7:1 After Jesus finished saying all this to them, he went into Capernaum.

7:2 And there was a certain Roman army captain, whose highly-esteemed assistant was sick and about to die.

7:3 When he heard about Jesus, he sent out Judean elders to ask him to come and bring his assistant safely through it.

7:4 When they approached Jesus they petitioned passionately, “This person is worthy of your assistance,

7:5 because he loves our nation and built us a synagogue.”

7:6 So Jesus went along with them. But when he was only a short distance from the house, the Roman army captain sent friends to him to say, “Sir, don’t go to all this trouble, because I am unworthy to have you come under my roof.

7:7 This is why I didn’t come to you myself. All you need to do is say the word and my assistant will be miraculously healed.

7:8 After all, I am under someone else’s jurisdiction and have soldiers under me as well. I tell one of them to go and he goes; I tell another to come and he comes; I tell my slave to do something and he does it.”

7:9 When Jesus heard all of this, he was very impressed. He turned to the crowd following him and said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith in Israel!”

7:10 Then the ones who had been dispatched to him went back to the house, where they found the assistant in good health.

7:11 The next day he happened to go into a city called Nain. He was accompanied by his disciples and a large crowd.

7:12 And as he approached the city gate, there was a funeral procession for the only son of his mother, who was a widow. A large number of people from the city were with her.

7:13 The sight of her moved the Master to compassion, and he said to her, “Don’t cry.”

7:14 Then he went up to the coffin and touched it, and the ones carrying it stood still. Then Jesus said, “Young one, I tell you to awaken!”

7:15 and the dead one sat up and began to talk! Then Jesus presented him to his mother.

7:16 They all were gripped with fear and honored God: “A great prophet has been raised up among us!” and “God has visited his people!”

7:17 Word about him spread throughout Judea and the surrounding area.

7:18 Now John’s disciples told him about all this, and he gathered his disciples and sent two of them

7:19 to say to the Master, “Are you the Coming One, or should we expect someone else?”

7:20 So the men came to Jesus and said, “John the Immerser sent us to you to ask whether you’re the Coming One or we should expect someone else.”

7:21 And in that very hour Jesus cured many who were diseased or flogged, or who had evil spirits, and he restored sight to the blind.

7:22 Then Jesus responded to them, “Go and report to John the things you’ve seen and heard: the blind now see, the lame now walk, the lepers are now clean, the deaf now hear, the dead are being raised, and the destitute are hearing the Gospel.

7:23 Happy is the one who isn’t put off by what I’m doing.”

7:24 When John’s messengers had left, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out to the desert to see? A reed being shaken by the wind?

7:25 Or did you go to see someone wearing fine clothing? Of course not; those who wear fashionable clothing and live in luxury are found among the royals.

7:26 So what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, and I tell you, more than just a prophet!

7:27 He is the one about whom it has been written, ‘Look! I am dispatching my messenger to stand before you, and he will build the road ahead of you’.

7:28 I tell you, not one person born of women is greater than John. Yet the least significant in the Kingdom of God is greater than he!”

7:29 When all the people heard this, even the tax contractors considered God righteous and were immersed via John’s immersion.

7:30 But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected what God had intended for them and refused John’s immersion.

7:31 “To whom shall I compare the people of this generation? Who are they like?

7:32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to each other, ‘We played the flute for you but you didn’t dance; we mourned but you didn’t cry’.

7:33 For John the Immerser didn’t eat bread or drink wine, and you say ‘He’s demon-possessed!’.

7:34 But now that the Human has come along, eating and drinking, you say ‘Look at that glutton and drunkard, a friend of tax contractors and deviants!’.

7:35 But Wisdom is validated by all who accept it.”

7:36 Now a certain Pharisee invited him to dinner, so he entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table.

7:37 But a woman of many faults who lived in that city found out that he was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house, so she brought in an alabaster flask of perfumed oil.

7:38 She stood at his feet crying, and her tears dropped down on his feet. She wiped his feet with her hair, massaging and kissing them, and rubbing them with the oil.

7:39 Upon seeing this, the Pharisee that had invited him said to himself, “Some prophet! He should already know what kind of woman this is who is touching him— a woman of many faults!”

7:40 “Simon, I have something to tell you,” Jesus responded. And he replied, “Speak, teacher.”

7:41 “Two people owed money to a certain creditor. One owed five hundred days’ wages, and the other owed fifty.

7:42 But since they had no way to repay it, the creditor forgave both debts. Now who do you suppose will love him more?”

7:43 “I’d assume it’s the one who had the bigger debt forgiven,” Simon replied.“Correct,” answered Jesus.

7:44 Then Jesus turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “See this woman? I came into your home but you offered no water for my feet, yet she has rained down tears on them and wiped them with her hair.

7:45 You did not greet me with a kiss, but the whole time I’ve been here she has not stopped kissing my feet.

7:46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has rubbed my feet with perfumed oil.

7:47 For this reason, I tell you that she is acquitted of her many faults, for she loved much. In contrast, the one who is forgiven little, loves little.”

7:48 Then he said to her, “You are acquitted of all your faults!”

7:49 But the others reclining there began to say to each other, “Who is he to forgive faults?”

7:50 But he told the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”