Luke 7

1When Jesus had finished saying all these things to the people who were listening, he went into Capernaum.

2There was a centurion whose servant was very dear to him, and the servant was ill and close to death. 3He heard about Jesus and sent some Jewish elders to him, to ask him to come and save his servant’s life. 4They came to Jesus and pleaded with him urgently. “He deserves to have you do this for him,” they said. 5“He loves our people, and he is the one who built our synagogue for us.” 6So Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to say to him, “Lord, do not put yourself to any trouble. I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. 7That is why I did not think myself fit to come to you myself. Only speak a command, and let my servant be healed. 8For I myself serve under men who have authority over me, and I have soldiers under my command. I say to one, ‘Go!’ and off he goes; to another, ‘Come here!’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.” 9When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at the man. Turning to the crowd that followed him, he said, “I tell you, I have not found faith this great even in Israel.” 10When the messengers went back to the house, they found the servant well.

11Soon afterward Jesus went to a town called Nain. His disciples went with him, and so did a large crowd. 12As he came near the town gate, a dead man was being carried out. He was his mother’s only son, and she was a widow. A large crowd from the town was with her. 13When the Lord saw her, pity for her moved him deeply, and he said to her, “Stop weeping.” 14Then he went up and touched the bier, and the men carrying it stood still. He said, “Young man, I tell you, get up!” 15The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother. 16Awe took hold of everyone, and they gave glory to God. “A great prophet has appeared among us!” they said, and, “God has come to help his people!” 17This news about him spread through all Judea and the whole region around it.

18John’s disciples told him about all these things. So John called two of his disciples 19and sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to look for someone else?” 20When the men reached him, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or are we to look for someone else?’” 21Just then he healed many people of diseases, painful illnesses and evil spirits, and he gave many blind people the gift of sight. 22So he answered them, “Go back and tell John what you have seen and heard. The blind see again, the lame walk, people with leprosy are made clean, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor hear the good news. 23And blessed is anyone who does not find in me a reason to fall away.”

24After John’s messengers had gone, Jesus began to talk to the crowds about John. “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the wind? 25If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft, fine clothes? Those who wear splendid clothes and live in luxury are found in the palaces of kings. 26Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and far more than a prophet. 27He is the one of whom Scripture says, ‘I am sending my messenger to go before you; he will make your road ready ahead of you.’ 28I tell you, of all who have been born of women, there is none greater than John. Yet the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he is.” 29All the people who heard this, even the tax collectors, agreed that God was in the right, because they had been baptized with John’s baptism. 30But the Pharisees and the experts in the law refused what God intended for them, since they had not let John baptize them.

31Jesus went on, “Then how shall I picture the people of this generation? What are they like? 32They are like small children who sit in the town square and shout to each other, ‘We played wedding music on the flute for you, and you would not dance. We sang a funeral song, and you would not cry.’ 33For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘There is a demon in him.’ 34The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at the man! He is greedy for food and a heavy drinker, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ 35Yet wisdom is shown to be right by all who are her children.”

36One of the Pharisees invited Jesus to a meal with him. So he went into the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table. 37Now there was a woman in the town who was a sinner. When she found out that Jesus was at table in the Pharisee’s house, she came with an alabaster flask of perfume. 38She stood behind him, at his feet, crying, and began to wet his feet with her tears. She dried them with the hair of her head, and she kissed his feet over and over and anointed them with the perfume. 39The Pharisee who had invited him saw this and said to himself, “This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who this woman is who is touching him, and what sort of woman she is: a sinner.” 40Jesus answered him, “Simon, there is something I want to tell you.” “Say it, Teacher,” he replied. 41Jesus said, “A moneylender had two men who owed him money. One owed him 500 denarii, and the other fifty. 42Neither of them could pay him back, so he freely canceled the debts of both. So which of the two will love him more?” 43Simon answered, “I would think the one whose larger debt he canceled.” Jesus said to him, “Your judgment is right.” 44Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? When I came into your house, you gave me no water to wash my feet. But she has made my feet wet with her tears and dried them with her hair. 45You did not welcome me with a kiss. But ever since I came in, she has kept on kissing my feet. 46You did not anoint my head with olive oil, but she has anointed my feet with costly perfume. 47So I tell you, her sins, many as they are, stand forgiven; that is why she has shown so much love. But someone who is forgiven little loves little.” 48Then he said to her, “Your sins stand forgiven.” 49The others at the table with him began to say to one another, “Who is this man, that he even forgives sins?” 50But Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”