¹² Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young. Instead, set an example for the believers through your speech, behavior, love, faith, and by being sexually pure. ¹³ Until I arrive, pay attention to public reading, preaching, and teaching. ¹⁴ Don’t neglect the spiritual gift in you that was given through prophecy when the elders laid hands on you. ¹⁵ Practice these things, and live by them so that your progress will be visible to all. ¹⁶ Focus on working on your own development and on what you teach. If you do this, you will save yourself and those who hear you.

Forgiveness and gratitude

³⁶ One of the Pharisees invited Jesus to eat with him. After he entered the Pharisee’s home, he took his place at the table. ³⁷ Meanwhile, a woman from the city, a sinner, discovered that Jesus was dining in the Pharisee’s house. She brought perfumed oil in a vase made of alabaster. ³⁸ Standing behind him at his feet and crying, she began to wet his feet with her tears. She wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and poured the oil on them. ³⁹ When the Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw what was happening, he said to himself, If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. He would know that she is a sinner.

⁴⁰ Jesus replied, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”

“Teacher, speak,” he said.

⁴¹ “A certain lender had two debtors. One owed enough money to pay five hundred people for a day’s work.^[a] The other owed enough money for fifty. ⁴² When they couldn’t pay, the lender forgave the debts of them both. Which of them will love him more?”

⁴³ Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the largest debt canceled.”

Jesus said, “You have judged correctly.”

⁴⁴ Jesus turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? When I entered your home, you didn’t give me water for my feet, but she wet my feet with tears and wiped them with her hair. ⁴⁵ You didn’t greet me with a kiss, but she hasn’t stopped kissing my feet since I came in. ⁴⁶ You didn’t anoint my head with oil, but she has poured perfumed oil on my feet. ⁴⁷ This is why I tell you that her many sins have been forgiven; so she has shown great love. The one who is forgiven little loves little.”

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

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

⁵⁰ Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”