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After he had finished speaking in the hearing of the people, he entered into Capernaum. A certain centurion’s servant, who was dear to him, was sick and at the point of death. When he heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and save his servant. When they came to Jesus, they begged him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy for you to do this for him, for he loves our nation, and he built our synagogue for us.” Jesus went with them. When he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying to him, “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I am not worthy for you to come under my roof. Therefore I didn’t even think myself worthy to come to you; but say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man placed under authority, having under myself soldiers. I tell this 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, he marveled at him, and turned and said to the multitude who followed him, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith, no, not in Israel.” 10 Those who were sent, returning to the house, found that the servant who had been sick was well.

11 Soon afterwards, he went to a city called Nain. Many of his disciples, along with a great multitude, went with him. 12 Now when he came near to the gate of the city, behold, one who was dead was carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. Many people of the city were with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said to her, “Don’t cry.” 14 He came near and touched the coffin, and the bearers stood still. He said, “Young man, I tell you, arise!” 15 He who was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he gave him to his mother.

16 Fear took hold of all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and, “God has visited his people!” 17 This report went out concerning him in the whole of Judea, and in all the surrounding region.

18 The disciples of John told him about all these things. 19 John, calling to himself two of his disciples, sent them to Jesus, saying, “Are you the one who is coming, or should we look for another?” 20 When the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptizer has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you he who comes, or should we look for another?’”

21 In that hour he cured many of diseases and plagues and evil spirits; and to many who were blind he gave sight. 22 Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John the things which you have seen and heard: that the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. 23 Blessed is he who finds no occasion for stumbling in me.”

24 When John’s messengers had departed, he began to tell the multitudes about John, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 25 But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are gorgeously dressed, and live delicately, are in kings’ courts. 26 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet. 27 This is he of whom it is written,

‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
    who will prepare your way before you.’Malachi 3:1

28 “For I tell you, among those who are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptizer, yet he who is least in God’s Kingdom is greater than he.”

29 When all the people and the tax collectors heard this, they declared God to be just, having been baptized with John’s baptism. 30 But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the counsel of God, not being baptized by him themselves.

31 [a]“To what then should I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? 32 They are like children who sit in the marketplace, and call to one another, saying, ‘We piped to you, and you didn’t dance. We mourned, and you didn’t weep.’ 33 For John the Baptizer came neither 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 drunkard; a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ 35 Wisdom is justified by all her children.”

36 One of the Pharisees invited him to eat with him. He entered into the Pharisee’s house, and sat at the table. 37 Behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that he was reclining in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment. 38 Standing behind at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and she wiped them with the hair of her head, kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, “This man, if he were a prophet, would have perceived who and what kind of woman this is who touches him, that she is a sinner.”

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

He said, “Teacher, say on.”

41 “A certain lender had two debtors. The one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they couldn’t pay, he forgave them both. Which of them therefore will love him most?”

43 Simon answered, “He, I suppose, to whom he forgave the most.”

He said to him, “You have judged correctly.” 44 Turning to the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered into your house, and you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head. 45 You gave me no kiss, but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 You didn’t anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.” 48 He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

49 Those who sat at the table with him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

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

Footnotes

  1. 7:31 TR adds “But the Lord said,”

After Jesus had finished all that He had to say in the hearing of the people [on the mountain], He entered Capernaum.

Now a centurion had a bond servant who was held in honor and highly valued by him, who was sick and at the point of death.

And when the centurion heard of Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to Him, requesting Him to come and make his bond servant well.

And when they reached Jesus, they begged Him earnestly, saying, He is worthy that You should do this for him,

For he loves our nation and he built us our synagogue [at his own expense].

And Jesus went with them. But when He was not far from the house, the centurion sent [some] friends to Him, saying, Lord, do not trouble [Yourself], for I am not [a]sufficiently worthy to have You come under my roof;

Neither did I consider myself worthy to come to You. But [just] speak a word, and my servant boy will be healed.

For I also am a man [daily] subject to authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, Go, and he goes; and to another, Come, and he comes; and to my bond servant, Do this, and he does it.

Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled at him, and He turned and said to the crowd that followed Him, I tell you, not even in [all] Israel have I found such great faith [as this].

10 And when the messengers who had been sent returned to the house, they found the bond servant [b]who had been ill quite well again.

11 [c]Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and His disciples and a great throng accompanied Him.

12 [Just] as He drew near the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; and a large gathering from the town was accompanying her.

13 And when the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, Do not weep.

14 And He went forward and touched the funeral bier, and the pallbearers stood still. And He said, Young man, I say to you, arise [[d]from death]!

15 And the man [who was] dead sat up and began to speak. And [Jesus] gave him [back] to his mother.

16 Profound and reverent fear seized them all, and they began [e]to recognize God and praise and give thanks, saying, A great [f]Prophet has appeared among us! And God has visited His people [in order to help and care for and provide for them]!

17 And this report concerning [Jesus] spread through the whole of Judea and all the country round about.(A)

18 And John’s disciples brought him [who was now in prison] word of all these things.

19 And John summoned to him a certain two of his disciples and sent them to the Lord, saying, Are You He Who is to come, or shall we [continue to] look for another?

20 So the men came to Jesus and said, John the Baptist sent us to You to ask, Are You the One Who is to come, or shall we [continue to] look for another?

21 In that very hour Jesus was healing many [people] of sicknesses and distressing bodily plagues and evil spirits, and to many who were blind He gave [[g]a free, gracious, joy-giving gift of] sight.

22 So He replied to them, Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the good news (the Gospel) preached to them.(B)

23 And blessed (happy—[h]with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, apart from outward conditions—and [i]to be envied) is he who takes no offense in Me and who is not hurt or resentful or annoyed or repelled or made to stumble [[j]whatever may occur].

24 And the messengers of John having departed, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: What did you go out into the desert to gaze on? A reed shaken and swayed by the wind?

25 Then what did you go out to see? A man dressed up in soft garments? Behold, those who wear fine apparel and live in luxury are in the courts or palaces of kings.

26 What then did you go out to see? A prophet (a forthteller)? Yes, I tell you, and far more than a prophet.

27 This is the one of whom it is written, Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who shall make ready Your way before You.(C)

28 I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; but [k]he that is inferior [to the other citizens] in the kingdom of God is greater [in incomparable privilege] than he.

29 And all the people who heard Him, even the tax collectors, acknowledged the justice of God [in [l]calling them to repentance and in pronouncing future wrath on the impenitent], being baptized with the baptism of John.

30 But the Pharisees and the lawyers [of the Mosaic Law] annulled and rejected and brought to nothing God’s purpose concerning themselves, by [refusing and] not being baptized by him [John].

31 So to what shall I compare the men of this generation? And what are they like?

32 They are like little children sitting in the marketplace, calling to one another and saying, We piped to you [playing wedding], and you did not dance; we sang dirges and wailed [playing funeral], and you did not weep.

33 For John the Baptist has come neither 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 Man Who is a glutton and a wine drinker, a friend of tax collectors and notorious sinners.

35 Yet wisdom is vindicated ([m]shown to be true and divine) by all her children [[n]by their life, character, and deeds].

36 One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to dine with him, and He went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table.

37 And behold, a woman of the town who was [o]an especially wicked sinner, when she learned that He was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment (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 kissed His feet [affectionately] and anointed them with the ointment (perfume).

39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw it, he said to himself, If this Man were a prophet, He would surely know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching Him—for she is a notorious sinner (a social outcast, devoted to sin).

40 And Jesus, replying, said to him, Simon, I have something to say to you. And he answered, Teacher, say it.

41 A certain lender of money [at interest] had two debtors: one owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.

42 When they had no means of paying, he freely forgave them both. Now which of them will love him more?

43 Simon answered, The one, I take it, for whom he forgave and cancelled more. And Jesus said to him, You have decided correctly.

44 Then turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, Do you see this woman? When I came into your house, you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.

45 You gave Me no kiss, but she from the moment I came in has not ceased [[p]intermittently] to kiss My feet tenderly and caressingly.

46 You did not anoint My head with [q][cheap, ordinary] oil, but she has anointed My feet with [r][costly, rare] perfume.

47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, many [as they are], are forgiven her—because she has loved much. But he who is forgiven little loves little.

48 And He said to her, Your sins are forgiven!

49 Then those who were at table with Him began to say among themselves, Who is this Who even forgives sins?

50 But Jesus said to the woman, Your faith has saved you; go (enter) [s]into peace [[t]in freedom from all the distresses that are experienced as the result of sin].

Footnotes

  1. Luke 7:6 Literal translation: “sufficient.”
  2. Luke 7:10 Some manuscripts add this phrase.
  3. Luke 7:11 Many ancient manuscripts read “the next day.”
  4. Luke 7:14 Hermann Cremer, Biblico-Theological Lexicon.
  5. Luke 7:16 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
  6. Luke 7:16 Capitalized because of what He is, the spotless Son of God, not what the speakers may have thought He was.
  7. Luke 7:21 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
  8. Luke 7:23 Hermann Cremer, Biblico-Theological Lexicon.
  9. Luke 7:23 Alexander Souter, Pocket Lexicon.
  10. Luke 7:23 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
  11. Luke 7:28 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
  12. Luke 7:29 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
  13. Luke 7:35 Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament.
  14. Luke 7:35 Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament.
  15. Luke 7:37 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
  16. Luke 7:45 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
  17. Luke 7:46 Hermann Cremer, Biblico-Theological Lexicon.
  18. Luke 7:46 Hermann Cremer, Biblico-Theological Lexicon.
  19. Luke 7:50 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
  20. Luke 7:50 Hermann Cremer, Biblico-Theological Lexicon.