|
The Faith of the Centurion
1 When Jesus had finished saying all this to the people
who were listening, he entered Capernaum. 2 There a
centurion’s servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick
and about to die. 3 The centurion heard of Jesus and sent
some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal
his servant. 4 When they came to Jesus, they pleaded
earnestly with him, “This man deserves to have you do this,
5 because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.”
6 So Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house
when the centurion sent friends to say to him: “Lord, don’t
trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come
under my roof. 7 That is why I did not even consider myself
worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will
be healed. 8 For I myself am a man under authority, with
soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and
that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do
this,’ and he does it.”
9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and
turning to the crowd following him, he said, “I tell you, I
have not found such great faith even in Israel.” 10 Then the
men who had been sent returned to the house and found the
servant well.
Jesus Raises a Widow’s Son
11 Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain,
and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. 12
As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being
carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow.
And a large crowd from the town was with her. 13 When the
Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t
cry.”
14 Then he went up and touched the bier they were
carrying him on, and the bearers stood still. He said,
“Young man, I say to you, get up!” 15 The dead man sat up
and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.
16 They were all filled with awe and praised God. “A
great prophet has appeared among us,” they said. “God has
come to help his people.” 17 This news about Jesus spread
throughout Judea and the surrounding country.
Jesus and John the Baptist
18 John’s disciples told him about all these things.
Calling two of them, 19 he sent them to the Lord to ask,
“Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect
someone else?”
20 When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the
Baptist sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who was to
come, or should we expect someone else?’ ”
21 At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases,
sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were
blind. 22 So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and
report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind
receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are
cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good
news is proclaimed to the poor. 23 Blessed is anyone who
does not stumble on account of me.”
24 After John’s messengers left, Jesus began to speak
to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the
wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? 25 If not,
what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes?
No, those who wear expensive clothes and indulge in luxury
are in palaces. 26 But what did you go out to see? A
prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 27 This
is the one about whom it is written:
“ ‘I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare
your way before you.’
28 I tell you, among those born of women there is no
one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the
kingdom of God is greater than he.”
29 (All the people, even the tax collectors, when they
heard Jesus’ words, 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
themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.)
31 Jesus went on to say, “To what, then, can I compare
the people of this generation? What are they like? 32 They
are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out
to each other:
“ ‘We played the pipe for you, and you did not dance; we
sang a dirge, and you did not cry.’
33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor
drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ 34 The Son of
Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a
glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and
sinners.’ 35 But wisdom is proved right by all her
children.”
Jesus Anointed by a Sinful Woman
36 When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have
dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and
reclined at the table. 37 A woman in that town who lived a
sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s
house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume.
38 As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to
wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her
hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he
said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know
who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she
is a sinner.”
40 Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell
you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said.
41 “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One
owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42
Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave
the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”
43 Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger
debt forgiven.” “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.
44 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon,
“Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not
give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her
tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a
kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not
stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head,
but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47 Therefore, I tell
you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has
shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”
48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
49 The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who
is this who even forgives sins?”
50 Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you;
go in peace.” |
Cults 
Why Did God Permit Sin?
