7 After Jesus had finished speaking to the people, he went to Capernaum. 2 A Roman centurion was there who had a servant whom he thought of highly, who was sick and about to die. 3 When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to him, asking him to come and save the life of his servant. 4 When the elders came to Jesus, they begged him, “He definitely deserves it,  5 because he loves our people and he even built us our synagogue.” 6 Jesus went with them, and when they were not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to Jesus to tell him, “lord, you do not need to trouble yourself, because I am not worthy that you would come under my roof. 7 I did not even consider myself worthy to go and see you. Just say the word, and my servant will be healed.  8 For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell one to go and he goes, another to come and he comes, and I tell my servant to do something and he does it.”  9 When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him. He turned to the crowd following him and said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” 10 The friends the centurion had sent returned to the house and found the servant in excellent health.
    11 Soon after that Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went with him.  12 As he approached the town gate he met a funeral procession. The dead man was the only son of a widow. A big crowd from the town was with her.  13 When the lord saw her he was moved with compassion for her and said, “Do not cry.”  14 Jesus went up to the coffin and touched it, and the pall-bearers stopped walking. Jesus said, “Young man, I tell you, arise!” 15 The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.  16 A sense of awe gripped everyone there, and they praised God, saying, “A powerful prophet has arisen among us,” and “God has visited His people.”  17 This news about Jesus spread through the whole of Judea and the surrounding region.
    18 John’s disciples reported to him about all of this. 19 John called on two of his disciples to go to the lord and ask, “Are you the coming one, or should we wait for someone else?” 20 When they came to Jesus they said, “John the Baptist sent us to ask you, ‘Are you the coming one, or should we wait for someone else?’”  21 Right at that time Jesus healed many people of their sicknesses, diseases, and evil spirits, and gave sight to many blind people. 22 Jesus answered the men who had come to see him, “Go and report to John what you saw and heard: The blind are seeing, the lame are walking, the lepers are healed, the deaf are hearing, the dead are raised back to life, and the poor have the Gospel preached to them. 23 Blessed is anyone who does not take offense at me.”
    24 When the messengers from John had left, Jesus started talking to the crowds about John: “What did you go out to the desert to see? Some dry stalk blown about by the wind? 25 Well, what did you expect to see? Someone dressed in fine clothes? Those who dress in rich clothes and live in luxury are found in royal palaces!  26 So what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I am telling you, and one who is more than a prophet. 27 He is the one about whom it is written: ‘Look, I am sending My messenger ahead of you to prepare your way before you.’ 28 I am telling you that no one born from women is greater than John, but even the least significant person in the Kingdom of God[381] is greater than he is.”  29 When they heard this, everyone, even the tax collectors, acknowledged that God’s way was right, because they had been baptized by John. 30 But the Pharisees and the experts in the Law rejected God’s purpose for them,[382] having refused to be baptized by John.
    31 “What shall I compare the people of this evil society to? What are they like?” Jesus asked.  32 “They are like children sitting in the marketplace, saying to each other, ‘We played the flute for you and you did not dance; we sang sad songs and you did not weep.’ 33 For John the Baptist came eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon!’ 34 The Son of Man came eating and drinking with people, and you say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’  35 Yet Wisdom is proved right by all her children.”
    36 One of the Pharisees invited Jesus to eat with him. Jesus went to the Pharisee’s house and sat down to the meal. 37 A woman in that town who was a sinner learned that Jesus was eating in the Pharisee’s house, and she brought an alabaster jar of perfume. 38 She stood by Jesus weeping, and with her tears she wet his feet, and with her hair she dried them. She kissed his feet and poured the perfume on them.  39 When the Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this he said to himself, “If this man were really a prophet he would know who this woman is who is touching him, and what kind of person she is — a sinner!”
    40 Then Jesus answered his thoughts: “Simon, I have something to say to you.” He responded, “Say it, Teacher.” 41 “Once there were two people in debt to a moneylender. One owed five hundred denarii and the other fifty. 42 Neither could pay him back, so he forgave both debts. Which one will love him more?” 43 Simon answered, “I assume the one he forgave more.” Jesus replied, “You have judged correctly.” 44 Turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, “You see this woman? I came into your house, and you did not give me any water to wash my feet, but she washed my feet with her tears, and wiped them dry with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss to greet me, but ever since I came in she has not stopped kissing my feet.  46 You did not put any oil on my head, but she poured perfume over my feet. 47 That is why I am telling you that her many sins have been forgiven, so she loved much. But whoever is forgiven little loves little.” 48 Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins have been forgiven.” 49 Those who were sitting eating with him began saying among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” 50 And Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”