The Messengers from John

18 (A)The disciples of John also reported to him about all these things. 19 And after summoning [a]two of his disciples, John sent them to (B)the Lord, saying, “Are You the Coming One, or are we to [b]look for another?” 20 When the men came to Him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, [c]to ask, ‘Are You the Coming One, or are we to [d]look for another?’” 21 At that very [e]time He (C)cured many people of diseases and (D)afflictions and evil spirits; and He gave sight to many who were blind. 22 And He answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: people who were (E)blind receive sight, people who limped walk, people with leprosy are cleansed and people who were deaf hear, dead people are raised up, and (F)people who are poor have the gospel preached to them. 23 And blessed is [f]anyone who does not take offense at Me.”

24 When the messengers of John had left, He began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the [g]wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 25 [h]But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Those who are splendidly clothed and live in luxury are found in royal palaces! 26 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and one who is more than a prophet. 27 This is the one about whom it is written:

(G)Behold, I am sending My messenger [i]ahead of You,
Who will prepare Your way before You.’

28 I say to you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is [j]least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” 29 When all the people and the tax collectors heard this, they acknowledged (H)God’s justice, (I)having been baptized with (J)the baptism of John. 30 But the Pharisees and the [k](K)lawyers rejected God’s purpose for themselves, not having been baptized by [l]John.

31 “To what then shall I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like? 32 They are like children who sit in the marketplace and call to one another, and say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a song of mourning, and you did not weep.’ 33 For John the Baptist has come neither (L)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, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a [m]heavy drinker, a friend of tax collectors and [n]sinners!’ 35 And yet wisdom (M)is vindicated by all her children.”

The Anointing in Galilee

36 Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to eat with him, and He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 (N)And there was a woman in the city who was a [o]sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, 38 and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and she wiped them with the hair of her head, and began kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were (O)a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a [p]sinner!”

Parable of Two Debtors

40 And Jesus responded and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he [q]replied, “Say it, Teacher.” 41 “A moneylender had two debtors: the one owed five hundred [r](P)denarii, and the other, fifty. 42 When they (Q)were unable to repay, he canceled the debts of both. So which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered and said, “I assume the one for whom he canceled the greater debt.” And He said to him, “You have judged correctly.” 44 And turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you (R)gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You [s](S)gave Me no kiss; but she has not stopped kissing My feet since the time I came in. 46 (T)You did not [t]anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. 47 For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but the one who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 And He said to her, (U)Your sins have been forgiven.” 49 And then those who were reclining at the table with Him began saying [u]to themselves, “(V)Who is this man who even forgives sins?” 50 And He said to the woman, (W)Your faith has saved you; (X)go in peace.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Luke 7:19 Lit a certain two
  2. Luke 7:19 Or wait for
  3. Luke 7:20 Lit saying
  4. Luke 7:20 Or wait for
  5. Luke 7:21 Lit hour
  6. Luke 7:23 Lit whoever
  7. Luke 7:24 I.e., desert
  8. Luke 7:25 Or Well then, what
  9. Luke 7:27 Lit before Your face
  10. Luke 7:28 Or less
  11. Luke 7:30 I.e., experts in the Mosaic Law
  12. Luke 7:30 Lit him
  13. Luke 7:34 Or wine drinker
  14. Luke 7:34 I.e., irreligious Jews
  15. Luke 7:37 I.e., an immoral woman
  16. Luke 7:39 I.e., an immoral woman
  17. Luke 7:40 Lit says
  18. Luke 7:41 The denarius was a day’s wages for a laborer
  19. Luke 7:45 A customary form of greeting between rabbis
  20. Luke 7:46 A customary act of hospitality
  21. Luke 7:49 Or among

Jesus and John the Baptist(A)

18 John’s(B) disciples(C) told him about all these things. Calling two of them, 19 he sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”

20 When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’”

21 At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses(D) and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. 22 So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy[a] are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.(E) 23 Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”

24 After John’s messengers left, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? 25 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear expensive clothes and indulge in luxury are in palaces. 26 But what did you go out to see? A prophet?(F) Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 27 This is the one about whom it is written:

“‘I will send my messenger ahead of you,
    who will prepare your way before you.’[b](G)

28 I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God(H) is greater than he.”

29 (All the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard Jesus’ words, acknowledged that God’s way was right, because they had been baptized by John.(I) 30 But the Pharisees and the experts in the law(J) rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.)

31 Jesus went on to say, “To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? 32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to each other:

“‘We played the pipe for you,
    and you did not dance;
we sang a dirge,
    and you did not cry.’

33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine,(K) and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ 34 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’(L) 35 But wisdom is proved right by all her children.”

Jesus Anointed by a Sinful Woman(M)(N)

36 When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. 38 As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.

39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet,(O) he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.”

40 Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”

“Tell me, teacher,” he said.

41 “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii,[c] and the other fifty. 42 Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”

43 Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.”

“You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.

44 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet,(P) but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss,(Q) but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head,(R) but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”

48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”(S)

49 The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

50 Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you;(T) go in peace.”(U)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Luke 7:22 The Greek word traditionally translated leprosy was used for various diseases affecting the skin.
  2. Luke 7:27 Mal. 3:1
  3. Luke 7:41 A denarius was the usual daily wage of a day laborer (see Matt. 20:2).