Luke 7 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.
Time Period
~AD 28-30, during the reign of Tiberius Caesar
Location
Galilee region, specifically Capernaum and Nain
Audience
Theophilus and predominantly Gentile (Greek-speaking) Christians
Situation
Jesus is conducting His public ministry throughout Galilee, performing miracles and teaching while facing growing attention from both followers and religious authorities. John the Baptist has been imprisoned by Herod Antipas.
Key Background
The Roman centurion who built a synagogue represents the rare sympathetic Gentiles who supported Jewish communities under occupation. Jewish purity laws created strict social boundaries between Pharisees and 'sinners' (those considered ritually or morally unclean), making table fellowship a significant statement of acceptance or rejection. Prophetic expectations were high during this period, with many Jews looking for Elijah's return or a prophet like Moses.
After Jesus finished saying all of this to the crowd, he went into
A there had a he and this was sick and about to die.
When the officer heard about Jesus, he sent some to ask him to come and save his slave's life.
They came to Jesus and pleaded earnestly with him. "This man really deserves your help," they said.
"He loves our people and even built our for us."
So Jesus went with them. But when he was not far from the house, the officer sent friends to tell him, don't go to any trouble for me. I'm not for you to come into my home."
"That's why I didn't even consider myself worthy to come to you in person. Just the and my slave will be healed."
"I understand because I live under it and exercise it. I tell a soldier, 'Go,' and he goes. I tell another, 'Come,' and he comes. I tell my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it."
When Jesus heard this, he was He turned to the crowd following him and said, "I'm telling you — I haven't found like this even in
When the men who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave completely healthy.
Soon after, Jesus went to a town called and his and a large crowd went with him.
As he approached the town gate, a dead man was being carried out — the only of his mother, and she was a A large crowd from the town was with her.
When the saw for "Don't cry," he said.
Then he walked up and the and the people carrying it stopped. He said, "Young man, I'm telling you — get up."
The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus to
Everyone was with and they praised God, saying, "A great has appeared among us!" and "God has come to help his people!"
This news about Jesus spread through all of and the entire surrounding region.
John's followers told him about all of this.
So John called two of his followers and sent them to the Lord to ask, "Are you the who was to or should we be waiting for someone else?"
When the men came to Jesus, they said, "John the sent us to ask you: 'Are you the one who was supposed to come, or should we be waiting for someone else?'"
Right then, Jesus healed many people of diseases, conditions, and and gave sight to many who were blind.
Then he answered them, "Go back and tell John what you've seen and heard: blind can see, paralyzed are walking, with are deaf can hear, dead are being raised to life, and poor are hearing
"And is for anyone who in me."
After John's messengers left, Jesus began to talk to the crowd about John: "What did you go out into the to see? A in the
"Then what did you go out to see? A man dressed in expensive clothes? Look, people who wear fine clothing and live in luxury are found in
"Then what did you go out to see? A Yes, and I'm telling you — much more than a
"This is the one about whom it was written: 'Look, I'm sending my ahead of you, and he will prepare the way for you.'"
"I'm telling you, among everyone ever born, no one is greater than John. And yet the least important person in is greater than he is."
(When all the people heard this, even the they that was since they had been by John.
But the and for them, since they had not been submerged by John.)
"So what can I compare the people of this to? What are they like?"
"They're like children sitting in the calling to each other: 'We played the flute for you and you wouldn't dance! We sang a funeral song and you wouldn't cry!'"
"Because John the Submerger came not or and you say, 'He's got a
"The of came eating and drinking, and you say, 'Look at this A and a drunk, a friend of tax collectors and
"But is proven right by all her children."
One of the Pharisees invited Jesus to eat with him. So Jesus went into the Pharisee's house and at the
A woman in that town who had a of heard that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house. She brought an of perfume,
and stood behind him at weeping. She began to with and them with kissing and pouring the perfume on them.
When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he thought to himself, "If this man were really a he would know what kind of woman is touching him — that she's someone who has lived a life of failure."
Jesus spoke up: "Simon, I have something to tell you." "Go ahead, he said.
"Two people owed money to a certain lender. One owed five hundred and the other owed fifty."
"Neither of them could pay it back, so the lender both debts. Now, which of them will him more?"
Simon answered, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled." "You've judged correctly," Jesus told him.
Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? When I came into your house, you didn't give me any for my But she has wet my with her tears and wiped them with her hair."
"You didn't greet me with a but from the moment I arrived, she hasn't stopped kissing my feet."
"You didn't put on my but she has poured on my feet."
"So I'm telling you, her many have been — that's why she has shown such great love. But whoever has been little, loves little."
Then Jesus said to her, are
The other guests at the table began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even
Jesus said to the woman, "Your has you. Go in