New Testament in a Year
31 Then Jesus said, “·What shall I say about [L To what, therefore, shall I compare] the people of this ·time [L generation]? What are they like? 32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace, calling to one another and saying,
‘We played ·music [L the pipe/flute] for you, but you did not dance;
we sang a ·sad song [funeral song; dirge], but you did not ·cry [weep].’ [C The religious leaders wanted John to “dance” (lighten up his severe message) and wanted Jesus to “mourn” (follow their restrictive lifestyle).]
33 [L For] John the Baptist came and did not eat bread or drink wine, and you say, ‘He ·has [is possessed by] a demon in him.’ 34 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him! ·He eats too much and drinks too much wine [L A glutton and a drunkard], and he is a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ 35 But wisdom is ·proved to be right [vindicated] by ·what it does [or the behavior of her followers; L all her/its children; C Wisdom is personified as a woman (Prov. 8), her “children” being those who respond favorably to the message of John and Jesus].”
A Woman Washes Jesus’ Feet(A)
36 One of the Pharisees ·asked [invited] Jesus to eat with him, so Jesus went into the Pharisee’s house and ·sat at the table [L reclined; C at a formal meal guests would recline at a low table with their feet stretched out behind them]. 37 [L And look/T behold] A ·sinful [immoral] woman in the town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house. So she brought an alabaster ·jar [vial; flask] of perfume 38 and stood behind Jesus at his feet, ·crying [weeping]. She began to ·wash [wet; drench] his feet with her tears, and she ·dried [wiped] them with her hair, kissing them many times and ·rubbing [anointing] them with the perfume. 39 When the Pharisee who asked Jesus to come to his house saw this, he thought to himself, “If ·Jesus [L this person] were a prophet, he would know ·that the woman touching him is a sinner [L who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner]!”
40 Jesus said to ·the Pharisee [L him], “Simon, I have something to say to you.”
Simon said, “Teacher, tell me.”
41 Jesus said, “Two people owed money to ·the same banker [L a certain moneylender/creditor]. One owed five hundred ·coins [L denarii; C a denarius was equal to a day’s wage for a laborer] and the other owed fifty. 42 They had no money to pay what they owed, but ·the banker [L he] ·told both of them they did not have to pay him [L forgave both (debts)]. Which person [L therefore] will love ·the banker [L him] more?”
43 Simon answered, “I ·think [suppose] it would be the one ·who owed him the most money [L for whom he forgave the larger].”
Jesus said to Simon, “You are right.” 44 Then Jesus turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? When I came into your house, you gave me no water for my feet, but she ·washed [wet; drenched] my feet with her tears and ·dried [wiped] them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss of greeting, but she has ·been [not stopped] kissing my feet since I came in. 46 You did not ·put oil on [anoint] my head, but she ·poured perfume on my feet [has anointed my feet with perfume]. 47 [L Therefore] I tell you that her many sins are forgiven, ·so [that is why] she showed great love. But the person who is forgiven only a little will love only a little.”
48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
49 The people ·sitting at the table [L reclining together; 7:36] began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”
50 Jesus said to the woman, “·Because you believed, you are saved from your sins [L Your faith has saved you]. Go in peace.”
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.