Luke 7
1 After he had finished speaking in the hearing of the people, he entered into Capernaum.
After Jesus finished saying this to the people, he went [with his disciples] to Capernaum [town].
2 A certain centurion's servant, who was dear to him, was sick and at the point of death.
There was a Roman army officer there who had a slave whom he thought highly of. This slave was so sick that he was about to die.
3 When he heard about Jesus, he sent to him Jewish elders, asking him to come and save his servant.
When the officer heard about Jesus, he [summoned] some Jewish elders. He told them to go to Jesus and ask him to come and heal his slave.
4 When they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, "He is worthy for you to do this for him,
When they came to where Jesus was, they earnestly asked Jesus [to return with them]. They said, “This officer deserves that you [(sg)] do this [for him],
5 for he loves our nation, and he built our synagogue for us."
because he loves us [Jewish] people, and he [paid the money to] build a synagogue for us.”
6 Jesus went with them. When he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, "Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy for you to come under my roof.
So Jesus went with them. When he was near the [officer’s] house, the officer [decided that it was not necessary for Jesus to come to his house. So he] summoned some friends. He [told them to] go to Jesus and tell him this: “Lord/Sir, do not bother to come. [Because I am a non-Jew], I am not worthy for you [(sg)], [a Jew], to come into my house [MTY] [and associate with me].
7 Therefore I did not even think myself worthy to come to you; but say the word, and my servant will be healed.
I did not feel worthy to come to you, [either]. But [please] command [that] my servant [be healed], and he will become well!
8 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."
[I believe this] because, as for me, there are people who have authority over me [and I obey them]. I also have soldiers under my [authority]. When I say to one of them, ‘Go!’ he goes. When I say to another ‘Come!’ he comes. When I say to my slave, ‘Do this!’ he does it. [And I believe that you speak with a similar kind of authority].”
9 When Jesus heard these things, he was amazed at him, and turned and said to the crowd who followed him, "I tell you, I have not found such great faith, no, not in Israel."
When [the officer’s friends arrived and] told that to Jesus, he marveled at what [the officer had said]. Then he turned and said to the crowd that was going with him, “I tell you, I have never before found anyone who trusted [in me like this non-Jewish man does]. No one from Israel, [where I would expect people to believe in me], has trusted in me like he has!”
10 And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant in good health.
When those men returned to the officer’s house, they found that the slave was well.
11 It happened soon afterwards, that he went to a city called Nain; and many of his disciples, along with a large crowd, went with him.
Soon after that, Jesus went to a town called Nain. His disciples and a large crowd [of other people] went with him.
12 And when he drew near to the gate of the city, then look, a man who was dead was carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; and a large crowd from the city was with her.
As they approached the town gate, the corpse of a young man who had just died was being carried out [on a stretcher] {[people] were carrying out [on a stretcher] the corpse of a young man who had just died}. His mother was a widow, and he was her only son. A large group of people from the town were accompanying them.
13 When the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said to her, "Do not cry."
When the Lord saw her, he pitied her. He said to her, “Do not cry!”
14 He came near and touched the coffin, and the bearers stood still. He said, "Young man, I tell you, arise."
Then, [ignoring the Jewish laws about not coming near a corpse], he came close and touched the stretcher [on which the body was lying]. So the men carrying it stood still. He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!”
15 He who was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he gave him to his mother.
The man sat up and began to talk! Jesus returned him to his mother [to care for her].
16 Fear took hold of all, and they glorified God, saying, "A great prophet has arisen among us." and, "God has visited his people."
Then everyone [there] was amazed/awestruck. They praised God, saying, “A great prophet has come among us!” They also said, “God has come to help his people!”
17 This report went out concerning him in the whole of Judea, and in all the surrounding region.
[Then they] reported what Jesus [had done] throughout all of Judea [district] and other nearby areas.
18 The disciples of John told him about all these things.
The disciples of John [the Baptizer went to the prison where John was and] told him about those things.
19 John, calling to himself two of his disciples, sent them to the Lord, saying, "Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?"
So [one day] John summoned two [of his disciples] and [told them] to go to the Lord and ask him: “Are you [the Messiah who the prophets prophesied would come], or is it someone else that we should expect [to come]?”
20 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 should we look for another?'"
When those two men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptizer sent us to ask you [(sg)] this: Are you [the Messiah that] we are expecting [God] to send, or shall we [(exc)] expect someone else?”
21 In that hour he cured many of diseases and plagues and evil spirits; and to many who were blind he gave sight.
At that very time Jesus was healing many people of their diseases and [other] sicknesses, he was [casting out] evil spirits, and he was causing many blind people to be able to see.
22 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.
So he answered those two men, “Go back and report to John what you have seen [me doing] and what you have heard [me telling people. I am enabling] blind people to see. [I am enabling] lame people to walk. [I am] healing people who have leprosy. [I am enabling] deaf people to hear. [I am causing] dead people to become alive again, [and I am] telling [God’s] good message to poor people.
23 Blessed is he who is not offended by me."
[Also tell John that God] is pleased with those who do not stop believing in me [because what I do is not what they expect the Messiah to do].”
24 When John's messengers had departed, he began to tell the crowds about John, "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?
When the men whom John had sent left, Jesus began to talk to the crowd of people about John. He said to them, “[Think about] what sort of person you went to see in the desolate area [when you went there to see John] [RHQ]. [You did not go there to listen to a man who constantly changed the nature of his message] [MET], [like] a reed that is blown back and forth by the wind [RHQ].
25 But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft clothing? Look, those who are gorgeously dressed, and live delicately, are in kings' courts.
Then what kind of man did you go there to see [RHQ]? Was he [RHQ] a man who wore expensive clothes? No! [You know very well that] people who wear beautiful clothes and live in luxury are in kings’ palaces, [not in the desolate areas]!
26 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet.
Then what [kind of person] did you go to see? [Did you] [RHQ] [go there to see John because he was] a prophet? Yes! But I will tell you that [John is] more [important] than an [ordinary] prophet.
27 This is he of whom it is written, 'Look, I send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.'
He is the one about whom [these words] that God said to the Messiah have been written {[the prophet Malachi] wrote [these words]} [in the Scriptures]: ‘Listen! I am going to send my messenger ahead of you [(sg)] [SYN]. He will prepare [people] for your coming.’
28 "I tell you, among those who are born of women there is none greater than John, yet he who is least in the Kingdom of God is greater than he."
I tell you that from among all the people who have ever lived, [God considers that] no one is greater than John. However, [God considers] everyone who has let God rule their [lives] [MET] to be greater than [John], [even if they are] insignificant [people].”
29 When all the people and the tax collectors heard this, they declared God to be just, having been baptized with John's baptism.
When they heard [what Jesus said] (OR, [what John preached]), all the people, including tax collectors, [whom many people despised], agreed that God’s way was right. By being baptized by John {By [letting] John baptize them}, [they had agreed that what God required people to do in order to be saved was right].
30 But the Pharisees and the Law scholars rejected the counsel of God, not being baptized by him themselves.
But the Pharisees and the men who taught the [Jewish] laws were not baptized by John {did not [let] John baptize them} because they rejected what God wanted them to do.
31 "To what then will I liken the people of this generation? What are they like?
[Then Jesus also said], “[Many of] you people have heard what [John and I] have taught. (I will illustrate what you are like./Do you know what [many of] you people who have heard what [John and I] have taught are like?) [RHQ]
32 They are like children who sit in the marketplace, and call one to another, saying, 'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance. We mourned, and you did not weep.'
You are like children who are [playing games] in an open area. [Some of them] are calling to [the others], saying, ‘We [(exc)] played happy music for you on the flute, but you did not dance! Then we sang sad funeral songs for you, but you did not cry!’
33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, 'He has a demon.'
[Similarly, you people are dissatisfied with both John the Baptizer and me]! When John came and [preached to you], he did not eat [ordinary] food [SYN] or drink wine, [like most people do]. But you [rejected him], saying, ‘A demon is controlling him!’
34 The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Look, a gluttonous man, and a drunkard; a friend of tax collectors and sinners.'
In [contrast], [I], the one who came from heaven, eat [the same food] and drink [wine as others do]. But you [reject me], saying, ‘Look! [This man] eats too much food and drinks too much wine, and he associates with tax collectors and [other] sinners!’
35 Wisdom is justified by all her children."
But those who are [truly God’s] children [PRS] realize that [what John and I do is truly] wise.”
36 One of the Pharisees invited him to eat with him. He entered into the Pharisee's house, and sat at the table.
[One day] one of the Pharisees [named Simon] invited Jesus to eat a meal with him. So Jesus went to the man’s house and reclined [to eat].
37 And look, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that he was reclining in the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of ointment.
There was a woman in that city [who many people knew had been] a prostitute [EUP]. She heard that Jesus was eating in the Pharisee’s house. So she went there, taking a stone jar that contained perfume.
38 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.
[As the people there were reclining to eat], the woman stood behind [Jesus, at his] feet. As she was crying [because she was sorry for her sins, her tears fell on Jesus’ feet]. Then she wiped his feet with her hair, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the perfume.
39 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."
When the Pharisee who had invited [Jesus] saw that, he thought, “[Prophets know about other people’s lives], [so] if Jesus were a prophet, he would have known who this woman is who is touching him, and what kind of a person she is. He would have known that she is a prostitute! [EUP]”
40 Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you." He said, "Teacher, say on."
Jesus said to him, “Simon, there is something I want to tell you [(sg)].” He replied, “Teacher, what is it?”
41 "A certain lender had two debtors. The one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.
Jesus replied, “Two people owed some money to a man who [earned money by] lending [it to others]. One owed him 500 silver coins, and the other owed him 50 silver coins.
42 When they could not pay, he forgave them both. Which of them therefore will love him most?"
Neither of them was able to pay back [what he owed], so the man [very kindly] said that they did not have to pay back anything. So, which of those two men will love that man more?”
43 Simon answered, "He, I suppose, to whom he forgave the most." He said to him, "You have judged correctly."
Simon replied, “I think that the one who owed the most money and did not have to pay it back [will love him more].” Jesus said to him, “That is correct.”
44 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 her hair.
Then he turned toward the woman, and said to Simon, “(Think about [what] this woman [has done]!/Do you [(sg)] see [what] this woman [has done]?) [RHQ] When I entered your house, you [did not follow our custom of welcoming guests by] giving me any water [to wash] my feet, but this woman has wet my feet with her tears and then wiped them with her hair!
45 You gave me no kiss, but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss my feet.
You did not [follow our custom of greeting by] kissing me, but since I came in, this woman has not stopped kissing my feet!
46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.
You did not [follow our custom of welcoming guests by] anointing my head with [olive] oil, but she has anointed my feet with fragrant perfume.
47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little."
So I will tell you that even though this woman has sinned very much, she has been forgiven {[I] have forgiven her}. [By what she has done she has shown that] she loves [me] very much. But a person who has [sinned] just a little bit, but whom [I] have forgiven, will love [me just a little bit].”
48 He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."
Then he said to the woman, “You have been forgiven {[I have] forgiven [you]} [for] your sins.”
49 And those who were reclining with him began to say to themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"
Then those who were eating with him said among themselves, “(This man must [think that he is God]!/Who does this man [think that he] is [RHQ]), saying that he can forgive [people for] their sins?”
50 He said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you. Go in peace."
But Jesus said to the woman, “Because you have trusted [PRS] [in me, God] has saved you [from the guilt of your sins]. May [God] give you inner peace as you go!”
