Jesus Heals a Servant
(Mt. 8:5–13; Jn 4:43–54)
1Jesus finished saying all these things to the people. Then Jesus went into Capernaum.
2In Capernaum there was an army officer.
3When the officer heard about Jesus, he sent some older Jewish leaders to him. The officer wanted the men to ask Jesus to come and save the life of his servant.
4The men went to Jesus. They begged Jesus {to help the officer}. They said, “This officer is worthy to have your help.
5He loves our people and he built the synagogue
6So Jesus went with the men. Jesus was coming near the officer’s house when the officer sent friends to say, “Lord, you don’t need to do anything special for me. I am not good enough for you to come into my house.
7That is why I did not come to you myself. You only need to give the order and my servant boy will be healed.
8{I understand your authority.} I am a man under the authority (power) of other men. And I have soldiers under my authority. I tell one soldier, ‘Go,’ and he goes. And I tell another soldier, ‘Come,’ and he comes. And I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and my servant obeys me.”
9When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Jesus turned to the people that were following him. Jesus said, “I tell you, this is the most faith I have seen anywhere, even in Israel.
10The group that was sent to Jesus went back to the house. There they found that the servant was healed.
Jesus Brings a Man Back to Life
11The next day Jesus went to a town called Nain. Jesus’ followers and a large group of people were traveling with him.
12When Jesus came near the town gates, he saw a funeral. A mother, who was a widow,
13When the Lord (Jesus) saw her, he felt very sorry for her. Jesus said to her, “Don’t cry.”
14Jesus walked to the coffin
15Then the son sat up and began to talk. Jesus gave him to his mother.
16All the people were filled with fear. They began praising God and said, “A great prophet
17This news about Jesus spread into all Judea and into all the places around there.
John Asks a Question
(Mt. 11:2–19)
18John’s followers told John about all these things. John called for two of his followers.
19John sent them to the Lord (Jesus) to ask, “Are you the One that is coming, or should we wait for another person?”
20So the men came to Jesus. They said, “John the Baptizer sent us to you with this question: ‘Are you the One that is coming, or should we wait for another person?’”
21At that time, Jesus healed many people of their sicknesses, diseases, and evil spirits {from the devil}. Jesus healed many blind people so that they could see again.
22Then Jesus said to John’s followers, “Go tell John the things that you saw and heard here. Blind people are healed and can see. Crippled people are healed and can walk. People with leprosy
23What great blessings there are for the person that can accept
24When John’s followers left, Jesus began to tell the people about John: “What did you people go out into the desert to see? A weed
25What did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No. Those people that have fine, nice clothes live in kings’ houses.
26Really, what did you go out to see? A prophet
27This was written about John: ‘ Listen! I (God) will send my helper
28I tell you, John is greater than any man ever born. But even the least important person in the kingdom of God is greater than John.”
29(When the people heard this, they all agreed that God’s teaching was good. Even the tax collectors
30But the Pharisees
31“What shall I say about the people of this time? What can I compare them to? What are they like?
32The people of this time are like children sitting in the market place. One group of children calls to the other children and says, ‘ We played flute music for you,but you did not dance;we sang a sad song,but you did not cry.’
33John the Baptizer came and did not eat {like other people} or drink wine. And you say, ‘He has a demon
34The Son of Man
35But wisdom is shown to be right by the things it does.”
Simon the Pharisee
36One of the Pharisees
37There was a sinful woman in that town. She knew that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house. So the woman brought some perfume in an alabaster
38She stood at Jesus’ feet, crying. Then she began to wash his feet with her tears. She dried Jesus’ feet with her hair. She kissed his feet many times and rubbed them with perfume.
39The Pharisee that asked Jesus to come to his house saw this. He thought to himself, “If this man (Jesus) were a prophet,
40In response, Jesus said to the Pharisee,
41Jesus said, “There were two men. Both men owed money to the same banker. One man owed the banker 500 silver coins.
42The men had no money, so they could not pay their debt. But the banker told the men that they did not have to pay him. Which one of those two men will love the banker more?”
43Simon answered, “I think it would be the one that owed him the most money.” Jesus said to Simon, “You are right.”
44Then Jesus turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? When I came into your house, you gave me no water for my feet. But she washed my feet with her tears and dried my feet with her hair.
45You did not greet me with a kiss, but she has been kissing my feet since I came in!
46You did not honor me with oil for my head, but she rubbed my feet with her sweet-smelling oil.
47I tell you that her many sins are forgiven. This is clear, because she showed great love. But the person that feels only a little need to be forgiven will feel only a little love when he is forgiven.”
48Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
49The people sitting at the table began to think to themselves, “Who does this man (Jesus) think he is? How can he forgive sins?”
50Jesus said to the woman, “Because you believed, you are saved {from your sins}. Go in peace.”