1When he'd finished speaking to the people, Jesus left for Capernaum.

2A centurion lived there who had a servant he greatly valued who was sick and was about to die.

3When he heard about Jesus, the centurion sent some Jewish elders to him, asking him to come and heal his servant.

4When the elders came to Jesus, they pleaded with him strongly, saying, “Please come and do what he asks. He deserves your help,

5because he loves our people and he built a synagogue for us.”

6Jesus went with them and as they approached the house, the centurion sent some friends to Jesus to tell him, “Lord, please don't trouble yourself by coming into my house, because I'm not worthy of that.

7I didn't even think that I was worthy to come and see you. Just give the command, and my servant will be healed.

8For I'm under the authority of my superior officers, and I have soldiers under my authority too. I command one to go and he goes, another to come and he comes. I command my servant to do something and he does it.”

9When Jesus heard this he was astounded. He turned to the crowd that was following him, and said, “I tell you, I haven't found trust like this even in Israel.”

10Then the centurion's friends returned to the house and found the servant in good health.

11Soon after Jesus went to a town called Nain, accompanied by his disciples and a large crowd.

12As he approached the town gate a funeral procession was coming the other way. The man who had died was the only son of a widow, and a sizeable crowd from the town was with her.

13When the Lord saw her he was filled with compassion for her. “Don't cry,” he told her.

14Jesus went over to the coffin and touched it, and the pall-bearers stopped. Jesus said, “Young man, I tell you, get up.”

15The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.

16A sense of awe filled everyone there and they praised God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us,” and “God has visited his people.”

17News about Jesus spread throughout Judea, and all around.

18The disciples of John told John about all this.

19John called two of his disciples and told them to go and see Jesus, and ask, “Are you the one we've been expecting, or should we wait for someone else?”

20When they came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you, to ask you, ‘Are you the one we've been expecting or should we wait for someone else?’”

21At that very moment Jesus was healing many people of their diseases, illnesses, evil spirits, and making the blind to see.

22Jesus answered John's disciples, “Go and tell John what you've seen and heard. The blind see, the lame walk, the lepers cured, the deaf hear, the dead raised back to life, the poor are told the good news.

23How good it is for those who are not offended because of me!”

24After the messengers from John had left, Jesus began telling the crowd, “About John: what did you expect to see when you went out to meet him in the desert? Some reed blown about by the wind?

25Did you come looking for a man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who have stylish clothes and live in luxury are found in palaces.

26Were you looking for a prophet? Yes he is, and I'm telling you, he's much more than a prophet.

27It was written about him in Scripture: ‘Look, I'm sending my messenger to go before you to prepare your way.’ ²⁶

28I tell you, no one born of women is greater than John, but even the most unimportant person in God's kingdom is greater than he is!”

29When they heard him, all of them—even the tax collectors—followed what God said was good and right, for they had been baptized by John.

30But the Pharisees and the religious teachers rejected what God wanted them to do, for they had refused to be baptized by John.

31“What shall I compare these people to?” asked Jesus. “What are they like?

32They're like children sitting in the market who tell one another, ‘We played the flute for you but you didn't dance; we sang sad songs but you didn't cry.’

33When John the Baptist came he didn't eat bread or drink wine, but you say he's demon-possessed.

34Now the Son of man is here, and eats and drinks with people, but you say, ‘Look, he spends his time eating too much food and drinking too much wine. ²⁷Plus he's a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’

35However, God's wise ways are proved right by all who follow him!” ²⁸

36One of the Pharisees invited Jesus to come and eat with him. Jesus went to the Pharisee's house and sat down to eat the meal.

37A woman who was a sinner ²⁹in that town found out that Jesus was eating in the Pharisee's house. She went there, carrying an alabaster jar of perfume.

38She kneeled beside Jesus and with her tears wet his feet, and dried them with her hair. She kissed his feet, and then she poured the perfume over them.

39When the Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this he said to himself, “If this man was really a prophet he would know who this woman was who's touching him, and what kind of person she was—that she's a sinner!”

40Jesus spoke up and said, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, Teacher,” he responded.

41“Once two people were in debt to a money-lender. One owed five hundred denarii, ³⁰the other only fifty.

42Neither of them could repay him, so he forgave the debts. Which one will love him the most?”

43“The one he forgave the most, I would think,” Simon answered. “You're absolutely right,” said Jesus.

44Turning to the woman, he said to Simon, “You see this woman? When I came into your house, you didn't give me water to wash my feet. But she has washed my feet with her tears, and wiped them with her hair.

45You didn't give me a kiss, but since I came in she hasn't stopped kissing my feet.

46You didn't anoint my head with oil, ³¹but she poured perfume over my feet.

47So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—that's why she loves so much. ³²But whoever is forgiven little, only loves a little.”

48Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins have been forgiven.”

49Those who were sitting eating with him began talking among themselves, saying, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

50But Jesus told the woman, “Your trust has saved you, go in peace.”