Luke 7
Holman Christian Standard Bible
A Centurion’s Faith
7 When He had concluded all His sayings in the hearing of the people, He entered Capernaum.(A) 2 A centurion’s slave, who was highly valued by him, was sick and about to die. 3 When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to Him, requesting Him to come and save the life of his slave. 4 When they reached Jesus, they pleaded with Him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy for You to grant this, 5 because he loves our nation and has built us a synagogue.”(B) 6 Jesus went with them, and when He was not far from[a] the house, the centurion sent friends to tell Him, “Lord, don’t trouble Yourself, since I am not worthy to have You come under my roof. 7 That is why I didn’t even consider myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be cured.[b](C) 8 For I too am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under my command.[c] I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”
9 Jesus heard this and was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following Him, He said, “I tell you, I have not found so great a faith even in Israel!” 10 When those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave in good health.
A Widow’s Son Raised to Life
11 Soon afterward He was on His way to a town called Nain. His disciples and a large crowd were traveling with Him. 12 Just as He neared the gate of the town, a dead man was being carried out. He was his mother’s only son, and she was a widow.(D) A large crowd from the city was also with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her(E) and said, “Don’t cry.” 14 Then He came up and touched the open coffin,[d] and the pallbearers stopped. And He said, “Young man, I tell you, get up!”(F)
15 The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother.(G) 16 Then fear[e] came over everyone,(H) and they glorified God,(I) saying, “A great prophet has risen among us,”(J) and “God has visited[f] His people.”(K) 17 This report about Him went throughout Judea and all the vicinity.
In Praise of John the Baptist
18 Then John’s disciples told him about all these things.(L) So John summoned two of his disciples 19 and sent them to the Lord, asking, “Are You the One(M) 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,(N) plagues, and evil spirits,(O) and He granted sight to many blind people.(P) 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,[g] the deaf hear,(Q) the dead are raised, and the poor are told the good news.(R) 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[h] and live in luxury are in royal palaces. 26 What then did you go out to see? A prophet?(S) 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,[k] 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,[l] because they had been baptized with John’s baptism.(U) 30 But since the Pharisees and experts in the law(V) had not been baptized by him, they rejected the plan of God for themselves.(W))
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:
We played the flute for you,
but you didn’t dance;
we sang a lament,
but you didn’t weep!
33 For John the Baptist did not come eating bread or drinking wine,(X) 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!’(Y) 35 Yet wisdom is vindicated[m] 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.(Z) 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.(AA) 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.(AB)
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!”(AC)
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,(AD) and the other 50. 42 Since they could not pay it back,(AE) 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,(AF) but she, with her tears, has washed My feet and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave Me no kiss,(AG) but she hasn’t stopped kissing My feet since I came in. 46 You didn’t anoint My head with olive oil,(AH) but she has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. 47 Therefore I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; that’s why[n] she loved much. But the one who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”(AI)
49 Those who were at the table with Him began to say among themselves, “Who is this man who even forgives sins?”(AJ)
50 And He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you.(AK) Go in peace.”(AL)
Footnotes
- Luke 7:6 Lit and He already was not far from
- Luke 7:7 Other mss read and let my servant be cured
- Luke 7:8 Lit under me
- Luke 7:14 Or the bier
- Luke 7:16 Or awe
- Luke 7:16 Or come to help
- Luke 7:22 Lit cleansed
- Luke 7:25 Or who have glorious robes
- Luke 7:27 Lit messenger before Your face
- Luke 7:27 Mal 3:1
- Luke 7:28 Other mss read women is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist
- Luke 7:29 Lit they justified God
- Luke 7:35 Or wisdom is declared right
- Luke 7:47 Her love shows that she has been forgiven
Luke 7
Good News Translation
Jesus Heals a Roman Officer's Servant(A)
7 When Jesus had finished saying all these things to the people, he went to Capernaum. 2 A Roman officer there had a servant who was very dear to him; the man was sick and about to die. 3 When the officer heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to ask him to come and heal his servant. 4 They came to Jesus and begged him earnestly, “This man really deserves your help. 5 He loves our people and he himself built a synagogue for us.”
6 So Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the officer sent friends to tell him, “Sir, don't trouble yourself. I do not deserve to have you come into my house, 7 neither do I consider myself worthy to come to you in person. Just give the order, and my servant will get well. 8 I, too, am a man placed under the authority of superior officers, and I have soldiers under me. I order this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes; I order that one, ‘Come!’ and he comes; and I order my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”
9 Jesus was surprised when he heard this; he turned around and said to the crowd following him, “I tell you, I have never found faith like this, not even in Israel!”
10 The messengers went back to the officer's house and found his servant well.
Jesus Raises a Widow's Son
11 Soon afterward[a] Jesus went to a town named Nain, accompanied by his disciples and a large crowd. 12 Just as he arrived at the gate of the town, a funeral procession was coming out. The dead man was the only son of a woman who was a widow, and a large crowd from the town was with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, his heart was filled with pity for her, and he said to her, “Don't cry.” 14 Then he walked over and touched the coffin, and the men carrying it stopped. Jesus said, “Young man! Get up, I tell you!” 15 The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.
16 They all were filled with fear and praised God. “A great prophet has appeared among us!” they said; “God has come to save his people!”
17 This news about Jesus went out through all the country and the surrounding territory.
The Messengers from John the Baptist(B)
18 When John's disciples told him about all these things, he called two of them 19 and sent them to the Lord to ask him, “Are you the one John said was going to come, or should we expect someone else?”
20 When they came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to ask if you are the one he said was going to come, or should we expect someone else?”
21 At that very time Jesus healed many people from their sicknesses, diseases, and evil spirits, and gave sight to many blind people. 22 (C)He answered John's messengers, “Go back and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind can see, the lame can walk, those who suffer from dreaded skin diseases are made clean,[b] the deaf can hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is preached to the poor. 23 How happy are those who have no doubts about me!”
24 After John's messengers had left, Jesus began to speak about him to the crowds: “When you went out to John in the desert, what did you expect to see? A blade of grass bending in the wind? 25 What did you go out to see? A man dressed up in fancy clothes? People who dress like that and live in luxury are found in palaces! 26 Tell me, what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes indeed, but you saw much more than a prophet. 27 (D)For John is the one of whom the scripture says: ‘God said, I will send my messenger ahead of you to open the way for you.’ 28 I tell you,” Jesus added, “John is greater than anyone who has ever lived. But the one who is least in the Kingdom of God is greater than John.”
29 (E)All the people heard him; they and especially the tax collectors were the ones who had obeyed God's righteous demands and had been baptized by John. 30 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law rejected God's purpose for themselves and refused to be baptized by John.
31 Jesus continued, “Now to what can I compare the people of this day? What are they like? 32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace. One group shouts to the other, ‘We played wedding music for you, but you wouldn't dance! We sang funeral songs, but you wouldn't cry!’ 33 John the Baptist came, and he fasted and drank no wine, and you said, ‘He has a demon in him!’ 34 The Son of Man came, and he ate and drank, and you said, ‘Look at this man! He is a glutton and wine drinker, a friend of tax collectors and other outcasts!’ 35 God's wisdom, however, is shown to be true by all who accept it.”
Jesus at the Home of Simon the Pharisee
36 A Pharisee invited Jesus to have dinner with him, and Jesus went to his house and sat down to eat. 37 (F)In that town was a woman who lived a sinful life. She heard that Jesus was eating in the Pharisee's house, so she brought an alabaster jar full of perfume 38 and stood behind Jesus, by his feet, crying and wetting his feet with her tears. Then she dried his feet with her hair, kissed them, and poured the perfume on them. 39 When the Pharisee saw this, he said to himself, “If this man really were a prophet, he would know who this woman is who is touching him; he would know what kind of sinful life she lives!”
40 Jesus spoke up and said to him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”
“Yes, Teacher,” he said, “tell me.”
41 “There were two men who owed money to a moneylender,” Jesus began. “One owed him five hundred silver coins, and the other owed him fifty. 42 Neither of them could pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Which one, then, will love him more?”
43 “I suppose,” answered Simon, “that it would be the one who was forgiven more.”
“You are right,” said Jesus. 44 Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your home, and you gave me no water for my feet, but she has washed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. 45 You did not welcome me with a kiss, but she has not stopped kissing my feet since I came. 46 You provided no olive oil for my head, but she has covered my feet with perfume. 47 I tell you, then, the great love she has shown proves that her many sins have been forgiven. But whoever has been forgiven little shows only a little love.”
48 Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”
49 The others sitting at the table began to say to themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?”
50 But Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
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Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.
