The Gospel According to St. Luke

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- Chapter 7 -

(Matthew 8:5–13; John 4:43–54)

When Jesus had concluded His discourse in the hearing of the people, He went to Capernaum.

There a highly valued servant of a centurion was sick and about to die.

When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to ask Him to come and heal his servant.

They came to Jesus and pleaded with Him earnestly, “This man is worthy to have You grant this,

for he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.”

So Jesus went with them. But when He was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends with the message: “Lord, do not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy to have You come under my roof.

That is why I did not consider myself worthy to come to You. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.

For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell one to go, and he goes; and another to come, and he comes. I tell my servant to do something, and he does it.”

When Jesus heard this, He marveled at the centurion. Turning to the crowd following Him, He said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith.”

And when the messengers returned to the house, they found the servant in good health.

Jesus Raises a Widow’s Son

Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain. His disciples went with Him, accompanied by a large crowd.

As He approached the town gate, He saw a dead man being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her.

When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said, “Do not weep.”

Then He went up and touched the coffin,(a) and those carrying it stood still. “Young man,” He said, “I tell you, get up!”

And the dead man sat up and began to speak! Then Jesus gave him back to his mother.

A sense of awe swept over all of them, and they glorified God. “A great prophet has appeared among us!” they said. “God has visited His people!”

And the news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and all the surrounding region.

John’s Inquiry

(Matthew 11:1–6)

Then John’s disciples informed him about all these things.

So John called two of his disciples and sent them to ask the Lord, “Are You the One who was to come, or should we look for someone else?”

When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to ask, ‘Are You the One who was to come, or should we look for someone else?’”

At that very hour Jesus healed many people of their diseases, afflictions, and evil spirits, and He gave sight to many who were blind.

So He replied, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers

(b)

are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.

Blessed is the one who does not fall away on account of Me.(c)”

Jesus Testifies about John

(Malachi 3:1–5; Matthew 11:7–19)

After John’s messengers had left, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the wind?

Otherwise, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? Look, those who wear elegant clothing and live in luxury are found in palaces.

What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.

This is the one about whom it is written: ‘Behold, I will send My messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way before You.’(d)

I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John, yet even the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

All the people who heard this, even the tax collectors, acknowledged God’s justice. For they had received the baptism of John.

But the Pharisees and experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.

“To what, then, can I compare the men of this generation? What are they like?

They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to one another: ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.’

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

The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at this glutton and drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’

But wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”

A Sinful Woman Anoints Jesus

(Matthew 26:6–13; Mark 14:3–9; John 12:1–8)

Then one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to eat with him, and He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table.

When a sinful woman from that town learned that Jesus was dining there, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume.

As she stood behind Him at His feet weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears and wipe them with her hair. Then she kissed His feet and anointed them with the perfume.

When the Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, He would know who this is and what kind of woman is touching Him—for she is a sinner!”

But Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, Teacher,” he said.

“Two men were debtors to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii,(e) and the other fifty.

When they were unable to repay him, he forgave both of them. Which one, then, will love him more?”

“I suppose the one who was forgiven more,” Simon replied. “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.

And turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? When I entered your house, you did not give Me water for My feet, but she wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.

You did not greet Me with a kiss, but she has not stopped kissing My feet since I arrived.

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

Therefore I tell you, because her many sins have been forgiven, she has loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.”

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

But those at the table began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

And Jesus told the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Footnotes

(a)7:14 Literally bier, probably a wooden plank or open coffin

(b)7:22 A leper was one afflicted with a skin disease. See Leviticus 13.

(d)7:27 Malachi 3:1

(e)7:41 A denarius was customarily a day’s wage for a laborer; see Matthew 20:2.

(Matthew 8:5–13; John 4:43–54)

After he had finished speaking in the hearing of the people, he entered into Capernaum.

A certain centurion’s servant, who was dear to him, was sick and at the point of death.

When he heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and save his servant.

When they came to Jesus, they begged him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy for you to do this for him,

for he loves our nation, and he built our synagogue for us.”

Jesus went with them. When he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying to him, “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I am not worthy for you to come under my roof.

Therefore I didn’t even think myself worthy to come to you; but say the word, and my servant will be healed.

For I also am a man placed under authority, having under myself soldiers. I tell this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turned and said to the multitude who followed him, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith, no, not in Israel.”

Those who were sent, returning to the house, found that the servant who had been sick was well.

Jesus Raises a Widow’s Son

Soon afterwards, he went to a city called Nain. Many of his disciples, along with a great multitude, went with him.

Now when he came near to the gate of the city, behold, one who was dead was carried out, the only born(a) son of his mother, and she was a widow. Many people of the city were with her.

When the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Don’t cry.”

He came near and touched the coffin, and the bearers stood still. He said, “Young man, I tell you, arise!”

He who was dead sat up and began to speak. Then he gave him to his mother.

Fear took hold of all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and, “God has visited his people!”

This report went out concerning him in the whole of Judea and in all the surrounding region.

John’s Inquiry

(Matthew 11:1–6)

The disciples of John told him about all these things.

John, calling to himself two of his disciples, sent them to Jesus, saying, “Are you the one who is coming, or should we look for another?”

When the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptizer has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you he who comes, or should we look for another?’”

In that hour he cured many of diseases and plagues and evil spirits; and to many who were blind he gave sight.

Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John the things which you have seen and heard: that the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.

Blessed is he who finds no occasion for stumbling in me.”

Jesus Testifies about John

(Malachi 3:1–5; Matthew 11:7–19)

When John’s messengers had departed, he began to tell the multitudes about John, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are gorgeously dressed and live delicately are in kings’ courts.

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

This is he of whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’ (b)

“For I tell you, among those who are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptizer; yet he who is least in God’s Kingdom is greater than he.”

When all the people and the tax collectors heard this, they declared God to be just, having been baptized with John’s baptism.

But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the counsel of God, not being baptized by him themselves.

They are like children who sit in the marketplace and call to one another, saying, ‘We piped to you, and you didn’t dance. We mourned, and you didn’t weep.’

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

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

Wisdom is justified by all her children.”

A Sinful Woman Anoints Jesus

(Matthew 26:6–13; Mark 14:3–9; John 12:1–8)

One of the Pharisees invited him to eat with him. He entered into the Pharisee’s house and sat at the table.

Behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that he was reclining in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment.

Standing behind at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and she wiped them with the hair of her head, kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.

Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, “This man, if he were a prophet, would have perceived who and what kind of woman this is who touches him, that she is a sinner.”

Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” He said, “Teacher, say on.”

“A certain lender had two debtors. The one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.

When they couldn’t pay, he forgave them both. Which of them therefore will love him most?”

Simon answered, “He, I suppose, to whom he forgave the most.” He said to him, “You have judged correctly.”

Turning to the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered into your house, and 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.

You gave me no kiss, but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss my feet.

You didn’t anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.

Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.”

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

Those who sat at the table with him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

Footnotes

(a)7:12 The phrase “only born” is from the Greek word “μονογενη”, which is sometimes translated “only begotten” or “one and only”.

(b)7:27 ℘ Malachi 3:1