1 WHEN he had finished all his discourses in the hearing of the people, he went into Capernaum.

2 The servant of a certain Centurion was sick and about to die. He was highly valued by his master,

3 who hearing about Jesus sent to him some elders of the Jews, asking him to come and save his servant.

4 When they came to Jesus they begged him earnestly, saying, "He deserves to have this done,

5 for he loves our nation and he built us our synagogue."

6 Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the Centurion sent friends to say to him, "Do not trouble yourself, Sir, for I am not fit to have you come under my roof.

7 On that account I did not think myself worthy to come to you. But say the word and have my servant cured.

8 For I am a man \'97 under authority \'97 with soldiers under me, and I say to this one, 'Go,' and he goes, and to that one, 'Come,' and he comes, and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it."

9 When Jesus heard this, he wondered, and, turning to the crowd that was following him, he said, "I tell you, in Israel I have not found such faith."

10 Those who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well.

11 It happened soon afterwards that he went to a city called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd were going along with him.

12 As he approached the gate of the city, they were carrying out a dead man, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. A great crowd from the city was with her.

13 When the Master saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, "Do not weep,"

14 and he went up and touched the bier. The bearers stopped. He said, "Young man, I say, arise!"

15 The dead man sat up and began to speak, and he gave him to his mother.

16 All were awe-struck, and they gave praise to God, saying, "A great prophet has arisen among us and God has visited his people."

17 The reports about him spread through all Judaea and all the region of the Jordan.

18 John's disciples told him about all these things.

19 So he called to him two of his disciples and sent them to the Master to ask, "Are you 'the Coming One' or are we to expect some other person?"

20 When they came to him, the men said, "John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, Are you 'the Coming One' or are we to expect some other person?"

21 At that very time he was curing many of diseases and pains and wicked spirits, and to many blind people he was giving sight.

22 He answered them, "Go and relate to John what you have seen and heard. Blind men see, lame men walk, lepers are cleansed, deaf men hear, dead men are raised, poor men hear good news.

23 Blessed is he who does not stumble through misunderstanding me!"

24 After John's messengers had left, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: "What did you go out into the wild country to look at? A reed shaken by the wind?

25 But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothes? Indeed, the people in splendid clothing and living in luxury are in kings' palaces.

26 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.

27 For this is he about whom it was written, 'Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will make ready your way before you.'

28 I tell you there is not among those born of women a greater than John. But an inferior in the kingdom of God is greater than he."

29 (All the people, even the tax collectors when they heard him, had confessed that God was right by being baptized with the baptism of John.

30 But the Pharisees and the lawyers had thwarted the purpose of God in reference to themselves by not being baptized by him.)

31 "To what then shall I compare the men of this generation? What are they like?

32 They are like children sitting in the market-place and calling to one another, 'We played the flute for you but you did not dance. We mourned but you did not wail!'

33 For John the Baptist has come, not eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, 'He has a demon.'

34 The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'See there a man who is a glutton and wine-drinker, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!'

35 Yet Wisdom is shown to be in the right by all her children."

36 One of the Pharisees kept asking him to dine with him. Entering the house of this Pharisee, he reclined at the table.

37 Now there was a certain woman in the city, a sinner, and when she learned that he was at table in the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of ointment

38 and took her place behind, beside his feet, weeping. Her tears began to rain down on his feet, and with the hair of her head she wiped them off, and she passionately kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment.

39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said within himself, "This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what this woman who is touching him is, for she is a sinner."

40 Jesus, answering his thought, said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." "Teacher," he said, "say it."

41 "A certain money-lender had two debtors; one owed him five hundred shillings; the other fifty.

42 Because they had nothing to pay with, he graciously forgave both. Which of them will love him most?"

43 Simon answered, "I suppose the one to whom he forgave most." He said to him, "You have answered correctly."

44 Then, turning to the woman, he said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet. But she has rained tears upon my feet and has wiped them with her hair.

45 You gave me no kiss, but she, since I came in, has not ceased passionately kissing my feet.

46 My head with oil you did not anoint, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.

47 For this reason I tell you her sins, many as they are, have been forgiven, for she loved much. For he to whom little is forgiven loves little."

48 He said to her, "Your sins have been forgiven."

49 The other guests began to say to themselves, "Who is this that even forgives sins?"

50 He said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you. Go in peace."