After ‘ISA1 had finished speaking in the hearing of the people, he entered into Capernaum. 2A certain centurion’s servant, who was dear to him, was sick and at the point of death. 3When he heard about ‘ISA, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and save his servant. 4When they came to ‘ISA, they begged him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy for you to do this for him, 5for he loves our nation, and he built our synagogue for us.” 6‘ISA went with them. When he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy for you to come under my roof. 7Therefore I didn’t even think myself worthy to come to you; but say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8For I also am a man placed under authority, having under myself soldiers. I tell this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
9When ‘ISA heard these things, he marveled at him, and turned and said to the crowd who followed him, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith, no, not in Israel.” 10Those who were sent, returning to the house, found that the servant who had been sick was well.
11It happened soon afterwards, that he went to a city called Nain. Many of his disciples, along with a large crowd, went with him. 12Now when he drew near to the gate of the city, behold, one who was dead was carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. Many people of the city were with her. 13When the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said to her, “Do not cry.” 14He came near and touched the coffin, and the bearers stood still. He said, “Young man, I tell you, arise!” 15He who was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he gave him to his mother.
16Fear took hold of all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and, “God has visited his people!” 17This report went out concerning him in the whole of Judea, and in all the surrounding region.
18The disciples of Yahya2 told him about all these things. 19Yahya, calling to himself two of his disciples, sent them to ‘ISA, saying, “Are you the one who is coming, or should we look for another?” 20When the men had come to him, they said, “Prophet Yahya has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you he who comes, or should we look for another?'”
21In that hour he cured many of diseases and plagues and evil spirits; and to many who were blind he gave sight. 22‘ISA answered them, “Go and tell Yahya the things which you have seen and heard: that the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the Injil3 preached to them. 23Blessed is he who is not offended by me.”
24When Yahya’s messengers had departed, he began to tell the crowds about Yahya, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 25But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are gorgeously dressed, and live delicately, are in kings’ courts. 26But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet. 27This is he of whom it is written,
‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
Who will prepare your way before you.’ 4
28“For I tell you, among those who are born of women there is not a greater prophet than Yahya, yet he who is least in the Kingdom of God is greater than he.”
29When all the people and the tax collectors heard this, they declared God to be just, having been baptized with Yahya’s baptism. 30But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the counsel of God, not being baptized by him themselves.
31But the Lord said, “To what then will I liken the people of this generation? What are they like? 32They are like children who sit in the marketplace, and call one to another, saying, ‘We piped to you, and you didn’t dance. We mourned, and you didn’t weep.’ 33For Prophet Yahya came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ 34The SON OF MAN5 has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man, and a drunkard; a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ 35Wisdom is justified by all her children.”
36One of the Pharisees invited him to eat with him. He entered into the Pharisee’s house, and sat at the table. 37Behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that he was reclining in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of ointment. 38Standing behind at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and she wiped them with the hair of her head, kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. 39Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, “This man, if he were a prophet, would have perceived who and what kind of woman this is who touches him, that she is a sinner.”
40‘ISA answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”
He said, “Teacher, say on.”
41“A certain lender had two debtors. The one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42When they couldn’t pay, he forgave them both. Which of them therefore will love him most?”
43Simon answered, “He, I suppose, to whom he forgave the most.”
He said to him, “You have judged correctly.” 44Turning to the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered into your house, and you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head. 45You gave me no kiss, but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss my feet. 46You didn’t anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” 48He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
49Those who sat at the table with him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”
50He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”
- 7:1 ‘ISA – The names ‘ISA (Arabic), ISHO (Syriac) and JESUS (Greek, IESOUS) are all derived from the Hebrew name YEHOSHUA, which means “YAHWEH saves.” (YAHWEH is God’s personal name revealed to Prophet Musa in the Taurat, Exodus 3:15 – God said moreover to Musa, “You shall tell Bani-Israel this, ‘YAHWEH, the God of your fathers, the God of Ibrahim, the God of Ishaq, and the God of Yaqub, has sent me to you.’ This is my Name forever, and this is how I am to be remembered to all generations.”) ↩︎
- 7:18 Yahya, this Arabic name and the English name John (for John the Baptist/Baptizer) are both derived from the Hebrew name Yochanan, which means “YAHWEH is gracious”. (YAHWEH is God’s personal name revealed to Prophet Musa in the Taurat, Exodus 3:15 – God said moreover to Musa, “You shall tell Bani-Israel this, ‘YAHWEH, the God of your fathers, the God of Ibrahim, the God of Ishaq, and the God of Yaqub, has sent me to you.’ This is my Name forever, and this is how I am to be remembered to all generations.”) ↩︎
- 7:22 Injil, this Arabic word is derived from Euangel (Greek) and means “good news” or “Gospel” (old English for ‘good news’). Depending on context, Injil can refer to,
1. the whole Christian New Testament containing 27 books,
2. the first 4 books of the New Testament, that is, the Injil according to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, or,
3. the message or “good news” of forgiveness of sins through ‘ISA AL-MASIH. This is the sense of the word Injil in this verse. ↩︎ - 7:27 Quoting the Taurat, Malachi 3:1 which says: “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me; and the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, behold, he comes!” says YAHWEH All-Powerful. ↩︎
- 7:34 SON OF MAN, a title for the Messiah, ‘ISA AL-MASIH, derived from the prophecy of Daniel 7:13-14, “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like a SON OF MAN coming with the clouds of the sky, and he came to the ANCIENT OF DAYS, and they brought him near before him. There was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.” The title SON OF MAN was Prophet ‘ISA Ibn Maryam’s most common way of referring to himself. ↩︎