Luke 7
J.B. Phillips New Testament
A Roman centurion’s extraordinary faith in Jesus
7 1-5 When Jesus had finished these talks to the people, he came to Capernaum, where it happened that there was a man very seriously ill and in fact at the point of death. He was the slave of a centurion who thought very highly of him. When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to him with the request that he would come and save his servant’s life. When they came to Jesus, they urged him strongly to grant this request, saying that the centurion deserved to have this done for him. “He loves our nation and has built us a synagogue out of his own pocket,” they said.
6-8 So Jesus went with them, but as he approached the house, the centurion sent some of his personal friends with the message, “Don’t trouble yourself, sir! I’m not important enough for you to come into my house—I didn’t think I was fit to come to you in person. Just give the order, please, and my servant will recover. I am used to working under orders, and I have soldiers under me. I can say to one, ‘Go’, and he goes, or I can say to another, ‘Come here’, and he comes; or I can say to my slave, ‘Do this job’, and he does it.”
9 These words amazed Jesus and he turned to the crowd who were following behind him, and said, “I have never found faith like this anywhere, even in Israel!”
10 Then those who had been sent by the centurion returned to the house and found the slave perfectly well.
Jesus brings a dead youth back to life
11-13 Not long afterwards, Jesus went into a town called Nain, accompanied by his disciples and a large crowd. As they approached the city gate, it happened that some people were carrying out a dead man, the only son of his widowed mother. The usual crowd of fellow-townsmen was with her. When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.”
14 Then he walked up and put his hand on the bier while the bearers stood still. Then he said, “Young man, wake up!”
15-16 And the dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus handed him to his mother. Everybody present was awe-struck and they praised God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us and God has turned his face towards his people.”
17 And this report of him spread through the whole of Judea and the surrounding countryside.
Jesus sends John a personal message
18-19 John’s disciples reported all these happenings to him. Then he summoned two of them and sent them to the Lord with this message, “Are you the one who was to come, or are we to look for someone else?”
20 When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you with this message, ‘Are you the one who was to come, or are we to look for someone else?’”
21-23 At that very time Jesus was healing many people of their diseases and ailments and evil spirits, and he restored sight to many who were blind. Then he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard. The blind are recovering their sight, cripples are walking again, lepers being healed, the deaf hearing, dead men are being brought to life again, and the good news is being given to those in need. And happy is the man who never loses his faith in me.”
Jesus emphasises the greatness of John—and the greater importance of the kingdom of God
24-27 When these messengers had gone back, Jesus began to talk to the crowd about John. “What did you go out into the desert to look at? Was it a reed waving in the breeze? Well, what was it you went out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? But the men who wear fine clothes live luxuriously in palaces. But what did you really go to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, a prophet and far more than a prophet! This is the man of whom the scripture says, ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you’.
28 Believe me, no one greater than John has ever been born, and yet a humble member of the kingdom of God is greater than he.
29-30 “All the people, yes, even the tax-collectors, when they heard John, acknowledged God and were baptised by his baptism. But the Pharisees and the experts in the Law frustrated God’s purpose for them, for they refused John’s baptism.
31-35 “What can I say that the men of this generation are like—what sort of men are they? They are like children sitting in the market-place and calling out to each other, ‘We played at weddings for you, but you wouldn’t dance, and we played at funerals for you, and you wouldn’t cry!’ For John the Baptist came in the strictest austerity and you say he is crazy. Then the Son of Man came, enjoying life, and you say, ‘Look, a drunkard and a glutton, a bosom-friend of the tax-collector and the outsider!’ Ah, well, wisdom’s reputation is entirely in the hands of her children!”
Jesus contrasts unloving righteousness with loving penitence
36-39 Then one of the Pharisees asked Jesus to a meal with him. When Jesus came into the house, he took his place at the table and a woman, known in the town as a bad woman, found out that Jesus was there and brought an alabaster flask of perfume and stood behind him crying, letting her tears fall on his feet and then drying them with her hair. Then she kissed them and anointed them with the perfume. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were really a prophet, he would know who this woman is and what sort of a person is touching him. He would have realised that she is a bad woman.”
40 Then Jesus spoke to him, “Simon, there is something I want to say to you.” “Very well, Master,” he returned, “say it.”
41-42 “Once upon a time, there were two men in debt to the same money-lender. One owed him fifty pounds and the other five. And since they were unable to pay, he generously cancelled both of their debts. Now, which one of them do you suppose will love him more?”
43 “Well,” returned Simon, “I suppose it will be the one who has been more generously treated,”
44-47 “Exactly,” replied Jesus, and then turning to the woman, he said to Simon, “You can see this woman? I came into your house but you provided no water to wash my feet. But she has washed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. There was no warmth in your greeting, but she, from the moment I came in, has not stopped covering my feet with kisses. You gave me no oil for my head, but she has put perfume on my feet. That is why I tell you, Simon, that her sins, many as they are, are forgiven; for she has shown me so much love. But the man who has little to be forgiven has only a little love to give.”
48 Then he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
49 And the men at table with him began to say to themselves, “And who is this man, who even forgives sins?”
50 But Jesus said to the woman, “It is your faith that has saved you. Go in peace.”
Luke 7
New Life Version
The Healing of the Captain’s Helper (A)
7 When Jesus had finished teaching the people, He went back to Capernaum. 2 A captain of the army had a servant whom he thought much of. This servant was very sick and was about to die. 3 When the captain heard of Jesus, he sent some Jewish leaders to Him. They were to ask if He would come and heal this servant. 4 They came to Jesus and begged Him, saying, “The man is respected and should have this done for him. 5 He loves our nation and has built our Jewish place of worship.”
6 Jesus went with them. When He was not far from the house, the captain told some friends to tell this to Jesus, “Lord, do not take the time to come to my house, because I am not good enough. 7 And I am not good enough to come to You. But just say the word and my servant will be healed. 8 For I am a man who works for someone else also, and I have soldiers who work for me. I say to this man, ‘Go!’ and he goes. I say to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes. I say to my workman, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”
9 Jesus was surprised when He heard this. He turned to the people following Him and said, “I tell you, I have not found so much faith even in the Jewish nation.” 10 Those who had been sent went back to the captain’s house and found the servant well again.
The Son of a Woman Whose Husband Had Died Was Raised from the Dead
11 The next day Jesus went to a city called Nain. His followers and many other people went with Him. 12 When they came near the city gate, a dead man was being carried out. He was the only son of a woman whose husband had died. Many people of the city were with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, He had loving-pity for her and said, “Do not cry.” 14 He went and put His hand on the box in which the dead man was carried. The men who were carrying it, stopped. Jesus said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” 15 The man who was dead sat up and began to talk. Then Jesus gave him to his mother. 16 Everyone was afraid and they gave thanks to God. They said, “A great Man Who speaks for God has come among us! God has cared for His people!” 17 The news about Jesus went through all the country of Judea and over all the land.
John the Baptist Asks about Jesus (B)
18 The followers of John the Baptist told him about all these things. 19 John called two of his followers and sent them to Jesus to ask, “Are You the One Who is to come? Or are we to look for another?” 20 The men came to Jesus and said, “John the Baptist sent us to ask You, ‘Are You the One Who is to come? Or are we to look for another?’”
21 At that time Jesus was healing many people of all kinds of sickness and disease and was putting out demons. Many that were blind were able to see. 22 Jesus said to John’s followers, “Go back to John the Baptist and tell him what you have seen and heard. Tell him the blind are made to see. Those who could not walk, are walking. Those with a bad skin disease are healed. Those who could not hear, are hearing. The dead are raised to life and poor people have the Good News preached to them. 23 The person who is not ashamed of Me and does not turn away from Me is happy.”
Jesus Tells about John the Baptist (C)
24 As John’s followers were going away, Jesus began to tell the people about John the Baptist. He said, “Why did you go out to the desert? Did you go out to see a small tree moving in the wind? 25 What did you go out to see? A man dressed in good clothes? Those who are dressed in good clothes are in the houses of kings. 26 But what did you go to see? One who speaks for God? Yes, I tell you, he is more than one who speaks for God. 27 This is the man the Holy Writings spoke of when they said, ‘See! I will send My helper to carry news ahead of You. He will make Your way ready for You!’ (D)
28 “I tell you, of those born of women, there is no one greater than John the Baptist. The least in the holy nation of God is greater than he.”
29 All the people who heard Jesus and those who gathered taxes showed they knew God was right and were baptized by John. 30 But the proud religious law-keepers and the men who knew the Law would not listen. They would not be baptized by John and they did not receive what God had for them.
Jesus Speaks Against the People of This Day
31 Then the Lord said, “What are the people of this day like? 32 They are like children playing in front of stores. They call to their friends, ‘We have played music for you, but you did not dance. We have had sorrow for you, but you did not have sorrow.’ 33 John the Baptist did not come eating bread or drinking wine and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ 34 The Son of Man came eating and drinking and you say, ‘See! He likes food and wine. He is a friend of men who gather taxes and of sinners!’ 35 Wisdom is shown to be right by those who are wise.”
A Woman Puts Special Perfume on the Feet of Jesus
36 One of the proud religious law-keepers wanted Jesus to eat with him. Jesus went to his house and sat down to eat. 37 There was a woman in the city who was a sinner. She knew Jesus was eating in the house of the proud religious law-keeper. She brought a jar of special perfume. 38 Then she stood behind Him by His feet and cried. Her tears wet His feet and she dried them with her hair. She kissed His feet and put the special perfume on them.
39 The proud religious law-keeper who had asked Jesus to eat with him saw this. He said to himself, “If this Man were One Who speaks for God, He would know who and what kind of a woman put her hands on Him. She is a sinner.” 40 Jesus said to him, “I have something to say to you, Simon.” And Simon said, “Teacher, say it.”
41 “There were two men who owed a certain man some money. The one man owed 500 pieces of silver money. The other man owed 50 pieces of silver money. 42 Neither one of them had any money, so he told them they did not have to pay him back. Tell Me, which one would love him the most?” 43 Simon said, “I think it would be the one who owed the most.” And Jesus said to him, “You have said the right thing.”
44 He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house and you gave Me no water to wash My feet. She washed My feet with her tears and dried them with the hairs of her head. 45 You gave me no kiss, but this woman has kissed my feet from the time I came in. 46 You did not put even oil on My head but this woman has put special perfume on My feet. 47 I tell you, her many sins are forgiven because she loves much. But the one who has been forgiven little, loves little.” 48 Then He said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 Those who were eating with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this Man Who even forgives sins?” 50 He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you from the punishment of sin. Go in peace.”
The New Testament in Modern English by J.B Phillips copyright © 1960, 1972 J. B. Phillips. Administered by The Archbishops’ Council of the Church of England. Used by Permission.
Copyright © 1969, 2003 by Barbour Publishing, Inc.