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The Faith of a Roman Officer

When Jesus had finished saying all this to the people, he returned to Capernaum. At that time the highly valued slave of a Roman officer[a] was sick and near death. When the officer heard about Jesus, he sent some respected Jewish elders to ask him to come and heal his slave. So they earnestly begged Jesus to help the man. “If anyone deserves your help, he does,” they said, “for he loves the Jewish people and even built a synagogue for us.”

So Jesus went with them. But just before they arrived at the house, the officer sent some friends to say, “Lord, don’t trouble yourself by coming to my home, for I am not worthy of such an honor. I am not even worthy to come and meet you. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.”

When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to the crowd that was following him, he said, “I tell you, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel!” 10 And when the officer’s friends returned to his house, they found the slave completely healed.

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Footnotes

  1. 7:2 Greek a centurion; similarly in 7:6.

The Centurion’s Faith

(A)When He had completed all His words in the hearing of the people, (B)He went to Capernaum.

And a centurion’s slave, [a]who was highly regarded by him, was sick and about to die. Now when he heard about Jesus, (C)he sent some [b]Jewish elders asking Him to come and [c]save the life of his slave. And when they came to Jesus, they were earnestly pleading with Him, saying, “He is worthy for You to grant this to him; for he loves our nation and it was he who built us our synagogue.” Now Jesus was going on His way with them; and when He was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to Him, “[d]Lord, do not trouble Yourself further, for I am not good enough for You to come under my roof. For this reason I did not even consider myself worthy to come to You, but just [e]say the word, and my [f]servant will be healed. For I also am a man placed under authority, with soldiers under me; and 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.” Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled at him. And He turned to the crowd that was following Him and said, “I say to you, (D)not even in Israel have I found such great faith.” 10 And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave in good health.

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 7:2 Lit to whom he was honorable
  2. Luke 7:3 Lit elders of the Jews
  3. Luke 7:3 Or cure
  4. Luke 7:6 Or Sir
  5. Luke 7:7 Lit say with a word
  6. Luke 7:7 Or boy