Luke 7

After he had ended all his sayings in the ears of the people, he entered Capernaum.

Now a certain centurion’s servant, who was highly regarded by him, was sick and at the point of death.

Now when he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and cure his servant.

And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy that you should do this for him,

for he loves our nation, and he built the synagogue for us.”

And Jesus went with them. Now when he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, because I am not worthy for you to come under my roof.

That is why I did not consider myself worthy to come to you, but say the word, and my boy will be healed.

For I also am a man placed under authority and I have soldiers under me, and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

And when Jesus heard these things, he was amazed at him, and turned and said to the crowd who followed him, “I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such great trust.”

And those who were sent, returning to the house, found the servant in good health.

And it came to pass soon afterwards, that he went to a city called Nain. And his disciples were going along with him, and a large crowd.

Now when he drew near to the gate of the city, Look! One who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a sizeable crowd from the city was with her.

And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not cry.”

And he went near and touched the bier, and those carrying it stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, get up.”

And the dead man sat up and began to speak. And he gave him to his mother.

And fear seized them all, and they began glorifying God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” And, “God has visited his people!”

And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country.

And the disciples of John told him of all these things.

And John having called near a certain two of his disciples, sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are you the Coming One, or should we expect someone else?”

And when the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the Coming One, or should we expect someone else?’”

In that hour he cured many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and he freely gave sight to many who were blind.

And he answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things that you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, people with skin diseases are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news proclaimed to them.

And blessed is the one who finds no reason to fall away because of me.”

And when the messengers of John had departed, he began to speak to the crowd about John, “What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed being shaken by the wind?

But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Look! Those who are gloriously clothed and live in luxury are in kings’ courts.

But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and much more than a prophet.

This is he about whom it is written, Look! I am sending my messenger before your face, who will prepare the road ahead of you.

I say to you, among those who are born of women there is none greater than John, yet the least important person in the Kingdom of God is greater than he.”

(And all the people when they heard, even the tax collectors, declared God righteous, because they had been baptized with the baptism of John.

But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not being baptized by him).

“To what then will I compare the people of this generation, and to what are they like?

They are like children in the marketplace, sitting and calling out to one another, saying, ‘We played the flute for you but you did not dance, we sang a dirge but you did not cry.’

For John the Baptist has come neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’

The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘See! A gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’

Yet wisdom is declared righteous by all her children.”

Now one of the Pharisees was asking him to eat with him. And having gone into the Pharisee’s house, he reclined to eat.

And behold, a woman who was in the city, a sinner—and when she knew that he was reclining to eat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster jar of perfume,

and standing behind him at his feet, crying, she began to wet his feet with her tears. And she kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing his feet, and anointing them with the perfume.

Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he spoke within himself, saying, “This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him—that she is a sinner.”

And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he said, “Say it, teacher.”

“Two men were debtors to a certain lender. One owed 500 denarii, and the other 50.

When they did not have the means to pay, he freely forgave them both. Therefore, which of them will love him more?”

Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave the most.” And he said to him, “You have rightly judged.”

And turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house, yet you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.

You gave me no kiss, but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss my feet.

You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with perfume.

For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much. But the one who is forgiven little, loves little.”

And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

And those who were reclining and eating with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

And he said to the woman, “Your trust has saved you. Go in peace.”