Luke 7
Return to The Gospel Of Luke.
Important: This is not a translation or paraphrase, but a story based on Luke 7.
[Note: In the word pronunciations I have made the vowels with a Long Sound bold while the vowels with a short sound are in normal print. Academic Associate students know that the "u" has 3 long sounds. These sounds are separated from each other with a 1, 2 or 3. Sometimes a vowel does not have a sound in a syllable. In dictionaries this is usually shown with a "ə" but I have chosen simply not to show it since it has no sound. Also, when the "r" says it name instead of its normal sound, I have put it in bold. Academic Associate students, of course, know why and when it says its name instead of its sound.]
Great Faith In A Roman
When Jesus had finished speaking to the people, He went to Capernaum [Ku pr ne um]. It was there an important centurion’s [sen tu2r e uns] servant was sick and about to die. The centurion heard Jesus was in town and knew about how He had healed people. He sent some leaders of the Jews to Jesus, asking Him to come and heal His servant. When the Jewish leaders met with Jesus they pleaded with Him earnestly to help.
“This centurion loves our nation and has built us a synagogue [sin u gog]. He deserves to have you heal his servant,” they said.
Jesus went with them. They were almost to the centurion’s home when they were met by some of the centurion’s friends. He had sent them to say, “Lord, don’t trouble Yourself with coming all the way. I did not come personally to see You because I am not worthy to be in Your presence and I am not worthy to have You come into my home. I know all You have to do is speak a word and my servant will be healed. I know that because I am a man under authority and I have soldiers under my command. When I tell one to, ‘Go,’ he goes and when I tell another one to, ‘Come,’ he comes. I tell my servants what to do and they do it. You have authority over sickness, all You have to do is speak.”
Jesus was amazed when He heard this. He turned to the crowd that was following Him and said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith as this even among God’s own people in Israel!”
When the centurion’s friends went back to his house they discovered that the servant had been completely healed.
A Resurrection [rez u rek shun]
A little while later Jesus went to a town called Nain [Nan]. His disciples and a large crowd followed Him there. As He approached the town entrance, a dead person was being carried out. He had been the only son of a widow. A large crowd from the city was following the funeral procession. When the Lord saw the widow, His heart went out to her.
“Don’t cry,” He said.
Then Jesus went up and touched the coffin. The pall bearers stood still as Jesus addressed the dead body, “Young man, I tell you, get up!”
The man, who had been dead, suddenly sat up and started talking. Jesus helped him out of the coffin and presented him back to his mother.
Both crowds were amazed and praised God. “A great prophet has appeared among us,” they said to each other. “God has come to help His people!”
This news about Jesus spread all over Judea [Ju2 de u] and the surrounding country.
Are You The One?
John the Baptist’s disciples told him all the things Jesus was doing. John called two of them and sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are You the One Who was to come, or should we expect someone else?”
When the men came to Jesus, they said to Him, “John the Baptist sent us to You to ask, ‘Are You the One who was to come, or should we expect someone else?’”
Jesus did not answer them directly. Instead He had them follow Him as He cured many who had diseases [di zez es], sicknesses and evil spirits as well as giving sight to many blind people. After He had done all that, Jesus turned the John’s disciples and said, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard. The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who continues to believe in Me.”
After John’s messengers left, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John the Baptist, “What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed swaying in the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? I think not! Those who wear expensive clothes and indulge in luxury [lug zhr e] are in palaces. But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, John is a prophet, but he is also more than a prophet. He is the one Malachi [Mal u ki] wrote about hundreds of years ago when he said,”
“‘I will send my messenger ahead of You who will prepare Your way before You.’
“I am telling you that John he Baptist is the greatest person who has been born naturally since the world began. But, listen carefully, the least important person in the kingdom of God is greater than John.”
(The reason that Jesus could say that John was the greatest person born was because John had prepared the way for Jesus the Messiah. All the people, even the criminals, who had been baptized by John, knew God’s way was right when they heard the words of Jesus. But those who had refused to be baptized by John, like the Pharisees and experts in the law, rejected God’s ways and did not listen to Jesus.]
Jesus continued, “What are the people of this generation like? They are like children calling out to each other:
“‘We played happy music for you, but you did not dance.
We played sad songs for you, but you did not cry.’
“What I mean is that John the Baptist came and lived alone, did not eat much and drank no wine. But you said, ‘What a strange man. He must have a demon.’ Then I came and lived the opposite way. I stay with people and eat and drink with them. But now you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunk, a Man Who is a friend of criminals and other ‘sinners.’’ There is no pleasing you! But wisdom is proved right by all those who follow her ways.”
Who Loves The Most?
One of the Pharisees, named Simon, invited Jesus to have dinner with him. Jesus accepted and reclined at the table with him and his guests. [Note: In those days people lay on their side to eat their meals instead of sitting on chairs.] When a woman who had lived a very sinful life in that town heard that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, she went and got a her special and expensive jar of perfume [It cost an entire year’s pay.] She brought her most prized possession and stood at Jesus’ feet. She began weeping and her tears covered the feet of Jesus. Then she knelt down and wiped them dry with her hair. After kissing His feet, she poured her treasured perfume on them.
The Pharisee, who had invited Jesus to dinner, was watching with disgust. He thought to himself, “If Jesus was really a prophet, He would know what kind of woman she is - a sinful woman - and not let her even touch Him!”
Jesus knew what he was thinking and said, “Simon, I have something to ask you.”
“Go ahead, teacher,” he replied.
“Two men owed money to a certain banker. One owed him 500 dollars and the other owed him 50 dollars. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled their debts. Now which of them will love him more?”
Simon thought about it and answered, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.”
“You are right,” Jesus replied. Then He turned to look at the woman as He was talking to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. And you did not give Me any water for my feet like a polite host would, but she wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give Me a kiss of friendship, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing My feet. You did not put oil on My head like you would do for an honoured guest, but she has poured her valuable perfume on My feet. So, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven - for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little, loves little.”
Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”
The other guests began to say to each other, “Who is this who thinks He can even forgive sins!”
Jesus ignored them and continued speaking to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”
Go To Luke 8
Return to The Gospel Of Luke.
Copyright © 2008–