Luke 9
Living Bible
9 One day Jesus called together his twelve apostles and gave them authority over all demons—power to cast them out—and to heal all diseases. 2 Then he sent them away to tell everyone about the coming of the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick.
3 “Don’t even take along a walking stick,” he instructed them, “nor a beggar’s bag, nor food, nor money. Not even an extra coat. 4 Be a guest in only one home at each village.
5 “If the people of a town won’t listen to you when you enter it, turn around and leave, demonstrating God’s anger against it[a] by shaking its dust from your feet as you go.”
6 So they began their circuit of the villages, preaching the Good News and healing the sick.
7 When reports of Jesus’ miracles reached Herod, the governor,[b] he was worried and puzzled, for some were saying, “This is John the Baptist come back to life again”; 8 and others, “It is Elijah or some other ancient prophet risen from the dead.” These rumors were circulating all over the land.
9 “I beheaded John,” Herod said, “so who is this man about whom I hear such strange stories?” And he tried to see him.
10 After the apostles returned to Jesus and reported what they had done, he slipped quietly away with them toward the city of Bethsaida. 11 But the crowds found out where he was going and followed. And he welcomed them, teaching them again about the Kingdom of God and curing those who were ill.
12 Late in the afternoon all twelve of the disciples came and urged him to send the people away to the nearby villages and farms, to find food and lodging for the night. “For there is nothing to eat here in this deserted spot,” they said.
13 But Jesus replied,
“Why, we have only five loaves of bread and two fish among the lot of us,” they protested; “or are you expecting us to go and buy enough for this whole mob?” 14 For there were about 5,000 men there!
“Just tell them to sit down on the ground in groups of about fifty each,” Jesus replied. 15 So they did.
16 Jesus took the five loaves and two fish and looked up into the sky and gave thanks; then he broke off pieces for his disciples to set before the crowd. 17 And everyone ate and ate; still, twelve basketfuls of scraps were picked up afterwards!
18 One day as he was alone, praying, with his disciples nearby, he came over and asked them, “Who are the people saying I am?”
19 “John the Baptist,” they told him, “or perhaps Elijah or one of the other ancient prophets risen from the dead.”
20 Then he asked them, “Who do you think I am?”
Peter replied, “The Messiah—the Christ of God!”
21 He gave them strict orders not to speak of this to anyone. 22 “For I, the Messiah,[c] must suffer much,” he said, “and be rejected by the Jewish leaders—the elders, chief priests, and teachers of the Law—and be killed; and three days later I will come back to life again!”
23 Then he said to all,
26 “When I, the Messiah, come in my glory and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels, I will be ashamed then of all who are ashamed of me and of my words now. 27 But this is the simple truth—some of you who are standing here right now will not die until you have seen the Kingdom of God.”
28 Eight days later he took Peter, James, and John with him into the hills to pray. 29 And as he was praying, his face began to shine,[d] and his clothes became dazzling white and blazed with light. 30 Then two men appeared and began talking with him—Moses and Elijah! 31 They were splendid in appearance, glorious to see; and they were speaking of his death at Jerusalem, to be carried out in accordance with God’s plan.
32 Peter and the others had been very drowsy and had fallen asleep. Now they woke up and saw Jesus covered with brightness and glory, and the two men standing with him. 33 As Moses and Elijah were starting to leave, Peter, all confused and not even knowing what he was saying, blurted out, “Master, this is wonderful! We’ll put up three shelters—one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah!”
34 But even as he was saying this, a bright cloud formed above them; and terror gripped them as it covered them. 35 And a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him.”
36 Then, as the voice died away, Jesus was there alone with his disciples. They didn’t tell anyone what they had seen until long afterwards.
37 The next day as they descended from the hill, a huge crowd met him, 38 and a man in the crowd called out to him, “Teacher, this boy here is my only son, 39 and a demon keeps seizing him, making him scream; and it throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth; it is always hitting him and hardly ever leaves him alone. 40 I begged your disciples to cast the demon out, but they couldn’t.”
41 “O you stubborn faithless people,” Jesus said to his disciples,[e] “how long should I put up with you? Bring him here.”
42 As the boy was coming the demon knocked him to the ground and threw him into a violent convulsion. But Jesus ordered the demon to come out, and healed the boy and handed him over to his father.
43 Awe gripped the people as they saw this display of the power of God.
Meanwhile, as they were exclaiming over all the wonderful things he was doing, Jesus said to his disciples, 44 “Listen to me and remember what I say. I, the Messiah,[f] am going to be betrayed.” 45 But the disciples didn’t know what he meant, for their minds had been sealed and they were afraid to ask him.
46 Now came an argument among them as to which of them would be greatest in the coming Kingdom![g] 47 But Jesus knew their thoughts, so he stood a little child beside him 48 and said to them, “Anyone who takes care of a little child like this is caring for me! And whoever cares for me is caring for God who sent me. Your care for others is the measure of your greatness.” 49 His disciple John came to him and said, “Master, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons. And we told him not to. After all, he isn’t in our group.”
50 But Jesus said, “You shouldn’t have done that! For anyone who is not against you is for you.”
51 As the time drew near for his return to heaven, he moved steadily onward toward Jerusalem with an iron will.
52 One day he sent messengers ahead to reserve rooms for them in a Samaritan village. 53 But they were turned away! The people of the village refused to have anything to do with them because they were headed for Jerusalem.[h]
54 When word came back of what had happened, James and John said to Jesus, “Master, shall we order fire down from heaven to burn them up?” 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them,[i] 56 and they went on to another village.
57 As they were walking along someone said to Jesus, “I will always follow you no matter where you go.”
58 But Jesus replied, “Remember, I don’t even own a place to lay my head. Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but I, the Messiah,[j] have no earthly home at all.”
59 Another time, when he invited a man to come with him and to be his disciple, the man agreed—but wanted to wait until his father’s death.[k]
60 Jesus replied, “Let those without eternal life concern themselves with things like that.[l] Your duty is to come and preach the coming of the Kingdom of God to all the world.”
61 Another said, “Yes, Lord, I will come, but first let me ask permission of those at home.”[m]
62 But Jesus told him, “Anyone who lets himself be distracted from the work I plan for him is not fit for the Kingdom of God.”
Footnotes
- Luke 9:5 demonstrating God’s anger against it, literally, “as a testimony against them.”
- Luke 9:7 Herod, the governor, literally, “Herod the Tetrarch.”
- Luke 9:22 the Messiah, literally, “the Son of Man”; also in v. 26.
- Luke 9:29 his face began to shine, literally, “the appearance of his face changed.”
- Luke 9:41 to his disciples, implied.
- Luke 9:44 the Messiah, literally, “the Son of Man.”
- Luke 9:46 in the coming Kingdom, implied.
- Luke 9:53 A typical case of discrimination (compare John 4:9). The Jews called the Samaritans “half-breeds,” so the Samaritans naturally hated the Jews.
- Luke 9:55 Later manuscripts add to vv. 55-56, “And Jesus said, ‘You don’t realize what your hearts are like. For the Son of Man has not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.’”
- Luke 9:58 the Messiah, literally, “the Son of Man.”
- Luke 9:59 but wanted to wait until his father’s death, literally, “but he said, ‘Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father,’” perhaps meaning that the man could, when his father died, collect the inheritance and have some security.
- Luke 9:60 Let those without eternal life concern themselves with things like that, or “Let those who are spiritually dead care for their own dead.”
- Luke 9:61 ask permission of those at home, literally, “bid them farewell at home.”
Luke 9
21st Century King James Version
9 Then He called His twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils and to cure diseases.
2 And He sent them to preach the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick.
3 And He said unto them, “Take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor pack, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece.
4 And whatsoever house ye enter into, there abide and thence depart.
5 And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them.”
6 And they departed and went through the towns, preaching the Gospel and healing everywhere.
7 Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that had been done by Him. And he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John was risen from the dead;
8 and by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the old prophets was risen again.
9 And Herod said, “John have I beheaded, but who is this of whom I hear such things?” And he desired to see Him.
10 And the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all that they had done. And He took them and went aside privately into a desert place belonging to the city called Bethsaida.
11 And the people, when they learned of it, followed Him. And He received them and spoke unto them of the Kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing.
12 And when the day began to wear away, then came the twelve and said unto Him, “Send the multitude away, that they may go into the towns and country round about and lodge and get victuals, for we are here in a desert place.
13 But He said unto them, “Give ye them to eat.” And they said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fishes, unless we should go and buy meat for all these people.”
14 For they were about five thousand men. And He said to His disciples, “Make them sit down by fifties in a company.”
15 And they did so, and made them all sit down.
16 Then He took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to Heaven, He blessed them and broke, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude.
17 And they ate and were all filled, and there were taken up of fragments that remained to them twelve baskets.
18 And it came to pass as He was alone praying, His disciples were with Him, and He asked them, saying, “Who say the people that I am?”
19 They answering said, “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 say ye that I am?” Peter answering said, “The Christ of God!”
21 And He strictly charged them and commanded them to tell no man this thing,
22 saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and scribes, and be slain and be raised the third day.”
23 And He said to them all, “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.
24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever will lose his life for My sake, the same shall save it.
25 For what is a man advantaged if he gain the whole world, and lose himself or be cast away?
26 For whosoever shall be ashamed of Me and of My words, of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed when He shall come in His own glory and in His Father’s and of the holy angels.
27 But I tell you in truth, there are some standing here that shall not taste of death till they see the Kingdom of God.”
28 And it came to pass about eight days after these sayings, He took Peter and John and James, and went up onto a mountain to pray.
29 And as He prayed, the appearance of His countenance was altered, and His raiment was white and glistening.
30 And behold, there talked with Him two men, who were Moses and Elijah,
31 who appeared in glory and spoke of His decease which He should accomplish at Jerusalem.
32 But Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep. And when they were awake, 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 unto 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 Elijah” — not knowing what he was saying.
34 While he thus spoke, there came a cloud and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered into the cloud.
35 And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, “This Is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!”
36 And when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent, and told no man in those days any of those things which they had seen.
37 And it came to pass that on the next day, when they had come down from the hill, many people met Him.
38 And behold, a man of the company cried out, saying, “Master, I beseech Thee, look upon my son, for he is mine only child.
39 And lo, a spirit taketh him, and he suddenly crieth out; and it teareth him so that he foameth again, and bruising him, hardly departeth from him.
40 And I besought Thy disciples to cast him out, and they could not.”
41 And Jesus answering said, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and suffer you? Bring thy son hither.”
42 And as he was yet coming, the devil threw him down and tore him. And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the child, and delivered him again to his father.
43 And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God. But while they wondered every one at all the things which Jesus did, He said unto His disciples,
44 “Let these sayings sink down into your ears, for the Son of Man shall be delivered into the hands of men.”
45 But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not; and they were afraid to ask Him about that saying.
46 Then there arose a reasoning among them as to which of them should be greatest.
47 And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child and set him by Him,
48 and said unto them, “Whosoever shall receive this child in My name receiveth Me; and whosoever shall receive Me receiveth Him that sent Me. For he that is least among you all, the same shall be great.”
49 And John answered and said, “Master, we saw one casting out devils in Thy name, and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us.”
50 And Jesus said unto him, “Forbid him not; for he that is not against us, is for us.”
51 And it came to pass, when the time had come that He should be received up, He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem,
52 and He sent messengers before His face. And they went and entered into a village of the Samaritans to make ready for Him.
53 But they did not receive Him, because His face was set as though He would go to Jerusalem.
54 And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, wilt Thou that we command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, even as Elijah did?”
55 But He turned and rebuked them and said, “Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.
56 For the Son of Man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.” And they went to another village.
57 And it came to pass that, as they went along the way, a certain man said unto Him, “Lord, I will follow Thee whithersoever Thou goest.”
58 And Jesus said unto him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man hath nowhere to lay His head.”
59 And He said unto another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.”
60 Jesus said unto him, “Let the dead bury their dead, but go thou and preach the Kingdom of God.”
61 And another also said, “Lord, I will follow Thee, but let me first go bid those farewell who are at home at my house.”
62 And Jesus said unto him, “No man, having put his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God.”
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1994 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc.