| 1 When Jesus had finished teaching in this way to the people, he went to Capernaum. | |
| 2 There was a captain whose servant was very sick and near to death, a man very dear to him. | |
| 3 So when he heard about Jesus, he sent some elders of the Jews to persuade him to come and save his servant’s life. | |
| 4 The elders came to Jesus and begged him earnestly, saying, | |
| 5 “He deserves this of you, for he loves our people and even built a synagogue for us.” | |
| 6 Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the captain sent friends to give this message, “Sir, do not trouble yourself for I am not worthy to welcome you under my roof. | |
| 7 You see I didn’t approach you myself. Just give the order and my servant will be healed. | |
| 8 For I myself, a junior officer, give orders to my soldiers and I say to this one: ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to the other: ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant: ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” | |
| 9 On hearing these words, Jesus was filled with admiration. He turned and said to the people with him, “I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith.” | |
| 10 The people sent by the captain went back to his house; there they found that the servant was well. | |
| 11 A little later Jesus went to a town called Naim and many of his disciples went with him – a great number of people. | |
| 12 As he reached the gate of the town, a dead man was being carried out. He was the only son of his mother and she was a widow; there followed a large crowd of townspeople. | |
| 13 On seeing her, the Lord had pity on her and said, “Don’t cry.” | |
| 14 Then he came up and touched the stretcher and the men who carried it stopped. Jesus then said, “Young man, awake, I tell you.” | |
| 15 And the dead man got up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. | |
| 16 A holy fear came over them all and they praised God saying, “A great prophet has appeared among us; God has visited his people.” | |
| 17 This news spread out in the Jewish country and the surrounding places. | |
| 18 The disciples of John gave him all this news. So he called two of them and | |
| 19 sent them to the Lord with this message, “Are you the one we are expecting, or should we wait for another?” | |
| 20 These men came to Jesus and said, “John the Baptist sent us to ask you: Are you the one we are to expect, or should we wait for another?” | |
| 21 At that time Jesus healed many people of their sicknesses or diseases; he freed them from evil spirits and he gave sight to the blind. | |
| 22 Then he answered the messengers, “Go back and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind see again, the lame walk, lepers are made clean, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the poor are given good news. Now, listen: | |
| 23 Fortunate are those who encounter me, but not for their downfall.” | |
| 24 When John’s messengers had gone, Jesus began speaking to the people about John. And he said, “What did you want to see when you went to the desert? A tall reed blowing in the wind? | |
| 25 What was there to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? But people who wear fine clothes and enjoy delicate food are found in palaces. | |
| 26 What did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. | |
| 27 For John is the one foretold in Scripture in these words: I am sending my messenger ahead of you to prepare your ways. | |
| 28 No one may be found greater than John among those born of women but, I tell you, the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he. | |
| 29 All the people listening to him, even the tax collectors, had acknowledged the will of God in receiving the baptism of John, | |
| 30 whereas the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law, in not letting themselves be baptized by him, ignored the will of God. | |
| 31 What comparison can I use for this people? What are they like? | |
| 32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace, about whom their companions complain: ‘We piped you a tune and you wouldn’t dance; we sang funeral songs and you wouldn’t cry.’ | |
| 33 Remember John: he didn’t eat bread or drink wine, and you said: ‘He has an evil spirit.’ | |
| 34 Next came the Son of Man, eating and drinking, and you say: ‘Look, a glutton for food and wine, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ | |
| 35 But the children of Wisdom always recognize her work.” | |
| 36 One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to share his meal, so he went to the Pharisee’s home and as usual reclined on the sofa to eat. | |
| 37 And it happened that a woman of this town, who was known as a sinner, heard that he was in the Pharisee’s house. She brought a precious jar of perfume | |
| 38 and stood behind him at his feet, weeping. She wet his feet with tears, she dried them with her hair and kissed his feet and poured the perfume on them. | |
| 39 The Pharisee who had invited Jesus was watching and thought, “If this man were a prophet, he would know what sort of person is touching him; isn’t this woman a sinner?” | |
| 40 Then Jesus spoke to the Pharisee and said, “Simon, I have something to ask you.” He answered, “Speak, master.” And Jesus said, | |
| 41 “Two people were in debt to the same creditor. One owed him five hundred silver coins, and the other fifty. | |
| 42 As they were unable to pay him back, he graciously canceled the debts of both. Now, which of them will love him more?” | |
| 43 Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, who was forgiven more.” And Jesus said, “You are right.” | |
| 44 And turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? | |
| 45 You gave me no water for my feet when I entered your house, but she has washed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. You didn’t welcome me with a kiss, but she has not stopped kissing my feet since she came in. | |
| 46 You provided no oil for my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. | |
| 47 This is why, I tell you, her sins, her many sins, are forgiven, because of her great love. But the one who is forgiven little, has little love.” | |
| 48 Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.” | |
| 49 The others sitting with him at the table began to wonder, “Now this man claims to forgive sins!” | |
| 50 But Jesus again spoke to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” | |
