Now I make known unto you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you have received, and wherein you stand;2 By which also you are saved, if you hold fast after what manner I preached unto you, unless you have believed in vain.3 For I delivered unto you first of all, which I also received: how that Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day, according to the scriptures:5 And that he was seen by Cephas; and after that by the eleven.6 Then he was seen by more than five hundred brethren at once: of whom many remain until this present, and some are fallen asleep.7 After that, he was seen by James, then by all the apostles.8 And last of all, he was seen also by me, as by one born out of due time.†9 For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.10 But by the grace of God, I am what I am; and his grace in me hath not been void, but I have laboured more abundantly than all they: yet not I, but the grace of God with me.11 For whether I, or they, so we preach, and so you have believed.
Remember in your prayers the Church in Syria, which now has God for its shepherd, instead of me. Jesus Christ alone will oversee it, and your love [will also regard it]. But as for me, I am ashamed to be counted one of them; for indeed I am not worthy, as being the very last of them, and one born out of due time. But I have obtained mercy to be somebody, if I shall attain to God. My spirit salutes you, and the love of the Churches that have received me in the name of Jesus Christ, and not as a mere passer-by. For even those Churches which were not near to me in the way, I mean according to the flesh, have gone before me, city by city, [to meet me.]
Give praise to Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.2 Let Israel now say that he is good: that his mercy endureth for ever.16 The right hand of the Lord hath wrought strength: the right hand of the Lord hath exulted me: the right hand of the Lord hath wrought strength.17 I shall not die, but live: and shall declare the works of the Lord.28 Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, and I will exalt thee. I will praise thee, because thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.
Let us therefore root this out quickly, and let us fall down before the Master and entreat him with tears, that he may show himself propitious and be reconciled to us and may restore us to the seemly and pure conduct that belongs to our love of the brothers. For this is a gate of righteousness opened to life, as it is written: "Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter in thereby and praise the Lord. This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall enter in thereby." Seeing then that many gates are opened, this is that gate that is in righteousness, even that which is in Christ, whereby all are blessed who have entered in and direct their path in holiness and righteousness, performing all things without confusion. Let a person be faithful, let him be able to expound a deep saying, let him be wise in the discernment of words, let him be strenuous in deeds, let him be pure; for so much the more ought he to be lowly in mind, in proportion as he seems to be the greater; and he ought to seek the common advantage of all, and not his own.
And one of the Pharisees desired him to eat with him. And he went into the house of the Pharisee, and sat down to meat.37 And behold a woman that was in the city, a sinner, when she knew that he sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment;38 And standing behind at his feet, she began to wash his feet, with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.†39 And the Pharisee, who had invited him, seeing it, spoke within himself, saying: This man, if he were a prophet, would know surely who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him, that she is a sinner.40 And Jesus answering, said to him: Simon, I have somewhat to say to thee. But he said: Master, say it.41 A certain creditor had two debtors, the one who owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.42 And whereas they had not wherewith to pay, he forgave them both. Which therefore of the two loveth him most?43 Simon answering, said: I suppose that he to whom he forgave most. And he said to him: Thou hast judged rightly.44 And turning to the woman, he said unto Simon: Dost thou see this woman? I entered into thy house, thou gavest me no water for my feet; but she with tears hath washed my feet, and with her hairs hath wiped them.45 Thou gavest me no kiss; but she, since she came in, hath not ceased to kiss my feet.46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint; but she with ointment hath anointed my feet.47 Wherefore I say to thee: Many sins are forgiven her, because she hath loved much. But to whom less is forgiven, he loveth less.48 And he said to her: Thy sins are forgiven thee.49 And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves: Who is this that forgiveth sins also?50 And he said to the woman: Thy faith hath made thee safe, go in peace.†
As if He said, To provide water is easy, to pour forth tears is not easy. Thou hast not provided even what was at hand, she hath poured forth what was not at hand; for washing my feet with her tears, she washed away her own stains. She wiped them with her hair, that so she might draw to herself the sacred moisture, and by that by which she once enticed youth to sin, might now attract to herself holiness.
But the Lord not hearing his words, but perceiving his thoughts, shewed Himself to be the Lord of Prophets, as it follows, And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have something to say unto thee.
As if He said, Nor art thou without debts. What then! If thou art involved in fewer debts, boast not thyself, for thou art still in need of pardon. Then He goes on to speak of pardon, And when they had nothing to pay, he freely forgave them both.
But it more frequently happens that he who has sinned much is purified by confession, but he who has sinned little, refuses from pride to come to be healed thereby. Hence it follows, But to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.
About CSB. A personal translation of the New Testament, rendered directly from the public-domain Greek in a literary style — not a scholarly critical edition, and not for liturgical or doctrinal authority. It is one reader's work, offered for enjoyment; where it matters, weigh it against an established translation. (Placeholder text — final wording to come.)