New Center for Urban Network Evolutions

A center of excellence with the title Center for Urban Network Evolutions has just been awarded by the Danish National Research Foundation to Professor Rubina Raja, Classical Archaeology, Aarhus University, Denmark.

The Danish National Research Foundation has awarded 12 new centers, of these only one was given to the humanities. For the first time a budget exceeding those of the natural sciences has been awarded to a humanities center. Professor Raja is furthermore the youngest recipient of a center in the current round. The center will be based at Aarhus University and is expected to begin early in 2015 with a budget of 100 million DKK for the first six-year phase of the center. In total the center is expected to run for ten years.

The center will bring together a large group of established researchers as well as junior scholars on Ph.D. and postdoc level, who will work together in a completely new constellation across disciplinary borders with a firm foundation in archaeology spanning from Northern Europe over the Levant to the coastal regions of Eastern Africa.

More can be read about the Danish National Research Foundation here: http://dg.dk/

Professor Rubina Raja’s webpage: http://pure.au.dk/portal/da/persons/rubina-raja(446c29fb-4657-4bbb-be69-a7aafb287d3a).html

Short description of the center idea: Center for Urban Network Evolutions

Becoming urban is widely recognized as one of the great turning points of history. The innovations, cultural entanglements and environmental exchanges afforded by urbanism led to social and material complexity, which make up the core of today’s civilization. The complex stratigraphies of urban archaeology form a uniquely rich archive of this process. This evidence – the single most data-rich material archive of anthropogenic change in the last five millennia – remains vastly underexploited. The Centre for Urban Network Evolutions (UrbNet) will develop research that will offer comparison of convergent developments and determine how, and to what extent, past urban networks catalysed societal and environmental expansions and crises, potentially on a global scale. Emerging applications of isotopic, biomolecular and geoarchaeological methods are transforming archaeology’s ability to read the scale and pace of events and processes. UrbNet will pioneer a “High Definition” view of urban dynamics and construct a leading research body, integrating scientific techniques with contextual archaeological and historical approaches It aims to unleash new forms of data that are able to significantly test, challenge and revise narratives of particular urban sites as well as fundamental assumptions about trajectories, dynamics, and causal conditions of urbanization in the era of globally interlocking pre-industrial civilizations, here defined as being the period app. between the 2nd century BCE and the 16th century CE.

Jeffrey Broadbent talks about "Movement in Context: Thick Networks and Japanese Environmental Protest"

On 5 November 2014, Jeffrey Broadbent, University of Minnesota, talked at the MWK about his life-long research on Thick Networks and Japanese Environmental Protest. Grown up in a Quaker environment, at the age of 12, he met a Japanese Zen Buddhist from Kyoto at a Quaker retreat centre which impacted on the path of his life. As a young adult, he spent 2 years meditating with a Buddhist Zen-master in the Japanese woods, back home, became a ‘gardener’ to find out that he was called for something else. The next inspirations were the Frankfurt School and Marxism-Leninism, and, more than those, Robert Bellah’s course on sociology of religion at UC Berkeley (1970-74) (and his arguments in Tokugawa Religion) who pointed him towards Max Weber, Protestant Ethic with his emphasis on Protestantisms influence on growth of industrial capitalism in Northern Europe while Catholicism hindering it.

For his PhD, he started with the following research orientation:

• -          if an how Japanese culture would affect the Japanese protection of Nature.
• -          Anthropologist White – environmental degradation due to Biblical religious culture (Christianity) that separated humans from nature.
• -          Japanese Buddhist and Shinto culture does not make this separation. Humans part of Nature. Therefore, should take care of nature.
• 
  

Weber's complex theory

-          who did “not replace one-sided materialism with one-sided idealist explanation”
-          values on one factur, institutions and raw power also count in understanding society
-          Talcott Parsons extended this in his theory on AGIL: A (Human being adapting to economy) G(oal making processes) I (inner values, community, trusting friends) L (visible aspects, manifested values), interpenetration of effects in social formation

-          Can be used without functionalist assumptions

Discovery of Society

• -          Bellah’s course on Japanese society
• -          Nakane Chie’s Tateshakai no Rikigaku (=The dynamics of a vertical society)

Vertical Societies

• -          Based on Nakane of social anthropology with Evans-Pritchard at Oxford and comparison with India.
• -          Vertical society thesis, relations to the hierarchical chain of command as personal loyaty
• Harvard University MA and PhD (1974-82)
• -          conflict in Japan between state and protest movements over the building of a polluting and community-destroying industrial factory
• -          Case study in Oita, Kyushu.
• -          did Japanese culture and social structure play a causal role, or only conflicting material interests?
• -          Bellah: Japan not an axial society

Field discoveries

• -          expansion of Oita industrial development plan
• -          protective Buddhist and Shinto village impulses
• -          appreciation of nature and traditional village
• -          protection by local Shinto God invoked by the student radical leader
• -          but
• -          triple control structure in village society
• -          local village councils not voluntary associations
• -          manipulated by higher elites up to central ministries
• -          Confucian background (filial piety)
• 
  

Environmental Politics in Japan: Networks of Power and Protest (Cambridge, 1998).

• -          Self missing or weak, not driven by guilt, instead immediate emotional connection and personal relation (shame culture, vs. western guilt culture)

Call for Papers: "Good Life beyond Growth" - International Conference May 21-23, 2015

International conference at the University of Jena, Germany, May 21-23, 2015

The Friedrich-Schiller University in Jena, Germany, and the Max-Weber-Center for Advanced Cultural and Social Studies in Erfurt are jointly organizing a high-profile international conference on the Good Life beyond Growth from May 21-23, 2015 at the University of Jena. The conference seeks to connect current empirical research on the patterns of economic growth, social inequality, and the ecological crises, with normative questions of the good life raised by scholars from philosophy, sociology, economics and psychology. We bring together leading experts from different fields from all over the world to discuss the perspectives, requirements and contours of the „Good life beyond Growth“. Among the confirmed speakers are Eva Illouz and Tim Jackson. It is the summit-conference of the first four years of the Research-consortium on the prospects and outlines of a Post-growth-society (see www.kolleg-postwachstum.de). In this call for papers we wish to encourage both junior and senior researchers to contribute to our discussion. The following research fields are in the focus of our interest:
a) Conceptual Foundations
In this research field we explore where our various „concepts of the good“ are coming from. How are they legitimated, and in which way are they connected to ideas of economic growth or experiences of an ever-expanding lifestyle? Which alternative ideas or cultural traditions may contribute to a good life beyond economic growth, respectively? And how could these ideas be defended against charges of essentialism, paternalism, particularism or esotericism? Can we conceive of criteria for a good life that no longer measure it in the range of mere options and the availability of resources? How do these ideas fit together with ethical pluralism, especially from a global perspective?
b) Social Conditions
The end in view is more or less straightforward: we wish to diminish the consumption of resource-intense consumer goods and our reliance on wasteful and destructive technologies; we want to live as equals in peaceful and solidary societies; we would like to reduce the stress of our working lives and have more time for a meaningful and fulfilling life with friends and family; and finally we hope to achieve a greater harmony with nature. It is much more contested, however, which are the right political measures to be taken in order to get there. Therefore, this section of the conference aims to explore which political, economic and social conditions may contribute to a good life for all – beyond growth. For example: How can we overcome global problems of poverty, disease and injustice without relying on a paradigm of economic growth and 'development'? Can we conceive of alternative indicators which could be used to head in a different direction? Does the growing body of research on happiness teach us anything about that, or where else can we turn to gain valuable knowledge about these thorny issues?
c) Subjective Dimensions
Finally, it needs to be asked which experiences and practices could be called upon in order to argue for a good life beyond growth. In which way do the increasing complaints about burnouts and depressions refer to pressures resulting from the growth-imperative? How deep does the specific ‘subjectivation’ reach that goes along with the current regime of growth? What dissenting experiences, for example of a ‘resonance’with art, nature, or self, could be named in order to confront claims of a vanity of individual resistance? Which existing practices do already work in such a direction, and how do we escape the ideological trap of endorsing a merely adaptive shift towards anti-emancipatory coping strategies and compensatory imaginaries?
Researchers are invited to send an abstract (1 page/600 words max., as doc.file) per Email to Michael.Hofman(at)uni-jena.de and Christoph.Henning(at)uni-erfurt.de by Dezember 15th. Please specify your discipline and which research field (a, b, or c) you target.
---
Prof. Dr. Hartmut Rosa Chair of Sociology and Social Theory
Friedrich-Schiller-University, Jena
Director of the Max-Weber-Center,
University of Erfurt, Germany
www.kolleg-postwachstum.de
www.uni-erfurt.de/max-weber-kolleg

More information here

New national and international fellows and researchers

From the starting winter term 2014/15 the Max-Weber-Center will have a series of new fellows and researchers.

As part of the project „Religious Individualizing in Historical Perspective“, directed by Professor Dr. Jörg Rüpke and Professor Dr. Martin Mulsow the following new fellows will join:

Professor Dr. Cristiana Facchini, Professor for the History of Christianity at the University of Bologna. She works on “Entangled Histories: Imagining and Performing Judaism in Christian Culture, Sixteenth to the Twentieth Centuries” focussing on the development of Judaism towards a modern religion and the construction of collective identities.

Professor Dr. Anders Klostergaard Petersen, Professor for the study of religion at the University of Aarhus. He works on philosophy and religion in antiquity and their mutual interaction.

Professor Dr. Anneke Mulder-Bakker of the University of Groningen studies female medieval religious laymovements, especially Lady Gertrude Rickeldey of Ortenberg (d. 1335) and Lady Heilke of Staufenberg (d. shortly after 1335).

Professor Dr. Rubina Raja, classical archaeology, University of Aarhus will work on "Lived Ancient Religion", especially on "Sanctuaries and societies in Hellenistic and Roman Syria: The cults and sanctuaries of the Tetrapolis".

Professor Dr. Michael Seidler of Western Kentucky University is a philosopher with a special interest in Samuel Pufendorf and natural law.

Dr. Dominik Fugger will work on „Northern paganism,  entangled discourse and history in the early modern period“ and will be a (50%) replacement holder for the junior professorship in "Entangled History".

Dr. Paola von Wyss-Giacosa, Ethnologin of the Universität Zürich will take over the other 50% of this junior professorship and focus on „The devil in Asia. Wandering objects and a global history of religion“.

The early modern period is a research period of Professor Dr. Benjamin Steiner, who takes on a 50 % post for a temporary replacement of Professor Mulsow in the faculty of philosophy and 50 % as Fellow at the Max-Weber-Center in "Engineering Empire. Large Projects, Global Material Cultures and Local Identities in Early Modern Colonial Empires – The Case of the French Colonial Realm (1608-1804)”.

As part of the same research area, Dr. David Strecker of the University of Jena will join with his sociology project on slavery: „Im Schatten der Freiheit: Wie die Moderne die Sklaverei (nicht) abgeschafft hat und Unfreiheit reproduziert“.

Prof. Dr. Carsten Herrmann-Pillath works on economy and will focus on his bookproject „China‘s Economic Culture“.

PD Dr. Christoph Henning of St. Gallen works on "Sozialphilosophie der Entfremdung" and on an interdisciplinary project of normative implications of art as a profession ("Kreativität als Beruf").

Dr. Konstantin Akinsha, art historian from Bologna, focusses on the use of archetypes and religious art in Soviet photo-montage.

Professor Dr. Annette Weissenrieder, professor for New Testament at the Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, who together with Prof. Dr. Thomas Bauer, Erfurt, collaborates on the edition of the Gospel of Luke for the "Vetus Latina" and develops further her work on the temple in the second century.

As part of the project „Lived Ancient Religion“, supported by an ERC-Grant, Dr. Roberto Alciati from the University of Turin, Professor Dr. Damien Nelis from Geneva and Dr. Jocelyn Nelis-Clément from Bordeaux will join the MWK.

New members of the Kolleg-project team will be Dr. Bernd-Christian Otto, Dr. Rahul Parson and Dr. Riccarda Suitner.

In addition, Dr. Urs Lindner works on “Gerechtigkeit als Vorzugsbehandlung. Affirmative Action in Indien, den USA und Deutschland“ and Benjamin Wilhelm on „How finance translates into labour – the case of capital requirements in the EU“.

There will also be new doctoral projects. Sabine Gabriel on „Die Bedeutung des Körpers aus individueller und gesellschaftlicher Perspektive. Eine ethnographische und biografische Studie von Berufstanzenden und Anorektiker*Innen“. Amrita Mondal on “An Inquiry into the Status and Impact of Land Rights of Women ‒ A Case Study of West Bengal, India”. Benjamin Sippel on „Alltags- und Sozialleben des Tempelpersonals im kaiserzeitlichen Fayum“, Louis-Philippe Vien on the „Decline of Parliaments“ and Csaba Szabó on„Sanctuaries of Roman Dacia ‒ preliminary contents“.

Development of Quality with regards to Educational Sustainable Development or Erfurt's Educational landscape

Bettina Hollstein together with Mandy Singer-Brodowski recently published a chapter in the book Auf dem Weg zu nachhaltigen Bildungslandschaften (Berlin a.o.: Springer, 2015): 147-68.

The chapter explores particularly the Universities' contributions as educational partners in a region. Here the original title with abstract:

Qualitätsentwicklung von BNE in der Erfurter Bildungslandschaft

Nachhaltigkeit und Bildung sind Begriffe, die jeweils ein riesiges Feld an abstrakten Bedeutungen implizieren. Doch was können sie in einem lokalen Kontext konkret bedeuten? Dieser Frage wollen wir anhand der Erfahrungen mit Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung (BNE) in Erfurt nachgehen.

Knud Haakonssen has been appointed by St Andrews

Professor Knud Haakonssen

The Institute of Intellectual History of St. Andrews is one of the best known centres for the history of ideas. From January 2015 Professor Knud Haakonssen, Max Weber Center, Erfurt, will join the Institute at St. Andrews as a part-time Professor. Haakonssen is one of the experts on natural law, and specifically on thinkers like David Hume, Adam Smith and Thomas Reid. Together with Martin Mulsow, director of the centre of Gotha and as part of the research group "religious individualisation in historical perspective" at the Max Weber Center, he has worked on the relation between enlightenment and religion.

Between the Institute at St. Andrews and that of Erfurt, there is a longstanding working relationship, documented, for example, in a joint PhD programme.

"The appointment of Prof. Haakonssen by St. Andrew will intensify the inter-disciplinary relation in the area of the history of ideas and the further internationalisation of the Max Weber Center", as Professor  Hartmut Rosa, Director, stated. 

St. Andrews beruft Knud Haakonssen

Das Institute of Intellectual History der Universität St. Andrews rühmt sich, die höchste Dichte an Ideengeschichtlern auf der Welt aufzuweisen. Zu diesen gehört ab Januar 2015 auch Professor Dr. Knud Haakonssen vom Max-Weber-Kolleg für kultur- und sozialwissenschaftliche Studien der Universität Erfurt, der im Rahmen einer Teilzeitprofessur jeweils ein Viertel eines Jahres in St. Andrews (Großbritannien) tätig sein wird. Professor Haakonssen ist einer der führenden Experten für Naturrecht und eine maßgebliche Autorität für Werke von David Hume, Adam Smith und Thomas Reid und untersucht Ideengeschichte in einer interdisziplinären Perspektive und unter besonderer Berücksichtigung von Philosophie und Recht. Mit seinen Arbeiten zum Verhältnis von Aufklärung und Religion hat er maßgebliche Akzente gesetzt, die er u. a. in der Zusammenarbeit mit Professor Dr. Martin Mulsow, Leiter des Forschungszentrums Gotha, im Rahmen der Kolleg-Forschergruppe „Religiöse Individualisierung in historischer Perspektive“ am Max-Weber-Kolleg fortführt.

Mit der Universität St. Andrews verbindet das Max-Weber-Kolleg bereits eine langjährige Zusammenarbeit, die sich u. a. in einem gemeinsamen Promotionsverfahren niedergeschlagen hat.

„Die Berufung von Knud Haakonssen an das Institute for Intellectual History in St. Andrews wird die weitere interdisziplinäre Zusammenarbeit Erfurts im Bereich der Ideengeschichte stärken und die weitere Internationalisierung des Max-Weber-Kollegs befördern“, freut sich Hartmut Rosa, Direktor des Max-Weber-Kollegs.

Dr. Bettina Hollstein

Konferenz „Humor und Religiosität in der Moderne“ - Conference on 'Humor and Religiosity in Modernity'

This international conference on 'Humor and Religiosity in Modernity' brings together scholars of various disciplines at a conference in Wuppertal, Germany from 24-26 September. The conference is sponsored by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeisnchaft and a cooperation between the University of Wuppertal and the Max-Weber-Kolleg, Erfurt.

After the enlightenment, the question of humor has created controversies, also within the area of religion, especially as an expression of modern religiosity, critique of religion, alienation and internalization. The relation between humor and religion, therefore, is topic of this interdisciplinary conference, looking at thinkers like von Hamann, Jean Paul, Moritz Lazarus, Hermann Cohen, Nietzsche and Freud), but also at more contemporary approaches. In contrast to grand narratives of modernity - rationality, secularism, individualism - it will critically contribute to a theory of modern culture.

As part of the conference, the writer Brigitte Kronauer will read from her novel „Gewäsch und Gewimmel“  on 25 September 2014 at 7:30 pm at the Von der Heydt-Museum, Wuppertal.

Dem Zusammenhang von Humor und Religiosität möchten Wissenschaftler unterschiedlicher Disziplinen auf der Tagung „Humor und Religiosität in der Moderne“ vom 24. bis 26. September in Wuppertal auf den Grund gehen. Die internationale, von der DFG geförderte Konferenz ist eine Kooperation der Bergischen Universität Wuppertal mit dem Max-Weber-Kolleg der Universität Erfurt.

Die Frage, was Humor bedeutet, wird nach dem Jahrhundert der Aufklärung auffallend oft und kontrovers behandelt. Dabei rückt der Humor auch ins Umfeld der Religion: als Ausdrucksmöglichkeit von Religiosität unter den Bedingungen der Moderne, der Religionskritik, Entfremdung und Verinnerlichung. Dieser Zusammenhang von Humor und Religiosität soll auf einer interdisziplinären Konferenz genauer untersucht werden, und zwar anhand historischer Positionen (von Hamann und Jean Paul über Moritz Lazarus und Hermann Cohen bis zu Nietzsche und Freud) wie auch im Hinblick auf die Gegenwart. Die Konferenz will, in kritischer Reflexion der großen Narrative zur Moderne – Rationalisierung, Säkularisierung, Individualisierung –, zu einer Theorie der modernen Kultur beitragen. 

Im Rahmen der Konferenz wird die Schriftstellerin Brigitte Kronauer am 25. September 2014 um 19.30 Uhr im Von der Heydt-Museum Wuppertal öffentlich aus ihrem Roman „Gewäsch und Gewimmel“ vortragen.

Information

Nähere Informationen/Kontakt:

Max-Weber-Kolleg der Universität Erfurt
Dr. Markus Kleinert
Tel.: +49(0)361/737-2837
markus.kleinert(at)uni-erfurt.de

Marcion's Gospel - discussed by specialists in the field

At our recent workshop on Marcion, the religious entrepreneur, specialists in the field discussed several passages of the reconstruction of Marcion's Gospel to be published soon by Matthias Klinghardt, one of which was the sequence below, where it is noticeable that Marcion's Gospel has a concise line of arguments highlighting the antithesis between the very few (proselytes, widows, children) who do understand the message of Jesus and the many others (John the Baptist, his and Jesus' own disciples, the people from Judaea) who do not grasp it. The comparison also shows the difficulties of Luke to reduce such antithesis, while still maintaining the 'novelty' of Jesus' teaching:

Marcion's Gospel                                                            Luke          

7:1 After Jesus had finished these words, he entered Capernaum. 7:2 A centurion there had a slave who was highly regarded, but who was sick and at the point of death. 7:3 When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to him, asking him to come and heal his slave. 7:4 When they came to Jesus, they urged him earnestly, “He is worthy to have you do this for him, 7:5 because he loves our nation, and even built our synagogue.” 7:6 So Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to say to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. 7:7 Instead, say the word, and my servant must be healed. 7:8 For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me. I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 7:9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him. He turned and said to the crowd that followed him, “Amen, I tell you, by nobody in Israel have I found such faith!” 7:10 So when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave well. 7:11 Soon afterward                    Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went with him. 7:12 It happened as he approached the town gate, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother (who was a widow), and a large crowd from the town was with her. 7:13 When the Lord saw her, he had compassion for her and said to her, “Do not weep.” 7:14 Then he came up and touched the bier, and those who carried it stood still. He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” 7:15 So the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him back to his mother. 7:16 Fear seized them all, and they began to glorify God, saying, “A great prophet has appeared among us!” and “God has come to help his people!” 7:17 This report about Jesus circulated throughout Judea and to John the Baptist who, having heard his works was scandalized. 7:18 And he called two of his disciples 7:19 and sent them to Jesus to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” 7:20 When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?’” 7:21 At that very time Jesus cured many people of diseases, sicknesses, and evil spirits, and granted sight to many who were blind. 7:22 So he answered them, “Go tell John what you have seen and heard: The blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have good news proclaimed to them. 7:23 Blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.” 7:24 When John’s messengers had gone, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 7:25 What did you go out to see? A man dressed in fancy clothes? Look, those who wear fancy clothes and live in luxury are in kings’ courts! 7:26 What did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 7:27 This is the one about whom it is written, ‘Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’ 7:28 I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he is.” 7:29 (Now all the people who heard this, even the tax collectors, acknowledged God’s justice, because they had been baptized with John’s baptism. 7:30 However, the Pharisees and the experts in religious law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.) 7:31 “To what then should I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like? 7:32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to one another, ‘We played the flute for you, yet you did not dance; we wailed in mourning, yet you did not weep.’ 7:33 For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon!’ 7:34 The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him, a glutton and a drunk, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ 7:35 But wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”

7,1 Καὶ ἐγένετο ὅτε ἐτέλεσεν ταῦτα τὰ ῥήματα λαλῶν ἦλθεν εἰς Καϕαρναούμ. 2 ῾Εκατοντάρχου δέ τινος παῖς κακῶς ἔχων ἤμελλεν τελευτᾶν, ὃς ἦν αὐτῷ τίμιος. 3 ἀκούσας δὲ περὶ τοῦ ᾿Ιησοῦ ἀπέστειλεν πρεσβυτέρους τῶν ᾿Ιουδαίων, ἐρωτῶν αὐτὸν ὅπως ἐλθὼν διασώσῃ τὸν δοῦλον αὐτοῦ. 4 οἱ δὲ παραγενόμενοι πρὸς τὸν ᾿Ιησοῦν ἠρώτων αὐτὸν σπουδαίως, λέγοντες ὅτι ῎Αξιός ἐστιν ᾧ παρέξῃ τοῦτο, 5 ἀγαπᾷ γὰρ τὸ ἔθνος ἡμῶν καὶ τὴν συναγωγὴν αὐτὸς ᾠκοδόμησεν ἡμῖν. 6 ὁ δὲ ᾿Ιησοῦς ἐπορεύετο σὺν αὐτοῖς. ἤδη δὲ αὐτοῦ οὐ μακρὰν ἀπέχοντος ἀπὸ τῆς οἰκίας ἔπεμψεν ϕίλους. ὁ ἑκατοντάρχης λέγων αὐτῷ, Κύριε, μὴ σκύλλου, οὐ γὰρ ἱκανός εἰμι ἵνα ὑπὸ τὴν στέγην μου εἰσέλθῃς· 7 ἀλλὰ εἰπὲ λόγῳ, καὶ ἰαθήτω ὁ παῖς μου. 8 καὶ γὰρ ἐγὼ ἄνθρωπός εἰμι ὑπὸ ἐξουσίαν τασσόμενος, ἔχων ὑπ’ ἐμαυτὸν στρατιώτας, καὶ λέγω τούτῳ, Πορεύθητι, καὶ πορεύεται, καὶ ἄλλῳ, ῎Ερχου, καὶ ἔρχεται, καὶ τῷ δούλῳ μου, Ποίησον τοῦτο, καὶ ποιεῖ. 9 ἀκούσας δὲ ταῦτα ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς ἐθαύμασεν αὐτόν, καὶ στραϕεὶς τῷ ἀκολουθοῦντι αὐτῷ ὄχλῳ εἶπεν, Ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, παρʼ οὐδενὶ †τοιαύτην† πίστιν ἐν τῷ Ἰσραὴλ εὗρον. 10 καὶ ὑποστρέψαντες εἰς τὸν οἶκον οἱ πεμϕθέντες δοῦλοι εὗρον τὸν ὑγιαίνοντα.7,11 Καὶ τῇ ἑξῆς ἐπορεύθη εἰς πόλιν καλουμένην Ναΐν, <καὶ συνεπορεύοντο αὐτῷ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ ὄχλος πολύς?> 12 ἐγένετο δὲ ὡς ἤγγισεν τῇ πύλῃ τῆς πόλεως, καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐξεκομίζετο τεθνηκὼς μονογενὴς υἱὸς τῇ μητρὶ αὐτοῦ χήρα οὖσῃ καὶ πολὺς ὄχλος τὴς πόλεως συνεληλύθει σὺν αὐτῇ. 13 καὶ ἰδὼν αὐτὴν ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς ἐσπλαγχνίσθη ἐπ’ αὐτῇ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ, Μὴ κλαῖε. 14 καὶ προσελθὼν ἥψατο τῆς σοροῦ, οἱ δὲ βαστάζοντες ἔστησαν, καὶ εἶπεν, Νεανίσκε, νεανίσκε, σοὶ λέγω, ἐγέρθητι. 15 καὶ ἀνεκάθισεν ὁ νεκρὸς καὶ ἤρξατο λαλεῖν, καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτὸν τῇ μητρὶ αὐτοῦ. 16 ἔλαβεν δὲ ϕόβος πάντας, καὶ ἐδόξαζον τὸν θεὸν λέγοντες ὅτι Μέγας προϕήτης προῆλθεν ἐν ἡμῖν καὶ ἐπεσκέψατο ὁ θεὸς τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ. 7,17 καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ὁ λόγος οὗτος ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ ᾿Ιουδαίᾳ περὶ αὐτοῦ μέχρι ᾿Ιωάννου τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ 18 ὃς <ἀκούσας τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ ἐσκανδαλίσθῃ?> καὶ προσκαλεσάμενος δύο τινὰς τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ 19 {λέγει· πορευθέντες εἴπατε αὐτῷ,} Σὺ εἶ ὃς ἔρχεις ἢ ἕτερον προσδοκῶμεν; 20 παραγενόμενοι δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν οἱ ἄνδρες εἶπαν, ᾿Ιωάννης ὁ βαπτιστὴς ἀπέστειλεν ἡμᾶς πρὸς σὲ λέγων, Σὺ εἶ ὃς ἔρχεις ἢ ἕτερον προσδοκῶμεν; 22 καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, Πορευθέντες εἴπατε ᾿Ιωάννῃ ἃ εἶδον ὑμῶν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ καὶ ἃ ἤκουσαν ὑμῶν τὰ ὤτα· τυϕλοὶ ἀναβλέπουσιν, χωλοὶ περιπατοῦσιν, λεπροὶ καθαρίζονται καὶ κωϕοὶ ἀκούουσιν, νεκροὶ ἐγείρονται, πτωχοὶ εὐαγγελίζονται· 23καὶ μακάριος <εἶ? ἐάν?> μὴ σκανδαλισθῇς ἐν ἐμοί. 7,24 ᾿Απελθόντων δὲ τῶν ἀγγέλων ᾿Ιωάννου ἤρξατο λέγειν πρὸς τοὺς ὄχλους περὶ ᾿Ιωάννου, Τί ἐξήλθατε θεάσασθαι εἰς τὴν ἔρημον; κάλαμον ὑπὸ ἀνέμου σαλευόμενον; 25 ἀλλὰ τί ἐξήλθατε ἰδεῖν; ἄνθρωπον ἐν μαλακοῖς ἱματίοις ἠμϕιεσμένον; ἰδοὺ οἱ ἐν ἱματισμῷ ἐνδόξῳ καὶ τρυϕῇ διάγοντες ἐν τοῖς βασιλείοις εἰσίν 26 ἀλλὰ τί ἐξήλθατε ἰδεῖν; προϕήτην; ναί, λέγω ὑμῖν, καὶ περισσότερον προϕήτου, ↑ὅτι οὐδεὶς μείζων ἐν γεννητοῖς γυναικῶν προφήτης Ἰωάννου τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ.↓ 27 †αὐτός† ἐστιν περὶ οὗ γέγραπται, ᾿Ιδοὺ ἀποστέλλω τὸν ἄγγελόν μου πρὸ προσώπου σου, ὃς κατασκευάσει τὴν ὁδόν σου. 28 Ἀμήν, λέγω ὑμῖν, ὁ δὲ μικρότερος ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τοῦ θεοῦ μείζων αὐτοῦ ἐστιν. 7,36 ᾿Ηρώτα δέ τις αὐτὸν τῶν Φαρισαίων ἵνα ϕάγῃ μετ’ αὐτοῦ· καὶ εἰσελθὼν εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Φαρισαίου κατεκλίθη. 37 καὶ ἰδοὺ γυνὴ <ἐν τῇ πόλει?> ἁμαρτωλός 38 στᾶσα ὀπίσω παρὰ τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ, τοῖς δάκρυσιν ἔβρεξε τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ καὶ ἤλειϕεν τῷ μύρῳ. 39 ἰδὼν δὲ ὁ {Σίμων <Πέτρος?>} εἶπεν ἐν ἑαυτῷ λέγων, Οὗτος εἰ ἦν προϕήτης, ἐγίνωσκεν ἂν τίς καὶ ποταπὴ ἡ γυνὴ ἥτις ἅπτεται αὐτοῦ, ὅτι ἁμαρτωλός ἐστιν. 40 καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς εἶπεν πρὸς τὸν Πέτρον, Σίμων, ἔχω σοί τι εἰπεῖν. ὁ δέ, Διδάσκαλε, εἰπέ, ϕησίν. 44 καὶ στραϕεὶς πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα τῷ Σίμωνι ἔϕη, Βλέπεις ταύτην τὴν γυναῖκα; αὕτη τοῖς δάκρυσιν ἔβρεξέν τοὺς πόδας μου, καὶ ἤλειψεν καὶ κατεϕίλει. 47 οὗ χάριν λέγω σοι, ἀϕέωνται αἱ ἁμαρτίαι αὐτῆς αἱ πολλαί, ὅτι ἠγάπησεν πολύ· 48 εἶπεν δὲ αὐτῇ, ᾿Αϕέωνταί σου αἱ ἁμαρτίαι. 49 καὶ ἤρξαντο οἱ συνανακείμενοι λέγειν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς, Τίς οὗτός ἐστιν ὃς καὶ ἁμαρτίας ἀϕίησιν; 50 εἶπεν δὲ πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα, ῾Η πίστις σου σὲ σέσωκεν· πορεύου εἰς εἰρήνην.

1Ἐπειδὴ ἐπλήρωσεν πάντα τὰ ῥήματα αὐτοῦ εἰς τὰς ἀκοὰς τοῦ λαοῦ, εἰσῆλθεν εἰς Καφαρναούμ. 2Ἑκατοντάρχου δέ τινος δοῦλος κακῶς ἔχων ἤμελλεν τελευτᾶν, ὃς ἦν αὐτῷ ἔντιμος. 3ἀκούσας δὲ περὶ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ἀπέστειλεν πρὸς αὐτὸν πρεσβυτέρους τῶν Ἰουδαίων, ἐρωτῶν αὐτὸν ὅπως ἐλθὼν διασώσῃ τὸν δοῦλον αὐτοῦ. 4οἱ δὲ παραγενόμενοι πρὸς τὸν Ἰησοῦν παρεκάλουν αὐτὸν σπουδαίως, λέγοντες ὅτι Ἄξιός ἐστιν ᾧ παρέξῃ τοῦτο, 5ἀγαπᾷ γὰρ τὸ ἔθνος ἡμῶν καὶ τὴν συναγωγὴν αὐτὸς ᾠκοδόμησεν ἡμῖν. 6ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς ἐπορεύετο σὺν αὐτοῖς. ἤδη δὲ αὐτοῦ οὐ μακρὰν ἀπέχοντος ἀπὸ τῆς οἰκίας ἔπεμψεν φίλους ὁ ἑκατοντάρχης λέγων αὐτῷ, Κύριε, μὴ σκύλλου, οὐ γὰρ ἱκανός εἰμι ἵνα ὑπὸ τὴν στέγην μου εἰσέλθῃς: 7διὸ οὐδὲ ἐμαυτὸν ἠξίωσα πρὸς σὲ ἐλθεῖν: ἀλλὰ εἰπὲ λόγῳ, καὶ ἰαθήτω ὁ παῖς μου. 8καὶ γὰρ ἐγὼ ἄνθρωπός εἰμι ὑπὸ ἐξουσίαν τασσόμενος, ἔχων ὑπ' ἐμαυτὸν στρατιώτας, καὶ λέγω τούτῳ, Πορεύθητι, καὶ πορεύεται, καὶ ἄλλῳ, Ἔρχου, καὶ ἔρχεται, καὶ τῷ δούλῳ μου, Ποίησον τοῦτο, καὶ ποιεῖ. 9ἀκούσας δὲ ταῦτα ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐθαύμασεν αὐτόν, καὶ στραφεὶς τῷ ἀκολουθοῦντι αὐτῷ ὄχλῳ εἶπεν, Λέγω ὑμῖν, οὐδὲ ἐν τῷ Ἰσραὴλ τοσαύτην πίστιν εὗρον. 10καὶ ὑποστρέψαντες εἰς τὸν οἶκον οἱ πεμφθέντες εὗρον τὸν δοῦλον ὑγιαίνοντα. 11Καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ ἑξῆς ἐπορεύθη εἰς πόλιν καλουμένην Ναΐν, καὶ συνεπορεύοντο αὐτῷ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ ὄχλος πολύς. 12ὡς δὲ ἤγγισεν τῇ πύλῃ τῆς πόλεως, καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐξεκομίζετο τεθνηκὼς μονογενὴς υἱὸς τῇ μητρὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ αὐτὴ ἦν χήρα, καὶ ὄχλος τῆς πόλεως ἱκανὸς ἦν σὺν αὐτῇ. 13καὶ ἰδὼν αὐτὴν ὁ κύριος ἐσπλαγχνίσθη ἐπ' αὐτῇ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ, Μὴ κλαῖε. 14καὶ προσελθὼν ἥψατο τῆς σοροῦ, οἱ δὲ βαστάζοντες ἔστησαν, καὶ εἶπεν, Νεανίσκε, σοὶ λέγω, ἐγέρθητι. 15καὶ ἀνεκάθισεν ὁ νεκρὸς καὶ ἤρξατο λαλεῖν, καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτὸν τῇ μητρὶ αὐτοῦ. 16ἔλαβεν δὲ φόβος πάντας, καὶ ἐδόξαζον τὸν θεὸν λέγοντες ὅτι Προφήτης μέγας ἠγέρθη ἐν ἡμῖν, καὶ ὅτι Ἐπεσκέψατο ὁ θεὸς τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ. 17καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ὁ λόγος οὗτος ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ περὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ πάσῃ τῇ περιχώρῳ. 18Καὶ ἀπήγγειλαν Ἰωάννῃ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ περὶ πάντων τούτων. καὶ προσκαλεσάμενος δύο τινὰς τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ ὁ Ἰωάννης 19ἔπεμψεν πρὸς τὸν κύριον λέγων, Σὺ εἶ ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἢ ἄλλον προσδοκῶμεν; 20παραγενόμενοι δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν οἱ ἄνδρες εἶπαν, Ἰωάννης ὁ βαπτιστὴς ἀπέστειλεν ἡμᾶς πρὸς σὲ λέγων, Σὺ εἶ ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἢ ἄλλον προσδοκῶμεν; 21ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ὥρᾳ ἐθεράπευσεν πολλοὺς ἀπὸ νόσων καὶ μαστίγων καὶ πνευμάτων πονηρῶν, καὶ τυφλοῖς πολλοῖς ἐχαρίσατο βλέπειν. 22καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, Πορευθέντες ἀπαγγείλατε Ἰωάννῃ ἃ εἴδετε καὶ ἠκούσατε:           τυφλοὶ ἀναβλέπουσιν, χωλοὶ περιπατοῦσιν, λεπροὶ καθαρίζονται καὶ κωφοὶ ἀκούουσιν, νεκροὶ ἐγείρονται, πτωχοὶ εὐαγγελίζονται: 23καὶ μακάριός ἐστιν ὃς ἐὰν μὴ σκανδαλισθῇ ἐν ἐμοί. 24Ἀπελθόντων δὲ τῶν ἀγγέλων Ἰωάννου ἤρξατο λέγειν πρὸς τοὺς ὄχλους περὶ Ἰωάννου, Τί ἐξήλθατε εἰς τὴν ἔρημον θεάσασθαι; κάλαμον ὑπὸ ἀνέμου σαλευόμενον; 25ἀλλὰ τί ἐξήλθατε ἰδεῖν; ἄνθρωπον ἐν μαλακοῖς ἱματίοις ἠμφιεσμένον; ἰδοὺ οἱ ἐν ἱματισμῷ ἐνδόξῳ καὶ τρυφῇ ὑπάρχοντες ἐν τοῖς βασιλείοις εἰσίν. 26ἀλλὰ τί ἐξήλθατε ἰδεῖν; προφήτην; ναί, λέγω ὑμῖν, καὶ περισσότερον προφήτου. 27οὗτός ἐστιν περὶ οὗ γέγραπται, Ἰδοὺ ἀποστέλλω τὸν ἄγγελόν μου πρὸ προσώπου σου, ὃς κατασκευάσει τὴν ὁδόν σου ἔμπροσθέν σου. 28λέγω ὑμῖν, μείζων ἐν γεννητοῖς γυναικῶν Ἰωάννου οὐδείς ἐστιν: ὁ δὲ μικρότερος ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τοῦ θεοῦ μείζων αὐτοῦ ἐστιν. 29{Καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ἀκούσας καὶ οἱ τελῶναι ἐδικαίωσαν τὸν θεόν, βαπτισθέντες τὸ βάπτισμα Ἰωάννου: 30οἱ δὲ Φαρισαῖοι καὶ οἱ νομικοὶ τὴν βουλὴν τοῦ θεοῦ ἠθέτησαν εἰς ἑαυτούς, μὴ βαπτισθέντες ὑπ' αὐτοῦ.} 31Τίνι οὖν ὁμοιώσω τοὺς ἀνθρώπους τῆς γενεᾶς ταύτης, καὶ τίνι εἰσὶν ὅμοιοι; 32ὅμοιοί εἰσιν παιδίοις τοῖς ἐν ἀγορᾷ καθημένοις καὶ προσφωνοῦσιν ἀλλήλοις, ἃ λέγει, Ηὐλήσαμεν ὑμῖν καὶ οὐκ ὠρχήσασθε: ἐθρηνήσαμεν καὶ οὐκ ἐκλαύσατε. 33ἐλήλυθεν γὰρ Ἰωάννης ὁ βαπτιστὴς μὴ ἐσθίων ἄρτον μήτε πίνων οἶνον, καὶ λέγετε, Δαιμόνιον ἔχει: 34ἐλήλυθεν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐσθίων καὶ πίνων, καὶ λέγετε, Ἰδοὺ ἄνθρωπος φάγος καὶ οἰνοπότης, φίλος τελωνῶν καὶ ἁμαρτωλῶν. 35καὶ ἐδικαιώθη ἡ σοφία ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν τέκνων αὐτῆς. 36Ἠρώτα δέ τις αὐτὸν τῶν Φαρισαίων ἵνα φάγῃ μετ' αὐτοῦ: καὶ εἰσελθὼν εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Φαρισαίου κατεκλίθη. 37καὶ ἰδοὺ γυνὴ ἥτις ἦν ἐν τῇ πόλει ἁμαρτωλός, καὶ ἐπιγνοῦσα ὅτι κατάκειται ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ τοῦ Φαρισαίου, κομίσασα ἀλάβαστρον μύρου 38καὶ στᾶσα ὀπίσω παρὰ τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ κλαίουσα, τοῖς δάκρυσιν ἤρξατο βρέχειν τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ καὶ ταῖς θριξὶν τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτῆς ἐξέμασσεν, καὶ κατεφίλει τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ καὶ ἤλειφεν τῷ μύρῳ. 39ἰδὼν δὲ ὁ Φαρισαῖος ὁ καλέσας αὐτὸν εἶπεν ἐν ἑαυτῷ λέγων, Οὗτος εἰ ἦν προφήτης, ἐγίνωσκεν ἂν τίς καὶ ποταπὴ ἡ γυνὴ ἥτις ἅπτεται αὐτοῦ, ὅτι ἁμαρτωλός ἐστιν. 40καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτόν, Σίμων, ἔχω σοί τι εἰπεῖν. ὁ δέ, Διδάσκαλε, εἰπέ, φησίν. 41δύο χρεοφειλέται ἦσαν δανιστῇ τινι: ὁ εἷς ὤφειλεν δηνάρια πεντακόσια, ὁ δὲ ἕτερος πεντήκοντα. 42μὴ ἐχόντων αὐτῶν ἀποδοῦναι ἀμφοτέροις ἐχαρίσατο. τίς οὖν αὐτῶν πλεῖον ἀγαπήσει αὐτόν; 43ἀποκριθεὶς Σίμων εἶπεν, Ὑπολαμβάνω ὅτι ᾧ τὸ πλεῖον ἐχαρίσατο. ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῷ, Ὀρθῶς ἔκρινας. 44καὶ στραφεὶς πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα τῷ Σίμωνι ἔφη, Βλέπεις ταύτην τὴν γυναῖκα; εἰσῆλθόν σου εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν, ὕδωρ μοι ἐπὶ πόδας οὐκ ἔδωκας: αὕτη δὲ τοῖς δάκρυσιν ἔβρεξέν μου τοὺς πόδας καὶ ταῖς θριξὶν αὐτῆς ἐξέμαξεν. 45φίλημά μοι οὐκ ἔδωκας: αὕτη δὲ ἀφ' ἧς εἰσῆλθον οὐ διέλιπεν καταφιλοῦσά μου τοὺς πόδας. 46ἐλαίῳ τὴν κεφαλήν μου οὐκ ἤλειψας: αὕτη δὲ μύρῳ ἤλειψεν τοὺς πόδας μου. 47οὗ χάριν λέγω σοι, ἀφέωνται αἱ ἁμαρτίαι αὐτῆς αἱ πολλαί, ὅτι ἠγάπησεν πολύ: ᾧ δὲ ὀλίγον ἀφίεται, ὀλίγον ἀγαπᾷ. 48εἶπεν δὲ αὐτῇ, Ἀφέωνταί σου αἱ ἁμαρτίαι. 49καὶ ἤρξαντο οἱ συνανακείμενοι λέγειν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς, Τίς οὗτός ἐστιν ὃς καὶ ἁμαρτίας ἀφίησιν; 50εἶπεν δὲ πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα, Ἡ πίστις σου σέσωκέν σε: πορεύου εἰς εἰρήνην.

7:1 After Jesus had finished teaching all this to the people, he entered Capernaum. 7:2 A centurion there had a slave who was highly regarded, but who was sick and at the point of death. 7:3 When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to him, asking him to come and heal his slave. 7:4 When they came to Jesus, they urged him earnestly, “He is worthy to have you do this for him, 7:5 because he loves our nation, and even built our synagogue.” 7:6 So Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to say to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. 7:7 That is why I did not presume to come to you. Instead, say the word, and my servant must be healed. 7:8 For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me. I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”  7:9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him. He turned and said to the crowd that followed him, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith!” 7:10 So when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave well. 7:11 Soon afterwards it happened that Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went with him. 7:12 As he approached the town gate, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother (who was a widow), and a large crowd from the town was with her. 7:13 When the Lord saw her, he had compassion for her and said to her, “Do not weep.” 7:14 Then he came up and touched the bier, and those who carried it stood still. He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” 7:15 So the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him back to his mother. 7:16 Fear seized them all, and they began to glorify God, saying, “A great prophet has appeared among us!” and “God has come to help his people!” 7:17 This report about Jesus circulated throughout Judea and all the surrounding country. 7:18 John’s disciples informed him about all these things. So John called two of his disciples 7:19 and sent them to Jesus to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” 7:20 When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?’” 7:21 At that very time Jesus cured many people of diseases, sicknesses, and evil spirits, and granted sight to many who were blind. 7:22 So he answered them, “Go tell John what you have seen and heard: The blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have good news proclaimed to them. 7:23 Blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.” 7:24 When John’s messengers had gone, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 7:25 What did you go out to see? A man dressed in fancy clothes? Look, those who wear fancy clothes and live in luxury are in kings’ courts! 7:26 What did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 7:27 This is the one about whom it is written, ‘Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’ 7:28 I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he is.” 7:29 (Now all the people who heard this, even the tax collectors, acknowledged God’s justice, because they had been baptized with John’s baptism. 7:30 However, the Pharisees and the experts in religious law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.) 7:31 “To what then should I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like? 7:32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to one another, ‘We played the flute for you, yet you did not dance; we wailed in mourning, yet you did not weep.’ 7:33 For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon!’ 7:34 The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him, a glutton and a drunk, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ 7:35 But wisdom is vindicated by all her children.” Jesus’ Anointing 7:36 Now one of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went into the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table. 7:37 Then when a woman of that town, who was a sinner, learned that Jesus was dining at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfumed oil. 7:38 As she stood behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. She wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with the perfumed oil. 7:39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.” 7:40 So Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” He replied, “Say it, Teacher.” 7:41 “A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed him five hundred silver coins, and the other fifty. 7:42 When they could not pay, he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?” 7:43 Simon answered, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.” Jesus said to him, “You have judged rightly.” 7:44 Then, turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house. You gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 7:45 You gave me no kiss of greeting, but from the time I entered she has not stopped kissing my feet. 7:46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with perfumed oil. 7:47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which were many, are forgiven, thus she loved much; but the one who is forgiven little loves little.” 7:48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 7:49 But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” 7:50 He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”