Centurion’s Servant
As he entered Capernaum, a Centurion who heard of Jesus either came or sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant. They were imploring him, asking Jesus to heal his servant, and saying, “Lord, our servant, whom we highly value, has been laid low in my house, a paralytic, suffering terribly and is sick and about to die.” The Jewish friends pleaded earnestly with Jesus, saying, “This Centurion is the one whom you would grant this because he is worthy. He loves our nation, and he built the synagogue for us.” (Luke 7:2-5, Matthew 8:5-6)
So Jesus went with them and said, “I will go and heal him.” After some time, Jesus was not far from the house when the Centurion replied or sent friends, saying, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. Do not trouble yourself. That is why I didn’t consider myself worthy of coming to you. Just say the word, and I know my servant will be healed. I am a man set under authority and have soldiers under me. To this one, I say, ‘Go,’ and he does it. To another, I say, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” (Luke 7:6-8, Matthew 8:7-9)
When Jesus heard this, he marveled at him and, turning to the crowd following him, said, “I tell you that I have not found such faith in Israel. Moreover, I tell you that many will come from the East and West and will recline at the table alongside Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven. But the sons of the Kingdom will be thrown out into the darkness outside; there will be weeping and grinding of teeth there.” Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go; as you have had faith, so let it come to pass for you.” And in that hour, the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the slave in good health. (Matthew 8:10-13, Luke 7:9-10)
Widow At Nain
The next day Jesus went into a city called Nain, and many of his disciples and a large crowd went with him. As he drew near to the city’s gate, a man who had died was being carried out – the only son of his mother, and she had already lost her husband, as she was a widow. There was a considerable crowd from the city accompanying her. Seeing her, Jesus was moved inwardly with compassion for her and said, “Do not weep.” (Luke 7:11-13)
Jesus then approached and touched the open coffin, and those bearing the dead man stood still as Jesus said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” And the dead man sat up and began to speak. Jesus then gave the man back to his mother. Therefore, fear gripped everyone, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has been raised up among us, and God has visited his people.” Stories about Jesus went out into the whole area of Judaea and the surrounding region. (Luke 7:14-17)
