28. I tell you, among those born of women, no one is greater than John; yet the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”
29. (All the people who listened, including the tax collectors, and who were baptized with the baptism of John, acknowledged the righteousness of God;
30. but the Pharisees and scholars of the law, who were not baptized by him, rejected the plan of God for themselves.)
31. “Then to what shall I compare the people of this generation? What are they like?
32. They are like children who sit in the marketplace and call to one another,‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance.We sang a dirge, but you did not weep.’
33. For John the Baptist came neither eating food nor drinking wine, and you said, ‘He is possessed by a demon.’
34. The Son of Man came eating and drinking and you said, ‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’
35. But wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”
36. A Pharisee invited him to dine with him, and he entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table.
37. Now there was a sinful woman in the city who learned that he was at table in the house of the Pharisee. Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment,
38. she stood behind him at his feet weeping and began to bathe his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment.
39. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.”
40. Jesus said to him in reply, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said.
41. “Two people were in debt to a certain creditor; one owed five hundred days’ wages and the other owed fifty.
42. Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both. Which of them will love him more?”
43. Simon said in reply, “The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven.” He said to him, “You have judged rightly.”
44. Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet, but she has bathed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair.
45. You did not give me a kiss, but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered.
46. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she anointed my feet with ointment.
47. So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; hence, she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.”
48. He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”