Jesus Heals an Army Officer's Servant
(Matthew 8.5-13John 4.43-54)1 After Jesus had finished teaching the people, he went to Capernaum. 2 In this town an army officer's servant was sick and about to die. The officer liked his servant very much. 3 And when he heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish leaders to ask him to come and heal the servant.
4 The leaders went to Jesus and begged him to do something. They said, “This man deserves your help! 5 He loves our nation and even built us a synagogue.” 6 So Jesus went with them.
When Jesus wasn't far from the house, the officer sent some friends to tell him, “Lord, don't go to any trouble for me! I am not good enough for you to come into my house. 7 And I am certainly not worthy to come to you. Just say the word, and my servant will get well. 8 I have officers who give orders to me, and I have soldiers who take orders from me. I can say to one of them, ‘Go!’ and he goes. I can say to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes. I can say to my servant, ‘Do this!’ and he will do it.”
9 When Jesus heard this, he was so surprised that he turned and said to the crowd following him, “In all of Israel I've never found anyone with this much faith!”
10 The officer's friends returned and found the servant well.
A Widow's Son
11 Soon Jesus and his disciples were on their way to the town of Nain, and a big crowd was going along with them. 12 As they came near the gate of the town, they saw people carrying out the body of a widow's only son. Many people from the town were walking along with her.
13 When the Lord saw the woman, he felt sorry for her and said, “Don't cry!”
14 Jesus went over and touched the stretcher on which the people were carrying the dead boy. They stopped, and Jesus said, “Young man, get up!” 15 The boy sat up and began to speak. Jesus then gave him back to his mother.
16 Everyone was frightened and praised God. They said, “A great prophet is here with us! God has come to his people.”
17 News about Jesus spread all over Judea and everywhere else in that part of the country.
John the Baptist
(Matthew 11.1-19)18-19 John's followers told John everything that was being said about Jesus. So he sent two of them to ask the Lord, “Are you the one we should be looking for? Or must we wait for someone else?”
20 When these messengers came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to ask, ‘Are you the one we should be looking for? Or are we supposed to wait for someone else?’ ”
21 At that time Jesus was healing many people who were sick or in pain or were troubled by evil spirits, and he was giving sight to a lot of blind people. 22 Jesus said to the messengers sent by John, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard. Blind people are now able to see, and the lame can walk. People who have leprosy are being healed, and the deaf can now hear. The dead are raised to life, and the poor are hearing the good news. 23 God will bless everyone who doesn't reject me because of what I do.”
24 After John's messengers had gone, Jesus began speaking to the crowds about John:
What kind of person did you go out to the desert to see? Was he like tall grass blown about by the wind? 25 What kind of man did you really go out to see? Was he someone dressed in fine clothes? People who wear expensive clothes and live in luxury are in the king's palace. 26 What then did you go out to see? Was he a prophet? He certainly was! I tell you that he was more than a prophet. 27 In the Scriptures, God calls John his messenger and says, “I am sending my messenger ahead of you to get things ready for you.” 28 No one ever born on this earth is greater than John. But whoever is least important in God's kingdom is greater than John.
29 Everyone had been listening to John. Even the tax collectors had obeyed God and had done what was right by letting John baptize them. 30 But the Pharisees and the experts in the Law of Moses refused to obey God and be baptized by John.
31 Jesus went on to say:
What are you people like? What kind of people are you? 32 You are like children sitting in the market and shouting to each other,
“We played the flute,
but you would not dance!
We sang a funeral song,
but you would not cry!”
33 John the Baptist did not go around eating and drinking, and you said, “John has a demon in him!” 34 But because the Son of Man goes around eating and drinking, you say, “Jesus eats and drinks too much! He is even a friend of tax collectors and sinners.” 35 Yet Wisdom is shown to be right by what its followers do.
Simon the Pharisee
36 A Pharisee invited Jesus to have dinner with him. So Jesus went to the Pharisee's home and got ready to eat.
37 When a sinful woman in that town found out that Jesus was there, she bought an expensive bottle of perfume. 38 Then she came and stood behind Jesus. She cried and started washing his feet with her tears and drying them with her hair. The woman kissed his feet and poured the perfume on them.
39 The Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this and said to himself, “If this man really were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him! He would know that she is a sinner.”
40 Jesus said to the Pharisee, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”
“Teacher, what is it?” Simon replied.
41 Jesus told him, “Two people were in debt to a moneylender. One of them owed him 500 silver coins, and the other owed him 50. 42 Since neither of them could pay him back, the moneylender said that they didn't have to pay him anything. Which one of them will like him more?”
43 Simon answered, “I suppose it would be the one who had owed more and didn't have to pay it back.”
“You are right,” Jesus said.
44 He turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Have you noticed this woman? When I came into your home, you didn't give me any water so I could wash my feet. But she has washed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. 45 You didn't greet me with a kiss, but from the time I came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You didn't even pour olive oil on my head, but she has poured expensive perfume on my feet. 47 So I tell you that all her sins are forgiven, and that is why she has shown great love. But anyone who has been forgiven for only a little will show only a little love.”
48 Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”
49 Some other guests started saying to one another, “Who is this who dares to forgive sins?”
50 But Jesus told the woman, “Because of your faith, you are now saved. May God give you peace!”
1 When hee had ended all his sayings in the audience of the people, he entred into Capernaum. 2 And a certaine Ceturions seruant was sicke and readie to die, which was deare vnto him. 3 And when he heard of Iesus, hee sent vnto him the Elders of the Iewes, beseeching him that he would come, and heale his seruant. 4 So they came to Iesus, and besought him instantly, saying that hee was worthy that hee should doe this for him: 5 For he loueth, said they, our nation, and he hath built vs a Synagogue. 6 Then Iesus went with them: but when he was now not farre from the house, the Centurion sent friendes to him, saying vnto him, Lord, trouble not thy selfe: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter vnder my roofe: 7 Wherefore I thought not my selfe worthy to come vnto thee: but say the word, and my seruant shalbe whole: 8 For I likewise am a man set vnder authoritie, and haue vnder mee souldiers, and I say vnto one, Goe, and he goeth: and to another, Come, and hee commeth: and to my seruant, Doe this, and he doeth it. 9 When Iesus heard these things, he marueiled at him, and turned him, and said to the people, that followed him, I say vnto you, I haue not found so great faith, no not in Israel. 10 And when they that were sent, turned backe to the house, they founde the seruant that was sicke, whole. 11 And it came to passe the day after, that he went into a citie called Nain, and many of his disciples went with him, and a great multitude. 12 Nowe when hee came neere to the gate of the citie, behold, there was a dead man caried out, who was the onely begotten sonne of his mother, which was a widowe, and much people of the citie was with her. 13 And when the Lord sawe her, he had compassion on her, and said vnto her, Weepe not. 14 And he went and touched the coffin (and they that bare him, stoode still) and he said, Yong man, I say vnto thee, Arise. 15 And he that was dead, sate vp, and began to speake, and he deliuered him to his mother. 16 Then there came a feare on them all, and they glorified God, saying, A great Prophet is risen among vs, and God hath visited his people. 17 And this rumour of him went foorth throughout all Iudea, and throughout all the region round about. 18 And the disciples of Iohn shewed him of all these things. 19 So Iohn called vnto him two certaine men of his disciples, and sent them to Iesus, saying, Art thou hee that should come, or shall we waite for another? 20 And when the men were come vnto him, they said, Iohn Baptist hath sent vs vnto thee, saying, Art thou hee that should come, or shall we waite for another? 21 And at that time, he cured many of their sickenesses, and plagues, and of euill spirites, and vnto many blinde men he gaue sight freely. 22 And Iesus answered, and saide vnto them, Goe your wayes and shewe Iohn, what things ye haue seene and heard: that the blinde see, the halt goe, the lepers are cleansed, the deafe heare, the dead are raised, and the poore receiue the Gospel. 23 And blessed is hee, that shall not be offended in me. 24 And when the messengers of Iohn were departed, hee began to speake vnto the people, of Iohn, What went ye out into the wildernes to see? A reede shaken with the winde? 25 But what went ye out to see? A man clothed in soft rayment? beholde, they which are gorgeously apparelled, and liue delicately, are in Kings courtes. 26 But what went ye foorth to see? A Prophet? yea, I say to you, and greater then a Prophet. 27 This is he of whom it is written, Beholde, I sende my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. 28 For I say vnto you, there is no greater Prophet then Iohn, among them that are begotten of women: neuerthelesse, hee that is the least in the kingdome of God, is greater then he. 29 Then all the people that heard, and the Publicanes iustified God, being baptized with the baptisme of Iohn. 30 But the Pharises and the expounders of the Law despised the counsell of God against themselues, and were not baptized of him. 31 And the Lord saide, Whereunto shall I liken the men of this generation? and what thing are they like vnto? 32 They are like vnto litle children sitting in the market place, and crying one to another, and saying, We haue piped vnto you, and ye haue not daunced: we haue mourned to you, and ye haue not wept. 33 For Iohn Baptist came, neither eating bread, nor drinking wine: and ye say, He hath the deuil. 34 The Sonne of man is come, and eateth and drinketh: and ye say, Beholde, a man which is a glutton, and a drinker of wine, a friend of Publicanes and sinners: 35 But wisdome is iustified of all her children. 36 And one of the Pharises desired him that hee would eate with him: and hee went into the Pharises house, and sate downe at table. 37 And beholde, a woman in the citie, which was a sinner, when she knewe that Iesus sate at table in the Pharises house, shee brought a boxe of oyntment. 38 And shee stoode at his feete behinde him weeping, and began to wash his feete with teares, and did wipe them with the heares of her head, and kissed his feete, and anoynted them with the oyntment. 39 Nowe when the Pharise which bade him, saw it, he spake within himselfe, saying, If this man were a Prophet, hee woulde surely haue knowen who, and what maner of woman this is which toucheth him: for she is a sinner. 40 And Iesus answered, and saide vnto him, Simon, I haue somewhat to say vnto thee. And he said, Master, say on. 41 There was a certaine lender which had two detters: the one ought fiue hundreth pence, and the other fiftie: 42 When they had nothing to pay, he forgaue them both: Which of them therefore, tell mee, will loue him most? 43 Simon answered, and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgaue most. And he said vnto him, Thou hast truely iudged. 44 Then he turned to the woman, and said vnto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entred into thine house, and thou gauest mee no water to my feete: but she hath washed my feete with teares, and wiped them with the heares of her head. 45 Thou gauest me no kisse: but she, since the time I came in, hath not ceased to kisse my feete. 46 Mine head with oyle thou didest not anoint: but she hath anoynted my feete with oyntment. 47 Wherefore I say vnto thee, many sinnes are forgiuen her: for she loued much. To whom a litle is forgiuen, he doeth loue a litle. 48 And he saide vnto her, Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee. 49 And they that sate at table with him, began to say within themselues, Who is this that euen forgiueth sinnes? 50 And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saued thee: goe in peace.