26. “But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yea, I say to you, and more than a prophet.
27. “This is he concerning whom it has been written, ‘See, I send My messenger before Your face, who shall prepare Your way before You.’
28. “For I say to you, among those born of women there is not a greater prophet than Yoḥanan the Immerser, but he who is least in the reign of Elohim is greater than he.”
29. And all the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard, declared Elohim righteous, having been immersed with the immersion of Yoḥanan.
30. But the Pharisees and those learned in the Torah rejected the counsel of Elohim for themselves, not having been immersed by him.
31. And the Master said, “To what then shall I compare the men of this generation, and what are they like?
32. “They are like children sitting in the market-place and calling to each other, saying, ‘We played the flute for you and you did not dance, we lamented for you and you did not weep.’
33. “For Yoḥanan the Immerser came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’
34. “The Son of Aḏam has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a man, a glutton and a winedrinker, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’
35. “And wisdom is declared right by all her children.”
36. And one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went into the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat.
37. And see, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that יהושע sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of perfume.
38. And standing behind, at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and wiping them with the hair of her head, and was kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume.
39. And when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This One, if He were a prophet, would know who and what kind of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.”
40. And יהושע answering, said to him, “Shim‛on, I have somewhat to say to you.” And he said, “Teacher, say it.”
41. “A certain creditor had two debtors. The one owed five hundred pieces of silver, and the other fifty.
42. “And when they were unable to repay, he forgave them both. Which of them, then, shall love him more?”
43. And Shim‛on answering, said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.”
44. And turning to the woman He said to Shim‛on, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house – you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wetted My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head.