Luke 4:16-30

New Life Version

In Nazareth They Do Not Believe in Jesus

¹⁶ Jesus came to Nazareth where He had grown up. As He had done before, He went into the Jewish place of worship on the Day of Rest. Then He stood up to read. ¹⁷ Someone handed Him the book of the early preacher Isaiah. He opened it and found the place where it was written, ¹⁸ “The Spirit of the Lord is on Me. He has put His hand on Me to preach the Good News to poor people. He has sent Me to heal those with a sad heart. He has sent Me to tell those who are being held that they can go free. He has sent Me to make the blind to see and to free those who are held because of trouble. ¹⁹ He sent Me to tell of the time when men can receive favor with the Lord.” ^(A)

²⁰ Jesus closed the book. Then He gave it back to the leader and sat down. All those in the Jewish place of worship kept their eyes on Him. ²¹ Then He began to say to them, “The Holy Writings you have just heard have been completed today.”

²² They all spoke well of Jesus and agreed with the words He spoke. They said, “Is not this the son of Joseph?” ²³ He said to them, “I wonder if you will tell this old saying to Me, ‘Doctor, heal Yourself. What You did in the city of Capernaum, do in Your own country!’” ²⁴ He said, “A man who speaks for God is not respected in his own country. ²⁵ It is true that there were many women whose husbands had died in the Jewish land when Elijah lived. For three and a half years there was no rain and there was very little food in the land. ²⁶ Elijah was sent to none of them, but he was sent to a woman in the city of Zarephath in the land of Sidon. This woman’s husband had died. ²⁷ There were many people in the Jewish land who had a bad skin disease when the early preacher Elisha lived. None of them was healed. But Naaman from the country of Syria was healed.”

²⁸ All those in the Jewish place of worship were angry when they heard His words. ²⁹ They got up and took Jesus out of town to the top of a high hill. They wanted to throw Him over the side. ³⁰ But Jesus got away from among them and went on His way.