Luke 7:1-35 Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

A Centurion’s Faith

7 When he had concluded saying all this to the people who were listening, he entered Capernaum. ² A centurion’s servant, who was highly valued by him, was sick and about to die. ³ When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to him, requesting him to come and save the life of his servant. ⁴ When they reached Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy for you to grant this, ⁵ because he loves our nation and has built us a synagogue.”

⁶ Jesus went with them, and when he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to tell him, “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, since I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. ⁷ That is why I didn’t even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed.^{[a] 8} For I too am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under my command. I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

⁹ Jesus heard this and was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, “I tell you, I have not found so great a faith even in Israel.” ¹⁰ When those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant in good health.

A Widow’s Son Raised to Life

¹¹ Afterward he was on his way to a town called Nain. His disciples and a large crowd were traveling with him. ¹² Just as he neared the gate of the town, a dead man was being carried out. He was his mother’s only son, and she was a widow. A large crowd from the city was also with her. ¹³ When the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said, “Don’t weep.” ¹⁴ Then he came up and touched the open coffin, and the pallbearers stopped. And he said, “Young man, I tell you, get up!”

¹⁵ The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. ¹⁶ Then fear^[b] came over everyone, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has risen among us,” and “God has visited^[c] his people.” ¹⁷ This report about him went throughout Judea and all the vicinity.

In Praise of John the Baptist

¹⁸ Then John’s disciples told him about all these things. So John summoned two of his disciples ¹⁹ and sent them to the Lord, asking, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”

²⁰ When the men reached him, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to ask you, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’”

²¹ At that time Jesus healed many people of diseases, afflictions, and evil spirits, and he granted sight to many blind people. ²² He replied to them, “Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, those with leprosy^[d] are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor are told the good news, ²³ and blessed is the one who isn’t offended by me.”

²⁴ After John’s messengers left, he began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the wind? ²⁵ What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothes? See, those who are splendidly dressed and live in luxury are in royal palaces. ²⁶ What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. ²⁷ This is the one about whom it is written:

²⁸ I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater than John,^[f] but the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

²⁹ (And when all the people, including the tax collectors, heard this, they acknowledged God’s way of righteousness, because they had been baptized with John’s baptism. ³⁰ But since the Pharisees and experts in the law had not been baptized by him, they rejected the plan of God for themselves.)

An Unresponsive Generation

³¹ “To what then should I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like? ³² They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to each other:

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