Luke 7
Modern English Version
The Healing of a Centurion’s Servant(A)
7 When He had completed all His words in the hearing of the people, He entered Capernaum. 2 Now a centurion’s[a] servant, who was dear to him, was sick and ready to die. 3 When he heard of Jesus, he sent the elders of the Jews to Him, asking Him to come and heal his servant. 4 When they came to Jesus, they asked Him earnestly, saying, “You should do this for him for he is worthy, 5 for he loves our nation, and he has built us a synagogue.” 6 So Jesus went with them.
When He was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to Him, saying, “Lord, do not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy to have You come under my roof. 7 Likewise, I did not think myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8 For I myself am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me. 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.”
9 When Jesus heard these words, He marveled at him, and turned and said to the people who followed Him, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” 10 Then those who were sent, returning to the house, found the servant well who had been sick.
The Raising of the Widow’s Son
11 The following day He went into a city called Nain, and many of His disciples and a large crowd went with Him. 12 When He came near 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. And a large crowd from the city was with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.”
14 Then He came and touched the coffin, and those who carried it stood still. He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” 15 He who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He gave him to his mother.
16 Fear came on everyone. And they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has risen up among us!” and “God has visited His people!” 17 This rumor of Him went throughout all Judea and the surrounding region.
The Messengers From John the Baptist(B)
18 The disciples of John told him of all these things. 19 John, calling for two of his disciples, sent them to Jesus, saying, “Are You the One who is coming, or shall we look for another?”
20 When the men had come to Him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, saying, ‘Are You the One who is coming, or shall we look for another?’ ”
21 In that same hour He cured many of their infirmities and afflictions and evil spirits. And to many who were blind He gave sight. 22 So Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the gospel is preached to the poor. 23 Blessed is he who does not fall away on account of Me.”
24 When the messengers of John had departed, He began to speak to the crowd concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 25 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? Now those who are splendidly clothed and live luxuriously are in royal palaces. 26 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and much more than a prophet. 27 This is he of whom it is written:
‘Look, I am sending My messenger before Your face,
who shall prepare Your way before You.’[b]
28 I say to you, among those who are born of women there is no greater prophet than John the Baptist. Yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”
29 All the people who heard Him, including the tax collectors, justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John. 30 But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God for themselves, not having been baptized by John.
31 Then the Lord said, “To what then shall I compare the men of this generation, and what are they like? 32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace, calling to each other, saying:
‘We played the flute for you,
and you did not dance;
we mourned to you,
and you did not weep.’
33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine. But you say, ‘He has a demon.’ 34 The Son of Man has come eating and drinking. But you say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ 35 But wisdom is justified by all her children.”
A Sinful Woman Forgiven
36 One of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. So He went to the Pharisee’s house and sat down for supper. 37 There, a woman of the city who was a sinner, when she learned that Jesus was sitting for supper in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment, 38 and stood behind Him at His feet, weeping, and began to wash His feet with tears, and 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 it, he said to himself, “If this Man were a prophet, He would have known who and what kind of woman she is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.”
40 Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”
He said, “Teacher, say it.”
41 “A creditor had two debtors. The one owed five hundred denarii,[c] and the other fifty. 42 When they had no money to pay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?”
43 Simon answered, “I suppose he whom he forgave more.”
He said to him, “You have judged rightly.”
44 Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house. You gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. 45 You gave Me no kiss, but this woman, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet. 46 You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with ointment. 47 Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little loves little.”
48 Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
49 Those who sat at supper with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is He who even forgives sins?”
50 He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”
Luke 7
New International Reader's Version
A Roman Commander Has Faith
7 Jesus finished saying all these things to the people who were listening. Then he entered Capernaum. 2 There the servant of a Roman commander was sick and about to die. His master thought highly of him. 3 The commander heard about Jesus. So he sent some elders of the Jews to him. He told them to ask Jesus to come and heal his servant. 4 They came to Jesus and begged him, “This man deserves to have you do this. 5 He loves our nation and has built our synagogue.” 6 So Jesus went with them.
When Jesus came near the house, the Roman commander sent friends to him. He told them to say, “Lord, don’t trouble yourself. I am not good enough to have you come into my house. 7 That is why I did not even think I was fit to come to you. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8 I myself am a man who is under authority. And I have soldiers who obey my orders. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes. I tell that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at the commander. Jesus turned to the crowd that was following him. He said, “I tell you, even in Israel I have not found anyone whose faith is so strong.” 10 Then the men who had been sent to Jesus returned to the house. They found that the servant was healed.
Jesus Raises a Widow’s Son From the Dead
11 Some time later, Jesus went to a town called Nain. His disciples and a large crowd went along with him. 12 He approached the town gate. Just then, a dead person was being carried out. He was the only son of his mother. She was a widow. A large crowd from the town was with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, he felt sorry for her. So he said, “Don’t cry.”
14 Then he went up and touched the coffin. Those carrying it stood still. Jesus said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” 15 The dead man sat up and began to talk. Then Jesus gave him back to his mother.
16 The people were all filled with wonder and praised God. “A great prophet has appeared among us,” they said. “God has come to help his people.” 17 This news about Jesus spread all through Judea and the whole country.
Jesus and John the Baptist
18 John’s disciples told him about all these things. So he chose two of them. 19 He sent them to the Lord. John told them to ask him, “Are you the one who is supposed to come? Or should we look for someone else?”
20 The men came to Jesus. They said, “John the Baptist sent us to ask you, ‘Are you the one who is supposed to come? Or should we look for someone else?’ ”
21 At that time Jesus healed many people. They had illnesses, sicknesses and evil spirits. He also gave sight to many who were blind. 22 So Jesus replied to the messengers, “Go back to John. Tell him what you have seen and heard. Blind people receive sight. Disabled people walk. Those who have skin diseases are made ‘clean.’ Deaf people hear. Those who are dead are raised to life. And the good news is announced to those who are poor. 23 Blessed is anyone who does not give up their faith because of me.”
24 So John’s messengers left. Then Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John. He said, “What did you go out into the desert to see? Tall grass waving in the wind? 25 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No. Those who wear fine clothes and have many expensive things are in palaces. 26 Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 27 He is the one written about in Scripture. It says,
“ ‘I will send my messenger ahead of you.
He will prepare your way for you.’ (Malachi 3:1)
28 I tell you, no one more important than John has ever been born. But the least important person in God’s kingdom is more important than John is.”
29 All the people who heard Jesus’ words agreed that God’s way was right. Even the tax collectors agreed. These people had all been baptized by John. 30 But the Pharisees and the authorities on the law did not accept for themselves God’s purpose. So they had not been baptized by John.
31 Jesus went on to say, “What can I compare today’s people to? What are they like? 32 They are like children sitting in the market and calling out to each other. They say,
“ ‘We played the flute for you.
But you didn’t dance.
We sang a funeral song.
But you didn’t cry.’
33 That is how it has been with John the Baptist. When he came to you, he didn’t eat bread or drink wine. And you say, ‘He has a demon.’ 34 But when the Son of Man came, he ate and drank as you do. And you say, ‘This fellow is always eating and drinking far too much. He’s a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ 35 All who follow wisdom prove that wisdom is right.”
A Sinful Woman Pours Perfume on Jesus
36 One of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him. So he went to the Pharisee’s house. He took his place at the table. 37 There was a woman in that town who had lived a sinful life. She learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house. So she came there with a special jar of perfume. 38 She stood behind Jesus and cried at his feet. And she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair. She kissed them and poured perfume on them.
39 The Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this. He said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him. He would know what kind of woman she is. 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 lender. One owed him 500 silver coins. The other owed him 50 silver coins. 42 Neither of them had the money to pay him back. So he let them go without paying. Which of them will love him more?”
43 Simon replied, “I suppose the one who owed the most money.”
“You are right,” Jesus said.
44 Then he turned toward the woman. He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water to wash my feet. But she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss. But this woman has not stopped kissing my feet since I came in. 46 You did not put any olive oil on my head. But she has poured this perfume on my feet. 47 So I tell you this. Her many sins have been forgiven. She has shown that she understands this by her great acts of love. But whoever has been forgiven only a little loves only a little.”
48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
49 The other guests began to talk about this among themselves. They said, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”
50 Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
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