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!’^{(A) 35} Yet wisdom is vindicated 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.^{(B) 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.^(C) She brought an alabaster jar of perfume ³⁸ and stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to wash his feet with her tears. She wiped his feet with her hair, kissing them and anointing them with the perfume.^(D)

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!” ^(E)

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

He said, “Say it, teacher.”

⁴¹ “A creditor had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii,^[a](F) and the other fifty. ⁴² Since they could not pay it back,^(G) 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,^(H) but she, with her tears, has washed my feet and wiped them with her hair. ⁴⁵ You gave me no kiss,^(I) but she hasn’t stopped kissing my feet since I came in. ⁴⁶ You didn’t anoint my head with olive oil,^(J) but she has anointed my feet with perfume. ⁴⁷ Therefore I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; that’s why she loved much. But the one who is forgiven little, loves little.” ⁴⁸ Then he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”^(K)

A Generous and Growing Church

⁴² They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching,^(A) to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer.^(B)

⁴³ Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the apostles.^{(C) 44} Now all the believers were together and held all things in common.^{(D) 45} They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as any had need. ⁴⁶ Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts,^{(E) 47} praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. Every day the Lord added to their number^[a] those who were being saved.^(F)

The Law of Love

¹³ Therefore, let us no longer judge one another.^(A) Instead decide never to put a stumbling block or pitfall in the way of your brother or sister.^{(B) 14} I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself.^(C) Still, to someone who considers a thing to be unclean, to that one it is unclean.^{(D) 15} For if your brother or sister is hurt by what you eat, you are no longer walking according to love.^(E) Do not destroy, by what you eat, someone for whom Christ died.^{(F) 16} Therefore, do not let your good be slandered,^{(G) 17} for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking,^(H) but righteousness, peace, and joy^(I) in the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸ Whoever serves Christ^(J) in this way is acceptable to God and receives human approval.^(K)

¹⁹ So then, let us pursue what promotes peace^(L) and what builds up one another.^{(M) 20} Do not tear down God’s work because of food. Everything is clean, but it is wrong to make someone fall by what he eats.^{(N) 21} It is a good thing not to eat meat, or drink wine, or do anything that makes your brother or sister stumble.^{[a] 22} Whatever you believe about these things, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves.^{(O) 23} But whoever doubts stands condemned if he eats,^(P) because his eating is not from faith,^[b] and everything that is not from faith is sin.

Unity Yet Diversity in the Body

¹² For just as the body is one^(A) and has many parts, and all the parts of that body, though many, are one body—so also is Christ.^{(B) 13} For we were all baptized by^[a] one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and we were all given one Spirit to drink.^{(C) 14} Indeed, the body is not one part but many. ¹⁵ If the foot should say, “Because I’m not a hand, I don’t belong to the body,” it is not for that reason any less a part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear should say, “Because I’m not an eye, I don’t belong to the body,” it is not for that reason any less a part of the body. ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸ But as it is, God has arranged each one of the parts in the body just as he wanted.^{(D) 19} And if they were all the same part, where would the body be? ²⁰ As it is, there are many parts, but one body. ²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” Or again, the head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” ²² On the contrary, those parts of the body that are weaker are indispensable. ²³ And those parts of the body that we consider less honorable,^(E) we clothe these with greater honor, and our unrespectable parts are treated with greater respect, ²⁴ which our respectable parts do not need.

Instead, God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the less honorable, ²⁵ so that there would be no division^(F) in the body, but that the members would have the same concern for each other. ²⁶ So if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

Separation to God

¹⁴ Do not be yoked together with those who do not believe. For what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness?^(A) Or what fellowship does light^(B) have with darkness?^{(C) 15} What agreement does Christ have with Belial?^[a] Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? ¹⁶ And what agreement does the temple of God have with idols?^(D) For we^[b] are the temple of the living God, as God said:

²⁴ And let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works, ²⁵ not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other,^(A) and all the more as you see the day approaching.