Luke 7

1 When he had completed all his words in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. 2 Now a certain commander of a hundred had a slave who was ill and about to die, one who was valuable to him. [a] 3 And hearing about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and bring his slave safely through. 4 And when they came to Jesus they urged him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy for you to grant him this, 5 for he loves our nation, and he himself built us the synagogue.”

6 And Jesus went with them. But when he was already not far from the house, the commander of a hundred sent friends to say to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself; for I am not fit for you to come in under my roof. 7 That is why I did not consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and let my boy be healed. 8 For I too am a man placed under authority, having 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 And when Jesus heard these things he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that was following him he said, “I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” [b] 10 And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave well.

11 And it happened afterward that he went to a city called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd were going with him. 12 And as he drew near to the gate of the city — and look, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; and a considerable crowd from the city was with her. 13 And when the Lord saw her he had compassion for her, and he said to her, “Do not weep.” 14 And he came up and touched the bier, and those carrying it stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, get up.” 15 And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and he gave him to his mother. †

16 And fear took hold of them all, and they were giving glory to God, saying, “A great prophet has been raised up among us,” and, “God has visited his people.” [c] 17 And this word about him went out in the whole of Judea and in all the surrounding country.

18 And John’s disciples reported to him about all these things. And John called two of his disciples to him 19 and sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are you the one who is coming, or should we look for another?” 20 And when the men came to him they said, “John the Immerser sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the one who is coming, or should we look for another?’” [d]

21 In that hour he healed many of diseases and scourges and evil spirits, and to many who were blind he granted sight. 22 And he answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you saw and heard: the blind see again, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have good news brought to them. [e] 23 And blessed is anyone who is not made to stumble over me.”

24 And when John’s messengers had gone away, he began to say to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? 25 But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothes? Look, those in splendid clothing and living in luxury are in royal palaces. 26 But what did you go out for? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 27 This is the one about whom it is written: ‘Look, I am sending my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way ahead of you.’ [f] 28 I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” [g]

29 (And all the people who heard, and the tax collectors, declared God right, having been immersed with John’s immersion; [h] 30 but the Pharisees and the lawyers set aside God’s purpose for themselves, not having been immersed by him.)

31 “To what, then, shall I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like? 32 They are like children sitting in a marketplace and calling to one another, who say: ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a lament, and you did not weep.’ 33 For John the Immerser 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 wine-drinker, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ 35 And wisdom was set right by all her children.” [j]

36 Now one of the Pharisees was asking him to eat with him; and he went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table. 37 And look, a woman who was in the city, a sinner — learning that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster flask of perfumed oil, [k] 38 and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and she was wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing his feet and anointing them with the perfumed oil.

39 But when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said within himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what kind of woman it is who is touching him — that she is a sinner.” 40 And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he says, “Teacher, say it.”

41 “Two men owed a moneylender: the one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. [l] 42 When they had nothing to pay back with, he freely forgave them both. Which of them, then, will love him more?” [m] 43 Simon answered and said, “I take it that it is the one to whom he forgave more.” And he said to him, “You judged rightly.”

44 And turning to the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss; but she, from the time I came in, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil; but she anointed my feet with perfumed oil. 47 For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven — because she loved much. But the one to whom little is forgiven loves little.” [n]

48 And he said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.” 49 And those reclining at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” 50 And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”