Bible in Basic English
But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law were against the purpose of God for themselves, not having had his baptism.)
What comparison am I to make of the men of this generation? what are they like?
They are like children who are seated in the market-place, crying out to one another, and saying, We made music for you, but you did not take part in the dance; we gave cries of sorrow, but you were not sad.
For John the Baptist came, taking no food or drink, and you say, He has an evil spirit.
The Son of man came feasting, and you say, Here is a lover of food and wine, a friend of tax-farmers and sinners.
But wisdom is judged to be right by all her children.
And one of the Pharisees made a request that he would take a meal with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house and took his seat at the table.
And there was a woman in the town who was a sinner; and when she had news that he was a guest in the Pharisee's house, she took a bottle of perfume,
And went in and took her place at the back of him, near his feet, weeping, so that his feet were washed with the drops from her eyes, and with her hair she made them dry, and kissing his feet she put the perfume on them.
Now when the Pharisee in whose house he was saw it, he said to himself, This man, if he was a prophet, would be conscious what sort of woman this is who has put her hands on him, that she is a sinner.
And Jesus, answering, said, Simon, I have something to say to you. And he said, Master, say on.
And he said, Two men were in debt to a certain man of business: one had a debt of five hundred pence, and the other of fifty.
When they were unable to make payment, he made the two of them free of their debts. Which of them, now, will have the greater love for him?
Simon, in answer, said, It seems he whose debt was greater. And he said, Your decision is right.
And turning to the woman he said to Simon, You see this woman? I came into your house; you did not give me water for my feet: but she has been washing my feet with the drops from her eyes, and drying them with her hair.
You did not give me a kiss: but she, from the time when I came in, has gone on kissing my feet.
You put no oil on my head: but she has put perfume on my feet.
And so I say to you, She will have forgiveness for her sins which are great in number, because of her great love: but he who has small need of forgiveness gives little love.
And he said to her, You have forgiveness for your sins.
And those who were seated at table with him said to themselves, Who is this who even gives forgiveness of sins?
And he said to the woman, By your faith you have salvation; go in peace.
— Luke 7:30-1964, Bible in Basic English
“But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him. And the Lord said, Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like? They are like unto children sitting in the marketplace, and calling one to another, and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye have not wept. For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil. The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners! But wisdom is justified of all her children. And 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. And, 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, And 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. Now 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. And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on. There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. And 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. Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. Wherefore 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. And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace. ”
This is he of whom it has been said, See, I send my servant before your face, who will make ready your way before you.
I say to you, Among all the sons of women, not one is greater than John: but he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.
(And all the people, and the tax-farmers, to whom John had given baptism, when they had knowledge of these things, gave glory to God.
But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law were against the purpose of God for themselves, not having had his baptism.)
What comparison am I to make of the men of this generation? what are they like?
They are like children who are seated in the market-place, crying out to one another, and saying, We made music for you, but you did not take part in the dance; we gave cries of sorrow, but you were not sad.
For John the Baptist came, taking no food or drink, and you say, He has an evil spirit.
The Son of man came feasting, and you say, Here is a lover of food and wine, a friend of tax-farmers and sinners.
But wisdom is judged to be right by all her children.
And one of the Pharisees made a request that he would take a meal with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house and took his seat at the table.
And there was a woman in the town who was a sinner; and when she had news that he was a guest in the Pharisee's house, she took a bottle of perfume,
And went in and took her place at the back of him, near his feet, weeping, so that his feet were washed with the drops from her eyes, and with her hair she made them dry, and kissing his feet she put the perfume on them.
Now when the Pharisee in whose house he was saw it, he said to himself, This man, if he was a prophet, would be conscious what sort of woman this is who has put her hands on him, that she is a sinner.
And Jesus, answering, said, Simon, I have something to say to you. And he said, Master, say on.
And he said, Two men were in debt to a certain man of business: one had a debt of five hundred pence, and the other of fifty.
When they were unable to make payment, he made the two of them free of their debts. Which of them, now, will have the greater love for him?
Simon, in answer, said, It seems he whose debt was greater. And he said, Your decision is right.
And turning to the woman he said to Simon, You see this woman? I came into your house; you did not give me water for my feet: but she has been washing my feet with the drops from her eyes, and drying them with her hair.
You did not give me a kiss: but she, from the time when I came in, has gone on kissing my feet.
You put no oil on my head: but she has put perfume on my feet.
And so I say to you, She will have forgiveness for her sins which are great in number, because of her great love: but he who has small need of forgiveness gives little love.
And he said to her, You have forgiveness for your sins.
And those who were seated at table with him said to themselves, Who is this who even gives forgiveness of sins?
And he said to the woman, By your faith you have salvation; go in peace.