Luke 7:36-47 Commentary: Love That Springs from Forgiveness

³⁶Then one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to eat with him, and He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table.

³⁷When a sinful woman from that town learned that Jesus was dining there, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume.

³⁸As she stood behind Him at His feet weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears and wipe them with her hair. Then she kissed His feet and anointed them with the perfume.

³⁹When the Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, He would know who this is and what kind of woman is touching Him—for she is a sinner!”

⁴⁰But Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, Teacher,” he said.

⁴¹“Two men were debtors to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.

⁴²When they were unable to repay him, he forgave both of them. Which one, then, will love him more?”

⁴³“I suppose the one who was forgiven more,” Simon replied. “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.

⁴⁴And turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? When I entered your house, you did not give Me water for My feet, but she wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.

⁴⁵You did not greet Me with a kiss, but she has not stopped kissing My feet since I arrived.

⁴⁶You did not anoint My head with oil, but she has anointed My feet with perfume.

⁴⁷Therefore I tell you, because her many sins have been forgiven, she has loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.”

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, 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.”

⁴⁰Jesus 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 one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.”

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.

³⁶And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he entered into the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to meat.

³⁷And behold, a woman who was in the city, a sinner; and when she knew that he was sitting at meat in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster cruse of ointment,

³⁸and standing behind at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.

³⁹Now when the Pharisee that had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have perceived who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him, that she is a sinner.

⁴⁰And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Teacher, say on.

⁴¹A certain lender had two debtors: the one owed five hundred shillings, and the other fifty.

⁴²When they had not wherewith to pay, he forgave them both. Which of them therefore will love him most?

⁴³Simon answered and said, He, I suppose, to whom he forgave the most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.

⁴⁴And turning to the woman, he said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thy house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath wetted my feet with her tears, and wiped them with her hair.

⁴⁵Thou gavest me no kiss: but she, since the time I came in, hath not ceased to kiss my feet.

⁴⁶My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but she 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.

³⁶And a certain one of the Pharisees was asking him that he might eat with him, and having gone into the house of the Pharisee he reclined (at meat),

³⁷and lo, a woman in the city, who was a sinner, having known that he reclineth (at meat) in the house of the Pharisee, having provided an alabaster box of ointment,

³⁸and having stood behind, beside his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with the tears, and with the hairs of her head she was wiping, and was kissing his feet, and was anointing with the ointment.

³⁹And the Pharisee who did call him, having seen, spake within himself, saying, `This one, if he were a prophet, would have known who and of what kind is the woman who doth touch him, that she is a sinner.'

⁴⁰And Jesus answering said unto him, `Simon, I have something to say to thee;' and he saith, `Teacher, say on.'

⁴¹`Two debtors were to a certain creditor; the one was owing five hundred denaries, and the other fifty;

⁴²and they not having wherewith to give back, he forgave both; which then of them, say thou, will love him more?'

⁴³And Simon answering said, `I suppose that to whom he forgave the more;' and he said to him, `Rightly thou didst judge.'

⁴⁴And having turned unto the woman, he said to Simon, `Seest thou this woman? I entered into thy house; water for my feet thou didst not give, but this woman with tears did wet my feet, and with the hairs of her head did wipe;

⁴⁵a kiss to me thou didst not give, but this woman, from what time I came in, did not cease kissing my feet;

⁴⁶with oil my head thou didst not anoint, but this woman with ointment did anoint my feet;

⁴⁷therefore I say to thee, her many sins have been forgiven, because she did love much; but to whom little is forgiven, little he doth love.'

³⁶But one of the Pharisees begged him that he would eat with him. And entering into the house of the Pharisee he took his place at table;

³⁷and behold, a woman in the city, who was a sinner, and knew that he was sitting at meat in the house of the Pharisee, having taken an alabaster box of myrrh,

³⁸and standing at his feet behind [him] weeping, began to wash his feet with tears; and she wiped them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed [them] with the myrrh.

³⁹And the Pharisee who had invited him, seeing it, spoke with himself saying, This [person] if he were a prophet would have known who and what the woman is who touches him, for she is a sinner.

⁴⁰And Jesus answering said to him, Simon, I have somewhat to say to thee. And he says, Teacher, say [it].

⁴¹There were two debtors of a certain creditor: one owed five hundred denarii and the other fifty;

⁴²but as they had nothing to pay, he forgave both of them [their debt]: [say,] which of them therefore will love him most?

⁴³And Simon answering said, I suppose he to whom he forgave the most. And he said to him, Thou hast rightly judged.

⁴⁴And turning to the woman he said to Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thy house; thou gavest me not water on my feet, but she has washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with her hair.

⁴⁵Thou gavest me not a kiss, but she from the time I came in has not ceased kissing my feet.

⁴⁶My head with oil thou didst not anoint, but she has anointed my feet with myrrh.

⁴⁷For which cause I say to thee, Her many sins are forgiven; for she loved much; but he to whom little is forgiven loves little.

³⁶And one of the Pharisees desired him to eat with him. And he went into the house of the Pharisee and sat down to meat.

³⁷And behold a woman that was in the city, a sinner, when she knew that he sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment.

³⁸And standing behind at his feet. she began to wash his feet with tears and wiped them with the hairs of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment.

³⁹And the Pharisee, who had invited him, seeing it, spoke within himself, saying: This man, if he were if a prophet, would know surely who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him, that she is a sinner.

⁴⁰And Jesus answering, said to him: Simon, I have somewhat to say to thee. But he said: Master, say it.

⁴¹A certain creditor had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence and the other fifty.

⁴²And whereas they had not wherewith to pay, he forgave them both. Which therefore of the two loveth him most?

⁴³Simon answering, said: I suppose that he to whom he forgave most. And he said to him: Thou hast judged rightly.

⁴⁴And turning to the woman, he said unto Simon: Dost thou see this woman? I entered into thy house: thou gavest me no water for my feet. But she with tears hath washed my feet; and with her hairs hath wiped them.

⁴⁵Thou gavest me no kiss. But she, since she cane in, hath not ceased to kiss my feet.

⁴⁶My head with oil thou didst not anoint. But she with ointment hath anointed my feet.

⁴⁷Wherefore, I say to thee: Many sins are forgiven her, because she hath loved much. But to whom less is forgiven, he loveth less.