Luke 7:5-29

⁵because he loves our people and he built a synagogue for us.”

⁶Jesus went with them and as they approached the house, the centurion sent some friends to Jesus to tell him, “Lord, please don't trouble yourself by coming into my house, because I'm not worthy of that.

⁷I didn't even think that I was worthy to come and see you. Just give the command, and my servant will be healed.

⁸For I'm under the authority of my superior officers, and I have soldiers under my authority too. I command one to go and he goes, another to come and he comes. I command my servant to do something and he does it.”

⁹When Jesus heard this he was astounded. He turned to the crowd that was following him, and said, “I tell you, I haven't found trust like this even in Israel.”

¹⁰Then the centurion's friends returned to the house and found the servant in good health.

¹¹Soon after Jesus went to a town called Nain, accompanied by his disciples and a large crowd.

¹²As he approached the town gate a funeral procession was coming the other way. The man who had died was the only son of a widow, and a sizeable crowd from the town was with her.

¹³When the Lord saw her he was filled with compassion for her. “Don't cry,” he told her.

¹⁴Jesus went over to the coffin and touched it, and the pall-bearers stopped. Jesus said, “Young man, I tell you, get up.”

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

¹⁶A sense of awe filled everyone there and they praised God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us,” and “God has visited his people.”

¹⁷News about Jesus spread throughout Judea, and all around.

¹⁸The disciples of John told John about all this.

¹⁹John called two of his disciples and told them to go and see Jesus, and ask, “Are you the one we've been expecting, or should we wait for someone else?”

²⁰When they came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you, to ask you, ‘Are you the one we've been expecting or should we wait for someone else?’”

²¹At that very moment Jesus was healing many people of their diseases, illnesses, evil spirits, and making the blind to see.

²²Jesus answered John's disciples, “Go and tell John what you've seen and heard. The blind see, the lame walk, the lepers cured, the deaf hear, the dead raised back to life, the poor are told the good news.

²³How good it is for those who are not offended because of me!”

²⁴After the messengers from John had left, Jesus began telling the crowd, “About John: what did you expect to see when you went out to meet him in the desert? Some reed blown about by the wind?

²⁵Did you come looking for a man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who have stylish clothes and live in luxury are found in palaces.

²⁶Were you looking for a prophet? Yes he is, and I'm telling you, he's much more than a prophet.

²⁷It was written about him in Scripture: ‘Look, I'm sending my messenger to go before you to prepare your way.’

²⁸I tell you, no one born of women is greater than John, but even the most unimportant person in God's kingdom is greater than he is!”

²⁹When they heard this, all of them—even the tax collectors—followed what God said was good and right, for they had been baptized by John.