Jesus Criticizes His Generation

Matt. 11:16–19

31 1And the Lord said, a“To what then shall I liken the men of this generation, and what are they like? 32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another, saying:

‘We played the flute for you,

And you did not dance;

We mourned to you,

And you did not weep.’

33 For bJohn the Baptist came cneither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ 34 The Son of Man has come deating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a glutton and a 2winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ 35 eBut wisdom is justified by all her children.”

A Woman Anoints Jesus’ Feet

36 fThen one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat. 37 And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, 38 and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, g“This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.”

The Parable of the Two Debtors

40 And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”

So he said, “Teacher, say it.”

41 “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred hdenarii, and the other fifty. 42 And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?”

43 Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.”

And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.” 44 Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no iwater for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. 45 You gave Me no jkiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. 46 kYou did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. 47 lTherefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”

48 Then He said to her, m“Your sins are forgiven.”

49 And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, n“Who is this who even forgives sins?”

50 Then He said to the woman, o“Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

Certain Women Minister to Christ

8 Now it came to pass, afterward, that He went through every city and village, preaching and 1bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with Him, 2 and acertain women who had been healed of evil spirits and 2infirmities—Mary called Magdalene, bout of whom had come seven demons, 3 and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for 3Him from their 4substance.

The Parable of the Soils

Matt. 13:1–23; Mark 4:1–20

4 cAnd when a great multitude had gathered, and they had come to Him from every city, He spoke by a parable: 5 “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it. 6 Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it. 8 But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded 5a crop a hundredfold.” When He had said these things He cried, d“He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

9 eThen His disciples asked Him, saying, “What does this parable mean?”

10 And He said, “To you it has been given to know the 6mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that

f‘Seeing they may not see,

And hearing they may not understand.’

11 g“Now the parable is this: The seed is the hword of God. 12 Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. 13 But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of 7temptation fall away. 14 Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, iriches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. 15 But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with jpatience. 8