Luke 7:39

37 When a sinful woman from that town learned that Jesus was dining there, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume.

38 As she stood behind Him at His feet weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears and wipe them with her hair. Then she kissed His feet and anointed them with the perfume.

When the Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, He would know who this is and what kind of woman is touching Him—for she is a sinner!”

40 But Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, Teacher,” he said.

41 “Two men were debtors to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
When the Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, He would know who this is and what kind of woman is touching Him—for she is a sinner!”
KJV
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.
WEB
Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, “This man, if he were a prophet, would have perceived who and what kind of woman this is who touches him, that she is a sinner.”
ASV
Now when the Pharisee that had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have perceived who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him, that she is a sinner.
DARBY
And the Pharisee who had invited him, seeing it, spoke with himself saying, This [person] if he were a prophet would have known who and what the woman is who touches him, for she is a sinner.
BLB
And the Pharisee, the one having called Him, having seen, spoke within himself, saying, “If this [man] were a prophet, He would have known who and what kind the woman [is] who touches Him—because she is a sinner.”
ÅB
Men da fariseeren som hadde innbudt ham, så det, sa han ved seg selv: Var denne mann en profet, da visste han hvem og hvordan denne kvinne er som rører ved ham, at hun er en synderinne.
OTB
Da fariseeren som hadde invitert Ham så dette, tenkte han med seg selv, “Hvis denne mannen var en profet, ville Han vite hvem som rører ved Ham og hva slags kvinne hun er—at hun er en synder.”
B1930
Men da fariseeren som hadde innbudt ham, så det, sa han ved sig selv: Var denne mann en profet, da visste han hvem og hvordan denne kvinne er som rører ved ham, at hun er en synderinne.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Luke 7:16

    A sense of awe swept over all of them, and they glorified God. “A great prophet has appeared among us!” they said. “God has visited His people!”

    Read in context
  • Luke 15:2

    So the Pharisees and scribes began to grumble: “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

    Read in context
  • Isaiah 65:5

    They say, ‘Keep to yourself; do not come near me, for I am holier than you!’ Such people are smoke in My nostrils, a fire that burns all day long.

    Read in context
  • Proverbs 23:7

    for he is keeping track, inwardly counting the cost. “Eat and drink,” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.

    Read in context
  • Mark 7:21

    For from within the hearts of men come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,

    Read in context
  • Luke 18:9–11

    To some who trusted in their own righteousness and viewed others with contempt, He also told this parable:

    Read in context
  • Luke 3:8

    Produce fruit, then, in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.

    Read in context
  • Luke 18:4

    For a while he refused, but later he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect men,

    Read in context