11 Soon afterward Jesus went to a city called Nain; and His disciples were going along with Him, [a]accompanied by a large crowd. 12 Now as He approached the gate of the city, [b]a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; and a sizeable crowd from the city was with her. 13 When (A)the Lord saw her, He felt compassion for her and said to her, “Do not go on weeping.” 14 And He came up and touched the coffin; and the bearers came to a halt. And He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise!” 15 And the dead man sat up and began to speak. And Jesus gave him back to his mother. 16 (B)Fear gripped them all, and they began (C)glorifying God, saying, “A great (D)prophet has appeared among us!” and, “God has [c]visited His people!” 17 (E)And this report about Him spread throughout Judea and in all the surrounding region.

The Messengers from John

18 (F)The disciples of John also reported to him about all these things. 19 And after summoning [d]two of his disciples, John sent them to (G)the Lord, saying, “Are You the Coming One, or are we to [e]look for another?” 20 When the men came to Him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, [f]to ask, ‘Are You the Coming One, or are we to [g]look for another?’” 21 At that very [h]time He (H)cured many people of diseases and (I)afflictions and evil spirits; and He gave sight to many who were blind. 22 And He answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: people who were (J)blind receive sight, people who limped walk, people with leprosy are cleansed and people who were deaf hear, dead people are raised up, and (K)people who are poor have the gospel preached to them. 23 And blessed is [i]anyone who does not take offense at Me.”

24 When the messengers of John had left, He began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the [j]wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 25 [k]But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Those who are splendidly clothed and live in luxury are found in royal palaces! 26 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and one who is more than a prophet. 27 This is the one about whom it is written:

(L)Behold, I am sending My messenger [l]ahead of You,
Who will prepare Your way before You.’

28 I say to you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is [m]least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” 29 When all the people and the tax collectors heard this, they acknowledged (M)God’s justice, (N)having been baptized with (O)the baptism of John. 30 But the Pharisees and the [n](P)lawyers rejected God’s purpose for themselves, not having been baptized by [o]John.

31 “To what then shall I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like? 32 They are like children who sit in the marketplace and call to one another, and say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a song of mourning, and you did not weep.’ 33 For John the Baptist has come neither (Q)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 [p]heavy drinker, a friend of tax collectors and [q]sinners!’ 35 And yet wisdom (R)is vindicated by all her children.”

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 7:11 Lit and a
  2. Luke 7:12 Lit one who had died
  3. Luke 7:16 Or cared for
  4. Luke 7:19 Lit a certain two
  5. Luke 7:19 Or wait for
  6. Luke 7:20 Lit saying
  7. Luke 7:20 Or wait for
  8. Luke 7:21 Lit hour
  9. Luke 7:23 Lit whoever
  10. Luke 7:24 I.e., desert
  11. Luke 7:25 Or Well then, what
  12. Luke 7:27 Lit before Your face
  13. Luke 7:28 Or less
  14. Luke 7:30 I.e., experts in the Mosaic Law
  15. Luke 7:30 Lit him
  16. Luke 7:34 Or wine drinker
  17. Luke 7:34 I.e., irreligious Jews

Jesus Raises a Widow’s Son

11 Soon afterward Jesus went with his disciples to the village of Nain, and a large crowd followed him. 12 A funeral procession was coming out as he approached the village gate. The young man who had died was a widow’s only son, and a large crowd from the village was with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, his heart overflowed with compassion. “Don’t cry!” he said. 14 Then he walked over to the coffin and touched it, and the bearers stopped. “Young man,” he said, “I tell you, get up.” 15 Then the dead boy sat up and began to talk! And Jesus gave him back to his mother.

16 Great fear swept the crowd, and they praised God, saying, “A mighty prophet has risen among us,” and “God has visited his people today.” 17 And the news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding countryside.

Jesus and John the Baptist

18 The disciples of John the Baptist told John about everything Jesus was doing. So John called for two of his disciples, 19 and he sent them to the Lord to ask him, “Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting,[a] or should we keep looking for someone else?”

20 John’s two disciples found Jesus and said to him, “John the Baptist sent us to ask, ‘Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?’”

21 At that very time, Jesus cured many people of their diseases, illnesses, and evil spirits, and he restored sight to many who were blind. 22 Then he told John’s disciples, “Go back to John and tell him what you have seen and heard—the blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor.” 23 And he added, “God blesses those who do not fall away because of me.[b]

24 After John’s disciples left, Jesus began talking about him to the crowds. “What kind of man did you go into the wilderness to see? Was he a weak reed, swayed by every breath of wind? 25 Or were you expecting to see a man dressed in expensive clothes? No, people who wear beautiful clothes and live in luxury are found in palaces. 26 Were you looking for a prophet? Yes, and he is more than a prophet. 27 John is the man to whom the Scriptures refer when they say,

‘Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
    and he will prepare your way before you.’[c]

28 I tell you, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John. Yet even the least person in the Kingdom of God is greater than he is!”

29 When they heard this, all the people—even the tax collectors—agreed that God’s way was right,[d] for they had been baptized by John. 30 But the Pharisees and experts in religious law rejected God’s plan for them, for they had refused John’s baptism.

31 “To what can I compare the people of this generation?” Jesus asked. “How can I describe them? 32 They are like children playing a game in the public square. They complain to their friends,

‘We played wedding songs,
    and you didn’t dance,
so we played funeral songs,
    and you didn’t weep.’

33 For John the Baptist didn’t spend his time eating bread or drinking wine, and you say, ‘He’s possessed by a demon.’ 34 The Son of Man,[e] on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say, ‘He’s a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!’ 35 But wisdom is shown to be right by the lives of those who follow it.[f]

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Footnotes

  1. 7:19 Greek Are you the one who is coming? Also in 7:20.
  2. 7:23 Or who are not offended by me.
  3. 7:27 Mal 3:1.
  4. 7:29 Or praised God for his justice.
  5. 7:34 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.
  6. 7:35 Or But wisdom is justified by all her children.