Luke 9
Darby Translation
9 And having called together the twelve, he gave them power and authority over all demons, and to heal diseases,
2 and sent them to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.
3 And he said to them, Take nothing for the way, neither staff, nor scrip, nor bread, nor money; nor to have two body-coats apiece.
4 And into whatsoever house ye enter, there abide and thence go forth.
5 And as many as may not receive you, going forth from that city, shake off even the dust from your feet for a witness against them.
6 And going forth they passed through the villages, announcing the glad tidings and healing everywhere.
7 And Herod the tetrarch heard of all the things which were done [by him], and was in perplexity, because it was said by some that John was risen from among [the] dead,
8 and by some that Elias had appeared, and by others that one of the old prophets had risen again.
9 And Herod said, John *I* have beheaded, but who is this of whom I hear such things? and he sought to see him.
10 And the apostles having returned related to him whatever they had done. And he took them and withdrew apart into [a desert place of] a city called Bethsaida.
11 But the crowds knowing [it] followed him; and he received them and spake to them of the kingdom of God, and cured those that had need of healing.
12 But the day began to decline, and the twelve came and said to him, Send away the crowd that they may go into the villages around, and [into] the fields, and lodge and find victuals, for here we are in a desert place.
13 And he said to them, Give *ye them to eat. And they said, We have not more than five loaves and two fishes, unless *we* should go and buy food for all this people;
14 for they were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, Make them sit down in companies by fifties.
15 And they did so, and made them all sit down.
16 And taking the five loaves and the two fishes, looking up to heaven he blessed them, and broke and gave to the disciples to set before the crowd.
17 And they all ate and were filled; and there was taken up of what had remained over and above to them in fragments twelve hand-baskets.
18 And it came to pass as he was praying alone, his disciples were with him, and he asked them saying, Who do the crowds say that I am?
19 But they answering said, John the baptist; but others, Elias; and others, that one of the old prophets has risen again.
20 And he said to them, But *ye*, who do ye say that I am? And Peter answering said, The Christ of God.
21 But, earnestly charging them, he enjoined [them] to say this to no man,
22 saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised up.
23 And he said to [them] all, If any one will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me;
24 for whosoever shall desire to save his life shall lose it, but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake, *he* shall save it.
25 For what shall a man profit if he shall have gained the whole world, and have destroyed, or come under the penalty of the loss of himself?
26 For whosoever shall have been ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of man be ashamed when he shall come in his glory, and [in that] of the Father, and of the holy angels.
27 But I say unto you of a truth, There are some of those standing here who shall not taste death until they shall have seen the kingdom of God.
28 And it came to pass after these words, about eight days, that taking Peter and John and James he went up into a mountain to pray.
29 And as he prayed the fashion of his countenance became different and his raiment white [and] effulgent.
30 And lo, two men talked with him, who were Moses and Elias,
31 who, appearing in glory, spoke of his departure which he was about to accomplish in Jerusalem.
32 But Peter and those with him were oppressed with sleep: but having fully awoke up they saw his glory, and the two men who stood with him.
33 And it came to pass as they departed from him, Peter said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles, one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias: not knowing what he said.
34 But as he was saying these things, there came a cloud and overshadowed them, and they feared as they entered into the cloud:
35 and there was a voice out of the cloud saying, *This* is my beloved Son: hear him.
36 And as the voice was [heard] Jesus was found alone: and *they* kept silence, and told no one in those days any of the things they had seen.
37 And it came to pass on the following day, when they came down from the mountain, a great crowd met him.
38 And lo, a man from the crowd cried out saying, Teacher, I beseech thee look upon my son, for he is mine only child:
39 and behold, a spirit takes him, and suddenly he cries out, and it tears him with foaming, and with difficulty departs from him after crushing him.
40 And I besought thy disciples that they might cast him out, and they could not.
41 And Jesus answering said, O unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you and suffer you? Bring hither thy son.
42 But as he was yet coming, the demon tore him and dragged him all together. And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the child and gave him back to his father.
43 And all were astonished at the glorious greatness of God. And as all wondered at all the things which [Jesus] did, he said to his disciples,
44 Do *ye* let these words sink into your ears. For the Son of man is about to be delivered into men's hands.
45 But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them that they should not perceive it. And they feared to ask him concerning this saying.
46 And a reasoning came in amongst them, who should be [the] greatest of them.
47 And Jesus, seeing the reasoning of their heart, having taken a little child set it by him,
48 and said to them, Whosoever shall receive this little child in my name receives me, and whosoever shall receive me receives him that sent me. For he who is the least among you all, *he* is great.
49 And John answering said, Master, we saw some one casting out demons in thy name, and we forbad him, because he follows not with us.
50 And Jesus said to him, Forbid [him] not, for he that is not against you is for you.
51 And it came to pass when the days of his receiving up were fulfilled, that *he* stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem.
52 And he sent messengers before his face. And having gone they entered into a village of the Samaritans that they might make ready for him.
53 And they did not receive him, because his face was [turned as] going to Jerusalem.
54 And his disciples James and John seeing [it] said, Lord, wilt thou that we speak [that] fire come down from heaven and consume them, as also Elias did?
55 But turning he rebuked them [and said, Ye know not of what spirit ye are].
56 And they went to another village.
57 And it came to pass as they went in the way, one said to him, I will follow thee wheresoever thou goest, Lord.
58 And Jesus said to him, The foxes have holes and the birds of the heaven roosting-places, but the Son of man has not where he may lay his head.
59 And he said to another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, allow me to go first and bury my father.
60 But Jesus said to him, Suffer the dead to bury their own dead, but do *thou* go and announce the kingdom of God.
61 And another also said, I will follow thee, Lord, but first allow me to bid adieu to those at my house.
62 But Jesus said to him, No one having laid his hand on [the] plough and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God.
Luke 9
Young's Literal Translation
9 And having called together his twelve disciples, he gave them power and authority over all the demons, and to cure sicknesses,
2 and he sent them to proclaim the reign of God, and to heal the ailing.
3 And he said unto them, `Take nothing for the way, neither staff, nor scrip, nor bread, nor money; neither have two coats each;
4 and into whatever house ye may enter, there remain, and thence depart;
5 and as many as may not receive you, going forth from that city, even the dust from your feet shake off, for a testimony against them.'
6 And going forth they were going through the several villages, proclaiming good news, and healing everywhere.
7 And Herod the tetrarch heard of all the things being done by him, and was perplexed, because it was said by certain, that John hath been raised out of the dead;
8 and by certain, that Elijah did appear, and by others, that a prophet, one of the ancients, was risen;
9 and Herod said, `John I did behead, but who is this concerning whom I hear such things?' and he was seeking to see him.
10 And the apostles having turned back, declared to him how great things they did, and having taken them, he withdrew by himself to a desert place of a city called Bethsaida,
11 and the multitudes having known did follow him, and having received them, he was speaking to them concerning the reign of God, and those having need of service he cured.
12 And the day began to decline, and the twelve having come near, said to him, `Let away the multitude, that having gone to the villages and the fields round about, they may lodge and may find provision, because here we are in a desert place.'
13 And he said unto them, `Give ye them to eat;' and they said, `We have no more than five loaves, and two fishes: except, having gone, we may buy for all this people victuals;'
14 for they were about five thousand men. And he said unto his disciples, `Cause them to recline in companies, in each fifty;'
15 and they did so, and made all to recline;
16 and having taken the five loaves, and the two fishes, having looked up to the heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and was giving to the disciples to set before the multitude;
17 and they did eat, and were all filled, and there was taken up what was over to them of broken pieces, twelve baskets.
18 And it came to pass, as he is praying alone, the disciples were with him, and he questioned them, saying, `Who do the multitudes say me to be?'
19 And they answering said, `John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and others, that a prophet, one of the ancients, was risen;'
20 and he said to them, `And ye -- who do ye say me to be?' and Peter answering said, `The Christ of God.'
21 And having charged them, he commanded [them] to say this to no one,
22 saying -- `It behoveth the Son of Man to suffer many things, and to be rejected by the elders, and chief priests, and scribes, and to be killed, and the third day to be raised.'
23 And he said unto all, `If any one doth will to come after me, let him disown himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me;
24 for whoever may will to save his life, shall lose it, and whoever may lose his life for my sake, he shall save it;
25 for what is a man profited, having gained the whole world, and having lost or having forfeited himself?
26 `For whoever may be ashamed of me, and of my words, of this one shall the Son of Man be ashamed, when he may come in his glory, and the Father's, and the holy messengers';
27 and I say to you, truly, there are certain of those here standing, who shall not taste of death till they may see the reign of God.'
28 And it came to pass, after these words, as it were eight days, that having taken Peter, and John, and James, he went up to the mountain to pray,
29 and it came to pass, in his praying, the appearance of his face became altered, and his garment white -- sparkling.
30 And lo, two men were speaking together with him, who were Moses and Elijah,
31 who having appeared in glory, spake of his outgoing that he was about to fulfil in Jerusalem,
32 but Peter and those with him were heavy with sleep, and having waked, they saw his glory, and the two men standing with him.
33 And it came to pass, in their parting from him, Peter said unto Jesus, `Master, it is good to us to be here; and we may make three booths, one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah,' not knowing what he saith:
34 and as he was speaking these things, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them, and they feared in their entering into the cloud,
35 and a voice came out of the cloud saying, `This is My Son -- the Beloved; hear ye him;'
36 and when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone; and they were silent, and declared to no one in those days anything of what they have seen.
37 And it came to pass on the next day, they having come down from the mount, there met him a great multitude,
38 and lo, a man from the multitude cried out, saying, `Teacher, I beseech thee, look upon my son, because he is my only begotten;
39 and lo, a spirit doth take him, and suddenly he doth cry out, and it teareth him, with foaming, and it hardly departeth from him, bruising him,
40 and I besought thy disciples that they might cast it out, and they were not able.'
41 And Jesus answering said, `O generation, unstedfast and perverse, till when shall I be with you, and suffer you? bring near hither thy son;'
42 and as he is yet coming near, the demon rent him, and tore [him] sore, and Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the youth, and gave him back to his father.
43 And they were all amazed at the greatness of God, and while all are wondering at all things that Jesus did, he said unto his disciples,
44 `Lay ye to your ears these words, for the Son of Man is about to be delivered up to the hands of men.'
45 And they were not knowing this saying, and it was veiled from them, that they might not perceive it, and they were afraid to ask him about this saying.
46 And there entered a reasoning among them, this, Who may be greater of them?
47 and Jesus having seen the reasoning of their heart, having taken hold of a child, set him beside himself,
48 and said to them, `Whoever may receive this child in my name, doth receive me, and whoever may receive me, doth receive Him who sent me, for he who is least among you all -- he shall be great.'
49 And John answering said, `Master, we saw a certain one in thy name casting forth the demons, and we forbade him, because he doth not follow with us;'
50 and Jesus said unto him, `Forbid not, for he who is not against us, is for us.'
51 And it came to pass, in the completing of the days of his being taken up, that he fixed his face to go on to Jerusalem,
52 and he sent messengers before his face, and having gone on, they went into a village of Samaritans, to make ready for him,
53 and they did not receive him, because his face was going on to Jerusalem.
54 And his disciples James and John having seen, said, `Sir, wilt thou [that] we may command fire to come down from the heaven, and to consume them, as also Elijah did?'
55 and having turned, he rebuked them, and said, `Ye have not known of what spirit ye are;
56 for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives, but to save;' and they went on to another village.
57 And it came to pass, as they are going on in the way, a certain one said unto him, `I will follow thee wherever thou mayest go, sir;'
58 and Jesus said to him, `The foxes have holes, and the fowls of the heaven places of rest, but the Son of Man hath not where he may recline the head.'
59 And he said unto another, `Be following me;' and he said, `Sir, permit me, having gone away, first to bury my father;'
60 and Jesus said to him, `Suffer the dead to bury their own dead, and thou, having gone away, publish the reign of God.'
61 And another also said, `I will follow thee, sir, but first permit me to take leave of those in my house;'
62 and Jesus said unto him, `No one having put his hand on a plough, and looking back, is fit for the reign of God.'
Luke 9
Amplified Bible
Ministry of the Twelve
9 Now Jesus called together the twelve [disciples] and gave them [the right to exercise] power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases. 2 Then He sent them out [on a brief journey] to preach [a]the kingdom of God and to perform healing.(A) 3 And He said to them, “Take nothing for your journey [that might encumber you]—neither a walking stick, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not even have two [b]tunics apiece. 4 Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that city [to go to another]. 5 And as for all those who do not welcome you, when you leave that city, shake the dust off your feet [breaking all ties with them] as a testimony against them [that they rejected My message].” 6 So they began going from village to village, preaching the gospel and healing the sick everywhere.
7 Now Herod [Antipas] the tetrarch [who governed a portion of Palestine including Galilee and Perea] heard about all that was being done [by Jesus], and he was thoroughly perplexed, because it was said by some that John [the Baptist whom he had ordered beheaded] had been raised from the dead,(B) 8 and by others that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the [other] prophets of old had been resurrected. 9 Herod said, “I personally had John beheaded. Who is this man about whom I hear such things?” And he kept trying to see Jesus.
10 When the apostles returned, they told Him all that they had done. He took them with Him and He privately withdrew [across the Jordan] to a city called Bethsaida.(C) 11 But when the crowds learned of it, they followed Him; and He welcomed them and He began talking to them about the kingdom of God, and healing those who needed to be healed.
Five Thousand Fed
12 Now the day was ending, and the twelve [disciples] came and said to Him, “Send the crowd away, so that they may go into the surrounding villages and countryside and find lodging, and get provisions; because here we are in an isolated place.” 13 But He said to them, “You give them something to eat.” They said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish—unless perhaps we go and buy food for all these people.”(D) 14 (For there were [c]about 5,000 men.) And He said to His disciples, “Have them sit down to eat in groups of about fifty each.” 15 They did so, and had them all sit down. 16 Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and He looked up to heaven [and gave thanks] and blessed them, and broke them and kept giving them to the disciples to set before the crowd. 17 They all ate and were [completely] satisfied; and the broken pieces which they had left over were [abundant and were] picked up—twelve baskets full.
18 Now it happened that as Jesus was praying privately, the disciples were with Him, and He asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”(E) 19 They answered, “John the Baptist, and some say, Elijah; but others, that one of the ancient prophets has come back to life.” 20 And He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter replied, “The Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed) of God!” 21 But He strictly warned and admonished them not to tell this to anyone, 22 saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected [as the Messiah] by the elders and chief priests and scribes (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court), and be put to death, and on the third day be raised up [from death to life].”(F)
23 And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to follow Me [as My disciple], he must deny himself [set aside selfish interests], and take up his cross daily [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me]. 24 For whoever wishes to save his life [in this world] will [eventually] lose it [through death], but whoever loses his life [in this world] for My sake, he is the one who will save it [from the consequences of sin and separation from God]. 25 For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world [wealth, fame, success], and loses or forfeits himself? 26 For whoever is ashamed [here and now] of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory and the glory of the [heavenly] Father and of the holy angels. 27 But I tell you truthfully, there are [d]some among those standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.”
The Transfiguration
28 Now about eight days after these teachings, He took along Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray.(G) 29 As He was praying, the appearance of His face became different [actually transformed], and His clothing became white and flashing with the brilliance of lightning. 30 And behold, two men were talking with Him; and they were Moses and Elijah, 31 who appeared in glory, and were speaking of His departure [from earthly life], which He was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. 32 Now Peter and those who were with him had been overcome with sleep; but when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and splendor and majesty, and the two men who were standing with Him. 33 And as these [men, Moses and Elijah] were leaving Him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is delightful and good for us to be here; we should make three [sacred] tents; one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—not realizing what he was saying. 34 But even as he was saying this, a cloud formed and began to overshadow them; and they were [greatly] afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 Then [e]a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, My Chosen One; listen and obey and yield to Him!” 36 When the voice had ceased, Jesus was found there alone. And they kept silent, and told no one at that time any of the things which they had seen [concerning the divine manifestation].(H)
37 On the next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met Him.(I) 38 And a man from the crowd shouted for help, “Teacher, I beg You to look at my son, because he is my only child; 39 and a spirit seizes him, and suddenly he cries out, and it throws him into a convulsion so that he foams at the mouth; and only with [great] difficulty does it leave him, mauling and bruising him as it leaves. 40 I begged Your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.” 41 Jesus answered, “You unbelieving and perverted generation! How long shall I be with you and put up with you? Bring your son here [to Me].” 42 Even while the boy was coming, the demon slammed him down and threw him into a [violent] convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the boy and gave him back to his father. 43 They were all amazed [practically overwhelmed] at the [evidence of the] greatness of God and His majesty and His wondrous work.(J)
But while they were still awed by everything Jesus was doing, He said to His disciples, 44 “Let these words sink into your ears: the Son of Man is going to be betrayed and handed over to men [who are His enemies].” 45 However, they did not understand this statement. Its meaning was kept hidden from them so that they would not grasp it; and they were afraid to ask Him about it.
The Test of Greatness
46 An argument started among them as to which of them might be the greatest [surpassing the others in esteem and authority].(K) 47 But Jesus, knowing what they were thinking in their heart, took a child and had him stand beside Him, 48 and He told them, “Whoever welcomes this child in My name welcomes Me; and whoever welcomes Me [also] welcomes Him who sent Me; for the one who is least among all of you [that is, the one who is genuinely humble—the one with a realistic self-view]—he is the one who is [truly] great.”
49 John replied, “Master, we saw someone driving out demons in Your name; and we tried to stop him because he does not follow along with us.”(L) 50 But Jesus told him, “Do not stop him; for he who is not against you is for you.”(M)
51 Now when the time was approaching for Him to be taken up [to heaven], He was determined to go to Jerusalem [to fulfill His purpose]. 52 He sent messengers on ahead of Him, and they went into a Samaritan village to make arrangements for Him; 53 but the people would not welcome Him, [f]because He was traveling toward Jerusalem. 54 When His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and destroy them?”(N) 55 But He turned and rebuked them [g][and He said, “You do not know what kind of spirit you are; 56 for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.”] And they journeyed on to another village.
Exacting Discipleship
57 As they were going along the road, someone said to Him, “I will follow You wherever You go.”(O) 58 And Jesus told him, “Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head.” 59 He said to another, “Follow Me [accepting Me as Master and Teacher].” But he said, “Lord, allow me first to go and [h]bury my father.”(P) 60 But He said to him, “Allow the [spiritually] dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and spread the news about the kingdom of God.” 61 Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord [as Your disciple]; but first let me say goodbye to those at my home.” 62 But Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back [to the things left behind] is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Footnotes
- Luke 9:2 Jesus as Israel’s Messiah.
- Luke 9:3 Simple slip-on garments made with or without sleeves, usually knee length and worn as either an under or outer garment in ancient times.
- Luke 9:14 The women and children were not included in this estimate.
- Luke 9:27 Perhaps a reference to Peter, John, and James who were to witness the transfiguration a few days later.
- Luke 9:35 See note Matt 3:17.
- Luke 9:53 Because of the religious conflict between Samaritans and Jews, the people of Samaria were generally inhospitable to Jews and did not offer overnight accommodations to those who were traveling to Jerusalem to participate in religious events.
- Luke 9:55 Late mss add this to v 55 and continue into v 56.
- Luke 9:59 See note Matt 8:21.
Luke 9
The Message
Keep It Simple
9 1-5 Jesus now called the Twelve and gave them authority and power to deal with all the demons and cure diseases. He commissioned them to preach the news of God’s kingdom and heal the sick. He said, “Don’t load yourselves up with equipment. Keep it simple; you are the equipment. And no luxury inns—get a modest place and be content there until you leave. If you’re not welcomed, leave town. Don’t make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and move on.”
6 Commissioned, they left. They traveled from town to town telling the latest news of God, the Message, and curing people everywhere they went.
7-9 Herod, the ruler, heard of these goings on and didn’t know what to think. There were people saying John had come back from the dead, others that Elijah had appeared, still others that some prophet of long ago had shown up. Herod said, “But I killed John—took off his head. So who is this that I keep hearing about?” Curious, he looked for a chance to see him in action.
10-11 The apostles returned and reported on what they had done. Jesus took them away, off by themselves, near the town called Bethsaida. But the crowds got wind of it and followed. Jesus graciously welcomed them and talked to them about the kingdom of God. Those who needed healing, he healed.
Bread and Fish for Five Thousand
12 As the sun set, the Twelve said, “Dismiss the crowd so they can go to the farms or villages around here and get a room for the night and a bite to eat. We’re out in the middle of nowhere.”
13-14 “You feed them,” Jesus said.
They said, “We couldn’t scrape up more than five loaves of bread and a couple of fish—unless, of course, you want us to go to town ourselves and buy food for everybody.” (There were more than five thousand people in the crowd.)
14-17 But he went ahead and directed his disciples, “Sit them down in groups of about fifty.” They did what he said, and soon had everyone seated. He took the five loaves and two fish, lifted his face to heaven in prayer, blessed, broke, and gave the bread and fish to the disciples to hand out to the crowd. After the people had all eaten their fill, twelve baskets of leftovers were gathered up.
Don’t Run from Suffering
18 One time when Jesus was off praying by himself, his disciples nearby, he asked them, “What are the crowds saying about me, about who I am?”
19 They said, “John the Baptizer. Others say Elijah. Still others say that one of the prophets from long ago has come back.”
20-21 He then asked, “And you—what are you saying about me? Who am I?”
Peter answered, “The Messiah of God.” Jesus then warned them to keep it quiet. They were to tell no one what Peter had said.
22 He went on, “It is necessary that the Son of Man proceed to an ordeal of suffering, be tried and found guilty by the religious leaders, high priests, and religion scholars, be killed, and on the third day be raised up alive.”
23-27 Then he told them what they could expect for themselves: “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat—I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? If any of you is embarrassed with me and the way I’m leading you, know that the Son of Man will be far more embarrassed with you when he arrives in all his splendor in company with the Father and the holy angels. This isn’t, you realize, pie in the sky by and by. Some who have taken their stand right here are going to see it happen, see with their own eyes the kingdom of God.”
Jesus in His Glory
28-31 About eight days after saying this, he climbed the mountain to pray, taking Peter, John, and James along. While he was in prayer, the appearance of his face changed and his clothes became blinding white. At once two men were there talking with him. They turned out to be Moses and Elijah—and what a glorious appearance they made! They talked over his exodus, the one Jesus was about to complete in Jerusalem.
32-33 Meanwhile, Peter and those with him were slumped over in sleep. When they came to, rubbing their eyes, they saw Jesus in his glory and the two men standing with him. When Moses and Elijah had left, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, this is a great moment! Let’s build three memorials: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He blurted this out without thinking.
34-35 While he was babbling on like this, a light-radiant cloud enveloped them. As they found themselves buried in the cloud, they became deeply aware of God. Then there was a voice out of the cloud: “This is my Son, the Chosen! Listen to him.”
36 When the sound of the voice died away, they saw Jesus there alone. They were speechless. And they continued speechless, said not one thing to anyone during those days of what they had seen.
* * *
37-40 When they came down off the mountain the next day, a big crowd was there to meet them. A man called from out of the crowd, “Please, please, Teacher, take a look at my son. He’s my only child. Often a spirit seizes him. Suddenly he’s screaming, thrown into convulsions, his mouth foaming. And then it beats him black-and-blue before it leaves. I asked your disciples to deliver him but they couldn’t.”
41 Jesus said, “What a generation! No sense of God! No focus to your lives! How many times do I have to go over these things? How much longer do I have to put up with this? Bring your son here.”
42-43 While he was coming, the demon slammed him to the ground and threw him into convulsions. Jesus stepped in, ordered the foul spirit gone, healed the boy, and handed him back to his father. They all shook their heads in wonder, astonished at God’s greatness, God’s majestic greatness.
Your Business Is Life
43-44 While they continued to stand around exclaiming over all the things he was doing, Jesus said to his disciples, “Treasure and ponder each of these next words: The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into human hands.”
45 They didn’t get what he was saying. It was like he was speaking a foreign language and they couldn’t make heads or tails of it. But they were embarrassed to ask him what he meant.
46-48 They started arguing over which of them would be most famous. When Jesus realized how much this mattered to them, he brought a child to his side. “Whoever accepts this child as if the child were me, accepts me,” he said. “And whoever accepts me, accepts the One who sent me. You become great by accepting, not asserting. Your spirit, not your size, makes the difference.”
49 John spoke up, “Master, we saw a man using your name to expel demons and we stopped him because he wasn’t of our group.”
50 Jesus said, “Don’t stop him. If he’s not an enemy, he’s an ally.”
51-54 When it came close to the time for his Ascension, he gathered up his courage and steeled himself for the journey to Jerusalem. He sent messengers on ahead. They came to a Samaritan village to make arrangements for his hospitality. But when the Samaritans learned that his destination was Jerusalem, they refused hospitality. When the disciples James and John learned of it, they said, “Master, do you want us to call a bolt of lightning down out of the sky and incinerate them?”
55-56 Jesus turned on them: “Of course not!” And they traveled on to another village.
57 On the road someone asked if he could go along. “I’ll go with you, wherever,” he said.
58 Jesus was curt: “Are you ready to rough it? We’re not staying in the best inns, you know.”
Jesus said to another, “Follow me.”
59 He said, “Certainly, but first excuse me for a couple of days, please. I have to make arrangements for my father’s funeral.”
60 Jesus refused. “First things first. Your business is life, not death. And life is urgent: Announce God’s kingdom!”
61 Then another said, “I’m ready to follow you, Master, but first excuse me while I get things straightened out at home.”
62 Jesus said, “No procrastination. No backward looks. You can’t put God’s kingdom off till tomorrow. Seize the day.”
Luke 9
New King James Version
Sending Out the Twelve(A)
9 Then (B)He called His twelve disciples together and (C)gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. 2 (D)He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3 (E)And He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have two tunics apiece.
4 (F)“Whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. 5 (G)And whoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, (H)shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them.”
6 (I)So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.
Herod Seeks to See Jesus(J)
7 (K)Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by Him; and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead, 8 and by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the old prophets had risen again. 9 Herod said, “John I have beheaded, but who is this of whom I hear such things?” (L)So he sought to see Him.
Feeding the Five Thousand(M)
10 (N)And the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all that they had done. (O)Then He took them and went aside privately into a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida. 11 But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing. 12 (P)When the day began to wear away, the twelve came and said to Him, “Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding towns and country, and lodge and get provisions; for we are in a deserted place here.”
13 But He said to them, “You give them something to eat.”
And they said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we go and buy food for all these people.” 14 For there were about five thousand men.
Then He said to His disciples, “Make them sit down in groups of fifty.” 15 And they did so, and made them all sit down.
16 Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He (Q)blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude. 17 So they all ate and were [a]filled, and twelve baskets of the leftover fragments were taken up by them.
Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ(R)
18 (S)And it happened, as He was alone praying, that His disciples joined Him, and He asked them, saying, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”
19 So they answered and said, (T)“John the Baptist, but some say Elijah; and others say that one of the old prophets has risen again.”
20 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
(U)Peter answered and said, “The Christ of God.”
Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection(V)
21 (W)And He strictly warned and commanded them to tell this to no one, 22 saying, (X)“The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.”
Take Up the Cross and Follow Him(Y)
23 (Z)Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross [b]daily, and follow Me. 24 (AA)For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. 25 (AB)For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? 26 (AC)For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be (AD)ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels. 27 (AE)But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the kingdom of God.”
Jesus Transfigured on the Mount(AF)
28 (AG)Now it came to pass, about eight days after these sayings, that He took Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening. 30 And behold, two men talked with Him, who were (AH)Moses and (AI)Elijah, 31 who appeared in glory and spoke of His [c]decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 But Peter and those with him (AJ)were heavy with sleep; and when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men who stood with Him. 33 Then it happened, as they were parting from Him, that Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three [d]tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said.
34 While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were fearful as they entered the (AK)cloud. 35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, (AL)“This is [e]My beloved Son. (AM)Hear Him!” 36 When the voice had ceased, Jesus was found alone. (AN)But they kept quiet, and told no one in those days any of the things they had seen.
A Boy Is Healed(AO)
37 (AP)Now it happened on the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, that a great multitude met Him. 38 Suddenly a man from the multitude cried out, saying, “Teacher, I implore You, look on my son, for he is my only child. 39 And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out; it convulses him so that he foams at the mouth; and it departs from him with great difficulty, bruising him. 40 So I implored Your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.”
41 Then Jesus answered and said, “O [f]faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and [g]bear with you? Bring your son here.” 42 And as he was still coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him. Then Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the child, and gave him back to his father.
Jesus Again Predicts His Death(AQ)
43 And they were all amazed at the majesty of God.
But while everyone marveled at all the things which Jesus did, He said to His disciples, 44 (AR)“Let these words sink down into your ears, for the Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men.” 45 (AS)But they did not understand this saying, and it was hidden from them so that they did not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this saying.
Who Is the Greatest?(AT)
46 (AU)Then a dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest. 47 And Jesus, (AV)perceiving the thought of their heart, took a (AW)little child and set him by Him, 48 and said to them, (AX)“Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and (AY)whoever receives Me (AZ)receives Him who sent Me. (BA)For he who is least among you all will be great.”
Jesus Forbids Sectarianism(BB)
49 (BC)Now John answered and said, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow with us.”
50 But Jesus said to him, “Do not forbid him, for (BD)he who is not against [h]us is on [i]our side.”
A Samaritan Village Rejects the Savior
51 Now it came to pass, when the time had come for (BE)Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, 52 and sent messengers before His face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him. 53 But (BF)they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem. 54 And when His disciples (BG)James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, [j]just as (BH)Elijah did?”
55 But He turned and rebuked them, [k]and said, “You do not know what manner of (BI)spirit you are of. 56 [l]For (BJ)the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” And they went to another village.
The Cost of Discipleship(BK)
57 (BL)Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, “Lord, I will follow You wherever You go.”
58 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man (BM)has nowhere to lay His head.”
59 (BN)Then He said to another, “Follow Me.”
But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”
60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.”
61 And another also said, “Lord, (BO)I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.”
62 But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is (BP)fit for the kingdom of God.”
Footnotes
- Luke 9:17 satisfied
- Luke 9:23 M omits daily
- Luke 9:31 Death, lit. departure
- Luke 9:33 tents
- Luke 9:35 NU My Son, the Chosen One
- Luke 9:41 unbelieving
- Luke 9:41 put up with
- Luke 9:50 NU you
- Luke 9:50 NU your
- Luke 9:54 NU omits just as Elijah did
- Luke 9:55 NU omits the rest of v. 55.
- Luke 9:56 NU omits For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.
Public Domain (Why are modern Bible translations copyrighted?)
Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
