True Forgiveness

A Sinful Woman Forgiven

³⁶uOne of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and reclined at table. ³⁷vAnd behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, ³⁸and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wwiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. ³⁹Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If xthis man were ya prophet, he zwould have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” ⁴⁰And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”

⁴¹“A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred adenarii, and the other fifty. ⁴²bWhen they could not pay, he ccancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” ⁴³Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” ⁴⁴Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; dyou gave me no water for my feet, but eshe has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. ⁴⁵fYou gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to gkiss my feet. ⁴⁶hYou did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. ⁴⁷Therefore I tell you, her sins, iwhich are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” ⁴⁸And he said to her, j“Your sins are forgiven.” ⁴⁹Then those who were at table with him began to say among8 themselves, k“Who is this, who even forgives sins?” ⁵⁰And he said to the woman, l“Your faith has saved you; mgo in peace.”