One of the Prushim asked the Rabbi to have dinner with him so he came the house of the Parush and reclined at his table. There was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that he was reclining at the table in the house of the Parush, she brought a vial of perfume, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing his feet and anointing them with the perfume. Now when the Parush who had invited the Rabbi saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were truly a prophet he would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching him, that she is a sinner."
And the Master answered him, "Shimon, I have something to say to you."
And he replied, "Say it, Rabbi."
"A moneylender had two debtors: one owed five hundred dinarim, and the other fifty. When they were unable to repay, the moneylender graciously forgave them both. So which of them will love him more?"
Shimon answered and said, "I suppose the one whom he forgave more."
And he said to him, "You have judged beautifully."
Turning toward the woman, he said to Shimon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not greet me with a kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she anointed my feet with perfume. For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little."
Then the Rabbi said to her, "Your sins have been forgiven."
Those who were reclining at the table with him began to say to themselves, "Who is this man who even forgives sins?"
And he said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in shalom."
This is the teaching of the Rabbi.