In Praise of John the Baptist

18 Then John’s disciples told him about all these things.(A) So John summoned two of his disciples 19 and sent them to the Lord, asking, “Are You the One(B) who is to come, or should we look for someone else?”

20 When the men reached Him, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to ask You, ‘Are You the One who is to come, or should we look for someone else?’”

21 At that time Jesus healed many people of diseases,(C) plagues, and evil spirits,(D) and He granted sight to many blind people.(E) 22 He replied to them, “Go and report to John the things you have seen and heard: The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, those with skin diseases are healed,[a] the deaf hear,(F) the dead are raised, and the poor are told the good news.(G) 23 And anyone who is not offended because of Me is blessed.” 24 After John’s messengers left, He began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the wind? 25 What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft robes? Look, those who are splendidly dressed[b] and live in luxury are in royal palaces. 26 What then did you go out to see? A prophet?(H) Yes, I tell you, and far more than a prophet. 27 This is the one it is written about:

Look, I am sending My messenger
ahead of You;[c]
he will prepare Your way before You.(I)[d]

28 I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater than John,[e] but the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

29 (And when all the people, including the tax collectors, heard this, they acknowledged God’s way of righteousness,[f] because they had been baptized with John’s baptism.(J) 30 But since the Pharisees and experts in the law(K) had not been baptized by him, they rejected the plan of God for themselves.(L))

An Unresponsive Generation

31 “To what then should I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like? 32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to each other:

We played the flute for you,
but you didn’t dance;
we sang a lament,
but you didn’t weep!

33 For John the Baptist did not come eating bread or drinking wine,(M) and you say, ‘He has a demon!’ 34 The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’(N) 35 Yet wisdom is vindicated[g] by all her children.”

Much Forgiveness, Much Love

36 Then one of the Pharisees invited Him to eat with him. He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table.(O) 37 And a woman in the town who was a sinner found out that Jesus was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house.(P) She brought an alabaster jar of fragrant oil 38 and stood behind Him at His feet, weeping, and began to wash His feet with her tears. She wiped His feet with the hair of her head, kissing them and anointing them with the fragrant oil.(Q)

39 When the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, “This man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what kind of woman this is who is touching Him—she’s a sinner!”(R)

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

“Teacher,” he said, “say it.”

41 “A creditor had two debtors. One owed 500 denarii,(S) and the other 50. 42 Since they could not pay it back,(T) he graciously forgave them both. So, which of them will love him more?”

43 Simon answered, “I suppose the one he forgave more.”

“You have judged correctly,” He told him. 44 Turning to the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet,(U) but she, with her tears, has washed My feet and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave Me no kiss,(V) but she hasn’t stopped kissing My feet since I came in. 46 You didn’t anoint My head with olive oil,(W) but she has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. 47 Therefore I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; that’s why[h] she loved much. But the one who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”(X)

49 Those who were at the table with Him began to say among themselves, “Who is this man who even forgives sins?”(Y)

50 And He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you.(Z) Go in peace.”(AA)

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 7:22 Lit cleansed
  2. Luke 7:25 Or who have glorious robes
  3. Luke 7:27 Lit messenger before Your face
  4. Luke 7:27 Mal 3:1
  5. Luke 7:28 Other mss read women is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist
  6. Luke 7:29 Lit they justified God
  7. Luke 7:35 Or wisdom is declared right
  8. Luke 7:47 Her love shows that she has been forgiven

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)

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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).