Luke 7
1 When Jesus had brought to a conclusion all that he had then had to say to the people, he entered Capernaum.
After Jesus finished saying this to the people, he went [with his disciples] to Capernaum [town].
2 A centurion in the Roman army had a slave whom he valued, and who was seriously ill – almost 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 And, hearing about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to him, with the request that he would come and save his slave’s life.
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 found Jesus, they earnestly implored him to do so. ‘He deserves the favour from you,’ they said,
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 is devoted to our nation, and himself built our synagogue for us.’
because he loves us [Jewish] people, and he [paid the money to] build a synagogue for us.”
6 So Jesus went with them. But, when he was no great distance from the house, the centurion sent some friends with the message – ‘Do not trouble yourself, Sir; for I am unworthy to receive you 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 That was why I did not even venture to come to you myself; but speak, and let my manservant be cured.
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 myself am a man under the orders of others, with soldiers under me; and if I say to one of them “Go,” he goes, and to another “Come,” he comes, and to my slave “Do this,” 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 Jesus was surprised to hear these words from him; and, turning to the crowd which was following him, he said, ‘I tell you, nowhere in Israel have I met with such faith as this!’
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 the messengers returned to the house, they found the slave recovered.
When those men returned to the officer’s house, they found that the slave was well.
11 Shortly after, Jesus went to a town called Nain, his disciples and a great crowd going 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 Just as he approached the gate of the town, there was a dead man being carried out for burial – an only son, and his mother was a widow. A large number of the people of the town were 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 he saw her, the Master was moved with compassion for her, and he said to her, ‘Do not weep.’
When the Lord saw her, he pitied her. He said to her, “Do not cry!”
14 Then he went up and touched the bier, and the bearers stopped; and Jesus said, ‘Young man, I am speaking to you – Rise!’
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 The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus restored him to his mother.
The man sat up and began to talk! Jesus returned him to his mother [to care for her].
16 Everyone was awe-struck and began praising God. ‘A great prophet has arisen among us,’ they said. ‘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 And this story about Jesus spread all through Judea, and in the neighbouring countries as well.
[Then they] reported what Jesus [had done] throughout all of Judea [district] and other nearby areas.
18 All these events were reported to John by his disciples.
The disciples of John [the Baptizer went to the prison where John was and] told him about those things.
19 So he summoned two of them, and sent them to the Master to ask – ‘Are you “the coming one,” or are we to look for someone else?’
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 these men found Jesus, they said, ‘John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask – Are you “the coming one,” or are we to look for somebody else?’
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 At that very time Jesus had cured many people of diseases, afflictions, and wicked spirits, and had given many blind people their 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 So his answer to the question was, ‘Go and report to John what you have witnessed and heard – the blind recover their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are made clean, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, the good news is told to the poor.
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 And blessed is the person who finds no hindrance in 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 left, Jesus, speaking to the crowds, began to say with reference to John,
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 ‘What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed waving in the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in rich clothing? Why, those who are accustomed to fine clothes and luxury live in royal palaces.
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 What then did you go to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and far 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 the man of whom scripture says – “I am sending my messenger ahead of you, and he 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 There is, I tell you, no one born of a woman who is greater than John; and yet the 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 (All the people, when they heard this, and even the tax collectors, having accepted John’s baptism, acknowledged the justice of God.
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 students of the Law, having rejected John’s baptism, frustrated God’s purpose in regard to them.)
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,’ Jesus continued, ‘should I compare the people of the present 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 some little children who are sitting in the marketplace and calling out to one another – “We have played the flute for you, but you have not danced; We have wailed, but you have not wept!”
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 now that John the Baptist has come, not eating bread or drinking wine, you are saying “He has a demon in him”;
[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 and now that the Son of Man has come, eating and drinking, you are saying “Here is a glutton and a wine-drinker, a friend of tax collectors and outcasts.”
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 And yet wisdom is vindicated 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 asked Jesus to dine with him, so Jesus went to his house and took his place 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 Just then a woman, who was an outcast in the town, having heard that Jesus was eating in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster jar of perfume,
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 and placed herself behind Jesus, near his feet, weeping. Then she began to make his feet wet with her tears, and she dried them with the hair of her head, repeatedly kissing his feet and anointing them with the perfume.
[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 When the Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this, he said to himself, ‘Had this man been “the prophet,” he would have known who, and what sort of woman, this is who is touching him, and that she is an outcast.’
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 But, addressing him, Jesus said, ‘Simon, I have something to say to you.’ ‘Pray do so, teacher,’ Simon answered; and Jesus began,
Jesus said to him, “Simon, there is something I want to tell you [(sg)].” He replied, “Teacher, what is it?”
41 ‘There were two people who were in debt to a moneylender; one owed five hundred silver coins, 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 As they were unable to pay, he forgave them both. Which of them, do you think, will love him the more?’
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 ‘I suppose,’ answered Simon, ‘it will be the man to whom he forgave the greater debt.’ ‘You are right,’ said Jesus,
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 and then, turning to the woman, he said to Simon, ‘Do you see this woman? I came into your house – you gave me no water for my feet, but she has made my feet wet with her tears and dried 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 did not give me one kiss, but she, from the moment 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 even my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with perfume.
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 So I tell you, her great love shows that her sins, many as they are, have been pardoned. One who is pardoned little 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 Then he said to the woman, ‘Your sins have been pardoned.’
Then he said to the woman, “You have been forgiven {[I have] forgiven [you]} [for] your sins.”
49 The other guests began to say to one another, ‘Who is this man who even pardons 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 But Jesus said to the woman, ‘Your faith has delivered you; go, and peace be with you.’
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!”
