百夫长的信心

耶稣向众人讲完道后,进了迦百农。 当时,有一个百夫长很赏识的奴仆病了,生命垂危。 百夫长听说耶稣的事,就托几位犹太人的长老去请耶稣来医治他的奴仆。 他们便来恳求耶稣,说:“这位百夫长值得你帮助, 因为他爱我们的同胞,为我们建造会堂。” 耶稣就跟他们去了。

快抵达时,那百夫长又请几位朋友去见耶稣,对祂说:“主啊,不用劳驾,我不配让你亲自来我家。 我自认不配见你的面,只要你一句话,我的奴仆必定康复。 因为我有上司,也有部下。我命令我的部下去,他就去;要他来,他就来。我吩咐奴仆做什么事,他一定照办。”

耶稣听了这番话,感到惊奇,转身对跟从祂的百姓说:“我告诉你们,就是在以色列,我也从未见过有这么大信心的人。”

10 派去的几位朋友回到百夫长家里,发现那奴仆已经痊愈了。

寡妇的独子起死回生

11 过了不久[a],耶稣去拿因城,随行的有门徒和一大群人。 12 耶稣快到城门口时,从城里走出一队送殡的人,死者是一个寡妇的独子,有许多城中的人陪着她。 13 耶稣看见那寡妇,怜悯之心油然而生,就对她说:“不要哭!” 14 随即上前按住抬尸架,抬的人停了下来。耶稣说:“年轻人,我吩咐你起来!” 15 那死者就坐了起来,并开口说话。耶稣把他交给他母亲。

16 在场的人惊惧万分,把荣耀归给上帝,说:“我们中间出了一位大先知!”又说:“上帝眷顾了祂的百姓!” 17 有关祂的这消息传遍了犹太和附近地区。

施洗者约翰的疑问

18 约翰从自己的门徒那里获悉这些事后, 19 就叫了两个门徒来,派他们去问主:“将要来的那位就是你吗?还是我们要等别人呢?”

20 他们找到耶稣,便问:“施洗者约翰派我们来请教你,‘将要来的那位就是你吗?还是我们要等别人呢?’”

21 那时,耶稣刚治好了许多患各种疾病和被鬼附身的人,又使许多瞎子得见光明。 22 耶稣便回答说:“你们回去把所见所闻告诉约翰,就是瞎子看见,瘸子走路,麻风病人得洁净,聋子听见,死人复活,穷人听到福音。 23 凡对我没有失去信心的人有福了!”

耶稣称赞施洗者约翰

24 约翰的门徒离去后,耶稣对众人谈论约翰,说:“你们从前去旷野要看什么呢?看随风摇动的芦苇吗? 25 如果不是,你们到底想看什么?是看穿绫罗绸缎的人吗?那些衣着华丽、生活奢侈的人住在王宫里。 26 你们究竟想看什么?看先知吗?是的,我告诉你们,他不只是先知。 27 圣经上说,‘看啊,我要差遣我的使者在你前面为你预备道路。’这里所指的就是约翰。 28 我告诉你们,凡妇人所生的,没有一个比约翰大,但上帝国中最微不足道的也比他大。”

29 众百姓和税吏听了这番话,都承认上帝是公义的,因为他们接受了约翰的洗礼。 30 但那些法利赛人和律法教师没有接受约翰的洗礼,拒绝了上帝为他们所定的旨意。

31 主又说:“我用什么来比拟这个世代的人呢?他们像什么呢? 32 他们就如街头上戏耍的孩童——彼此呼叫,

“‘我们吹娶亲的乐曲,
你们不跳舞;
我们唱送葬的哀歌,
你们不哭泣。’

33 施洗者约翰来了,禁食禁酒,你们就说他被鬼附身了; 34 人子来了,又吃又喝,你们就说,‘看啊,祂是个贪吃好酒之徒,与税吏和罪人为友!’ 35 然而,智慧会在追求智慧的人身上得到验证。”

罪妇的悔改

36 有一个法利赛人请耶稣到他家里吃饭,耶稣应邀赴宴。 37 那城里住着一个女人,生活败坏。她听说耶稣在那法利赛人家里吃饭,就带了一个盛满香膏的玉瓶进去。 38 她站在耶稣背后,挨着祂的脚哭,泪水滴湿了祂的脚,就用自己的头发擦干,又连连亲祂的脚,并抹上香膏。

39 请耶稣的法利赛人看在眼里,心想:“如果这人真的是先知,就该知道摸祂的是谁,是个什么样的女人,她是个罪人。”

40 耶稣对他说:“西门,我有话跟你说。”

西门答道:“老师,请说。”

41 耶稣说:“有一个债主借给一个人五百个银币,又借给另一个人五十个银币。 42 二人都没有能力还债,这位债主就免了他们的债务。你想,哪一位会更爱债主呢?”

43 西门答道:“我相信是那个被免去较多债的人。”

44 耶稣说:“你判断得对!”随后转向那女人,继续对西门说:“你看见这女人了吗?我到你家里来,你没有拿水给我洗脚,这女人却用她的眼泪洗我的脚,还亲自用头发擦干。 45 你没有亲吻我,但我进来以后,这女人却不停地吻我的脚。 46 你没有用油为我抹头,这女人却用香膏抹我的脚。 47 所以我告诉你,她众多的罪都被赦免了,因此她的爱深切;那些获得赦免少的,他们的爱也少。”

48 耶稣对那女人说:“你的罪都被赦免了。”

49 同席的人彼此议论说:“这人是谁?竟然能赦免人的罪!”

50 耶稣又对那女人说:“你的信心救了你,平安地走吧!”

Footnotes

  1. 7:11 过了不久”有古卷作“次日”。

Jesus Heals a Centurion's Servant

After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, (A)he entered Capernaum. Now a centurion had a servant[a] who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him. When the centurion[b] heard about Jesus, (B)he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant. And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, (C)“He is worthy to have you do this for him, for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us (D)our synagogue.” And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, (E)do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But (F)say the word, and let my servant be healed. For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard these things, (G)he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such (H)faith.” 10 And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well.

Jesus Raises a Widow's Son

11 Soon afterward[c] he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. 12 As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, (I)the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. 13 And when the Lord saw her, (J)he had compassion on her and (K)said to her, “Do not weep.” 14 Then he came up and touched (L)the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, (M)arise.” 15 And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus[d] (N)gave him to his mother. 16 Fear seized them all, and (O)they glorified God, saying, (P)“A great prophet has arisen among us!” and (Q)“God has visited his people!” 17 And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country.

Messengers from John the Baptist

18 (R)(S)The disciples of John reported all these things to him. And John, 19 calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are you the one (T)who is to come, or (U)shall we look for another?” 20 And when the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the one (V)who is to come, or (W)shall we look for another?’” 21 In that hour (X)he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and (Y)on many who were blind he bestowed sight. 22 And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: (Z)the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, (AA)lepers[e] are cleansed, and (AB)the deaf hear, (AC)the dead are raised up, (AD)the poor have good news preached to them. 23 And blessed is the one who is (AE)not offended by me.”

24 When John's messengers had gone, Jesus[f] began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out (AF)into the wilderness to see? (AG)A reed shaken by the wind? 25 What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are dressed in splendid clothing and live in luxury are in kings' courts. 26 What then did you go out to see? (AH)A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 27 This is he of whom it is written,

(AI)“‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
    who will prepare your way before you.’

28 I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” 29 ((AJ)When all the people heard this, and (AK)the tax collectors too, they declared God just,[g] (AL)having been baptized with (AM)the baptism of John, 30 (AN)but the Pharisees and (AO)the lawyers (AP)rejected (AQ)the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized 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 the marketplace and calling to one another,

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

33 For John the Baptist has come (AR)eating no bread and (AS)drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ 34 The Son of Man has come (AT)eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, (AU)a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ 35 Yet (AV)wisdom is justified by all her children.”

A Sinful Woman Forgiven

36 (AW)One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and reclined at table. 37 (AX)And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, 38 and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and (AY)wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If (AZ)this man were (BA)a prophet, he (BB)would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” 40 And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”

41 “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred (BC)denarii, and the other fifty. 42 (BD)When they could not pay, he (BE)cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” 44 Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; (BF)you gave me no water for my feet, but (BG)she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 (BH)You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to (BI)kiss my feet. 46 (BJ)You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, (BK)which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 And he said to her, (BL)“Your sins are forgiven.” 49 Then those who were at table with him began to say among[h] themselves, (BM)“Who is this, who even forgives sins?” 50 And he said to the woman, (BN)“Your faith has saved you; (BO)go in peace.”

Footnotes

  1. Luke 7:2 Or bondservant; also verses 3, 8, 10
  2. Luke 7:3 Greek he
  3. Luke 7:11 Some manuscripts The next day
  4. Luke 7:15 Greek he
  5. Luke 7:22 Leprosy was a term for several skin diseases; see Leviticus 13
  6. Luke 7:24 Greek he
  7. Luke 7:29 Greek they justified God
  8. Luke 7:49 Or to

Chapter 7

The Healing of a Centurion’s Slave.(A) [a]When he had finished all his words to the people, he entered Capernaum.[b] A centurion[c] there had a slave who was ill and about to die, and he was valuable to him. When he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and save the life of his slave. They approached Jesus and strongly urged him to come, saying, “He deserves to have you do this for him, for he loves our nation and he built the synagogue for us.” And Jesus went with them, but when he was only a short distance from the house, the centurion sent friends to tell him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof.[d] Therefore, I did not consider myself worthy to come to you; but say the word and let my servant be healed. For I too am a person subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come here,’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him and, turning, said to the crowd following him, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” 10 When the messengers returned to the house, they found the slave in good health.

Raising of the Widow’s Son.[e] 11 (B)Soon afterward he journeyed to a city called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd accompanied him. 12 As he drew near to the gate of the city, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. A large crowd from the city was with her.(C) 13 When the Lord saw her, he was moved with pity for her and said to her, “Do not weep.” 14 He stepped forward and touched the coffin; at this the bearers halted, and he said, “Young man, I tell you, arise!” 15 The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother.(D) 16 Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, exclaiming, “A great prophet has arisen in our midst,” and “God has visited his people.”(E) 17 This report about him spread through the whole of Judea and in all the surrounding region.

The Messengers from John the Baptist.[f] 18 (F)The disciples of John told him about all these things. John summoned two of his disciples 19 and sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?”(G) 20 When the men came to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?’” 21 At that time he cured many of their diseases, sufferings, and evil spirits; he also granted sight to many who were blind. 22 And he said to them in reply, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.(H) 23 And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.”[g]

Jesus’ Testimony to John. 24 [h]When the messengers of John had left, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John.(I) “What did you go out to the desert to see—a reed swayed by the wind? 25 Then what did you go out to see? Someone dressed in fine garments? Those who dress luxuriously and live sumptuously are found in royal palaces. 26 Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.(J) 27 This is the one about whom scripture says:

‘Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
    he will prepare your way before you.’(K)

28 I tell you, among those born of women, no one is greater than John; yet the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” 29 (L)(All the people who listened, including the tax collectors, and who were baptized with the baptism of John, acknowledged the righteousness of God; 30 but the Pharisees and scholars of the law, who were not baptized by him, rejected the plan of God for themselves.)

31 [i]“Then to what shall I compare the people of this generation? What are they like?(M) 32 They are like children who sit in the marketplace and call to one another,

‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance.
    We sang a dirge, but you did not weep.’

33 For John the Baptist came neither eating food nor drinking wine, and you said, ‘He is possessed by a demon.’ 34 The Son of Man came eating and drinking and you said, ‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’(N) 35 But wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”

The Pardon of the Sinful Woman.[j] 36 (O)A Pharisee invited him to dine with him, and he entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table.[k] 37 Now there was a sinful woman in the city who learned that he was at table in the house of the Pharisee.(P) Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment,(Q) 38 she stood behind him at his feet weeping and began to bathe his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment. 39 When 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 sinner.” 40 Jesus said to him in reply, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said. 41 “Two people were in debt to a certain creditor; one owed five hundred days’ wages[l] and the other owed fifty. 42 Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both. Which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon said in reply, “The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven.” He said to him, “You have judged rightly.” 44 Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet, but she has bathed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she anointed my feet with ointment. 47 So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; hence, she has shown great love.[m] But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.” 48 He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”(R) 49 The others at table said to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”(S) 50 But he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Footnotes

  1. 7:1–8:3 The episodes in this section present a series of reactions to the Galilean ministry of Jesus and reflect some of Luke’s particular interests: the faith of a Gentile (Lk 7:1–10); the prophet Jesus’ concern for a widowed mother (Lk 7:11–17); the ministry of Jesus directed to the afflicted and unfortunate of Is 61:1 (Lk 7:18–23); the relation between John and Jesus and their role in God’s plan for salvation (Lk 7:24–35); a forgiven sinner’s manifestation of love (Lk 7:36–50); the association of women with the ministry of Jesus (Lk 8:1–3).
  2. 7:1–10 This story about the faith of the centurion, a Gentile who cherishes the Jewish nation (Lk 7:5), prepares for the story in Acts of the conversion by Peter of the Roman centurion Cornelius who is similarly described as one who is generous to the Jewish nation (Acts 10:2). See also Acts 10:34–35 in the speech of Peter: “God shows no partiality…whoever fears him and acts righteously is acceptable to him.” See also notes on Mt 8:5–13 and Jn 4:43–54.
  3. 7:2 A centurion: see note on Mt 8:5.
  4. 7:6 I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof: to enter the house of a Gentile was considered unclean for a Jew; cf. Acts 10:28.
  5. 7:11–17 In the previous incident Jesus’ power was displayed for a Gentile whose servant was dying; in this episode it is displayed toward a widowed mother whose only son has already died. Jesus’ power over death prepares for his reply to John’s disciples in Lk 7:22: “the dead are raised.” This resuscitation in alluding to the prophet Elijah’s resurrection of the only son of a widow of Zarephath (1 Kgs 7:8–24) leads to the reaction of the crowd: “A great prophet has arisen in our midst” (Lk 7:16).
  6. 7:18–23 In answer to John’s question, Are you the one who is to come?—a probable reference to the return of the fiery prophet of reform, Elijah, “before the day of the Lord comes, the great and terrible day” (Mal 3:23)—Jesus responds that his role is rather to bring the blessings spoken of in Is 61:1 to the oppressed and neglected of society (Lk 7:22; cf. Lk 4:18).
  7. 7:23 Blessed is the one who takes no offense at me: this beatitude is pronounced on the person who recognizes Jesus’ true identity in spite of previous expectations of what “the one who is to come” would be like.
  8. 7:24–30 In his testimony to John, Jesus reveals his understanding of the relationship between them: John is the precursor of Jesus (Lk 7:27); John is the messenger spoken of in Mal 3:1 who in Mal 3:23 is identified as Elijah. Taken with the previous episode, it can be seen that Jesus identifies John as precisely the person John envisioned Jesus to be: the Elijah who prepares the way for the coming of the day of the Lord.
  9. 7:31–35 See note on Mt 11:16–19.
  10. 7:36–50 In this story of the pardoning of the sinful woman Luke presents two different reactions to the ministry of Jesus. A Pharisee, suspecting Jesus to be a prophet, invites Jesus to a festive banquet in his house, but the Pharisee’s self-righteousness leads to little forgiveness by God and consequently little love shown toward Jesus. The sinful woman, on the other hand, manifests a faith in God (Lk 7:50) that has led her to seek forgiveness for her sins, and because so much was forgiven, she now overwhelms Jesus with her display of love; cf. the similar contrast in attitudes in Lk 18:9–14. The whole episode is a powerful lesson on the relation between forgiveness and love.
  11. 7:36 Reclined at table: the normal posture of guests at a banquet. Other oriental banquet customs alluded to in this story include the reception by the host with a kiss (Lk 7:45), washing the feet of the guests (Lk 7:44), and the anointing of the guests’ heads (Lk 7:46).
  12. 7:41 Days’ wages: one denarius is the normal daily wage of a laborer.
  13. 7:47 Her many sins have been forgiven; hence, she has shown great love: literally, “her many sins have been forgiven, seeing that she has loved much.” That the woman’s sins have been forgiven is attested by the great love she shows toward Jesus. Her love is the consequence of her forgiveness. This is also the meaning demanded by the parable in Lk 7:41–43.