Sunday 4 October27th Sunday in Ordinary TimeLiturgical colour: green

Bible / Luke

Luke 7

Douay-Rheims Bible, Challoner revision (1749–1752), the traditional Catholic English Bible, translated from the Latin Vulgate. If you read a modern Bible, this is the same Scripture in older English; some names are spelled differently (Cesarea for Caesarea, Apocalypse for Revelation). About this translation

1 And when he had finished all his words in the hearing of the people, he entered into Capharnaum.

2 And the servant of a certain centurion who was dear to him, being sick, was ready to die.

3 And when he had heard of Jesus, he sent unto him the ancients of the Jews, desiring him to come and heal his servant.

4 And when they came to Jesus, they besought him earnestly, saying to him: He is worthy that thou shouldest do this for him.

5 For he loveth our nation: and he hath built us a synagogue.

6 And Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent his friends to him, saying: Lord, trouble not thyself; for I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter under my roof.

7 For which cause neither did I think myself worthy to come to thee: but say the word, and my servant shall be healed.

8 For I also am a man subject to authority, having under me soldiers: and I say to one, Go, and he goeth: and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doth it.

9 Which Jesus hearing, marvelled: and turning about to the multitude that followed him, he said: Amen I say to you, I have not found so great faith, not even in Israel.

10 And they who were sent, being returned to the house, found the servant whole who had been sick.

11 And it came to pass afterwards that he went into a city that is called Naim: and there went with him his disciples and a great multitude. CCC

12 And when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold a dead man was carried out, the only son of his mother: and she was a widow. And a great multitude of the city was with her. CCC · Fathers

13 Whom when the Lord had seen, being moved with mercy towards her, he said to her: Weep not. CCC

14 And he came near and touched the bier. And they that carried it stood still. And he said: Young man, I say to thee, arise. CCC

15 And he that was dead sat up and began to speak. And he gave him to his mother. CCC

16 And there came a fear upon them all: and they glorified God saying: A great prophet is risen up among us: and, God hath visited his people. CCC

17 And this rumour of him went forth throughout all Judea and throughout all the country round about. CCC

18 And John’s disciples told him of all these things. CCC

19 And John called to him two of his disciples and sent them to Jesus, saying: Art thou he that art to come? Or look we for another? CCC

20 And when the men were come unto him, they said: John the Baptist hath sent us to thee, saying: Art thou he that art to come? Or look we for another? CCC

21 (And in that same hour, he cured many of their diseases and hurts and evil spirits: and to many that were blind he gave sight.) CCC

22 And answering, he said to them: Go and relate to John what you have heard and seen: the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are made clean, the deaf hear, the dead rise again, to the poor the gospel is preached. CCC

23 And blessed is he whosoever shall not be scandalized in me. CCC

24 And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak to the multitudes concerning John. What went ye out into the desert to see? A reed shaken with the wind?

25 But what went you out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Behold they that are in costly apparel and live delicately are in the houses of kings.

26 But what went you out to see? A prophet? Yea, I say to you, and more than a prophet. CCC · Fathers

27 This is he of whom it is written: Behold I send my angel before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee.

28 For I say to you: Amongst those that are born of women, there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist. But he that is the lesser in the kingdom of God is greater than he.

29 And all the people hearing, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with John’s baptism.

30 But the Pharisees and the lawyers despised the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized by him.

31 And the Lord said: Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? And to what are they like?

32 They are like to children sitting in the marketplace and speaking one to another and saying: We have piped to you, and you have not danced: we have mourned, and you have not wept.

33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine. And you say: He hath a devil.

34 The Son of man is come eating and drinking. And you say: Behold a man that is a glutton and a drinker of wine, a friend of publicans and sinners.

35 And wisdom is justified by all her children.

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

37 And 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. CCC

38 And 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. CCC

39 And 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.

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

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

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

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

44 And 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.

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

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

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

48 And he said to her: Thy sins are forgiven thee. CCC

49 And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves: Who is this that forgiveth sins also?

50 And he said to the woman: Thy faith hath made thee safe. Go in peace.

This chapter in the Catechism and the early Church

Where the Catechism of the Catholic Church cites these verses (from its footnotes on vatican.va), and where the earliest Church Fathers quote them (Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1, public domain). Short quotes only; follow the links for the full text.

  1. Read the Catechism
    • CCC 994 “But there is more. Jesus links faith in the resurrection to his own person: "I am the Resurrection and the life." It…”
  2. Read the Catechism and Fathers
    • CCC 994 “But there is more. Jesus links faith in the resurrection to his own person: "I am the Resurrection and the life." It…”
    • “Let our opponents – that is, they who speak against their own salvation – inform us [as to this point]: The deceased daughter of the high priest; the widow's dead son, who was being carried out [to burial] near the gate [of the city];”

      Quoted in Against Heresies, Book V, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter XIII. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1

  3. Read the Catechism
    • CCC 994 “But there is more. Jesus links faith in the resurrection to his own person: "I am the Resurrection and the life." It…”
  4. Read the Catechism
    • CCC 994 “But there is more. Jesus links faith in the resurrection to his own person: "I am the Resurrection and the life." It…”
  5. Read the Catechism
    • CCC 994 “But there is more. Jesus links faith in the resurrection to his own person: "I am the Resurrection and the life." It…”
  6. Read the Catechism
    • CCC 994 “But there is more. Jesus links faith in the resurrection to his own person: "I am the Resurrection and the life." It…”
    • CCC 1503 “Christ's compassion toward the sick and his many healings of every kind of infirmity are a resplendent sign that "God has visited…”
  7. Read the Catechism
    • CCC 994 “But there is more. Jesus links faith in the resurrection to his own person: "I am the Resurrection and the life." It…”
  8. Read the Catechism
    • CCC 547 “Jesus accompanies his words with many "mighty works and wonders and signs", which manifest that the kingdom is present in him and…”
  9. Read the Catechism
    • CCC 547 “Jesus accompanies his words with many "mighty works and wonders and signs", which manifest that the kingdom is present in him and…”
  10. Read the Catechism
    • CCC 547 “Jesus accompanies his words with many "mighty works and wonders and signs", which manifest that the kingdom is present in him and…”
  11. Read the Catechism
    • CCC 547 “Jesus accompanies his words with many "mighty works and wonders and signs", which manifest that the kingdom is present in him and…”
  12. Read the Catechism
    • CCC 547 “Jesus accompanies his words with many "mighty works and wonders and signs", which manifest that the kingdom is present in him and…”
  13. Read the Catechism
    • CCC 547 “Jesus accompanies his words with many "mighty works and wonders and signs", which manifest that the kingdom is present in him and…”
  14. Read the Catechism and Fathers
    • CCC 719 “John the Baptist is "more than a prophet." In him, the Holy Spirit concludes his speaking through the prophets. John completes the…”
    • “Wherefore the Lord said that He deemed him "more than a prophet.”

      Quoted in Against Heresies, Book III, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter XI. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1

  15. Read the Catechism
    • CCC 575 “Many of Jesus' deeds and words constituted a "sign of contradiction", but more so for the religious authorities in Jerusalem, whom the…”
    • CCC 588 “Jesus scandalized the Pharisees by eating with tax collectors and sinners as familiarly as with themselves. Against those among them "who trusted…”
    • CCC 2712 “Contemplative prayer is the prayer of the child of God, of the forgiven sinner who agrees to welcome the love by which…”
  16. Read the Catechism
    • CCC 2616 “Prayer to Jesus is answered by him already during his ministry, through signs that anticipate the power of his death and Resurrection:…”
  17. Read the Catechism
    • CCC 2616 “Prayer to Jesus is answered by him already during his ministry, through signs that anticipate the power of his death and Resurrection:…”
  18. Read the Fathers
    • “… learning by experience what is the source of his deliverance, may always live in a state of gratitude to the Lord, having obtained from Him the gift of incorruptibility, that he might love Him the more; for "he to whom more is forgiven, loveth more:”

      Quoted in Against Heresies, Book III, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter XX. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1

  19. Read the Catechism
    • CCC 1441 “Only God forgives sins. Since he is the Son of God, Jesus says of himself, "The Son of man has authority on…”

A modern English Catholic translation will be added once its publisher grants permission.