Jesus Heals a Centurion’s Slave
1 After He had finished all that He had to say in the hearing of the people, He went to Capernaum.
2 Now a [Roman]centurion’s slave, who was highly regarded by him, was sick and on the verge of death.
3 When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to Him, asking Him to come and save the life of his slave.
4 When they reached Jesus, they pleaded with Him earnestly [to come], saying, “He is worthy for You to do this for him,
5 because he loves our nation and he built us our synagogue [at his own expense].”
6 And Jesus went with them. But when He was near the house, the centurion sent friends to Him, saying, “Lord, do not trouble Yourself further, for I am not worthy for You to come under my roof.
7 Therefore I did not even consider myself worthy to come to You. But just speak a word, and my slave will be healed.
8 For I also am a man subject to authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
9 Now when Jesus heard this, He was amazed at him, and turned and said to the crowd that was following Him,“I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith[as this man’s].”
10 When the messengers who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave in good health.
11 Soon afterward Jesus went to a city called Nain [near Nazareth], and His disciples and a large crowd accompanied Him.
12 Now as He approached the city gate, a dead man was being carried out–the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her [in the funeral procession].
13 When the Lord saw her, He felt [great] compassion for her, and said to her,“Do not weep.”
14 And He came up and touched the bier [on which the body rested], and the pallbearers stood still. And He said,“Young man, I say to you, arise[from death]!”
15 The man who was dead sat up and began to speak. AndJesusgave him back to his mother.
16 Fearandprofound awe gripped them all, and theybeganglorifyingandhonoringandpraising God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and, “God has visited His people [to help and care for and provide for them]!”
17 This news about Him spread through all of Judea and in all the surrounding countryside.
A Delegation from John
18 John’s disciples brought word to him [in prison] of all these things.
19 John called two of his disciples and sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are You theExpected One (the Messiah), or should we look for someone else?”
20 So the men came to Jesus and said, “John the Baptist sent us to You to ask, ‘Are You the Expected One (the Messiah), or should we look for someone else?’”
21 At that very hour Jesus healed manypeopleof sicknesses and infirmities and evil spirits; and He gave [the gracious gift of] sight to manywho wereblind.
22 So He replied to them,“Go and tell John about everything you have seen and heard: theblind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and thepoor have the good news(gospel)preached to them.
23 Blessed[joyful, spiritually favored]is he who does not take offense at Me.”
24 When John’s messengers left, Jesus began speaking to the crowds about John:“What did you go out to the wilderness to see?A reed shaken by the wind?
25 But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing[entirely unsuited for the harsh wilderness]?Those who wear splendid clothing and live in luxury are in royal palaces!
26 But what did you[really]go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and onefar more[eminent and remarkable]than a prophet[who foretells the future].
27 This is the one of whom it is written[by the prophet Malachi],
‘Behold, IsendMy messenger ahead ofYou,
Who will prepareYour way beforeYou.’
28 I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater[in privilege]than he.”
29 All the people and the tax collectors who heard Jesus, acknowledged [the validity of] God’s justice, having been baptized with the baptism of John.
30 But the Pharisees and the lawyers [who were experts in the Mosaic Law] annulledandset aside God’s purpose for themselves, not having been baptized by John.
31 “To what then shall I compare the people of this generation[who set aside God’s plan],and what are they like?
32 They are like children sitting in the market place and calling to one another, and saying, ‘We played the flute for you[pretending to be at a wedding],and you did not dance; we sang a dirge[pretending to be at a funeral],and you did not weep[so nothing we did appealed to you].’
33 For John the Baptist has come neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon!’
34 The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a man who is a glutton and a[heavy]wine-drinker, a friend of tax collectors and sinners[including non-observant Jews].’
35 Yet wisdom is vindicatedandshown to be right by all her children[by the lifestyle, moral character, and good deeds of her followers].”
The Anointing in Galilee
36 One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him, and He went into the Pharisee’s house [in the region of Galilee] and reclinedat the table.
37 Now there was a woman in the city who was [known as] asinner; andwhen she found out that He was recliningat the tablein the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume;
38 and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began wetting His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head, and [respectfully] kissed His feet [as an act signifying both affection and submission] andanointed them with the perfume.
39 Now when [Simon] the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, “If this Man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching Him, that she is a [notorious] sinner [an outcast, devoted to sin].”
Parable of Two Debtors
40 Jesus, answering, said to the Pharisee,“Simon, I have something to say to you.”And he replied, “Teacher, say it.”
41 “A certain moneylender had two debtors: one owed him five hundreddenarii, and the other fifty.
42 When they had no means of repaying[the debts],he freely forgave them both. So which of them will love him more?”
43 Simon answered, “The one, I take it, for whom he forgave more.” Jesus said to him,“You have decided correctly.”
44 Then turning toward the woman, He said to Simon,“Do you see this woman? I came into your house[but you failed to extend to Me the usual courtesies shown to a guest];you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair[demonstrating her love].
45 You gave Me no[welcoming]kiss, but from the moment I came in, she has not ceased to kiss My feet.
46 You did not[even]anoint My head with[ordinary]oil, but she has anointed My feet with[costly and rare]perfume.
47 Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.”
48 Then He said to her,“Your sins are forgiven.”
49 Those who were recliningat the tablewith Him began saying among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”
50 Jesus said to the woman,“Your faith[in Me]has saved you; go in peace[free from the distress experienced because of sin].”