² When John,^(A) who was in prison,^(B) heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples ³ to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come,^(C) or should we expect someone else?”

⁴ Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: ⁵ The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy^[a] are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.^{(D) 6} Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”^(E)

⁷ As John’s^(F) disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness^(G) to see? A reed swayed by the wind? ⁸ If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. ⁹ Then what did you go out to see? A prophet?^(H) Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. ¹⁰ This is the one about whom it is written:

¹¹ Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. ¹² From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence,^[c] and violent people have been raiding it. ¹³ For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John.^{(K) 14} And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come.^{(L) 15} Whoever has ears, let them hear.^(M)

¹⁶ “To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others:

¹⁸ For John came neither eating^(N) nor drinking,^(O) and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ ¹⁹ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’^(P) But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.”

Woe on Unrepentant Towns^(Q)

²⁰ Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. ²¹ “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida!^(R) For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon,^(S) they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.^{(T) 22} But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.^{(U) 23} And you, Capernaum,^(V) will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades.^[d](W) For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. ²⁴ But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”^(X)

The Father Revealed in the Son^(Y)

²⁵ At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father,^(Z) Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.^{(AA) 26} Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.

²⁷ “All things have been committed to me^(AB) by my Father.^(AC) No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.^(AD)

²⁸ “Come to me,^(AE) all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.^{(AF) 29} Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,^(AG) for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.^{(AH) 30} For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”^(AI)

Jesus Raises a Widow’s Son^(A)

¹¹ Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. ¹² As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. ¹³ When the Lord^(B) saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.”

¹⁴ Then he went up and touched the bier they were carrying him on, and the bearers stood still. He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!”^{(C) 15} The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.

¹⁶ They were all filled with awe^(D) and praised God.^(E) “A great prophet^(F) has appeared among us,” they said. “God has come to help his people.”^{(G) 17} This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country.^(H)

Jesus and John the Baptist^(I)

¹⁸ John’s^(J) disciples^(K) told him about all these things. Calling two of them, ¹⁹ he sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”

²⁰ When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’”

²¹ At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses^(L) and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. ²² So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy^[a] are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.^{(M) 23} Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”

²⁴ After John’s messengers left, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? ²⁵ If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear expensive clothes and indulge in luxury are in palaces. ²⁶ But what did you go out to see? A prophet?^(N) Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. ²⁷ This is the one about whom it is written:

²⁸ I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God^(P) is greater than he.”

²⁹ (All the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard Jesus’ words, acknowledged that God’s way was right, because they had been baptized by John.^{(Q) 30} But the Pharisees and the experts in the law^(R) rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.)

³¹ Jesus went on to say, “To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? ³² They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to each other:

³³ For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine,^(S) and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ ³⁴ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’^{(T) 35} But wisdom is proved right by all her children.”

Jesus Anointed by a Sinful Woman^(U)(V)

³⁶ When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. ³⁷ A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. ³⁸ As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.

³⁹ When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet,^(W) he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.”

⁴⁰ Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”

“Tell me, teacher,” he said.

⁴¹ “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii,^[c] and the other fifty. ⁴² Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”

⁴³ Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.”

“You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.

⁴⁴ Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet,^(X) but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. ⁴⁵ You did not give me a kiss,^(Y) but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. ⁴⁶ You did not put oil on my head,^(Z) but she has poured perfume on my feet. ⁴⁷ Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”

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

⁴⁹ The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

⁵⁰ Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you;^(AB) go in peace.”^(AC)