The faith of a centurion

1Now when He concluded all His sayings in the hearing of the people, He entered Capernaum.

2Well a certain centurion's slave, who was valuable to him, was sick and about to die.

3So when he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to Him, asking Him to come and rescue his slave.

4And when they came to Jesus they started pleading earnestly with Him, saying that the one for whom He would do this was worthy,

5“Because he loves our nation, and he himself built our synagogue.”

6So Jesus went with them. But when He was no longer far from the house, the centurion sent friends to Him, saying to Him: “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy that you should come under my roof.

7In fact I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. ¹⁸³Just say a word and my servant will be healed;

8because I also am a man placed under authority, ¹⁸⁴having soldiers under me. I say to one, ‘Go!’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does.”

9Well upon hearing these things Jesus marveled at him, and turning to the crowd following Him, He said, “I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith!” ¹⁸⁵

10When those who were sent returned to the house they found that the slave who had been sick was well.

A widow's son raised

11Now it happened on the next day that He went to a town called Nain, and many of His disciples went with Him, also a large crowd.

12But as He approached the town gate, mercy, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; a large crowd from the town was with her.

13When the Lord saw her He had compassion on her ¹⁸⁶and said to her, “Don't cry!”

14And advancing He took hold of the bier and the bearers stood still. Then He said, “Young man, to you I say, get up!” ¹⁸⁷

15So the dead man sat up and began to talk! Yes, He gave him back to his mother.

16Fear took hold of all, and they began glorifying God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and, “God has visited His people!”

17And this report about Him went throughout Judea, as well as all the surrounding region. ¹⁸⁸

Messengers from John

18Then the disciples of John informed him about all these things.

19And summoning a certain two of his disciples, John sent them to Jesus, saying, “Are you the Coming One, or should we look for another?” ¹⁸⁹

20When the men had come to Him, they said: “John the Baptizer has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the Coming One, or should we look for another?’ ”

21Well in that very hour He healed many from diseases and torments and malignant spirits, and to many blind He granted sight.

22So in answer Jesus said to them: “Go and report to John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind regain sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, dead are raised, the poor are evangelized. ¹⁹⁰

23And, blessed is he who does not take offense at me!” ¹⁹¹

Jesus praises John

24Now when John's messengers had departed, He began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to observe, a reed being shaken by the wind?

25But what did you go out to see, a man clothed in soft garments? Really, those with gorgeous apparel and living in luxury are in palaces.

26But what did you go out to see, a prophet? Yes, I say to you, and much more than a prophet.

27This is he about whom it is written: ‘Take note, I am sending my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’ ¹⁹²

28Further, I tell you that among those born of women there is no greater prophet ¹⁹³than John the Baptizer; yet he who is least in the Kingdom of God is greater than he.” ¹⁹⁴

29(When all the people, including the tax collectors, heard this, they declared God to be just, having been baptized with John's baptism.

30But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the counsel of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.) ¹⁹⁵

Inconsistency of the Pharisees

31“To what then shall I compare the men of this generation, and to what are they similar?

32They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another, saying, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we mourned to you, and you did not cry.’

33Because John the Baptizer came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon!’

34The Son of the Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Just look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’

35Still, by all her children wisdom is justified.” ¹⁹⁶

A lesson in forgiveness

36Then one of the Pharisees invited Him to eat with Him, ¹⁹⁷so He entered the Pharisee's house and reclined.

37But then, a woman in the town who was a sinner, when she found out that He was reclining in the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster flask of perfume,

38and as she stood behind Him at His feet weeping, ¹⁹⁸she began to wet His feet with her tears and kept wiping them with the hair of her head; and she kept kissing His feet ¹⁹⁹and anointing them with the perfume. ²⁰⁰

39Now as the Pharisee who had invited Him observed this, he was saying to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him, including what sort of woman she is—because she is a sinner!” ²⁰¹

40So Jesus reacted by saying to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he said, “Teacher, say on.”

41“A certain creditor had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.

42And when they had no way to repay, he freely forgave them both. Now tell me, which of them will love him more?”

43So Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one to whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have judged correctly.”

44Then He turned toward the woman and said to Simon: “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head.

45You gave me no kiss, but she has not stopped kissing my feet since the time I came in.

46You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with perfume.

47For this reason, I say to you, her many sins have been forgiven, because she loved much; but to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”

48Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

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

50Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go into peace.” ²⁰²