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 this town an army officer's servant was sick and about to die. The officer liked his 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 synagogue.” 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. 22#Is 35.5,6; Is 61.1. Jesus 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. 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. 27#Ml 3.1. In the Scriptures, God calls John his messenger and says, “I am sending my messenger ahead of you to get things ready for you.” 28No one ever born on this earth is greater than John. But whoever is least important in God's kingdom is greater than John.
29 #
Mt 21.32; Lk 3.12. Everyone 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. 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).
37 #
Mt 26.7; Mk 14.3; Jn 12.3. When a sinful woman in that town found out that Jesus was there, she bought an expensive bottle of perfume. 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 500 silver coins, and the other owed him 50. 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 toward 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 in 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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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.
Luke 7
7
Jesus Heals a Roman Officer's Servant
(Mt 8.5–13)
1When Jesus had finished saying all these things to the people, he went to Capernaum. 2A Roman officer there had a servant who was very dear to him; the man was sick and about to die. 3When the officer heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to ask him to come and heal his servant. 4They came to Jesus and begged him earnestly, “This man really deserves your help. 5He loves our people and he himself built a synagogue for us.”
6So Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the officer sent friends to tell him, “Sir, don't trouble yourself. I do not deserve to have you come into my house, 7neither do I consider myself worthy to come to you in person. Just give the order, and my servant will get well. 8I, too, am a man placed under the authority of superior officers, and I have soldiers under me. I order this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes; I order that one, ‘Come!’ and he comes; and I order my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”
9Jesus was surprised when he heard this; he turned round and said to the crowd following him, “I tell you, I have never found faith like this, not even in Israel!”
10The messengers went back to the officer's house and found his servant well.
Jesus Raises a Widow's Son
11Soon afterwards#7.11 Soon afterwards; some manuscripts have The next day. Jesus went to a town called Nain, accompanied by his disciples and a large crowd. 12Just as he arrived at the gate of the town, a funeral procession was coming out. The dead man was the only son of a woman who was a widow, and a large crowd from the town was with her. 13When the Lord saw her, his heart was filled with pity for her, and he said to her, “Don't cry.” 14Then he walked over and touched the coffin, and the men carrying it stopped. Jesus said, “Young man! Get up, I tell you!” 15The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.
16They all were filled with fear and praised God. “A great prophet has appeared among us!” they said; “God has come to save his people!”
17This news about Jesus went out through all the country and the surrounding territory.
The Messengers from John the Baptist
(Mt 11.2–19)
18When John's disciples told him about all these things, he called two of them 19and sent them to the Lord to ask him, “Are you the one John said was going to come, or should we expect someone else?”
20When they came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to ask if you are the one he said was going to come, or if we should expect someone else.”
21At that very time Jesus cured many people of their sicknesses, diseases, and evil spirits, and gave sight to many blind people. 22#Is 35.5–6; 61.1He answered John's messengers, “Go back and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind can see, the lame can walk, those who suffer from dreaded skin diseases are made clean,#7.22 made clean: See 5.12. the deaf can hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is preached to the poor. 23How happy are those who have no doubts about me!”
24After John's messengers had left, Jesus began to speak about him to the crowds: “When you went out to John in the desert, what did you expect to see? A blade of grass bending in the wind? 25What did you go out to see? A man dressed up in fancy clothes? People who dress like that and live in luxury are found in palaces! 26Tell me, what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes indeed, but you saw much more than a prophet. 27#Mal 3.1For John is the one of whom the scripture says: ‘God said, I will send my messenger ahead of you to open the way for you.’ 28I tell you,” Jesus added, “John is greater than anyone who has ever lived. But the one who is least in the Kingdom of God is greater than John.”
29 #
Mt 21.32; Lk 3.12 All the people heard him; they and especially the tax collectors were the ones who had obeyed God's righteous demands and had been baptized by John. 30But the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law rejected God's purpose for themselves and refused to be baptized by John.
31Jesus continued, “Now to what can I compare the people of this day? What are they like? 32They are like children sitting in the market place. One group shouts to the other, ‘We played wedding music for you, but you wouldn't dance! We sang funeral songs, but you wouldn't cry!’ 33John the Baptist came, and he fasted and drank no wine, and you said, ‘He has a demon in him!’ 34The Son of Man came, and he ate and drank, and you said, ‘Look at this man! He is a glutton and a drinker, a friend of tax collectors and other outcasts!’ 35God's wisdom, however, is shown to be true by all who accept it.”
Jesus at the Home of Simon the Pharisee
36A Pharisee invited Jesus to have dinner with him, and Jesus went to his house and sat down to eat. 37#Mt 26.7; Mk 14.3; Jn 12.3In that town was a woman who lived a sinful life. She heard that Jesus was eating in the Pharisee's house, so she brought an alabaster jar full of perfume 38and stood behind Jesus, by his feet, crying and wetting his feet with her tears. Then she dried his feet with her hair, kissed them, and poured the perfume on them. 39When the Pharisee saw this, he said to himself, “If this man really were a prophet, he would know who this woman is who is touching him; he would know what kind of sinful life she lives!”
40Jesus spoke up and said to him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”
“Yes, Teacher,” he said, “tell me.”
41 “There were two men who owed money to a moneylender,” Jesus began. “One owed him 500 silver coins, and the other owed him fifty. 42Neither of them could pay him back, so he cancelled the debts of both. Which one, then, will love him more?”
43“I suppose,” answered Simon, “that it would be the one who was forgiven more.”
“You are right,” said Jesus. 44Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your home, and you gave me no water for my feet, but she has washed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. 45You did not welcome me with a kiss, but she has not stopped kissing my feet since I came. 46You provided no olive oil for my head, but she has covered my feet with perfume. 47I tell you, then, the great love she has shown proves that her many sins have been forgiven. But whoever has been forgiven little shows only a little love.”
48Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”
49The others sitting at the table began to say to themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?”
50But Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
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Good News Bible with Deuterocanonicals/Apocrypha. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.