Jesus Heals an Army Officer's Servant
(Matthew 8.5-13John 4.43-54)1 After Jesus had finished teaching the people, he went to Capernaum. 2 In this town an army officer's servant was sick and about to die. The officer liked his servant very much. 3 And when he heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish leaders to ask him to come and heal the servant.
4 The leaders went to Jesus and begged him to do something. They said, “This man deserves your help! 5 He loves our nation and even built us a synagogue.” 6 So Jesus went with them.
When Jesus wasn't far from the house, the officer sent some friends to tell him, “Lord, don't go to any trouble for me! I am not good enough for you to come into my house. 7 And I am certainly not worthy to come to you. Just say the word, and my servant will get well. 8 I have officers who give orders to me, and I have soldiers who take orders from me. I can say to one of them, ‘Go!’ and he goes. I can say to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes. I can say to my servant, ‘Do this!’ and he will do it.”
9 When Jesus heard this, he was so surprised that he turned and said to the crowd following him, “In all of Israel I've never found anyone with this much faith!”
10 The officer's friends returned and found the servant well.
A Widow's Son
11 Soon Jesus and his disciples were on their way to the town of Nain, and a big crowd was going along with them. 12 As they came near the gate of the town, they saw people carrying out the body of a widow's only son. Many people from the town were walking along with her.
13 When the Lord saw the woman, he felt sorry for her and said, “Don't cry!”
14 Jesus went over and touched the stretcher on which the people were carrying the dead boy. They stopped, and Jesus said, “Young man, get up!” 15 The boy sat up and began to speak. Jesus then gave him back to his mother.
16 Everyone was frightened and praised God. They said, “A great prophet is here with us! God has come to his people.”
17 News about Jesus spread all over Judea and everywhere else in that part of the country.
John the Baptist
(Matthew 11.1-19)18-19 John's followers told John everything that was being said about Jesus. So he sent two of them to ask the Lord, “Are you the one we should be looking for? Or must we wait for someone else?”
20 When these messengers came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to ask, ‘Are you the one we should be looking for? Or are we supposed to wait for someone else?’ ”
21 At that time Jesus was healing many people who were sick or in pain or were troubled by evil spirits, and he was giving sight to a lot of blind people. 22 Jesus said to the messengers sent by John, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard. Blind people are now able to see, and the lame can walk. People who have leprosy are being healed, and the deaf can now hear. The dead are raised to life, and the poor are hearing the good news. 23 God will bless everyone who doesn't reject me because of what I do.”
24 After John's messengers had gone, Jesus began speaking to the crowds about John:
What kind of person did you go out to the desert to see? Was he like tall grass blown about by the wind? 25 What kind of man did you really go out to see? Was he someone dressed in fine clothes? People who wear expensive clothes and live in luxury are in the king's palace. 26 What then did you go out to see? Was he a prophet? He certainly was! I tell you that he was more than a prophet. 27 In the Scriptures, God calls John his messenger and says, “I am sending my messenger ahead of you to get things ready for you.” 28 No one ever born on this earth is greater than John. But whoever is least important in God's kingdom is greater than John.
29 Everyone had been listening to John. Even the tax collectors had obeyed God and had done what was right by letting John baptize them. 30 But the Pharisees and the experts in the Law of Moses refused to obey God and be baptized by John.
31 Jesus went on to say:
What are you people like? What kind of people are you? 32 You are like children sitting in the market and shouting to each other,
“We played the flute,
but you would not dance!
We sang a funeral song,
but you would not cry!”
33 John the Baptist did not go around eating and drinking, and you said, “John has a demon in him!” 34 But because the Son of Man goes around eating and drinking, you say, “Jesus eats and drinks too much! He is even a friend of tax collectors and sinners.” 35 Yet Wisdom is shown to be right by what its followers do.
Simon the Pharisee
36 A Pharisee invited Jesus to have dinner with him. So Jesus went to the Pharisee's home and got ready to eat.
37 When a sinful woman in that town found out that Jesus was there, she bought an expensive bottle of perfume. 38 Then she came and stood behind Jesus. She cried and started washing his feet with her tears and drying them with her hair. The woman kissed his feet and poured the perfume on them.
39 The Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this and said to himself, “If this man really were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him! He would know that she is a sinner.”
40 Jesus said to the Pharisee, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”
“Teacher, what is it?” Simon replied.
41 Jesus told him, “Two people were in debt to a moneylender. One of them owed him 500 silver coins, and the other owed him 50. 42 Since neither of them could pay him back, the moneylender said that they didn't have to pay him anything. Which one of them will like him more?”
43 Simon answered, “I suppose it would be the one who had owed more and didn't have to pay it back.”
“You are right,” Jesus said.
44 He turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Have you noticed this woman? When I came into your home, you didn't give me any water so I could wash my feet. But she has washed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. 45 You didn't greet me with a kiss, but from the time I came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You didn't even pour olive oil on my head, but she has poured expensive perfume on my feet. 47 So I tell you that all her sins are forgiven, and that is why she has shown great love. But anyone who has been forgiven for only a little will show only a little love.”
48 Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”
49 Some other guests started saying to one another, “Who is this who dares to forgive sins?”
50 But Jesus told the woman, “Because of your faith, you are now saved. May God give you peace!”
شفاء خادم أحد الضباط
(متى 8:5-13)1 وبَعدَما ألقى يَسوعُ الأقوالَ في مسامِعِ النّاسِ، دخَلَ كَفْرَناحُومَ. 2 وكانَ لأحدِ الضّبّاطِ خادِمٌ مريضٌ أشرَفَ على الموتِ، وكانَ عزيزًا علَيهِ. 3 فلمّا سمِعَ بيَسوعَ، أرسَلَ إليهِ بَعضَ شُيوخِ اليَهودِ يسألُهُ أنْ يَجيءَ ليَشفِيَ خادِمَهُ. 4 فأقبلوا إلى يَسوعَ، وألحّوا علَيهِ في القَولِ: «هذا الرّجُلُ يَستَحِقّ أنْ تُساعِدَهُ، 5 لأنّهُ يُحبّ شَعبَنا، وهوَ الذي بَنى لنا المَجمعَ».
6 فذهَبَ يَسوعُ معهُم. ولمّا اَقترَبَ مِنَ البَيتِ أرسَلَ إليهِ الضّابِطُ بَعضَ أصحابِهِ يقولُ لَهُ: «يا سيّدُ، لا تُزعِجْ نَفسَكَ. أنا لا أستَحِقّ أنْ تَدخُلَ تَحتَ سَقفِ بَيتي، 7 ولا أحسِبُ نَفسي أهلاً لأنْ أجيءَ إليكَ، ولكِنْ قُلْ كَلِمَةً فيُشفى خادِمي. 8 فأنا مَرؤوسٌ ولي جُنودٌ تَحتَ أمري، أقولُ لِهذا: اَذهَبْ! فيذهَبُ، وللآخَرِ: تَعالَ! فيَجيءُ، ولِخادِمي: إعمَلْ هذا، فيَعمَلُ». 9 فلمّا سمِعَ يَسوعُ هذا الكلامَ، تعَجَبّ مِنهُ واَلتَفتَ إلى الذينَ يَتبَعونَهُ وقالَ: «أقولُ لكُم: ما وجَدتُ مِثلَ هذا الإيمانِ حتى في إِسرائيلَ!»
10 ورجَعَ رُسُلُ الضّابِطِ إلى البَيتِ، فوَجدوا أنّ الخادِمَ تَعافَى.
إحياء ابن أرملة
11 وفي الغَدِ ذهَبَ يَسوعُ إلى مدينةٍ اَسمُها نايينُ، ومعَهُ تلاميذُهُ وجُمهورٌ كَبيرٌ. 12 فلمّا وصَلَ إلى بابِ المدينةِ، لَقِيَ مَيتًا مَحمولاً، وهوَ الاَبنُ الأوحَدُ لأُمّهِ وهيَ أرمَلةٌ. وكانَ يُرافِقُها جمعٌ كبيرٌ مِنْ أهالي المدينةِ. 13 فلمّا رآها الرّبّ أشفَقَ علَيها وقالَ لها: «لا تَبكي!» 14 ودَنا مِنَ النّعشِ ولَمَسهُ، فوقَفَ حامِلوهُ. فقالَ: «أيّها الشّابّ، أقولُ لكَ: قُمْ!» 15 فجلَسَ الميتُ وأخَذَ يتكَلّمُ، فسلّمَهُ إلى أُمّهِ.
16 فسَيطَرَ الخَوفُ على الجَميعِ، وقالوا وهُم يُمَجّدونَ اللهَ: «ظهَرَ فينا نَبِيّ عظيمٌ، وتَفَقّدَ اللهُ شَعبَهُ!»
17 واَنتَشرَ هذا الخَبرُ عَنْ يَسوعَ في اليهودِيّةِ كُلّها وفي جميعِ النّواحي المجاوِرَةِ لها.
يسوع ويوحنا المعمدان
(متى 11:2-19)18 وعرَفَ يوحنّا مِنْ تلاميذِهِ كُلّ هذِهِ الأُمورِ، 19 فدَعا اَثنَينِ مِنهُم وأرسَلَهُما إلى الرّبّ ليَسألاهُ: «هل أنتَ هوَ الآتي، أو نَنتَظرُ آخَرَ؟»
20 فجاءَ الرّجلانِ إلى يَسوعَ وقالا لَه: «أرسَلَنا يوحنّا المَعمَدانُ لنَسأَلكَ: هل أنتَ هوَ الآتي، أو نَنتَظرُ آخَرَ؟»
21 فشَفى يَسوعُ في تِلكَ السّاعةِ كثيرًا مِنَ المُصابينَ بالأمراضِ والعاهاتِ والذينَ فيهِم أرواحٌ شِرّيرةٌ، وأعادَ البصَرَ إلى كثيرينَ مِنَ العُميانِ، 22 ثُمّ قالَ للرَسولَينِ: «اَرجِعا وأخبِرا يوحنّا بِما رأيتُما وسَمِعتُما: العُميانُ يُبصِرونَ، والعُرجُ يَمشونَ، والبُرصُ يُطهّرونَ، والصّمّ يَسمَعونَ، والموتى يقومونَ، والمساكينُ يَتلقّونَ البِشارةَ. 23 وهَنيئًا لِمَنْ لا يَفقِدُ إيمانَهُ بي».
24 ولمّا اَنصرَفَ رَسولا يوحنّا، تَحدّثَ يَسوعُ لِلجُموعِ عَنْ يوحنّا، فقالَ: «ماذا خَرَجتُم إلى البرّيّةِ تَنظُرونَ؟ أَقَصَبَةً تَهُزّها الرّيحُ؟ 25 بل ماذا خَرَجتُم لتَرَوا؟ أَرَجُلاً يَلبَسُ الثّيابَ النّاعِمَةَ؟ ولكِنّ الذينَ يَلبَسونَ الثّيابَ الفاخِرَةَ وأهلَ التّرفِ هُم في قُصورِ المُلوكِ! 26 قولوا لي: ماذا خَرجتُم تَنظُرونَ؟ أَنبيّا؟ أقولُ لكُم: نعم، بل أفضلُ مِنْ نَبيّ. 27 فهوَ الذي يقولُ فيهِ الكِتابُ: ها أنا أُرسِلُ رَسولي قُدّامَكَ ليُهيّئَ الطّريقَ أمامَكَ. 28 أقولُ لكُم: ما وَلَدتِ النّساءُ أعظمَ مِنْ يوحنّا، ولكِنْ أصغَرُ الذينَ في مَلكوتِ اللهِ أعظَمُ مِنهُ. 29 فجَميعُ الذينَ سَمِعوا يوحنّا حتى جُباةُ الضّرائِبِ أنفُسُهُم، أقَرّوا بِصِدْق اللهِ، فقَبِلوا مَعموديّةَ يوحنّا. 30 وأمّا الفَرّيسيّونَ وعُلماءُ الشّريعَةِ، فرَفَضوا ما أرادَهُ اللهُ لهُم، فما تَعَمّدوا على يَدِهِ».
31 وقالَ الرّبّ يَسوعُ: «بِمَنْ أُشبّهُ أبناءَ هذا الجيلِ؟ وماذا يُشبِهونَ؟ 32 يُشبِهونَ أولادًا قاعِدينَ في السّاحَةِ، يَصيحُ بَعضُهُم لِبَعضٍ: زَمّرْنا لكُم فما رَقَصْتُم، ونَدَبنا لكُم فما بَكيتُم.
33 جاءَ يوحنّا المَعمَدانُ لا يأكُلُ الخُبزَ ولا يَشرَبُ الخَمرَ، فقُلتُم: فيهِ شَيطانٌ! 34 وجاءَ اَبنُ الإنسانِ يأكُلُ ويَشرَبُ، فقُلتُم: هذا رَجُلٌ أكولٌ وسِكّيرٌ، وصَديقٌ لِجُباةِ الضّرائِبِ والخاطِئينَ. 35 لكِنّ الحِكمَةَ يُبرّرُها جميعُ أبنائِها».
يسوع يغفر لامرأة خاطئة
36 ودعاهُ أحدُ الفَرّيسيّينَ إلى الطّعامِ عِندَهُ، فدخَلَ بَيتَ الفَرّيسيّ وجلَسَ إلى المائِدَةِ. 37 وكانَ في المدينةِ اَمرَأةٌ خاطِئَةٌ، فعَلِمَت أنّ يَسوعَ يأكُلُ في بَيتِ الفَرّيسيّ، فجاءَت ومعَها قارورَةُ طِيبٍ، 38 ووقَفَت مِنْ خَلفٍ عِندَ قدَمَيْهِ وهيَ تَبكي، وأخذَت تَبُلّ قَدَمَيهِ بِدُموعِها، وتَمسَحُهُما بشَعرِها، وتُقَبّلُهُما، وتَدهَنُهُما بالطّيبِ. 39 فلمّا رأى الفَرّيسيّ صاحِبُ الدّعوةِ ما جَرى، قالَ في نَفْسِهِ: «لو كانَ هذا الرّجُلُ نَبيّا، لَعَرَفَ مَنْ هيَ هذِهِ المَرأةُ التي تَلمُسُهُ وما حالُها. فهيَ خاطِئَةٌ!» 40 فقالَ لَهُ يَسوعُ: «يا سِمعانُ، عِندي ما أقولُهُ لكَ». فقالَ سِمعانُ: «قُلْ، يا مُعَلّمُ».
41 فقالَ يَسوعُ: «كانَ لمُداينٍ دَينٌ على رَجُلينِ: خمسُ مئةِ دينارٍ على أحَدِهِما. وخَمسونَ على الآخَرِ. 42 وعجِزَ الرّجُلانِ عَنْ إيفائِهِ دَينَهُ، فأعفاهُما مِنهُ. فأيّهُما يكونُ أكثرَ حُبّا لَهُ؟»
43 فأجابَهُ سِمعانُ: «أظُنّ الذي أعفاهُ مِنَ الأكثرِ». فقالَ لَهُ يَسوعُ: «أصَبْتَ». 44 واَلتَفَتَ إلى المَرأةِ وقالَ لسِمعانَ: «أترى هذِهِ المَرأةَ؟ أنا دَخَلتُ بَيتَكَ، فما سكَبْتَ على قَدمَيّ ماءً، وأمّا هيَ فغَسَلتهُما بِدُموعِها ومسَحَتْهُما بشَعرِها. 45 أنتَ ما قَبّلتَني قُبلَةً، وأمّا هيَ فما تَوقّفَت مُنذُ دُخولي عَنْ تَقبيلِ قدَمَيّ. 46 أنتَ ما دهَنتَ رأسي بِزَيتٍ، وأمّا هيَ فبالطّيبِ دهَنت قَدَمَيّ. 47 لذلِكَ أقولُ لكَ: غُفِرَت لها خَطاياها الكَثيرةُ، لأنّها أحبّت كثيرًا. وأمّا الذي يُغفَرُ لَهُ القَليلُ، فهوَ يُحِبّ قليلاً». 48 ثُمّ قالَ لِلمرأةِ: «مَغفورَةٌ لكِ خطاياكِ!» 49 فأخذَ الذينَ على المائِدَةِ مَعَهُ يتَساءَلونَ: «مَنْ هذا حتى يَغفِرَ الخطايا؟» 50 فقالَ يَسوعُ لِلمرأةِ: «إيمانُكِ خَلّصَكِ، فاَذهَبي بِسَلامٍ!».
