Luke 7
International Children’s Bible
Jesus Heals a Soldier’s Servant
7 When Jesus finished saying all these things to the people, he went to Capernaum. 2 In Capernaum there was an army officer. He had a servant who was so sick he was nearly dead. The officer loved the servant very much. 3 When the officer heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to him. The officer wanted the leaders to ask Jesus to come and heal his servant. 4 The men went to Jesus and begged him saying, “This officer is worthy of your help. 5 He loves our people, and he built us a synagogue.”
6 So Jesus went with the men. He was getting near the officer’s house when the officer sent friends to say, “Lord, you don’t need to come into my house. I am not good enough for you to be under my roof. 7 That is why I did not come to you myself. You only need to say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8 I, too, am a man under the authority of other men. And I have soldiers under my command. I tell one soldier, ‘Go,’ and he goes. And I tell another soldier, ‘Come,’ and he comes. And I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and my servant obeys me.”
9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. He turned to the crowd following him and said, “I tell you, this is the greatest faith I have seen anywhere, even in Israel.”
10 The men who had been sent to Jesus went back to the house. There they found that the servant was healed.
Jesus Brings a Man Back to Life
11 The next day Jesus went to a town called Nain. His followers and a large crowd were traveling with him. 12 When he came near the town gate, he saw a funeral. A mother, who was a widow, had lost her only son. A large crowd from the town was with the mother while her son was being carried out. 13 When the Lord saw her, he felt very sorry for her. Jesus said to her, “Don’t cry.” 14 He went up to the coffin and touched it. The men who were carrying it stopped. Jesus said, “Young man, I tell you, get up!” 15 And the son sat up and began to talk. Then Jesus gave him back to his mother.
16 All the people were amazed. They began praising God. They said, “A great prophet has come to us! God is taking care of his people.”
17 This news about Jesus spread through all Judea and into all the places around there.
John Asks a Question
18 John’s followers told him about all these things. He called for two of his followers. 19 He sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the One who is coming, or should we wait for another?”
20 So the men came to Jesus. They said, “John the Baptist sent us to you with this question: ‘Are you the One who is coming, or should we wait for another?’”
21 At that time, Jesus healed many people of their sicknesses, diseases, and evil spirits. He healed many blind people so that they could see again. 22 Then Jesus said to John’s followers, “Go tell John the things that you saw and heard here. The blind can see. The crippled can walk. People with a harmful skin disease are healed. The deaf can hear, and the dead are given life. And the Good News is told to the poor. 23 The person who does not lose faith is blessed!”
24 When John’s followers left, Jesus began to tell the people about John: “What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed[a] blown by the wind? 25 What did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No. People who have fine clothes live in kings’ palaces. 26 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, and I tell you, John is more than a prophet. 27 This was written about John:
‘I will send my messenger ahead of you.
He will prepare the way for you.’ Malachi 3:1
28 I tell you, John is greater than any other man ever born. But even the least important person in the kingdom of God is greater than John.”
29 (When the people heard this, they all agreed that God’s teaching was good. Even the tax collectors agreed. These were people who were already baptized by John. 30 But the Pharisees and teachers of the law refused to accept God’s plan for themselves; they did not let John baptize them.)
31 Then Jesus said, “What shall I say about the people of this time? What are they like? 32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace. One group of children calls to the other group and says,
‘We played music for you, but you did not dance.
We sang a sad song, but you did not cry.’
33 John the Baptist came and did not eat like other people or drink wine. And you say, ‘He has a demon in him.’ 34 The Son of Man came eating like other people and drinking wine. And you say, ‘Look at him! He eats too much and drinks too much wine! He is a friend of the tax collectors and “sinners”!’ 35 But wisdom is shown to be right by the things it does.”
Simon the Pharisee
36 One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him. Jesus went into the Pharisee’s house and sat at the table. 37 A sinful woman in the town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house. So she brought an alabaster jar of perfume. 38 She stood at Jesus’ feet, crying, and began to wash his feet with her tears. She dried his feet with her hair, kissed them many times and rubbed them with the perfume. 39 The Pharisee who asked Jesus to come to his house saw this. He thought to himself, “If Jesus were a prophet, he would know that the woman who is touching him is a sinner!”
40 Jesus said to the Pharisee, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”
Simon said, “Teacher, tell me.”
41 Jesus said, “There were two men. Both men owed money to the same banker. One man owed the banker 500 silver coins.[b] The other man owed the banker 50 silver coins. 42 The men had no money; so they could not pay what they owed. But the banker told the men that they did not have to pay him. Which one of the two men will love the banker more?”
43 Simon, the Pharisee, answered, “I think it would be the one who owed him the most money.”
Jesus said to Simon, “You are right.” 44 Then Jesus turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? When I came into your house, you gave me no water for my feet. But she washed my feet with her tears and dried my feet with her hair. 45 You did not kiss me, but she has been kissing my feet since I came in! 46 You did not rub my head with oil, but she rubbed my feet with perfume. 47 I tell you that her many sins are forgiven. This is clear because she showed great love. But the person who has only a little to be forgiven will feel only a little love.”
48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
49 The people sitting at the table began to think to themselves, “Who is this man? How can he forgive sins?”
50 Jesus said to the woman, “Because you believed, you are saved from your sins. Go in peace.”
Luke 7
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
7 And when he had finished all his words in the hearing of the people, he entered into Capharnaum.
2 And the servant of a certain centurion, who was dear to him, being sick, was ready to die.
3 And when he had heard of Jesus, he sent unto him the ancients of the Jews, desiring him to come and heal his servant.
4 And when they came to Jesus, they besought him earnestly, saying to him: He is worthy that thou shouldest do this for him.
5 For he loveth our nation; and he hath built us a synagogue.
6 And Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent his friends to him, saying: Lord, trouble not thyself; for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof.
7 For which cause neither did I think myself worthy to come to thee; but say the word, and my servant shall be healed.
8 For I also am a man subject to authority, having under me soldiers: and I say to one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doth it.
9 Which Jesus hearing, marvelled: and turning about to the multitude that followed him, he said: Amen I say to you, I have not found so great faith, not even in Israel.
10 And they who were sent, being returned to the house, found the servant whole who had been sick.
11 And it came to pass afterwards, that he went into a city that is called Naim; and there went with him his disciples, and a great multitude.
12 And when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold a dead man was carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow: and a great multitude of the city was with her.
13 Whom when the Lord had seen, being moved with mercy towards her, he said to her: Weep not.
14 And he came near and touched the bier. And they that carried it, stood still. And he said: Young man, I say to thee, arise.
15 And he that was dead, sat up, and began to speak. And he gave him to his mother.
16 And there came a fear on them all: and they glorified God, saying: A great prophet is risen up among us: and, God hath visited his people.
17 And this rumour of him went forth throughout all Judea, and throughout all the country round about.
18 And John's disciples told him of all these things.
19 And John called to him two of his disciples, and sent them to Jesus, saying: Art thou he that art to come; or look we for another?
20 And when the men were come unto him, they said: John the Baptist hath sent us to thee, saying: Art thou he that art to come; or look we for another?
21 (And in that same hour, he cured many of their diseases, and hurts, and evil spirits: and to many that were blind he gave sight.)
22 And answering, he said to them: Go and relate to John what you have heard and seen: the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are made clean, the deaf hear, the dead rise again, to the poor the gospel is preached:
23 And blessed is he whosoever shall not be scandalized in me.
24 And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak to the multitudes concerning John. What went ye out into the desert to see? a reed shaken with the wind?
25 But what went you out to see? a man clothed in soft garments? Behold they that are in costly apparel and live delicately, are in the houses of kings.
26 But what went you out to see? a prophet? Yea, I say to you, and more than a prophet.
27 This is he of whom it is written: Behold I send my angel before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee.
28 For I say to you: Amongst those that are born of women, there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist. But he that is the lesser in the kingdom of God, is greater than he.
29 And all the people hearing, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with John's baptism.
30 But the Pharisees and the lawyers despised the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized by him.
31 And the Lord said: Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like?
32 They are like to children sitting in the marketplace, and speaking one to another, and saying: We have piped to you, and you have not danced: we have mourned, and you have not wept.
33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and you say: He hath a devil.
34 The Son of man is come eating and drinking: and you say: Behold a man that is a glutton and a drinker of wine, a friend of publicans and sinners.
35 And wisdom is justified by all her children.
36 And one of the Pharisees desired him to eat with him. And he went into the house of the Pharisee, and sat down to meat.
37 And behold a woman that was in the city, a sinner, when she knew that he sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment;
38 And standing behind at his feet, she began to wash his feet, with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
39 And the Pharisee, who had invited him, seeing it, spoke within himself, saying: This man, if he were a prophet, would know surely who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him, that she is a sinner.
40 And Jesus answering, said to him: Simon, I have somewhat to say to thee. But he said: Master, say it.
41 A certain creditor had two debtors, the one who owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.
42 And whereas they had not wherewith to pay, he forgave them both. Which therefore of the two loveth him most?
43 Simon answering, said: I suppose that he to whom he forgave most. And he said to him: Thou hast judged rightly.
44 And turning to the woman, he said unto Simon: Dost thou see this woman? I entered into thy house, thou gavest me no water for my feet; but she with tears hath washed my feet, and with her hairs hath wiped them.
45 Thou gavest me no kiss; but she, since she came in, hath not ceased to kiss my feet.
46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint; but she with ointment hath anointed my feet.
47 Wherefore I say to thee: Many sins are forgiven her, because she hath loved much. But to whom less is forgiven, he loveth less.
48 And he said to her: Thy sins are forgiven thee.
49 And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves: Who is this that forgiveth sins also?
50 And he said to the woman: Thy faith hath made thee safe, go in peace.
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