Luke 6:27–8:25

Love Your Enemies

²⁷“But here is what I tell you who hear me. Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. ²⁸Bless those who call down curses on you. And pray for those who treat you badly.

²⁹“Suppose someone hits you on one cheek. Turn your other cheek to him also. Suppose someone takes your coat. Don’t stop him from taking your shirt.

³⁰“Give to everyone who asks you. And if anyone takes what belongs to you, don’t ask to get it back. ³¹Do to others as you want them to do to you.

³²“Suppose you love those who love you. Should anyone praise you for that? Even ‘sinners’ love those who love them. ³³And suppose you do good to those who are good to you. Should anyone praise you for that? Even ‘sinners’ do that. ³⁴And suppose you lend money to those who can pay you back. Should anyone praise you for that? Even a ‘sinner’ lends to ‘sinners,’ expecting them to pay everything back.

³⁵“But love your enemies. Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then you will receive a lot in return. And you will be sons of the Most High God. He is kind to people who are evil and are not thankful. ³⁶So have mercy, just as your Father has mercy.

Be Fair When You Judge Others

³⁷“If you do not judge others, then you will not be judged. If you do not find others guilty, then you will not be found guilty. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. ³⁸Give, and it will be given to you. A good amount will be poured into your lap. It will be pressed down, shaken together, and running over. The same amount you give will be measured out to you.”

³⁹Jesus also gave them another example. He asked, “Can a blind person lead another blind person? Won’t they both fall into a pit? ⁴⁰Students are not better than their teachers. But everyone who is completely trained will be like his teacher.

⁴¹“You look at the bit of sawdust in your friend’s eye. But you pay no attention to the piece of wood in your own eye. ⁴²How can you say to your friend, ‘Let me take the bit of sawdust out of your eye’? How can you say this while there is a piece of wood in your own eye? You pretender! First take the piece of wood out of your own eye. Then you will be able to see clearly to take the bit of sawdust out of your friend’s eye.

A Tree and Its Fruit

⁴³“A good tree doesn’t bear bad fruit. And a bad tree doesn’t bear good fruit. ⁴⁴You can tell each tree by the kind of fruit it bears. People do not pick figs from thorns. And they don’t pick grapes from bushes.

⁴⁵“A good man says good things. These come from the good that is put away in his heart. An evil man says evil things. These come from the evil that is put away in his heart. Their mouths say everything that is in their hearts.

The Wise and Foolish Builders

⁴⁶“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and still don’t do what I say? ⁴⁷Some people come to me and listen to me and do what I say. I will show you what they are like. ⁴⁸They are like someone who builds a house. He digs down deep and sets it on solid rock. When a flood comes, the river rushes against the house. But the water can’t shake it. The house is well built.

⁴⁹“But here is what happens when people listen to my words and do not obey them. They are like someone who builds a house on soft ground instead of solid rock. The moment the river rushes against that house, it falls down. It is completely destroyed.”

A Roman Commander Has Faith

7Jesus finished saying all those things to the people. Then he entered Capernaum.

²There the servant of a Roman commander was sick and about to die. His master thought highly of him. ³The commander heard about Jesus. So he sent some elders of the Jews to him. He told them to ask Jesus to come and heal his servant.

⁴They came to Jesus and begged him, “This man deserves to have you do this. ⁵He loves our nation and has built our synagogue.” ⁶So Jesus went with them.

When Jesus came near the house, the Roman commander sent friends to him. He told them to say, “Lord, don’t trouble yourself. I am not good enough to have you come into my house. ⁷That is why I did not even think I was fit to come to you. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. ⁸I myself am a man who is under authority. And I have soldiers who obey my orders. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes. I tell that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

⁹When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him. He turned to the crowd that was following him. He said, “I tell you, even in Israel I have not found anyone whose faith is so strong.”

¹⁰Then the men who had been sent to Jesus returned to the house. They found that the servant was healed.

Jesus Raises a Widow’s Son From the Dead

¹¹Some time later, Jesus went to a town called Nain. His disciples and a large crowd went along with him. ¹²He approached the town gate. Just then, a dead person was being carried out. He was the only son of his mother. She was a widow. A large crowd from the town was with her.

¹³When the Lord saw her, he felt sorry for her. So he said, “Don’t cry.”

¹⁴Then he went up and touched the coffin. Those carrying it stood still.

Jesus said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!”

¹⁵The dead man sat up and began to talk. Then Jesus gave him back to his mother.

¹⁶The people were all filled with wonder and praised God. “A great prophet has appeared among us,” they said. “God has come to help his people.” ¹⁷This news about Jesus spread all through Judea and the whole country.

Jesus and John the Baptist

¹⁸John’s disciples told him about all these things. So he chose two of them. ¹⁹He sent them to the Lord. They were to ask Jesus, “Are you the one who was supposed to come? Or should we look for someone else?”

²⁰The men came to Jesus. They said, “John the Baptist sent us to ask you, ‘Are you the one who was supposed to come? Or should we look for someone else?’ ”

²¹At that very time Jesus healed many people. They had illnesses, sicknesses and evil spirits. He also gave sight to many who were blind. ²²So Jesus replied to the messengers, “Go back to John. Tell him what you have seen and heard. Blind people receive sight. Disabled people walk. Those who have skin diseases are healed. Deaf people hear. Those who are dead are raised to life. And the good news is preached to those who are poor. ²³Blessed are those who do not give up their faith because of me.”

²⁴So John’s messengers left. Then Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John. He said, “What did you go out into the desert to see? Tall grass waving in the wind? ²⁵If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No. Those who wear fine clothes and have many expensive things are in palaces. ²⁶Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.

²⁷“He is the one written about in Scripture. It says,

“ ‘I will send my messenger ahead of you.

He will prepare your way for you.’

²⁸I tell you, no one more important than John has ever been born. But the least important person in God’s kingdom is more important than he is.”

²⁹All the people who heard Jesus’ words agreed that God’s way was right. Even the tax collectors agreed. These people had all been baptized by John. ³⁰But the Pharisees and the authorities on the law did not accept God’s purpose for themselves. They had not been baptized by John.

³¹“What can I compare today’s people to?” Jesus asked. “What are they like? ³²They are like children sitting in the market place and calling out to each other. They say,

“ ‘We played a flute for you.

But you didn’t dance.

We sang a funeral song.

But you didn’t cry.’

³³“That is how it has been with John the Baptist. When he came to you, he didn’t eat bread or drink wine. And you say, ‘He has a demon.’ ³⁴But when the Son of Man came, he ate and drank as you do. And you say, ‘This fellow is always eating and drinking far too much. He’s a friend of tax collectors and “sinners.” ’ ³⁵All who follow wisdom prove that wisdom is right.”

A Sinful Woman Pours Perfume on Jesus

³⁶One of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him. So he went to the Pharisee’s house. He took his place at the table.

³⁷There was a woman in that town who had lived a sinful life. She learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house. So she came with a special sealed jar of perfume. ³⁸She stood behind Jesus and cried at his feet. She began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair. She kissed them and poured perfume on them.

³⁹The Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this. He said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him. He would know what kind of woman she is. She is a sinner!”

⁴⁰Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”

“Tell me, teacher,” he said.

⁴¹“Two people owed money to a certain lender. One owed him 500 silver coins. The other owed him 50 silver coins. ⁴²Neither of them had the money to pay him back. So he let them go without paying. Which of them will love him more?”

⁴³Simon replied, “I suppose the one who owed the most money.”

“You are right,” Jesus said.

⁴⁴Then he turned toward the woman. He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water to wash my feet. But she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. ⁴⁵You did not give me a kiss. But this woman has not stopped kissing my feet since I came in. ⁴⁶You did not put any olive oil on my head. But she has poured perfume on my feet. ⁴⁷So I tell you this. Her many sins have been forgiven. She has loved a lot. But the one who has been forgiven little loves only a little.”

⁴⁸Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

⁴⁹The other guests began to talk about this among themselves. They said, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

⁵⁰Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

The Story of the Farmer

8After this, Jesus traveled around from one town and village to another. He announced the good news of God’s kingdom. The Twelve were with him. ²So were some women who had been healed of evil…