27. This was written about John:‘I will send my messenger ahead of you.He will prepare the way for you.’ Malachi 3:1
28. I tell you, John is greater than any other man ever born. But even the least important person in the kingdom of God is greater than John.”
29. (When the people heard this, they all agreed that God’s teaching was good. Even the tax collectors agreed. These were people who were already baptized by John.
30. But the Pharisees and teachers of the law refused to accept God’s plan for themselves; they did not let John baptize them.)
31. Then Jesus said, “What shall I say about the people of this time? What are they like?
32. They are like children sitting in the marketplace. One group of children calls to the other group and says,‘We played music for you, but you did not dance.We sang a sad song, but you did not cry.’
33. John the Baptist came and did not eat like other people or drink wine. And you say, ‘He has a demon in him.’
34. The Son of Man came eating like other people and drinking wine. And you say, ‘Look at him! He eats too much and drinks too much wine! He is a friend of the tax collectors and “sinners”!’
35. But wisdom is shown to be right by the things it does.”
36. One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him. Jesus went into the Pharisee’s house and sat at the table.
37. A sinful woman in the town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house. So she brought an alabaster jar of perfume.
38. She stood at Jesus’ feet, crying, and began to wash his feet with her tears. She dried his feet with her hair, kissed them many times and rubbed them with the perfume.
39. The Pharisee who asked Jesus to come to his house saw this. He thought to himself, “If Jesus were a prophet, he would know that the woman who is touching him is a sinner!”
40. Jesus said to the Pharisee, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”Simon said, “Teacher, tell me.”
41. Jesus said, “There were two men. Both men owed money to the same banker. One man owed the banker 500 silver coins. The other man owed the banker 50 silver coins.