The Narrow Way

²² He went through one town and village after another, teaching and making His way to Jerusalem.^{(A) 23} “Lord,” someone asked Him, “are there few being saved?”^[a](B)

He said to them, ²⁴ “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door,^(C) because I tell you, many will try to enter and won’t be able ²⁵ once the homeowner gets up and shuts the door.^(D) Then you will stand^[b] outside and knock on the door, saying, ‘Lord, open up for us!’ He will answer you, ‘I don’t know you or where you’re from.’ ²⁶ Then you will say,^[c] ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets!’ ²⁷ But He will say, ‘I tell you, I don’t know you or where you’re from. Get away from Me,^(E) all you workers of unrighteousness!’ ²⁸ There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth^(F) in that place,^(G) when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God,^(H) but yourselves thrown out. ²⁹ They will come from east and west, from north and south, and recline at the table^(I) in the kingdom of God. ³⁰ Note this: Some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”^(J)

Jesus and Herod Antipas

³¹ At that time some Pharisees came and told Him, “Go, get out of here! Herod^(K) wants to kill You!”^(L)

³² He said to them, “Go tell that fox, ‘Look! I’m driving out demons and performing healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day^[d] I will complete My work.’^{[e](M) 33} Yet I must^(N) travel today, tomorrow, and the next day, because it is not possible for a prophet^(O) to perish^(P) outside of Jerusalem!

Jesus’ Lamentation over Jerusalem

³⁴ “Jerusalem, Jerusalem!^(Q) She who kills the prophets and stones^(R) those who are sent to her.^(S) How often I wanted to gather your children^(T) together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings,^(U) but you were not willing!^{(V) 35} See, your house^[f] is abandoned to you.^(W) And I tell you, you will not see Me until the time comes when you say, ‘He who comes in the name of the Lord is the blessed One’!”^(X)[g]

A Sabbath Controversy

14 One Sabbath, when He went to eat^[h] at the house of one of the leading Pharisees,^(Y) they were watching Him closely.^{(Z) 2} There in front of Him was a man whose body was swollen with fluid.^{[i] 3} In response, Jesus asked the law experts^(AA) and the Pharisees, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?”^{(AB) 4} But they kept silent. He took the man, healed him, and sent him away. ⁵ And to them, He said, “Which of you whose son or ox falls into a well, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?”^{(AC) 6} To this they could find no answer.

Teachings on Humility

⁷ He told a parable^(AD) to those who were invited, when He noticed how they would choose the best places^(AE) for themselves: ⁸ “When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, don’t recline at the best place, because a more distinguished person^(AF) than you may have been invited by your host.^{[j] 9} The one who invited both of you may come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this man,’ and then in humiliation, you will proceed to take the lowest place.

¹⁰ “But when you are invited, go and recline in the lowest place, so that when the one who invited you comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ You will then be honored^(AG) in the presence of all the other guests.^{(AH) 11} For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”^(AI)