Lukas 7,25 | New International Reader’s Version

A Roman commander has faith

1 Jesus finished saying all these things to the people who were listening. Then he entered Capernaum. 2 There the servant of a Roman commander was ill and about to die. His master thought highly of him. 3 The commander heard about Jesus. So he sent some elders of the Jews to him. He told them to ask Jesus to come and heal his servant. 4 They came to Jesus and begged him, ‘This man deserves to have you do this. 5 He loves our nation and has built our synagogue.’ 6 So Jesus went with them. When Jesus came near the house, the Roman commander sent friends to him. He told them to say, ‘Lord, don’t trouble yourself. I am not good enough to have you come into my house. 7 That is why I did not even think I was fit to come to you. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8 I myself am a man who is under authority. And I have soldiers who obey my orders. I tell this one, “Go”, and he goes. I tell that one, “Come”, and he comes. I say to my servant, “Do this”, and he does it.’ 9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at the commander. Jesus turned to the crowd that was following him. He said, ‘I tell you, even in Israel I have not found anyone whose faith is so strong.’ 10 Then the men who had been sent to Jesus returned to the house. They found that the servant was healed.

Jesus raises a widow’s son from the dead

11 Some time later, Jesus went to a town called Nain. His disciples and a large crowd went along with him. 12 He approached the town gate. Just then, a dead person was being carried out. He was the only son of his mother. She was a widow. A large crowd from the town was with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, he felt sorry for her. So he said, ‘Don’t cry.’ 14 Then he went up and touched the coffin. Those carrying it stood still. Jesus said, ‘Young man, I say to you, get up!’ 15 The dead man sat up and began to talk. Then Jesus gave him back to his mother. 16 The people were all filled with wonder and praised God. ‘A great prophet has appeared among us,’ they said. ‘God has come to help his people.’ 17 This news about Jesus spread all through Judea and the whole country.

Jesus and John the Baptist

18 John’s disciples told him about all these things. So he chose two of them. 19 He sent them to the Lord. John told them to ask him, ‘Are you the one who is supposed to come? Or should we look for someone else?’ 20 The men came to Jesus. They said, ‘John the Baptist sent us to ask you, “Are you the one who is supposed to come? Or should we look for someone else?” ’ 21 At that time Jesus healed many people. They had illnesses, diseases and evil spirits. He also gave sight to many who were blind. 22 So Jesus replied to the messengers, ‘Go back to John. Tell him what you have seen and heard. Blind people receive sight. Disabled people walk. Those who have skin diseases are made “clean”. Deaf people hear. Those who are dead are raised to life. And the good news is announced to those who are poor. 23 Blessed is anyone who does not give up their faith because of me.’ 24 So John’s messengers left. Then Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John. He said, ‘What did you go out into the desert to see? Tall grass waving in the wind? 25 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No. Those who wear fine clothes and have many expensive things are in palaces. 26 Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 27 He is the one written about in Scripture. It says, ‘ “I will send my messenger ahead of you. He will prepare your way for you.” 28 I tell you, no one more important than John has ever been born. But the least important person in God’s kingdom is more important than John is.’ 29 All the people who heard Jesus’ words agreed that God’s way was right. Even the tax collectors agreed. These people had all been baptised by John. 30 But the Pharisees and the authorities on the law did not accept for themselves God’s purpose. So they had not been baptised by John. 31 Jesus went on to say, ‘What can I compare today’s people to? What are they like? 32 They are like children sitting in the market and calling out to each other. They say, ‘ “We played the flute for you. But you didn’t dance. We sang a funeral song. But you didn’t cry.” 33 That is how it has been with John the Baptist. When he came to you, he didn’t eat bread or drink wine. And you say, “He has a demon.” 34 But when the Son of Man came, he ate and drank as you do. And you say, “This fellow is always eating and drinking far too much. He’s a friend of tax collectors and sinners.” 35 All who follow wisdom prove that wisdom is right.’

A sinful woman pours perfume on Jesus

36 One of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him. So he went to the Pharisee’s house. He took his place at the table. 37 There was a woman in that town who had lived a sinful life. She learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house. So she came there with a special jar of perfume. 38 She stood behind Jesus and cried at his feet. And she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair. She kissed them and poured perfume on them. 39 The Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this. He said to himself, ‘If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him. He would know what kind of woman she is. She is a sinner!’ 40 Jesus answered him, ‘Simon, I have something to tell you.’ ‘Tell me, teacher,’ he said. 41 ‘Two people owed money to a certain lender. One owed him 500 silver coins. The other owed him 50 silver coins. 42 Neither of them had the money to pay him back. So he let them go without paying. Which of them will love him more?’ 43 Simon replied, ‘I suppose the one who owed the most money.’ ‘You are right,’ Jesus said. 44 Then he turned towards the woman. He said to Simon, ‘Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water to wash my feet. But she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss. But this woman has not stopped kissing my feet since I came in. 46 You did not put any olive oil on my head. But she has poured this perfume on my feet. 47 So I tell you this. Her many sins have been forgiven. She has shown that she understands this by her great acts of love. But whoever has been forgiven only a little loves only a little.’ 48 Then Jesus said to her, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’ 49 The other guests began to talk about this among themselves. They said, ‘Who is this who even forgives sins?’ 50 Jesus said to the woman, ‘Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.’

English Standard Version

Jesus Heals a Centurion’s Servant

1 After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. 2 Now a centurion had a servant* who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him. 3 When the centurion* heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant. 4 And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy to have you do this for him, 5 for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue.” 6 And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. 7 Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed. 8 For 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.” 9 When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” 10 And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well.

Jesus Raises a Widow’s Son

11 Soon afterward* he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. 12 As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. 13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” 14 Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” 15 And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus* gave him to his mother. 16 Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!” 17 And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country.

Messengers from John the Baptist

18 The disciples of John reported all these things to him. And John, 19 calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 20 And when the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?’” 21 In that hour he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many who were blind he bestowed sight. 22 And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers* are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. 23 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.” 24 When John’s messengers had gone, Jesus* began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 25 What 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. 26 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 27 This is he of whom it is written, “‘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 (When all the people heard this, and the tax collectors too, they declared God just,* having been baptized with the baptism of John, 30 but the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the 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? 32 They 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 eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ 34 The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ 35 Yet wisdom is justified by all her children.”

A Sinful Woman Forgiven

36 One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table. 37 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, 38 and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” 40 And 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 denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” 44 Then turning toward the woman he 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 her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 Then those who were at table with him began to say among* themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” 50 And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Lukas 7,25 | New International Reader’s Version English Standard Version