A Roman Commander Has Faith
1Jesus finished saying all these things to the people who were listening. Then he entered Capernaum. 2There the servant of a Roman commander was sick and about to die. His master thought highly of him. 3The commander heard about Jesus. So he sent some elders of the Jews to him. He told them to ask Jesus to come and heal his servant. 4They came to Jesus and begged him, “This man deserves to have you do this. 5He loves our nation and has built our synagogue.” 6So Jesus went with them.
When Jesus came near the house, the Roman commander sent friends to him. He told them to say, “Lord, don’t trouble yourself. I am not good enough to have you come into my house. 7That is why I did not even think I was fit to come to you. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8I myself am a man who is under authority. And I have soldiers who obey my orders. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes. I tell that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
9When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at the commander. Jesus turned to the crowd that was following him. He said, “I tell you, even in Israel I have not found anyone whose faith is so strong.” 10Then the men who had been sent to Jesus returned to the house. They found that the servant was healed.
Jesus Raises a Widow’s Son From the Dead
11Some time later, Jesus went to a town called Nain. His disciples and a large crowd went along with him. 12He approached the town gate. Just then, a dead person was being carried out. He was the only son of his mother. She was a widow. A large crowd from the town was with her. 13When the Lord saw her, he felt sorry for her. So he said, “Don’t cry.”
14Then he went up and touched the coffin. Those carrying it stood still. Jesus said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” 15The dead man sat up and began to talk. Then Jesus gave him back to his mother.
16The people were all filled with wonder and praised God. “A great prophet has appeared among us,” they said. “God has come to help his people.” 17This news about Jesus spread all through Judea and the whole country.
Jesus and John the Baptist
18John’s disciples told him about all these things. So he chose two of them. 19He sent them to the Lord. John told them to ask him, “Are you the one who is supposed to come? Or should we look for someone else?”
20The men came to Jesus. They said, “John the Baptist sent us to ask you, ‘Are you the one who is supposed to come? Or should we look for someone else?’ ”
21At that time Jesus healed many people. They had illnesses, sicknesses and evil spirits. He also gave sight to many who were blind. 22So Jesus replied to the messengers, “Go back to John. Tell him what you have seen and heard. Blind people receive sight. Disabled people walk. Those who have skin diseases are made ‘clean.’ Deaf people hear. Those who are dead are raised to life. And the good news is announced to those who are poor. 23Blessed is anyone who does not give up their faith because of me.”
24So John’s messengers left. Then Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John. He said, “What did you go out into the desert to see? Tall grass waving in the wind? 25If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No. Those who wear fine clothes and have many expensive things are in palaces. 26Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 27He is the one written about in Scripture. It says,
“ ‘I will send my messenger ahead of you.
He will prepare your way for you.’ (Malachi 3:1)
28I tell you, no one more important than John has ever been born. But the least important person in God’s kingdom is more important than John is.”
29All the people who heard Jesus’ words agreed that God’s way was right. Even the tax collectors agreed. These people had all been baptized by John. 30But the Pharisees and the authorities on the law did not accept for themselves God’s purpose. So they had not been baptized by John.
31Jesus went on to say, “What can I compare today’s people to? What are they like? 32They are like children sitting in the market and calling out to each other. They say,
“ ‘We played the flute for you.
But you didn’t dance.
We sang a funeral song.
But you didn’t cry.’
33That is how it has been with John the Baptist. When he came to you, he didn’t eat bread or drink wine. And you say, ‘He has a demon.’ 34But when the Son of Man came, he ate and drank as you do. And you say, ‘This fellow is always eating and drinking far too much. He’s a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ 35All who follow wisdom prove that wisdom is right.”
A Sinful Woman Pours Perfume on Jesus
36One of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him. So he went to the Pharisee’s house. He took his place at the table. 37There was a woman in that town who had lived a sinful life. She learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house. So she came there with a special jar of perfume. 38She stood behind Jesus and cried at his feet. And she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair. She kissed them and poured perfume on them.
39The Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this. He said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him. He would know what kind of woman she is. She is a sinner!”
40Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”
“Tell me, teacher,” he said.
41“Two people owed money to a certain lender. One owed him 500 silver coins. The other owed him 50 silver coins. 42Neither of them had the money to pay him back. So he let them go without paying. Which of them will love him more?”
43Simon replied, “I suppose the one who owed the most money.”
“You are right,” Jesus said.
44Then he turned toward the woman. He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water to wash my feet. But she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45You did not give me a kiss. But this woman has not stopped kissing my feet since I came in. 46You did not put any olive oil on my head. But she has poured this perfume on my feet. 47So I tell you this. Her many sins have been forgiven. She has shown that she understands this by her great acts of love. But whoever has been forgiven only a little loves only a little.”
48Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
49The other guests began to talk about this among themselves. They said, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”
50Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”
百夫长的信心
1耶稣向众人讲完道后，进了迦百农。 2当时，有一个百夫长很赏识的奴仆病了，生命垂危。 3百夫长听说耶稣的事，就托几位犹太人的长老去请耶稣来医治他的奴仆。 4他们便来恳求耶稣，说：“这位百夫长值得你帮助， 5因为他爱我们的同胞，为我们建造会堂。” 6耶稣就跟他们去了。
快抵达时，那百夫长又请几位朋友去见耶稣，对祂说：“主啊，不用劳驾，我不配让你亲自来我家。 7我自认不配见你的面，只要你一句话，我的奴仆必定康复。 8因为我有上司，也有部下。我命令我的部下去，他就去；要他来，他就来。我吩咐奴仆做什么事，他一定照办。”
9耶稣听了这番话，感到惊奇，转身对跟从祂的百姓说：“我告诉你们，就是在以色列，我也从未见过有这么大信心的人。”
10派去的几位朋友回到百夫长家里，发现那奴仆已经痊愈了。
寡妇的独子起死回生
11过了不久7:11 “过了不久”有古卷作“次日”。，耶稣去拿因城，随行的有门徒和一大群人。 12耶稣快到城门口时，从城里走出一队送殡的人，死者是一个寡妇的独子，有许多城中的人陪着她。 13耶稣看见那寡妇，怜悯之心油然而生，就对她说：“不要哭！” 14随即上前按住抬尸架，抬的人停了下来。耶稣说：“年轻人，我吩咐你起来！” 15那死者就坐了起来，并开口说话。耶稣把他交给他母亲。
16在场的人惊惧万分，把荣耀归给上帝，说：“我们中间出了一位大先知！”又说：“上帝眷顾了祂的百姓！” 17有关祂的这消息传遍了犹太和附近地区。
施洗者约翰的疑问
18约翰从自己的门徒那里获悉这些事后， 19就叫了两个门徒来，派他们去问主：“将要来的那位就是你吗？还是我们要等别人呢？”
20他们找到耶稣，便问：“施洗者约翰派我们来请教你，‘将要来的那位就是你吗？还是我们要等别人呢？’”
21那时，耶稣刚治好了许多患各种疾病和被鬼附身的人，又使许多瞎子得见光明。 22耶稣便回答说：“你们回去把所见所闻告诉约翰，就是瞎子看见，瘸子走路，麻风病人得洁净，聋子听见，死人复活，穷人听到福音。 23凡对我没有失去信心的人有福了！”
耶稣称赞施洗者约翰
24约翰的门徒离去后，耶稣对众人谈论约翰，说：“你们从前去旷野要看什么呢？看随风摇动的芦苇吗？ 25如果不是，你们到底想看什么？是看穿绫罗绸缎的人吗？那些衣着华丽、生活奢侈的人住在王宫里。 26你们究竟想看什么？看先知吗？是的，我告诉你们，他不只是先知。 27圣经上说，‘看啊，我要差遣我的使者在你前面为你预备道路。’这里所指的就是约翰。 28我告诉你们，凡妇人所生的，没有一个比约翰大，但上帝国中最微不足道的也比他大。”
29众百姓和税吏听了这番话，都承认上帝是公义的，因为他们接受了约翰的洗礼。 30但那些法利赛人和律法教师没有接受约翰的洗礼，拒绝了上帝为他们所定的旨意。
31主又说：“我用什么来比拟这个世代的人呢？他们像什么呢？ 32他们就如街头上戏耍的孩童——彼此呼叫，
“‘我们吹娶亲的乐曲，
你们不跳舞；
我们唱送葬的哀歌，
你们不哭泣。’
33施洗者约翰来了，禁食禁酒，你们就说他被鬼附身了； 34人子来了，又吃又喝，你们就说，‘看啊，祂是个贪吃好酒之徒，与税吏和罪人为友！’ 35然而，智慧会在追求智慧的人身上得到验证。”
罪妇的悔改
36有一个法利赛人请耶稣到他家里吃饭，耶稣应邀赴宴。 37那城里住着一个女人，生活败坏。她听说耶稣在那法利赛人家里吃饭，就带了一个盛满香膏的玉瓶进去。 38她站在耶稣背后，挨着祂的脚哭，泪水滴湿了祂的脚，就用自己的头发擦干，又连连亲祂的脚，并抹上香膏。
39请耶稣的法利赛人看在眼里，心想：“如果这人真的是先知，就该知道摸祂的是谁，是个什么样的女人，她是个罪人。”
40耶稣对他说：“西门，我有话跟你说。”
西门答道：“老师，请说。”
41耶稣说：“有一个债主借给一个人五百个银币，又借给另一个人五十个银币。 42二人都没有能力还债，这位债主就免了他们的债务。你想，哪一位会更爱债主呢？”
43西门答道：“我相信是那个被免去较多债的人。”
44耶稣说：“你判断得对！”随后转向那女人，继续对西门说：“你看见这女人了吗？我到你家里来，你没有拿水给我洗脚，这女人却用她的眼泪洗我的脚，还亲自用头发擦干。 45你没有亲吻我，但我进来以后，这女人却不停地吻我的脚。 46你没有用油为我抹头，这女人却用香膏抹我的脚。 47所以我告诉你，她众多的罪都被赦免了，因此她的爱深切；那些获得赦免少的，他们的爱也少。”
48耶稣对那女人说：“你的罪都被赦免了。”
49同席的人彼此议论说：“这人是谁？竟然能赦免人的罪！”
50耶稣又对那女人说：“你的信心救了你，平安地走吧！”
