12. Strengthening His Forerunner
- And Johns disciples reported to him concerning all these things.
- And John called a certain two of his disciples to him and sent them to the Lord, saying, Are You the Coming One, or should we expect another?
- And the men came to Him and said, John the Baptist sent us to You, saying, Are You the Coming One, or should we expect another?
- In that hour He healed many from diseases and afflictions and evil spirits, and to many who were blind He graciously gave sight.
- And He answered and said to them, Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel announced to them.
- And blessed is he who is not stumbled because of Me.
- And when the messengers of John went away, He began to say to the crowds concerning John, What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind?
- But what did you go out to see? A man arrayed in soft garments? Behold, those who live in splendid apparel and luxury are in royal palaces.
- But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and much more than a prophet.
- This is he concerning whom it is written, Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You.
- I say to you, Among those born of women there is no one greater than John, yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.
- And when all the people and the tax collectors heard this, they acknowledged that God was righteous, since they had been baptized with the baptism of John.
- But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the counsel of God for themselves since they had not been baptized by him.
- And Jesus said, To what then shall I liken the men of this generation, and what are they like?
- They are like little children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another, who say, We have played the flute to you, and you did not dance; we have sung a dirge, and you did not weep.
- For John the Baptist has come neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, He has a demon.
- The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.
- Yet wisdom is justified by all her children.
- Now a certain one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He entered into the Pharisees house and reclined at table.
- And behold, there was a woman in the city who was a sinner, and when she learned that He was reclining at table in the Pharisees house, she brought an alabaster flask of ointment.
- And she stood behind Him at His feet weeping and began to wet His feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head, and she kissed His feet affectionately and anointed them with the ointment.
- But when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said within himself, This man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching Him, because she is a sinner.
- And Jesus answered and said to him, Simon, I have something to say to you. And he said, Teacher, say it.
- A certain moneylender had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarii and the other fifty.
- But since they had nothing with which to repay, he graciously forgave them both. Which of them therefore will love him more?
- Simon answered and said, I suppose the one whom he graciously forgave the more. And He said to him, You have judged correctly.
- And turning to the woman, He said to Simon, Do you see this woman? I entered into your house; you did not give Me water for My feet, but she, with her tears, has wet My feet and with her hair has wiped them.
- You did not give Me a kiss, but she, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing My feet affectionately.
- You did not anoint My head with oil, but she has anointed My feet with ointment.
- For this reason I say to you, Her sins which are many are forgiven, because she loved much; but to whom little is forgiven, he loves little.
- And He said to her, Your sins are forgiven.
- And those who were reclining at table with Him began to say within themselves, Who is this who even forgives sins?
- But He said to the woman, Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.
