independentparticipialrelativecausecontentconditionalphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended
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The centurion's servant — faith not found in Israel 7:1–10
vv. 1–5 — the first embassy: the elders plead the centurion's worthiness
1
Ἐπειδὴ ἐπλήρωσεν πάντα τὰ ῥήματα αὐτοῦ εἰς τὰς ἀκοὰς τοῦ λαοῦ,conditional — temporal ἐπειδή (typed cnd; no temporal key) — closes the Sermon on the Plain (6:20–49); leans on εἰσῆλθεν
εἰσῆλθεν εἰς Καφαρναούμ.independent — the scene set — the garrison town, stage for a Gentile's faith
2
Ἑκατοντάρχου δέ τινος δοῦλος κακῶς ἔχων ἤμελλεν τελευτᾶν,independent — the need — κακῶς ἔχων the sickness idiom; ἤμελλεν τελευτᾶν, death impending
ὃς ἦν αὐτῷ ἔντιμος.relative — ἔντιμος — the slave prized; the affection motivates the embassies
3
ἀκούσας δὲ περὶ τοῦ Ἰησοῦparticipial — preposed aorist participle — leans on ἀπέστειλεν; faith begins from hearsay
ἀπέστειλεν πρὸς αὐτὸν πρεσβυτέρους τῶν Ἰουδαίων,independent — the first delegation — only Luke has the centurion act wholly through intermediaries
ἐρωτῶν αὐτὸνparticipial — the request carried by the embassy
ὅπως ἐλθὼν διασώσῃ τὸν δοῦλον αὐτοῦ.content — ὅπως-complement after a verb of asking — διασώσῃ, the intensive διά- of complete rescue
4
οἱ δὲ παραγενόμενοι πρὸς τὸν Ἰησοῦνparticipial — preposed circumstantial — leans on παρεκάλουν
παρεκάλουν αὐτὸν σπουδαίως,independent — iterative imperfect — the elders press the case
λέγοντες ὅτιparticipial — speech-participle with recitative ὅτι — the elders' voice
Ἄξιός ἐστινcontent — ἄξιος — the elders' verdict of merit, soon overturned by the man's own οὐ ἱκανός (v. 6)
ᾧ παρέξῃ τοῦτο,relative — relative unfolding the worthiness — dative of advantage ᾧ
5
ἀγαπᾷ γὰρ τὸ ἔθνος ἡμῶνcause — the γάρ ground — civic benefaction as the elders' measure of merit
καὶ τὴν συναγωγὴν αὐτὸς ᾠκοδόμησεν ἡμῖν.cause — coordinate ground — intensive αὐτός: he personally funded it
vv. 6–8 — the second embassy: 'I am not worthy — say a word'
6
ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς ἐπορεύετο σὺν αὐτοῖς.independent — progressive imperfect — the journey toward the house begins
ἤδη δὲ αὐτοῦ οὐ μακρὰν ἀπέχοντος ἀπὸ τῆς οἰκίαςparticipial — genitive absolute — forward-leaning; the scene held at the threshold
ἔπεμψεν φίλους ὁ ἑκατοντάρχηςindependent — the second delegation — friends now, to halt the approach he had requested
λέγων αὐτῷ·participial — λέγων — the centurion's own words carried by others' mouths
Κύριε,content — verbless vocative — κύριε with weight on Gentile lips
μὴ σκύλλου,content — present prohibition — stop the coming already under way
οὐ γὰρ ἱκανός εἰμιcause — the γάρ ground — οὐ ἱκανός reverses the elders' ἄξιος (v. 4)
ἵνα ὑπὸ τὴν στέγην μου εἰσέλθῃς·content — epexegetic ἵνα defining ἱκανός — 'my' roof, the unfit place (cf. Matt 8:8)
7
διὸ οὐδὲ ἐμαυτὸν ἠξίωσα πρὸς σὲ ἐλθεῖν·content — διό draws the inference — only Luke: he did not presume even to come in person
ἀλλὰ εἰπὲ λόγῳ,content — the heart of the pericope — the bare word trusted to act at a distance
καὶ ἰαθήτω ὁ παῖς μου.content — third-person imperative — the word's result commanded into being
8
καὶ γὰρ ἐγὼ ἄνθρωπός εἰμι ὑπὸ ἐξουσίαν τασσόμενος,cause — the καὶ γάρ ground — he reasons from below: even a subordinate's word moves men
ἔχων ὑπ’ ἐμαυτὸν στρατιώτας,participial — under authority, yet wielding it — the analogy's two sides
καὶ λέγω τούτῳ·cause — the analogy enacted — three commands follow, each with its result
Πορεύθητι,content — the first order
καὶ πορεύεται,cause — the word obeyed — coordinate in the γάρ ground
καὶ ἄλλῳ·cause — elliptical — λέγω carried over
Ἔρχου,content — the second order
καὶ ἔρχεται,cause — the second obedience
καὶ τῷ δούλῳ μου·cause — elliptical again — the third addressee
Ποίησον τοῦτο,content — the third order
καὶ ποιεῖ.cause — the catena closes — so, he infers, Jesus' word commands the sickness
vv. 9–10 — the verdict and the distant cure
9
ἀκούσας δὲ ταῦτα ὁ Ἰησοῦςparticipial — preposed aorist participle — leans on ἐθαύμασεν
ἐθαύμασεν αὐτόν,independent — Jesus' astonishment — of him only here and Mark 6:6
καὶ στραφεὶς τῷ ἀκολουθοῦντι αὐτῷ ὄχλῳparticipial — preposed participle — the verdict addressed over the messengers' heads; leans on εἶπεν
εἶπεν·independent — the pronouncement the episode centers on
Λέγω ὑμῖν,content — the saying-formula — a weighty word follows
οὐδὲ ἐν τῷ Ἰσραὴλ τοσαύτην πίστιν εὗρον.content — fronted οὐδὲ ἐν τῷ Ἰσραήλ — the Gentile's faith outstrips the covenant people's
10
καὶ ὑποστρέψαντες εἰς τὸν οἶκονparticipial — preposed circumstantial — leans on εὗρον
οἱ πεμφθέντες εὗρον τὸν δοῦλον ὑγιαίνοντα.independent — ὑγιαίνοντα — the cure confirmed at a distance; the word-only faith vindicated
The widow of Nain's son raised 7:11–17
vv. 11–12 — the two processions meet at the gate
11
Καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ ἑξῆς ἐπορεύθη εἰς πόλιν καλουμένην Ναΐν,independent — Lukan ἐγένετο-frame with asyndetic ἐπορεύθη — ἐν τῷ ἑξῆς printed against ἐν τῇ ἑξῆς ('the next day'); Nain named only here
καὶ συνεπορεύοντο αὐτῷ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ ὄχλος πολύς.independent — progressive imperfect — the living procession, about to meet the dead one
12
ὡς δὲ ἤγγισεν τῇ πύλῃ τῆς πόλεως,conditional — temporal ὡς (typed cnd; no temporal key) — leans on the ἰδού-clause below
καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐξεκομίζετο τεθνηκὼς μονογενὴς υἱὸς τῇ μητρὶ αὐτοῦ,independent — apodotic καί with ἰδού — μονογενής: the sole son, total loss
καὶ αὐτὴ ἦν χήρα,independent — the pathos piled up — no husband, now no son, no support
καὶ ὄχλος τῆς πόλεως ἱκανὸς ἦν σὺν αὐτῇ.independent — the mourning crowd — two ὄχλοι face each other at the gate
vv. 13–15 — compassion, the touch, the word to the dead
13
καὶ ἰδὼν αὐτὴν ὁ κύριοςparticipial — preposed participle — leans on ἐσπλαγχνίσθη; ὁ κύριος, Luke's narrative title for Jesus
ἐσπλαγχνίσθη ἐπ’ αὐτῇindependent — σπλαγχνίζομαι — the visceral mercy that motivates the unsought miracle
καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ·independent — the first word is to the mother, not the corpse
Μὴ κλαῖε.content — present prohibition — 'stop weeping': the command grief cannot obey until v. 15
14
καὶ προσελθὼνparticipial — preposed circumstantial — leans on ἥψατο
ἥψατο τῆς σοροῦ,independent — ἥψατο — the defiling touch (Num 19:11) made life-giving
οἱ δὲ βαστάζοντες ἔστησαν,independent — ingressive aorist — the procession halts at the touch
καὶ εἶπεν·independent — the address to the dead man himself
Νεανίσκε,content — verbless vocative — the corpse addressed as a hearer
σοὶ λέγω,content — emphatic σοί — the sovereign performative
ἐγέρθητι.content — ἐγέρθητι — the resurrection imperative, one word over death
15
καὶ ἀνεκάθισεν ὁ νεκρὸςindependent — ὁ νεκρός still the grammatical subject — the paradox in the syntax
καὶ ἤρξατο λαλεῖν,independent — speech as proof of life
καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτὸν τῇ μητρὶ αὐτοῦ.independent — verbal echo of Elijah at Zarephath (1 Kgs 17:23 LXX) — the prophet-typology the crowd names next
vv. 16–17 — fear, doxology, and the spreading report
16
ἔλαβεν δὲ φόβος πάντας,independent — numinous awe — φόβος the right response to visitation
καὶ ἐδόξαζον τὸν θεὸνindependent — inceptive imperfect — the doxology breaks out
λέγοντες ὅτιparticipial — speech-participle with recitative ὅτι — the crowd's twofold cry
Προφήτης μέγας ἠγέρθη ἐν ἡμῖν,content — the Elijah/Elisha typology voiced — ἠγέρθη ironically the raising-verb
καὶ ὅτι Ἐπεσκέψατο ὁ θεὸς τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ.content — ἐπισκέπτομαι — the divine visitation of the Benedictus (1:68, 78)
17
καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ὁ λόγος οὗτος ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ περὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ πάσῃ τῇ περιχώρῳ.independent — summary notice — the λόγος travels, reaching John's prison in v. 18
John's question and Jesus' answer in deeds 7:18–23
vv. 18–20 — the question commissioned and delivered verbatim
18
Καὶ ἀπήγγειλαν Ἰωάννῃ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ περὶ πάντων τούτων.independent — the reports of v. 17 reach the imprisoned John (3:20)
καὶ προσκαλεσάμενος δύο τινὰς τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ ὁ Ἰωάννηςparticipial — preposed aorist participle — leans on ἔπεμψεν (v. 19); two, the legal pair of witnesses
19
ἔπεμψεν πρὸς τὸν Ἰησοῦνindependent — πρὸς τὸν Ἰησοῦν printed with NA28/SBLGNT against THGNT's πρὸς τὸν κύριον — the crux noted
λέγων·participial — the commissioned message
Σὺ εἶ ὁ ἐρχόμενοςcontent — ὁ ἐρχόμενος — the messianic title (Ps 118:26; Mal 3:1); emphatic Σύ
ἢ ἄλλον προσδοκῶμεν;content — deliberative — John's judgment-expectation seeking confirmation
20
παραγενόμενοι δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν οἱ ἄνδρεςparticipial — preposed circumstantial — leans on εἶπαν
εἶπαν·independent — the delivery — the question now repeated word for word
Ἰωάννης ὁ βαπτιστὴς ἀπέστειλεν ἡμᾶς πρὸς σὲcontent — the credential stated inside the message
λέγων·participial — speech within relayed speech — John's words quoted inside the messengers' report
Σὺ εἶ ὁ ἐρχόμενοςcontent — the question verbatim — Luke's doubling underlines its gravity
ἢ ἄλλον προσδοκῶμεν;content — the second beat of the doubled question
vv. 21–23 — the answer: deeds first, then the Isaianic catalogue
21
ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ὥρᾳ ἐθεράπευσεν πολλοὺς ἀπὸ νόσων καὶ μαστίγων καὶ πνευμάτων πονηρῶν,independent — only Luke — the answer begins as a salvo of works the messengers watch
καὶ τυφλοῖς πολλοῖς ἐχαρίσατο βλέπειν.independent — ἐχαρίσατο — sight given as free grace; the catalogue's first item pre-enacted
22
καὶ ἀποκριθεὶςparticipial — preposed pleonastic participle — leans on εἶπεν
εἶπεν αὐτοῖς·independent — the verbal answer, resting on the visible one
Πορευθέντες ἀπαγγείλατε Ἰωάννῃcontent — the messengers made witnesses — ἀπαγγείλατε returns their own verb (v. 18)
ἃ εἴδετε καὶ ἠκούσατε·relative — headless relative — eyewitness testimony, not speculation
τυφλοὶ ἀναβλέπουσιν,content — Isa 35:5; 61:1 — the catalogue of the messianic age begins
χωλοὶ περιπατοῦσιν,content — Isa 35:6 — the leaping lame
λεπροὶ καθαρίζονταιcontent — beyond Isaiah — the Elisha-sign (2 Kgs 5) added to the catalogue
καὶ κωφοὶ ἀκούουσιν,content — Isa 35:5 — the opened ears
νεκροὶ ἐγείρονται,content — Isa 26:19 — and just enacted at Nain (vv. 11–17)
πτωχοὶ εὐαγγελίζονται·content — Isa 61:1 — the climax, echoing the Nazareth manifesto (4:18)
23
καὶ μακάριός ἐστινcontent — the closing beatitude — gently addressed to John's perplexity
ὃς ἐὰν μὴ σκανδαλισθῇ ἐν ἐμοί.relative — indefinite relative (ὃς ἐάν + subjunctive) — not tripped up by a non-judging Messiah
Jesus' testimony to John — more than a prophet 7:24–30
vv. 24–26 — the three questions: reed, courtier, prophet
24
Ἀπελθόντων δὲ τῶν ἀγγέλων Ἰωάννουparticipial — genitive absolute — forward-leaning; the defense of John begins once his men are gone
ἤρξατο λέγειν πρὸς τοὺς ὄχλους περὶ Ἰωάννου·independent — the speech-frame for the whole testimony (vv. 24–28)
Τί ἐξήλθατε εἰς τὴν ἔρημον θεάσασθαι;content — the first of three τί ἐξήλθατε questions — the crowds' own pilgrimage interrogated
κάλαμον ὑπὸ ἀνέμου σαλευόμενον;content — elliptical foil — the wavering man John was not; his question (v. 19) is not vacillation
25
ἀλλὰ τί ἐξήλθατε ἰδεῖν;content — the second question — ἀλλά raising the stakes
ἄνθρωπον ἐν μαλακοῖς ἱματίοις ἠμφιεσμένον;content — elliptical foil — the courtier John was not; the camel-hair ascetic implied
ἰδοὺ οἱ ἐν ἱματισμῷ ἐνδόξῳ καὶ τρυφῇ ὑπάρχοντες ἐν τοῖς βασιλείοις εἰσίν.content — the wry aside — soft robes live in palaces, and a palace holds John prisoner (3:20)
26
ἀλλὰ τί ἐξήλθατε ἰδεῖν;content — the third question — the refrain builds to its answer
προφήτην;content — elliptical — at last the right category
ναί, λέγω ὑμῖν,content — the affirmation — and immediately its surpassing
καὶ περισσότερον προφήτου.content — elliptical — περισσότερον: the category itself exceeded, grounded in v. 27
vv. 27–28 — the Malachi citation and the kingdom-paradox
27
οὗτός ἐστινcontent — the identification — John located in Scripture
περὶ οὗ γέγραπται·relative — the citation formula — γέγραπται, the perfect of abiding authority
Ἰδοὺ ἀποστέλλω τὸν ἄγγελόν μου πρὸ προσώπου σου,content — Mal 3:1 with Exod 23:20 coloring — the σου: the way prepared before Jesus
ὃς κατασκευάσει τὴν ὁδόν σου ἔμπροσθέν σου.relative — the forerunner's task — John is the eschatological ἄγγελος, hence more than a prophet
28
λέγω ὑμῖν,content — the saying-formula renewed for the paradox
μείζων ἐν γεννητοῖς γυναικῶν Ἰωάννου οὐδείς ἐστιν·content — the superlative verdict — some witnesses add προφήτης after μείζων, a secondary expansion not read here
ὁ δὲ μικρότερος ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τοῦ θεοῦ μείζων αὐτοῦ ἐστιν.content — the paradox — the least insider exceeds the greatest forerunner; epochs, not persons, compared
vv. 29–30 — the narrator's aside: two verdicts on God's purpose
29
Καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ἀκούσας καὶ οἱ τελῶναι ἐδικαίωσαν τὸν θεόν,independent — read as the narrator's parenthesis (with most interpreters), not Jesus' continued words — the crux named; ἐδικαίωσαν: they acknowledged God's saving rightness
βαπτισθέντες τὸ βάπτισμα Ἰωάννου·participial — means/cause — the cognate accusative; submission to John was submission to God's plan
30
οἱ δὲ Φαρισαῖοι καὶ οἱ νομικοὶ τὴν βουλὴν τοῦ θεοῦ ἠθέτησαν εἰς ἑαυτούς,independent — the dark counterpart — ἀθετέω: they set aside the βουλή; εἰς ἑαυτούς, to their own loss
μὴ βαπτισθέντες ὑπ’ αὐτοῦ.participial — the negated participle — the refusal of the rite was the rejection of the purpose
This generation — children in the marketplace 7:31–35
vv. 31–32 — the double question and the simile
31
Τίνι οὖν ὁμοιώσω τοὺς ἀνθρώπους τῆς γενεᾶς ταύτης,independent — deliberative future — οὖν draws the inference from the divided response (vv. 29–30); the introductory εἶπεν δὲ ὁ κύριος of later witnesses is not read
καὶ τίνι εἰσὶν ὅμοιοι;independent — the doubled rhetorical question — the parable-opening formula
32
ὅμοιοί εἰσιν παιδίοις τοῖς ἐν ἀγορᾷ καθημένοις καὶ προσφωνοῦσιν ἀλλήλοις,independent — the simile — peevish children whom no tune will satisfy
ἃ λέγει·relative — neuter plural subject with singular verb — the frame for the children's complaint
Ηὐλήσαμεν ὑμῖνcontent — the wedding-game refused — the flute is Jesus' register (v. 34)
καὶ οὐκ ὠρχήσασθε·content — the first refusal
ἐθρηνήσαμενcontent — the funeral-game refused — the dirge is John's register (v. 33)
καὶ οὐκ ἐκλαύσατε.content — the second refusal — neither mode answered
vv. 33–35 — the application: John, the Son of Man, and Wisdom's children
33
ἐλήλυθεν γὰρ Ἰωάννης ὁ βαπτιστὴςcause — the γάρ application — perfect ἐλήλυθεν: his coming an abiding fact
μὴ ἐσθίων ἄρτον μήτε πίνων οἶνον,participial — manner participles — the ascetic dirge
καὶ λέγετε·cause — the generation's verdict on the dirge
Δαιμόνιον ἔχει.content — asceticism slandered as possession
34
ἐλήλυθεν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπουcause — the matched pair — the title beside John's name, both rejected
ἐσθίων καὶ πίνων,participial — manner participles — the festive flute of table-fellowship
καὶ λέγετε·cause — the generation's verdict on the flute
Ἰδοὺ ἄνθρωπος φάγος καὶ οἰνοπότης,content — verbless exclamation — the slander (cf. Deut 21:20, the rebellious son)
φίλος τελωνῶν καὶ ἁμαρτωλῶν.phrase modifier — verbless apposition — the intended insult the Gospel wears as a title
35
καὶ ἐδικαιώθη ἡ σοφία ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν τέκνων αὐτῆς.independent — gnomic aorist — Wisdom (behind both John and Jesus) vindicated by all who receive her; τέκνων the firm reading against Matthew's ἔργων; ἐδικαιώθη echoes ἐδικαίωσαν (v. 29)
The sinful woman and Simon the Pharisee — the two debtors 7:36–50
vv. 36–38 — the table, the woman, the cascade of devotion
36
Ἠρώτα δέ τις αὐτὸν τῶν Φαρισαίωνindependent — iterative imperfect — the invitation pressed; a Pharisee's table, the scene of the contrast
ἵνα φάγῃ μετ’ αὐτοῦ·content — ἵνα-complement after a verb of asking — the content of the request
καὶ εἰσελθὼν εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Φαρισαίουparticipial — preposed circumstantial — leans on κατεκλίθη
κατεκλίθη.independent — κατεκλίθη — reclining feet-outward: the posture that gives the woman her access
37
καὶ ἰδοὺ γυνὴindependent — suspended presentative — ἰδού spotlights the intruder; her verb (ἤρξατο) waits until v. 38
ἥτις ἦν ἐν τῇ πόλει ἁμαρτωλός,relative — ἥτις qualitative — 'a sinner' publicly known, likely a prostitute
καὶ ἐπιγνοῦσαparticipial — preposed aorist participle — leans on ἤρξατο (v. 38)
ὅτι κατάκειται ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ τοῦ Φαρισαίου,content — ὅτι-content with retained present — the news that draws her in
κομίσασα ἀλάβαστρον μύρουparticipial — second preposed participle — costly μύρον carried on purpose; leans on ἤρξατο
38
καὶ στᾶσα ὀπίσω παρὰ τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ κλαίουσα,participial — the last preposed participles — positioned at the couch's foot before the verb strikes
τοῖς δάκρυσιν ἤρξατο βρέχειν τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦindependent — the suspended subject (v. 37) finds her verb — tears enough to wash with
καὶ ταῖς θριξὶν τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτῆς ἐξέμασσεν,independent — iterative imperfect — hair unbound in public, shame spent on devotion
καὶ κατεφίλει τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦindependent — iterative imperfect — καταφιλέω, fervent and repeated
καὶ ἤλειφεν τῷ μύρῳ.independent — the cascade completes — each act an unoffered courtesy Simon will hear named (vv. 44–46)
vv. 39–40 — Simon's inner objection, answered aloud
39
ἰδὼν δὲ ὁ Φαρισαῖος ὁ καλέσας αὐτὸνparticipial — preposed participle — leans on εἶπεν; ὁ καλέσας, the host as watcher
εἶπεν ἐν ἑαυτῷindependent — inner speech — the objection never voiced, yet answered (v. 40)
λέγων·participial — pleonastic speech-participle — the frame for the silent syllogism
Οὗτος εἰ ἦν προφήτης,conditional — second-class protasis inside inner speech — contrary to fact, in Simon's judgment; leans on ἐγίνωσκεν ἄν
ἐγίνωσκεν ἂνcontent — the apodosis with ἄν — the irony: Jesus is about to show he knows Simon's very thoughts
τίς καὶ ποταπὴ ἡ γυνὴcontent — indirect double question, copula elided — identity and character
ἥτις ἅπτεται αὐτοῦ,relative — durative present — the touch, defiling in Simon's eyes, still going on
ὅτι ἁμαρτωλός ἐστιν.cause — causal ὅτι unfolding ποταπή — the label that ends Simon's inquiry, and begins Jesus'
40
καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ Ἰησοῦςparticipial — ἀποκριθείς — answering the unspoken thought, itself the prophetic act Simon denied
εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτόν·independent — the reply to what was said only ἐν ἑαυτῷ
Σίμων,content — verbless vocative — the host named for the first time
ἔχω σοί τι εἰπεῖν.content — the courteous overture — the 'something' is the parable
ὁ δέ· Διδάσκαλε, εἰπέ, φησίν.independent — historic present φησίν, postponed past the quote — Διδάσκαλε, the polite outsider's address
vv. 41–43 — the two debtors: the parable under Simon's own εἰπέ
41
δύο χρεοφειλέται ἦσαν δανειστῇ τινι·content — the parable hangs under Simon's εἰπέ — the word he invited; dative of possession
ὁ εἷς ὤφειλεν δηνάρια πεντακόσια,content — a denarius a day's wage — nearly two years' earnings
ὁ δὲ ἕτερος πεντήκοντα.content — elliptical — ὤφειλεν carried over; the tenfold disparity
42
μὴ ἐχόντων αὐτῶν ἀποδοῦναιparticipial — genitive absolute — forward-leaning on ἐχαρίσατο; both equally insolvent
ἀμφοτέροις ἐχαρίσατο.content — ἐχαρίσατο — the χάρις-verb: cancellation as sheer grace
τίς οὖν αὐτῶν πλεῖον ἀγαπήσει αὐτόν;content — the test question — love measured by forgiveness received, the principle about to be applied
43
ἀποκριθεὶς Σίμωνparticipial — preposed participle — leans on εἶπεν
εἶπεν·independent — the judge answers — and judges himself
Ὑπολαμβάνωcontent — the wary hedge — Simon senses the trap
ὅτι ᾧ τὸ πλεῖον ἐχαρίσατο.content — the correct verdict — elliptical, the copula understood
ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῷ·independent — the affirmation before the application
Ὀρθῶς ἔκρινας.content — ἔκρινας — Simon's own judgment now the measure of what follows (cf. Nathan, 2 Sam 12:7)
vv. 44–46 — the three contrasts: water, kiss, oil
44
καὶ στραφεὶς πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκαparticipial — preposed participle — leans on ἔφη; he faces her while speaking to Simon
τῷ Σίμωνι ἔφη·independent — the application delivered over the woman's head — to the one who needs it
Βλέπεις ταύτην τὴν γυναῖκα;content — the question that reframes sight — Simon has seen only 'a sinner' (v. 39)
εἰσῆλθόν σου εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν,content — fronted σου — into 'your' house, where the courtesies were yours to give
ὕδωρ μοι ἐπὶ πόδας οὐκ ἔδωκας·content — the first omission — foot-washing, the most basic hospitality
αὕτη δὲ τοῖς δάκρυσιν ἔβρεξέν μου τοὺς πόδαςcontent — emphatic αὕτη against the omission — tears where water was withheld
καὶ ταῖς θριξὶν αὐτῆς ἐξέμαξεν.content — her hair for the absent towel — the first contrast complete
45
φίλημά μοι οὐκ ἔδωκας·content — the second omission — the greeting-kiss of welcome
αὕτη δὲ ἀφ’ ἧς εἰσῆλθον οὐ διέλιπεν καταφιλοῦσά μου τοὺς πόδας.content — οὐ διέλιπεν καταφιλοῦσα — one omitted kiss against unceasing kisses, and on the feet
46
ἐλαίῳ τὴν κεφαλήν μου οὐκ ἤλειψας·content — the third omission — common olive oil, for the head
αὕτη δὲ μύρῳ ἤλειψεν τοὺς πόδας μου.content — costly μύρον for the feet against cheap ἔλαιον withheld from the head — the contrasts escalate
vv. 47–50 — the verdict: forgiveness, love, faith, peace
47
οὗ χάριν, λέγω σοι,content — οὗ χάριν — the inference drawn from the three contrasts
ἀφέωνται αἱ ἁμαρτίαι αὐτῆς αἱ πολλαί,content — perfect ἀφέωνται — a forgiveness already standing; αἱ πολλαί conceded, not minimized
ὅτι ἠγάπησεν πολύ·cause — the crux — ὅτι read as evidential: her love the proof, not the price, of pardon, as the parable (v. 42) and v. 50 require
ᾧ δὲ ὀλίγον ἀφίεται,conditional — conditional relative (typed cnd) — forward-leaning on ὀλίγον ἀγαπᾷ; gnomic present
ὀλίγον ἀγαπᾷ.content — the apodosis-maxim — Simon's small love diagnosed, his forgiveness left an open question
48
εἶπεν δὲ αὐτῇ·independent — at last he addresses the woman herself
Ἀφέωνταί σου αἱ ἁμαρτίαι.content — the perfect again — the declaration of what v. 47 argued; the divine prerogative that scandalizes (cf. 5:21)
49
καὶ ἤρξαντο οἱ συνανακείμενοι λέγειν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς·independent — the table murmurs — ἐν ἑαυτοῖς, like Simon's inner speech (v. 39)
Τίς οὗτός ἐστινcontent — the christological question — echoing 5:21: only God forgives sins
ὃς καὶ ἁμαρτίας ἀφίησιν;relative — ascensive καί — the question left ringing, answered only by the authority just exercised
50
εἶπεν δὲ πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα·independent — the guests ignored — the closing word is hers
Ἡ πίστις σου σέσωκέν σε·content — perfect σέσωκεν — faith, not love itself, the saving instrument: the ὅτι of v. 47 settled
πορεύου εἰς εἰρήνην.content — the Lukan benediction — εἰς εἰρήνην, into shalom; the chapter closes on a dismissal into wholeness
Analysis. Luke 7 is narrative studded with speech, and the layout shows both registers. The mainline runs flush left in purple — Jesus enters Capernaum, goes with the elders, marvels; he touches the bier at Nain and the dead man sits up; the reports travel; he reclines at Simon's table — while Luke's fondness for the preposed circumstantial participle and the genitive absolute indents a forward-leaning line before verb after verb (ἀκούσας δέ, ἤδη δὲ αὐτοῦ οὐ μακρὰν ἀπέχοντος, Ἀπελθόντων δὲ τῶν ἀγγέλων, μὴ ἐχόντων αὐτῶν ἀποδοῦναι). Speech always hangs blue (cnt) beneath its verb of saying, and this chapter is a study in relayed speech: the centurion never appears — the elders plead under λέγοντες and the friends deliver his words under λέγων, the οὐ ἱκανός confession overturning the elders' ἄξιος, and his καὶ γάρ ground unfolding into the catena of quoted commands (Πορεύθητι — Ἔρχου — Ποίησον τοῦτο) all hanging beneath ἰαθήτω, the healing he reasons toward. John's question arrives twice verbatim, commissioned under λέγων and delivered under a second λέγων inside the messengers' report; Jesus' answer is first deeds (v. 21), then the Isaianic catalogue (Isa 35:5–6; 61:1) beneath ἀπαγγείλατε. His testimony to John runs as one speech under ἤρξατο λέγειν: the three τί ἐξήλθατε questions with their elliptical foils, the Mal 3:1 citation as content under γέγραπται, and the kingdom-paradox of v. 28. Verses 29–30 are laid as the narrator's aside (with most interpreters, against taking them as Jesus' continued words — the crux is named, not hidden), before the marketplace children, whose double γάρ application (John the ascetic, the Son of Man the feaster) hangs on ὅμοιοι. At Simon's table the layout takes the text's own cues: Simon's objection is inner speech (εἶπεν ἐν ἑαυτῷ λέγων) with a second-class protasis leaning on ἐγίνωσκεν ἄν; the two-debtors parable hangs, with quiet irony, beneath Simon's own εἰπέ — the word he invited; and the verdict of v. 47 is tagged for its famous crux: the ὅτι is read as evidential (her love the proof, not the price, of forgiveness), as the parable's logic (more forgiven → more love) and the closing Ἡ πίστις σου σέσωκέν σε require. The perfects ἀφέωνται and σέσωκεν — forgiveness and salvation already standing — close the chapter, with the guests' Τίς οὗτός ἐστιν; left ringing.