Luke 7
7
Jesus heals an army officer's servant
(Matthew 8.5-13; John 4.43-54)
1After Jesus had finished teaching the people, he went to Capernaum. 2In that town an army officer's servant was sick and about to die. The officer liked this servant very much. 3And when he heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish leaders to ask him to come and heal the servant.
4The leaders went to Jesus and begged him to do something. They said, “This man deserves your help! 5He loves our nation and even built us a meeting place.” 6So Jesus went with them.
When Jesus wasn't far from the house, the officer sent some friends to tell him, “Lord, don't go to any trouble for me! I am not good enough for you to come into my house. 7And I am certainly not worthy to come to you. Just say the word, and my servant will get well. 8I have officers who give orders to me, and I have soldiers who take orders from me. I can say to one of them, ‘Go!’ and he goes. I can say to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes. I can say to my servant, ‘Do this!’ and he will do it.”
9When Jesus heard this, he was so surprised that he turned and said to the crowd following him, “In all of Israel I've never found anyone with this much faith!”
10The officer's friends returned and found the servant well.
A widow's son
11Soon Jesus and his disciples were on their way to the town of Nain, and a big crowd was going along with them. 12As they came near the gate of the town, they saw people carrying out the body of a widow's only son. Many people from the town were walking along with her.
13When the Lord saw the woman, he felt sorry for her and said, “Don't cry!”
14Jesus went over and touched the stretcher on which the people were carrying the dead boy. They stopped, and Jesus said, “Young man, get up!” 15The boy sat up and began to speak. Jesus then gave him back to his mother.
16Everyone was frightened and praised God. They said, “A great prophet is here with us! God has come to his people.”
17News about Jesus spread all over Judea and everywhere else in that part of the country.
John the Baptist
(Matthew 11.1-19)
18-19John's followers told John everything that was being said about Jesus. So he sent two of them to ask the Lord, “Are you the one we should be looking for? Or must we wait for someone else?”
20When these messengers came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to ask, ‘Are you the one we should be looking for? Or are we supposed to wait for someone else?’ ”
21At that time Jesus was healing many people who were sick or in pain or were troubled by evil spirits, and he was giving sight to a lot of blind people. 22Jesus said to the messengers sent by John, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard. Blind people are now able to see, and the lame can walk. People who have leprosy#7.22 leprosy: See the note at 4.27. are being healed, and the deaf can now hear. The dead are raised to life, and the poor are hearing the good news.#Is 35.5,6; Is 61.1. 23God will bless everyone who doesn't reject me because of what I do.”
24After John's messengers had gone, Jesus began speaking to the crowds about John:
What kind of person did you go out to the desert to see? Was he like tall grass blown about by the wind? 25What kind of man did you really go out to see? Was he someone dressed in fine clothes? People who wear expensive clothes and live in luxury are in the king's palace. 26What then did you go out to see? Was he a prophet? He certainly was! I tell you that he was more than a prophet. 27In the Scriptures, God calls John his messenger and says, “I am sending my messenger ahead of you to get things ready for you.”#Ml 3.1. 28No one ever born on this earth is greater than John. But whoever is least important in God's kingdom is greater than John.
29Everyone had been listening to John. Even the tax collectors#7.29 tax collectors: See the note at 3.12. had obeyed God and had done what was right by letting John baptize them.#Mt 21.32; Lk 3.12. 30But the Pharisees and the experts in the Law of Moses refused to obey God and be baptized by John.
31Jesus went on to say:
What are you people like? What kind of people are you? 32You are like children sitting in the market and shouting to each other,
“We played the flute,
but you would not dance!
We sang a funeral song,
but you would not cry!”
33John the Baptist did not go around eating and drinking, and you said, “John has a demon in him!” 34But because the Son of Man goes around eating and drinking, you say, “Jesus eats and drinks too much! He is even a friend of tax collectors and sinners.” 35Yet Wisdom is shown to be right by what its followers do.
Simon the Pharisee
36A Pharisee invited Jesus to have dinner with him. So Jesus went to the Pharisee's home and got ready to eat.#7.36 got ready to eat: On special occasions the Jewish people often followed the Greek and Roman custom of lying down on their left side and leaning on their left elbow, while eating with their right hand. This is how the woman could come up behind Jesus and wash his feet (see verse 38).
37When a sinful woman in that town found out that Jesus was there, she bought an expensive bottle of perfume.#Mt 26.7; Mk 14.3; Jn 12.3. 38Then she came and stood behind Jesus. She cried and started washing his feet with her tears and drying them with her hair. The woman kissed his feet and poured the perfume on them.
39The Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this and said to himself, “If this man really were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him! He would know that she is a sinner.”
40Jesus said to the Pharisee, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”
“Teacher, what is it?” Simon replied.
41Jesus told him, “Two people were in debt to a moneylender. One of them owed him five hundred silver coins, and the other owed him fifty. 42Since neither of them could pay him back, the moneylender said that they didn't have to pay him anything. Which one of them will like him more?”
43Simon answered, “I suppose it would be the one who had owed more and didn't have to pay it back.”
“You are right,” Jesus said.
44He turned towards the woman and said to Simon, “Have you noticed this woman? When I came into your home, you didn't give me any water so I could wash my feet. But she has washed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. 45You didn't greet me with a kiss, but from the time I came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. 46You didn't even pour olive oil on my head,#7.44-46 washed my feet…greet me with a kiss…pour olive oil on my head: Guests in a home were usually offered water so they could wash their feet, because most people either went barefoot or wore sandals and would come into the house with very dusty feet. Guests were also greeted with a kiss on the cheek, and special ones often had sweet-smelling olive oil poured on their head. but she has poured expensive perfume on my feet. 47So I tell you that all her sins are forgiven, and that is why she has shown great love. But anyone who has been forgiven for only a little will show only a little love.”
48Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”
49Some other guests started saying to one another, “Who is this who dares to forgive sins?”
50But Jesus told the woman, “Because of your faith, you are now saved.#7.50 saved: Or “healed”. The Greek word may have either meaning. May God give you peace!”
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© British and Foreign Bible Society 2012
Luke 7
7
Jesus Heals a Centurion’s Servant
1After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, #For ver. 1-10, see Matt. 8:5-13he entered Capernaum. 2Now a centurion had a servant#7:2 Or bondservant; also verses 3, 8, 10 who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him. 3When the centurion#7:3 Greek he heard about Jesus, #[Matt. 8:5]he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant. 4And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, #[Acts 10:22]“He is worthy to have you do this for him, 5for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us #ch. 4:31, 33our synagogue.” 6And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, #ch. 8:49; Mark 5:35; [Matt. 9:36 (Gk.)]do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. 7Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But #Ps. 107:20; [Matt. 8:16]say the word, and let my servant be healed. 8For I too am a man set under authority, with 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.” 9When Jesus heard these things, #[Mark 6:6] he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such #See Matt. 9:2faith.” 10And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well.
Jesus Raises a Widow’s Son
11Soon afterward#7:11 Some manuscripts The next day he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. 12As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, #[ch. 8:42; 9:38; Judg. 11:34; Heb. 11:17]the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. 13And when the Lord saw her, #Matt. 20:34 he had compassion on her and #ch. 8:52said to her, “Do not weep.” 14Then he came up and touched #2 Sam. 3:31 the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, #ch. 8:54; Mark 5:41; [ver. 22; Matt. 11:5; John 11:43; Acts 9:40]arise.” 15And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus#7:15 Greek he #[1 Kgs. 17:23; 2 Kgs. 4:36; Heb. 11:35]gave him to his mother. 16Fear seized them all, and #ch. 2:20; Matt. 9:8; 15:31; Acts 11:18; 21:20; [Matt. 5:16]; See ch. 13:13 they glorified God, saying, #ver. 39; See Deut. 18:15; Matt. 21:11 “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and #See ch. 1:68“God has visited his people!” 17And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country.
Messengers from John the Baptist
18 # For ver. 18-35, see Matt. 11:2-19 # See Matt. 9:14 The disciples of John reported all these things to him. And John, 19calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are you the one #John 4:25; 6:14; 11:27 who is to come, or #[ch. 3:15]shall we look for another?” 20And when the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the one #[See ver. 19 above] who is to come, or #[See ver. 19 above]shall we look for another?’” 21In that hour #Mark 1:34 he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and #ch. 18:42; Matt. 9:30; 12:22; 15:31; 20:34; 21:14; Mark 8:25; John 9:7on many who were blind he bestowed sight. 22And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: #Isa. 29:18; 35:5, 6; Matt. 15:30 the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, #ch. 17:14 lepers#7:22 Leprosy was a term for several skin diseases; see Leviticus 13 are cleansed, and #Mark 7:35 the deaf hear, #See ver. 14 the dead are raised up, #ch. 4:18; [Matt. 5:3; James 2:5]the poor have good news preached to them. 23And blessed is the one who is #Isa. 8:14, 15; John 6:61not offended by me.”
24When John’s messengers had gone, Jesus#7:24 Greek he began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out #ch. 1:80; 3:2 into the wilderness to see? #[Eph. 4:14; James 1:6]A reed shaken by the wind? 25What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are dressed in splendid clothing and live in luxury are in kings’ courts. 26What then did you go out to see? #ch. 1:76; 20:6; Matt. 14:5A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 27This is he of whom it is written,
#
Mark 1:2; Cited from Mal. 3:1; [ch. 1:17, 76] “‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way before you.’
28 I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” 29(#[ch. 20:6] When all the people heard this, and #ch. 3:12; Matt. 21:32 the tax collectors too, they declared God just,#7:29 Greek they justified God #ch. 3:12; Matt. 21:32 having been baptized with #Acts 18:25; 19:3the baptism of John, 30#[Matt. 21:25, 32; 23:13] but the Pharisees and #ch. 10:25; 11:45, 46, 52; 14:3; Matt. 22:35 the lawyers #See Mark 7:9 rejected #Acts 2:23; 13:36the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.)
31 “To what then shall I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like? 32They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another,
“‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.’
33 For John the Baptist has come #
Matt. 3:4; Mark 1:6 eating no bread and # ch. 1:15 drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ 34The Son of Man has come #ver. 36; ch. 14:1; Matt. 9:10; John 2:1; 12:2 eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, #ch. 15:2; 19:7; Matt. 9:11a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ 35Yet #[ch. 11:49; Prov. 8:1-36]wisdom is justified by all her children.”
A Sinful Woman Forgiven
36 # ch. 11:37; 14:1 One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table. 37#For ver. 37-39, [Matt. 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9; John 12:1-8]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, 38and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and #ver. 44; John 11:2wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. 39Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If #[ch. 15:2] this man were #ver. 16; John 4:19 a prophet, he #[ch. 22:64]would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” 40And 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 # See Matt. 18:28 denarii, and the other fifty. 42#Matt. 18:25 When they could not pay, he #[Rom. 8:32 (Gk.)]cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” 43Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” 44Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; #1 Tim. 5:10; See Gen. 18:4 you gave me no water for my feet, but #ver. 38she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45#2 Sam. 15:5; 19:39; 20:9 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to #ver. 38kiss my feet. 46#Ps. 23:5; 141:5; Eccles. 9:8; Matt. 6:17You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47Therefore I tell you, her sins, #[ver. 39]which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48And he said to her, #ch. 5:20; Matt. 9:2; Mark 2:5; James 5:15; 1 John 2:12; [John 20:23]“Your sins are forgiven.” 49Then those who were at table with him began to say among#7:49 Or to themselves, #ch. 5:21“Who is this, who even forgives sins?” 50And he said to the woman, #ver. 9; [ver. 47; 1 Tim. 1:14]; See Mark 10:52; Eph. 2:8 “Your faith has saved you; #ch. 8:48; 1 Sam. 1:17; Mark 5:34go in peace.”
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