Chapter Text
The Centurion's Faith
Now when he had ended all his sayings in the audience of the people, he entered into Capernaum.
2And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear unto him, was sick, and ready to die.
3And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto him the elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant.
4And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom he should do this:
5For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue.
6Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof:
7Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed.
8For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.
9When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
10And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick.
Jesus Raises a Widow's Son
11And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people.
12Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold , there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her.
13And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.
14And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.
15And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.
16And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people.
17And this rumour of him went forth throughout all Judaea, and throughout all the region round about.
Jesus and John the Baptist
18And the disciples of John shewed him of all these things.
19And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?
20When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?
21And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight.
22Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached.
23And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.
24And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak unto the people concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness for to see? A reed shaken with the wind?
25But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they which are gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately, are in kings' courts.
26But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet.
27This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
28For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.
29And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John.
30But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.
31And the Lord said, Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like?
32They are like unto children sitting in the marketplace, and calling one to another, and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye have not wept.
33For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil.
34The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!
35But wisdom is justified of all her children.
Jesus Anointed by a Sinful Woman
36And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat.
37And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,
38And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
39Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.
40And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.
41There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.
42And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?
43Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.
44And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.
45Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.
46My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.
47Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.
48And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.
49And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?
50And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.
Summary
A Roman centurion in Capernaum sends Jewish elders to ask Jesus to heal his dying servant. The centurion demonstrates remarkable faith by telling Jesus not to come in person but simply to speak the word. Jesus marvels at his faith, declaring He has not found such great faith even in Israel.
Jesus encounters a funeral procession at Nain and raises a widow's only son from the dead. John the Baptist sends disciples to ask if Jesus is the one to come. Jesus responds by pointing to His works. He is anointed by a sinful woman in a Pharisee's house and teaches about the connection between forgiveness and love.
Meaning
The centurion understood authority because he lived under it. His insight that Jesus' word alone carried sufficient authority to heal reveals a faith that grasps the true nature of Christ's power. That a Gentile soldier surpassed Israel in faith is a recurring theme in Luke.
The raising of the widow's son at Nain demonstrates Jesus' compassion for the most vulnerable. A widow without a son in that culture faced destitution. The woman who anointed Jesus' feet teaches that those who have been forgiven much love much, while those who think they need little forgiveness love little.
Background
Nain was a small town south of Nazareth. The raising of the widow's son echoed Elijah's miracle in 1 Kings 17, and the crowd's response that a great prophet had arisen confirms they made the connection.
The sinful woman who anointed Jesus' feet is not identified by name. Her act of washing His feet with tears, drying them with her hair, and anointing them with ointment was extravagant devotion that scandalized the Pharisee host, Simon, who doubted Jesus' prophetic discernment.
Chapter Outline
- vv. 1-10The Centurion's Great Faith
- vv. 11-17Raising the Widow's Son at Nain
- vv. 18-23John the Baptist's Question Answered
- vv. 24-30Jesus' Testimony Concerning John
- vv. 31-35The Parable of the Children in the Marketplace
- vv. 36-43The Parable of the Two Debtors
- vv. 44-50The Sinful Woman Forgiven
Key Verses
“When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.”— 7:9
One of only two occasions the Gospels record Jesus marvelling, and the only time He commends faith as exceeding any found in Israel — a Gentile centurion becomes the standard of trusting confidence in Christ's authoritative word.
“Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached.”— 7:22
Jesus answers John's question about His messianic identity by echoing Isaiah 35:5-6 and 61:1, presenting His works as the credentials of the promised Christ.
“Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.”— 7:47
A foundational text on the relationship between forgiveness and love, demonstrating that lavish devotion flows from a deep awareness of grace received.
“And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.”— 7:50
A signature Lukan declaration linking personal faith directly to salvation and shalom, spoken to a social outcast in defiance of religious propriety.
People & Places
People
- Jesus — The Lord, who heals, raises the dead, and forgives sins throughout the chapter.
- The Centurion — A Roman officer in Capernaum whose remarkable faith Jesus commends above all Israel.
- The Centurion's Servant — A beloved slave near death, healed at a distance by Christ's word.
- Elders of the Jews — Jewish leaders who intercede for the centurion, citing his love for the nation.
- The Widow of Nain — A grieving mother whose only son is restored to life by Jesus' compassion.
- The Widow's Son — A young man raised from the dead at the city gate of Nain.
- John the Baptist — The forerunner, imprisoned, who sends disciples to confirm Jesus' messianic identity.
- Simon the Pharisee — Host of the dinner who silently judges Jesus for receiving the sinful woman.
- The Sinful Woman — An unnamed penitent who anoints Jesus' feet with tears, hair, and ointment.
Places
- Capernaum — Galilean lakeside town serving as Jesus' ministry base, where the centurion's servant is healed.
- Nain — A small Galilean village south of Nazareth where Jesus raises the widow's son.
- Judaea — The southern region throughout which the report of Jesus' miracle at Nain spreads.
Prophecy & Fulfillment
When Jesus answers John's messengers in verses 22-23, He deliberately weaves together phrases from Isaiah 29:18, 35:5-6, and 61:1 — passages describing the works of the coming Messiah. By pointing to the blind seeing, lame walking, lepers cleansed, deaf hearing, dead raised, and the poor evangelized, Jesus claims fulfillment of Israel's messianic hope without using the title outright. His citation of Malachi 3:1 in verse 27 then identifies John himself as the prophesied messenger preparing the way of the Lord.
Devotional
Luke 7 gathers an unlikely company at Jesus' feet: a Roman soldier, a grieving widow, a doubting prophet, and a weeping woman with a stained reputation. None of them came with credentials. Each came with need, and each found Christ moving toward them in compassion and authority.
Faith in this chapter is not loud or polished — it is a centurion's humility, a widow's silent tears, a sinner's broken alabaster jar. When we feel unworthy to approach Him, this chapter reminds us that Jesus marvels at trust, not performance. Love much, because much has been forgiven.
Literary Style
Narrative gospel prose interweaving miracle stories, prophetic dialogue, and a parabolic table scene. Luke arranges contrasting figures — Gentile and Jew, rich and poor, righteous and sinner — and embeds a short parable (the two debtors) within the closing episode to illuminate its meaning.