³¹ Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, ^(A)the tax collectors and ^(B)the prostitutes go into ^(C)the kingdom of God before you.

^37 (A)And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, ³⁸ and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and ^(B)wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. ³⁹ Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If ^(C)this man were ^(D)a prophet, he ^(E)would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” ⁴⁰ And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”

⁴¹ “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred ^(F)denarii, and the other fifty. ^42 (G)When they could not pay, he ^(H)cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” ⁴³ Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” ⁴⁴ Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; ^(I)you gave me no water for my feet, but ^(J)she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. ^45 (K)You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to ^(L)kiss my feet. ^46 (M)You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. ⁴⁷ Therefore I tell you, her sins, ^(N)which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” ⁴⁸ And he said to her, ^(O)“Your sins are forgiven.” ⁴⁹ Then those who were at table with him began to say among^[a] themselves, ^(P)“Who is this, who even forgives sins?” ⁵⁰ And he said to the woman, ^(Q)“Your faith has saved you; ^(R)go in peace.”

²⁹ (^(A)When all the people heard this, and ^(B)the tax collectors too, they declared God just,^{[a] (C)}having been baptized with ^(D)the baptism of John,

^9 (A)The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise ^(B)as some count slowness, but ^(C)is patient toward you,^{[a] (D)}not wishing that any should perish, but ^(E)that all should reach repentance.

¹³ though formerly I was a blasphemer, ^(A)persecutor, and insolent opponent. But ^(B)I received mercy ^(C)because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, ¹⁴ and ^(D)the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the ^(E)faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ The saying is ^(F)trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus ^(G)came into the world to save sinners, ^(H)of whom I am the foremost. ¹⁶ But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.

Israel's Unbelief

³⁰ What shall we say, then? ^(A)That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, ^(B)a righteousness that is by faith; ³¹ but that Israel ^(C)who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness^{[a] (D)}did not succeed in reaching that law. ³² Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the ^(E)stumbling stone, ³³ as it is written,

²⁰ Now ^(A)the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, ^(B)grace abounded all the more,

¹⁹ Now we know that whatever ^(A)the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, ^(B)so that every mouth may be stopped, and ^(C)the whole world may be held accountable to God.

I Never Knew You

^21 (A)“Not everyone who ^(B)says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will ^(C)enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who ^(D)does the will of my Father who is in heaven.