Jesus Brings Woman’s Son Back to Life
Luke 7:11-23
Jesus Brings a Woman’s Son Back to Life
11 The next day Jesus and his followers went to a town called Nain. A big crowd was traveling with them. 12 When Jesus came near the town gate, he saw some people carrying a dead body. It was the only son of a woman who was a widow. Walking with her were many other people from the town. 13 When the Lord saw the woman, he felt very sorry for her and said, “Don’t cry.” 14 He walked to the open coffin and touched it. The men who were carrying the coffin stopped. Jesus spoke to the dead son: “Young man, I tell you, get up!” 15 Then the boy sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.
16 Everyone was filled with fear. They began praising God and said, “A great prophete is here with us!” and “God is taking care of his people.”
17 This news about Jesus spread all over Judea and to all the other places around there.
John Sends Men to Ask Jesus a Question
18 John’s followers told him about all these things. John called for two of his followers. 19 He sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one we heard was coming, or should we wait for someone else?”
20 So the men came to Jesus. They said, “John the Baptizerf sent us to you with this question: ‘Are you the one who is coming, or should we wait for someone else?’”
21 Right then Jesus healed many people of their sicknesses and diseases. He healed those who had evil spirits and made many who were blind able to see again. 22 Then he said to John’s followers, “Go tell John what you have seen and heard: The blind can see. The crippled can walk. People with leprosyg are healed. The deaf can hear. The dead are brought back to life. And the Good Newsh is being told to the poor. 23What great blessings there are for those who don’t have a problem accepting me.”
e 7:16 prophet A person who speaks a message from God. Many of the books in the Old Testament are messages spoken or written by “the prophets,” who were some of those God chose to speak for him. God often used dreams or visions to tell or show his prophets what they should say.
f 7:20 John the Baptizer The man God chose to tell people about Christ’s coming and to prepare them by warning them to change their lives and by baptizing them (see “baptize”) as a sign of their decision to change. Read Mt. 3; Mk. 1:1-11; Lk. 1:5-25, 57-80; 3:1-18.
g 7:22 leprosy A very bad skin disease. The word in the text has a broad sense, which may include many different types of skin disease.
h 7:22 Good News In the Gospels this is usually the news about the coming of God’s kingdom (see above) or its representative Jesus Christ. In other places it is, more specifically, the news or message of God’s grace—that he has made a way through Jesus Christ for people to be made right with him and enjoy his blessings now and forever.