Luke 7:1–35

A Centurion’s Slave Healed

7After he had finished all his statements in the hearing of the people, he entered into Capernaum. ²Now a certain centurion’s slave, who was esteemed by him, was sick^a and^* was about to die. ³So when he^* heard about Jesus, he sent Jewish elders to him, asking him that he would come and^* cure his slave. ⁴And when they^* came to Jesus, they began imploring^b him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy that you grant this for him, ⁵because he loves our nation and he himself built the synagogue for us.” ⁶So Jesus went with them. Now by this time he was not far away from the house, and^* the centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy that you should come in under my roof. ⁷For this reason neither did I consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word and my slave must be healed. ⁸For I also am a man placed under authority, who has soldiers under me, and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another one, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”^*

⁹And when^* Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning around to the crowd that was following him, he said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith!” ¹⁰And when they^* returned to the house, those who had been sent found the slave healthy.

A Widow’s Son Raised

¹¹And it happened that on the next day he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went with him. ¹²And as he approached the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, his mother’s only son, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. ¹³And when^* the Lord saw her, he had compassion for her and said to her, “Do not weep!” ¹⁴And he came up and^* touched the bier, and those who were carrying it^* stopped. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” ¹⁵And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and he gave him to his mother. ¹⁶And fear seized them all, and they began to glorify^* God, saying, “A great prophet has appeared among us!” and “God has visited to help his people!” ¹⁷And this report about him went out in the whole of Judea and in all the surrounding region.

A Question from John the Baptist

¹⁸And his disciples reported to John about all these things. And summoning a certain two of his disciples, John ¹⁹sent them^* to the Lord,^c saying, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” ²⁰And when^* the men came to him, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?’ ” ²¹In that hour he healed many people of diseases and suffering and evil spirits, and he granted sight to many blind people. ²²And he answered and^* said to them, “Go and^* tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear;^d the dead are raised, the poor have good news announced to them.^{* 23}And whoever is not offended by me is blessed.”

²⁴And when^* the messengers of John had departed, he began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? ²⁵But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are in splendid clothing and luxury are in the royal palaces. ²⁶But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and even more than a prophet! ²⁷It is this man about whom it is written:

‘Behold, I am sending my messenger before your face,

who will prepare your way before you.’^e

²⁸I tell you, there is no one greater among those born of women than John, but the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he. ²⁹(And all the people, when they^* heard this^*—even the tax collectors—affirmed the righteousness of God, because they^* had been baptized with the baptism of John, ³⁰but the Pharisees and the legal experts rejected the purpose of God for themselves, because they^* had not been baptized by him.)

³¹“To what then shall I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like? ³²They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to one another, who say,

‘We played the flute for you and you did not dance;

we sang a lament and you did not weep.’

³³For John the Baptist has come not eating bread or drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon!’ ³⁴The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Behold, a man who is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ ³⁵And wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”