³² For ^(A)John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; ^(B)but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward ^[a]relent and believe him.

²⁹ And when all the people heard Him, even the tax collectors ^[a]justified God, ^(A)having been baptized with the baptism of John. ³⁰ But the Pharisees and ^[b]lawyers rejected ^(B)the will of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.

²⁵ The ^(A)baptism of ^(B)John—where was it from? From heaven or from men?”

And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’

²¹ For ^(A)it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.

³⁷ And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, ³⁸ and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. ³⁹ Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, ^(A)“This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.”

⁴⁰ And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”

So he said, “Teacher, say it.”

⁴¹ “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred ^(B)denarii, and the other fifty. ⁴² And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?”

⁴³ Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.”

And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.” ⁴⁴ Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no ^(C)water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. ⁴⁵ You gave Me no ^(D)kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. ^46 (E)You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. ^47 (F)Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”

⁴⁸ Then He said to her, ^(G)“Your sins are forgiven.”

⁴⁹ And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, ^(H)“Who is this who even forgives sins?”

⁵⁰ Then He said to the woman, ^(I)“Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

¹¹ “But they refused to heed, ^(A)shrugged^[a] their shoulders, and ^(B)stopped^[b] their ears so that they could not hear. ¹² Yes, they made their ^(C)hearts like flint, ^(D)refusing to hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets. ^(E)Thus great wrath came from the Lord of hosts.

²¹ And I gave her time ^(A)to ^[a]repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent.

^6 [a]if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, ^(A)since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.

⁷ For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, ^(B)receives blessing from God; ^8 (C)but if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned.

¹² Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God;