Luke 7:18-50

Holman Christian Standard Bible

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:

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:

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)