ken, I say to you, and one more than a navi.
27 This one is he about whom it has been written, HINENI SHOLEIACH MALAKHI (Behold, I send my messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your derech in front of You [Mal 3:1]).
28 I say to you, among those born of isha there is no one greater than Yochanan, yet he who is least in the Malchut Hashem is greater than he.
29 (And when kol haAm [all the People] and the mochesim heard this, they acknowledged the Tzidkat Hashem [Righteousness of G-d], having been submitted to the tevilah of teshuva of Yochanan.
30 But the Perushim and the Baalei HaTorah rejected the tachlis [purpose] of Hashem for their lives, refusing the tevilah of teshuva of Yochanan.)