The Lord’s Prayer^(A)

11 Once Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he stopped praying, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray as John taught his disciples.”

² Jesus told them, “When you pray, say this:

The Power of Prayer^(B)

⁵ Jesus said to his disciples, “Suppose one of you has a friend. Suppose you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, let me borrow three loaves of bread. ⁶ A friend of mine on a trip has dropped in on me, and I don’t have anything to serve him.’ ⁷ Your friend might answer you from inside his house, ‘Don’t bother me! The door is already locked, and my children are in bed. I can’t get up to give you anything.’ ⁸ I can guarantee that although he doesn’t want to get up to give you anything, he will get up and give you whatever you need because he is your friend and because you were so bold.

⁹ “So I tell you to ask, and you will receive. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened for you. ¹⁰ Everyone who asks will receive. The one who searches will find, and for the person who knocks, the door will be opened.

¹¹ “If your child asks you, his father, for a fish, would you give him a snake instead? ¹² Or if your child asks you for an egg, would you give him a scorpion? ¹³ Even though you’re evil, you know how to give good gifts to your children. So how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”

Jesus Is Accused of Working with Beelzebul^(C)

¹⁴ Jesus was forcing a demon out of a man. The demon had made the man unable to talk. When the demon had gone out, the man began to talk.

The people were amazed. ¹⁵ But some of them said, “He can force demons out of people only with the help of Beelzebul, the ruler of demons.” ¹⁶ Others wanted to test Jesus and demanded that he show them some miraculous sign from heaven.

¹⁷ Since Jesus knew what they were thinking, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is ruined. A house divided against itself falls. ¹⁸ Now, if Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom last? I say this because you say Beelzebul helps me force demons out of people. ¹⁹ If I force demons out with the help of Beelzebul, who helps your followers force them out? That’s why they will be your judges. ²⁰ But if I force out demons with the help of God’s power, then God’s kingdom has come to you.

²¹ “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own mansion, his property is safe. ²² But a stronger man than he may attack him and defeat him. Then the stronger man will take away all the weapons in which the strong man trusted and will divide the loot.

²³ “Whoever isn’t with me is against me. Whoever doesn’t gather with me scatters.

²⁴ “When an evil spirit comes out of a person, it goes through dry places looking for a place to rest. But it doesn’t find any. Then it says, ‘I’ll go back to the home I left.’ ²⁵ When it comes, it finds the house swept clean and in order. ²⁶ Then the spirit goes and brings along seven other spirits more evil than itself. They enter and take up permanent residence there. In the end the condition of that person is worse than it was before.”

The Sign of Jonah^(D)

²⁷ While Jesus was speaking, a woman in the crowd shouted, “How blessed is the mother who gave birth to you and the breasts that nursed you.”

²⁸ Jesus replied, “Rather, how blessed are those who hear and obey God’s word.”

²⁹ As the people were gathering around him, Jesus said, “The people living today are evil. They look for a miraculous sign. But the only sign they will get is the sign of Jonah. ³⁰ Just as Jonah became a miraculous sign to the people of Nineveh, so the Son of Man will be a miraculous sign to the people living today. ³¹ The queen from the south will stand up at the time of judgment with the men who live today. She will condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear Solomon’s wisdom. But look, someone greater than Solomon is here! ³² The men of Nineveh will stand up at the time of judgment with the people living today. Since the men of Nineveh turned to God and changed the way they thought and acted when Jonah spoke his message, they will condemn the people living today. But look, someone greater than Jonah is here!

Jesus Talks about Light

³³ “No one lights a lamp and hides it or puts it under a basket. Instead, everyone who lights a lamp puts it on a lamp stand so that those who come in will see its light.

³⁴ “Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is unclouded, your whole body is full of light. But when your eye is evil, your body is full of darkness. ³⁵ So be careful that the light in you isn’t darkness. ³⁶ If your whole body is full of light and not darkness, it will be as bright as a lamp shining on you.”

Jesus Criticizes Some Jewish Leaders

³⁷ After Jesus spoke, a Pharisee invited him to have lunch at his house. So Jesus accepted the invitation. ³⁸ The Pharisee was surprised to see that Jesus didn’t wash before the meal.

³⁹ The Lord said to him, “You Pharisees clean the outside of cups and dishes. But inside you are full of greed and evil. ⁴⁰ You fools! Didn’t the one who made the outside make the inside too? ⁴¹ Give what is inside as a gift to the poor, and then everything will be clean ^[a] for you.

⁴² “How horrible it will be for you Pharisees! You give ⌞God⌟ one-tenth of your mint, spices, and every garden herb. But you have ignored justice and the love of God. You should have done these things without ignoring the others.

⁴³ “How horrible it will be for you Pharisees! You love to sit in the front seats in the synagogues and to be greeted in the marketplaces. ⁴⁴ How horrible it will be for you! You are like unmarked graves. People walk on them without knowing what they are.”

⁴⁵ One of the experts in Moses’ Teachings said to him, “Teacher, when you talk this way, you insult us too.”

⁴⁶ Jesus said, “How horrible it will be for you experts in Moses’ Teachings! You burden people with loads that are hard to carry. But you won’t lift a finger to carry any of these loads.

⁴⁷ “How horrible it will be for you! You build the monuments for the prophets. But it was your ancestors who murdered them. ⁴⁸ So you are witnesses and approve of what your ancestors did. They murdered the prophets for whom you build monuments. ⁴⁹ That’s why the Wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles. They will murder some of those prophets and apostles and persecute others.’ ⁵⁰ So the people living now will be charged with the murder of every prophet since the world was made. ⁵¹ This includes the murders from Abel to Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the temple. Yes, I can guarantee this truth: The people living today will be held responsible for this.

⁵² “How horrible it will be for you experts in Moses’ Teachings! You have taken away the key that unlocks knowledge. You haven’t gained entrance into ⌞knowledge⌟ yourselves, and you’ve kept out those who wanted to enter.”

⁵³ When Jesus left, the experts in Moses’ Teachings and the Pharisees held a terrible grudge against him. They questioned him about many things ⁵⁴ and watched him closely to trap him in something he might say.

Jesus Speaks to His Disciples

12 Meanwhile, thousands of people had gathered. They were so crowded that they stepped on each other. Jesus spoke to his disciples and said, “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees. I’m talking about their hypocrisy. ² Nothing has been covered that will not be exposed. Whatever is secret will be made known. ³ Whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight. Whatever you have whispered in private rooms will be shouted from the housetops.

⁴ “My friends, I can guarantee that you don’t need to be afraid of those who kill the body. After that they can’t do anything more. ⁵ I’ll show you the one you should be afraid of. Be afraid of the one who has the power to throw you into hell after killing you. I’m warning you to be afraid of him.

⁶ “Aren’t five sparrows sold for two cents? God doesn’t forget any of them. ⁷ Even every hair on your head has been counted. Don’t be afraid! You are worth more than many sparrows. ⁸ I can guarantee that the Son of Man will acknowledge in front of God’s angels every person who acknowledges him in front of others. ⁹ But God’s angels will be told that I don’t know those people who tell others that they don’t know me. ¹⁰ Everyone who says something against the Son of Man will be forgiven. But the person who dishonors the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

¹¹ “When you are put on trial in synagogues or in front of rulers and authorities, don’t worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say. ¹² At that time the Holy Spirit will teach you what you must say.”

A Story about Material Possessions

¹³ Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to give me my share of the inheritance that our father left us.”

¹⁴ Jesus said to him, “Who appointed me to be your judge or to divide ⌞your inheritance⌟?”

¹⁵ He told the people, “Be careful to guard yourselves from every kind of greed. Life is not about having a lot of material possessions.”

¹⁶ Then he used this illustration. He said, “A rich man had land that produced good crops. ¹⁷ He thought, ‘What should I do? I don’t have enough room to store my crops.’ ¹⁸ He said, ‘I know what I’ll do. I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones so that I can store all my grain and goods in them. ¹⁹ Then I’ll say to myself, “You’ve stored up a lot of good things for years to come. Take life easy, eat, drink, and enjoy yourself.” ’

²⁰ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! I will demand your life from you tonight! Now who will get what you’ve accumulated?’ ²¹ That’s how it is when a person has material riches but is not rich in his relationship with God.”

Stop Worrying^(E)

²² Then Jesus said to his disciples, “So I tell you to stop worrying about what you will eat or wear. ²³ Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothes. ²⁴ Consider the crows. They don’t plant or harvest. They don’t even have a storeroom or a barn. Yet, God feeds them. You are worth much more than birds.

²⁵ “Can any of you add an hour to your life by worrying? ²⁶ If you can’t do a small thing like that, why worry about other things? ²⁷ Consider how the flowers grow. They never work or spin yarn for clothes. But I say that not even Solomon in all his majesty was dressed like one of these flowers. ²⁸ That’s the way God clothes the grass in the field. Today it’s alive, and tomorrow it’s thrown into an incinerator. So how much more will he clothe you people who have so little faith?

²⁹ “Don’t concern yourself about what you will eat or drink, and quit worrying about these things. ³⁰ Everyone in the world is concerned about these things, but your Father knows you need them. ³¹ Rather, be concerned about his kingdom. Then these things will be provided for you. ³² Don’t be afraid, little flock. Your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom.

³³ “Sell your material possessions, and give the money to the poor. Make yourselves wallets that don’t wear out! Make a treasure for yourselves in heaven that never loses its value! In heaven thieves and moths can’t get close enough to destroy your treasure. ³⁴ Your heart will be where your treasure is.

The Son of Man Will Return When You Least Expect Him

³⁵ “Be ready for action, and have your lamps burning. ³⁶ Be like servants waiting to open the door at their master’s knock when he returns from a wedding. ³⁷ Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. I can guarantee this truth: He will change his clothes, make them sit down at the table, and serve them. ³⁸ They will be blessed if he comes in the middle of the night or toward morning and finds them awake.

³⁹ “Of course, you realize that if the homeowner had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let him break into his house. ⁴⁰ Be ready, because the Son of Man will return when you least expect him.”

⁴¹ Peter asked, “Lord, did you use this illustration just for us or for everyone?”

⁴² The Lord asked, “Who, then, is the faithful, skilled manager that the master will put in charge of giving the other servants their share of food at the right time? ⁴³ That servant will be blessed if his master finds him doing this job when he comes. ⁴⁴ I can guarantee this truth: He will put that servant in charge of all his property. ⁴⁵ On the other hand, that servant may think that his master is taking a long time to come home. The servant may begin to beat the other servants and to eat, drink, and get drunk. ⁴⁶ His master will return at an unexpected time. Then his master will punish him severely and assign him a place with unfaithful people.

⁴⁷ “The servant who knew what his master wanted but didn’t get ready to do it will receive a hard beating. ⁴⁸ But the servant who didn’t know ⌞what his master wanted⌟ and did things for which he deserved punishment will receive a light beating. A lot will be expected from everyone who has been given a lot. More will be demanded from everyone who has been entrusted with a lot.

Jesus Will Cause Conflict

⁴⁹ “I have come to throw fire on the earth. I wish that it had already started! ⁵⁰ I have a baptism to go through, and I will suffer until it is over.

⁵¹ “Do you think I came to bring peace to earth? No! I can guarantee that I came to bring nothing but division. ⁵² From now on a family of five will be divided. Three will be divided against two and two against three. ⁵³ A father will be against his son and a son against his father. A mother will be against her daughter and a daughter against her mother. A mother-in-law will be against her daughter-in-law and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”

Use Good Judgment

⁵⁴ Jesus said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud coming up in the west, you immediately say, ‘There’s going to be a rainstorm,’ and it happens. ⁵⁵ When you see a south wind blowing, you say, ‘It’s going to be hot,’ and that’s what happens. ⁵⁶ You hypocrites! You can forecast the weather by judging the appearance of earth and sky. But for some reason you don’t know how to judge the time in which you’re living. ⁵⁷ So why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right? ⁵⁸ For instance, when an opponent brings you to court in front of a ruler, do your best to settle with him before you get there. Otherwise, he will drag you in front of a judge. The judge will hand you over to an officer who will throw you into prison. ⁵⁹ I can guarantee that you won’t get out until you pay every penny of your fine.”

Jesus Tells People to Turn to God and Change the Way They Think and Act

13 At that time some people reported to Jesus about some Galileans whom Pilate had executed while they were sacrificing animals. ² Jesus replied to them, “Do you think that this happened to them because they were more sinful than other people from Galilee? ³ No! I can guarantee that they weren’t. But if you don’t turn to God and change the way you think and act, then you, too, will all die. ⁴ What about those 18 people who died when the tower at Siloam fell on them? Do you think that they were more sinful than other people living in Jerusalem? ⁵ No! I can guarantee that they weren’t. But if you don’t turn to God and change the way you think and act, then you, too, will all die.”

A Story about a Fruitless Tree

⁶ Then Jesus used this illustration: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard. He went to look for fruit on the tree but didn’t find any. ⁷ He said to the gardener, ‘For the last three years I’ve come to look for figs on this fig tree but haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up ⌞good⌟ soil?’

⁸ “The gardener replied, ‘Sir, let it stand for one more year. I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. ⁹ Maybe next year it’ll have figs. But if not, then cut it down.’ ”

Jesus Heals a Disabled Woman

¹⁰ Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on the day of rest—a holy day. ¹¹ A woman who was possessed by a spirit was there. The spirit had disabled her for 18 years. She was hunched over and couldn’t stand up straight. ¹² When Jesus saw her, he called her to come to him and said, “Woman, you are free from your disability.” ¹³ He placed his hands on her, and she immediately stood up straight and praised God.

¹⁴ The synagogue leader was irritated with Jesus for healing on the day of rest. The leader told the crowd, “There are six days when work can be done. So come on one of those days to be healed. Don’t come on the day of rest—a holy day.”

¹⁵ The Lord said, “You hypocrites! Don’t each of you free your ox or donkey on the day of rest—a holy day? Don’t you then take it out of its stall to give it some water to drink? ¹⁶ Now, here is a descendant of Abraham. Satan has kept her in this condition for 18 years. Isn’t it right to free her on the day of rest—a holy day?”

¹⁷ As he said this, everyone who opposed him felt ashamed. But the entire crowd was happy about the miraculous things he was doing.

Stories about a Mustard Seed and Yeast^(F)

¹⁸ Jesus asked, “What is God’s kingdom like? What can I compare it to? ¹⁹ It’s like a mustard seed that someone planted in a garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds nested in its branches.”

²⁰ He asked again, “What can I compare God’s kingdom to? ²¹ It’s like yeast that a woman mixed into a large amount of flour until the yeast worked its way through all the dough.”

The Narrow Door

²² Then Jesus traveled and taught in one city and village after another on his way to Jerusalem.

²³ Someone asked him, “Sir, are only a few people going to be saved?”

He answered, ²⁴ “Try hard to enter through the narrow door. I can guarantee that many will try to enter, but they won’t succeed. ²⁵ After the homeowner gets up and closes the door, ⌞it’s too late⌟. You can stand outside, knock at the door, and say, ‘Sir, open the door for us!’ But he will answer you, ‘I don’t know who you are.’ ²⁶ Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ ²⁷ But he will tell you, ‘I don’t know who you are. Get away from me, all you evil people.’ ²⁸ Then you will cry and be in extreme pain. That’s what you’ll do when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets. They’ll be in God’s kingdom, but you’ll be thrown out. ²⁹ People will come from all over the world and will eat in God’s kingdom. ³⁰ Some who are last will be first, and some who are first will be last.”

Jesus Warns Jerusalem

³¹ At that time some Pharisees told Jesus, “Get out of here, and go somewhere else! Herod wants to kill you.”

³² Jesus said to them, “Tell that fox that I will force demons out of people and heal people today and tomorrow. I will finish my work on the third day. ³³ But I must be on my way today, tomorrow, and the next day. It’s not possible for a prophet to die outside Jerusalem.

³⁴ “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you kill the prophets and stone to death those sent to you! How often I wanted to gather your children together the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings! But you were not willing! ³⁵ Your house will be abandoned. I can guarantee that you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ”

Jesus Attends a Banquet

14 On a day of rest—a holy day, Jesus went to eat at the home of a prominent Pharisee. The guests were watching Jesus very closely.

² A man whose body was swollen with fluid was there. ³ Jesus reacted by asking the Pharisees and the experts in Moses’ Teachings, “Is it right to heal on the day of rest—a holy day, or not?” ⁴ But they didn’t say a thing.

So Jesus took hold of the man, healed him, and sent him away. ⁵ Jesus asked them, “If your son or your ox falls into a well on a day of rest—a holy day, wouldn’t you pull him out immediately?” ⁶ They couldn’t argue with him about this.

⁷ Then Jesus noticed how the guests always chose the places of honor. So he used this illustration when he spoke to them: ⁸ “When someone invites you to a wedding, don’t take the place of honor. Maybe someone more important than you was invited. ⁹ Then your host would say to you, ‘Give this person your place.’ Embarrassed, you would have to take the place of least honor. ¹⁰ So when you’re invited, take the place of least honor. Then, when your host comes, he will tell you, ‘Friend, move to a more honorable place.’ Then all the other guests will see how you are honored. ¹¹ Those who honor themselves will be humbled, but people who humble themselves will be honored.”

¹² Then he told the man who had invited him, “When you invite people for lunch or dinner, don’t invite only your friends, family, other relatives, or rich neighbors. Otherwise, they will return the favor. ¹³ Instead, when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the handicapped, the lame, and the blind. ¹⁴ Then you will be blessed because they don’t have any way to pay you back. You will be paid back when those who have God’s approval come back to life.”

¹⁵ One of those eating with him heard this. So he said to Jesus, “The person who will be at the banquet in God’s kingdom is blessed.”

¹⁶ Jesus said to him, “A man gave a large banquet and invited many people. ¹⁷ When it was time for the banquet, he sent his servant to tell those who were invited, ‘Come! Everything is ready now.’

¹⁸ “Everyone asked to be excused. The first said to him, ‘I bought a field, and I need to see it. Please excuse me.’ ¹⁹ Another said, ‘I bought five pairs of oxen, and I’m on my way to see how well they plow. Please excuse me.’ ²⁰ Still another said, ‘I recently got married, and that’s why I can’t come.’

²¹ “The servant went back to report this to his master. Then the master of the house became angry. He told his servant, ‘Run to every street and alley in the city! Bring back the poor, the handicapped, the blind, and the lame.’

²² “The servant said, ‘Sir, what you’ve ordered has been done. But there is still room for more people.’

²³ “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go to the roads and paths! Urge the people to come to my house. I want it to be full. ²⁴ I can guarantee that none of those invited earlier will taste any food at my banquet.’ ”

The Cost of Being a Disciple

²⁵ Large crowds were traveling with Jesus. He turned to them and said, ²⁶ “If people come to me and are not ready to abandon their fathers, mothers, wives, children, brothers, and sisters, as well as their own lives, they cannot be my disciples. ²⁷ So those who do not carry their crosses and follow me cannot be my disciples.

²⁸ “Suppose you want to build a tower. You would first sit down and figure out what it costs. Then you would see if you have enough money to finish it. ²⁹ Otherwise, if you lay a foundation and can’t finish the building, everyone who watches will make fun of you. ³⁰ They’ll say, ‘This person started to build but couldn’t finish the job.’

³¹ “Or suppose a king is going to war against another king. He would first sit down and think things through. Can he and his 10,000 soldiers fight against a king with 20,000 soldiers? ³² If he can’t, he’ll send ambassadors to ask for terms of peace while the other king is still far away. ³³ In the same way, none of you can be my disciples unless you give up everything.

³⁴ “Salt is good. But if salt loses its taste, how will you restore its flavor? ³⁵ It’s not any good for the ground or for the manure pile. People throw it away.

“Let the person who has ears listen!”

The Lost Sheep^(G)

15 All the tax collectors and sinners came to listen to Jesus. ² But the Pharisees and the experts in Moses’ Teachings complained, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

³ Jesus spoke to them using this illustration: ⁴ “Suppose a man has 100 sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the 99 sheep grazing in the pasture and look for the lost sheep until he finds it? ⁵ When he finds it, he’s happy. He puts that sheep on his shoulders and ⁶ goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says to them, ‘Let’s celebrate! I’ve found my lost sheep!’ ⁷ I can guarantee that there will be more happiness in heaven over one person who turns to God and changes the way he thinks and acts than over 99 people who already have turned to God and have his approval.”

The Lost Coin

⁸ “Suppose a woman has ten coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house, and look for the coin carefully until she finds it? ⁹ When she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Let’s celebrate! I’ve found the coin that I lost.’ ¹⁰ So I can guarantee that God’s angels are happy about one person who turns to God and changes the way he thinks and acts.”

The Lost Son

¹¹ Then Jesus said, “A man had two sons. ¹² The younger son said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the property.’ So the father divided his property between his two sons.

¹³ “After a few days, the younger son gathered his possessions and left for a country far away from home. There he wasted everything he had on a wild lifestyle. ¹⁴ He had nothing left when a severe famine spread throughout that country. He had nothing to live on. ¹⁵ So he got a job from someone in that country and was sent to feed pigs in the fields. ¹⁶ No one in the country would give him any food, and he was so hungry that he would have eaten what the pigs were eating.

¹⁷ “Finally, he came to his senses. He said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more food than they can eat, while I’m starving to death here? ¹⁸ I’ll go at once to my father, and I’ll say to him, “Father, I’ve sinned against heaven and you. ¹⁹ I don’t deserve to be called your son anymore. Make me one of your hired men.” ’

²⁰ “So he went at once to his father. While he was still at a distance, his father saw him and felt sorry for him. He ran to his son, put his arms around him, and kissed him. ²¹ Then his son said to him, ‘Father, I’ve sinned against heaven and you. I don’t deserve to be called your son anymore.’ ^[b]

²² “The father said to his servants, ‘Hurry! Bring out the best robe, and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. ²³ Bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let’s celebrate with a feast. ²⁴ My son was dead and has come back to life. He was lost but has been found.’ Then they began to celebrate.

²⁵ “His older son was in the field. As he was coming back to the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶ He called to one of the servants and asked what was happening.

²⁷ “The servant told him, ‘Your brother has come home. So your father has killed the fattened calf to celebrate your brother’s safe return.’

²⁸ “Then the older son became angry and wouldn’t go into the house. His father came out and begged him to come in. ²⁹ But he answered his father, ‘All these years I’ve worked like a slave for you. I’ve never disobeyed one of your commands. Yet, you’ve never given me so much as a little goat for a celebration with my friends. ³⁰ But this son of yours spent your money on prostitutes, and when he came home, you killed the fattened calf for him.’

³¹ “His father said to him, ‘My child, you’re always with me. Everything I have is yours. ³² But we have something to celebrate, something to be happy about. This brother of yours was dead but has come back to life. He was lost but has been found.’ ”

Jesus Speaks about Dishonesty

16 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “A rich man had a business manager. The manager was accused of wasting the rich man’s property. ² So the rich man called for his manager and said to him, ‘What’s this I hear about you? Let me examine your books. It’s obvious that you can’t manage my property any longer.’

³ “The manager thought, ‘What should I do? My master is taking my job away from me. I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m ashamed to beg. ⁴ I know what I’ll do so that people will welcome me into their homes when I’ve lost my job.’

⁵ “So the manager called for each one of his master’s debtors. He said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’

⁶ “The debtor replied, ‘Eight hundred gallons of olive oil.’

“The manager told him, ‘Take my master’s ledger. Quick! Sit down, and write “four hundred!” ’

⁷ “Then he asked another debtor, ‘How much do you owe?’

“The debtor replied, ‘A thousand bushels of wheat.’

“The manager told him, ‘Take the ledger, and write “eight hundred!” ’

⁸ “The master praised the dishonest manager for being so clever. Worldly people are more clever than spiritually-minded people when it comes to dealing with others.”

⁹ ⌞Jesus continued,⌟ “I’m telling you that although wealth is often used in dishonest ways, you should use it to make friends for yourselves. When life is over, you will be welcomed into an eternal home. ¹⁰ Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with a lot. Whoever is dishonest with very little is dishonest with a lot. ¹¹ Therefore, if you can’t be trusted with wealth that is often used dishonestly, who will trust you with wealth that is real? ¹² If you can’t be trusted with someone else’s wealth, who will give you your own?

¹³ “A servant cannot serve two masters. He will hate the first master and love the second, or he will be devoted to the first and despise the second. You cannot serve God and wealth.”

¹⁴ The Pharisees, who love money, heard all this and were making sarcastic remarks about him. ¹⁵ So Jesus said to them, “You try to justify your actions in front of people. But God knows what’s in your hearts. What is important to humans is disgusting to God.

¹⁶ “Moses’ Teachings and the Prophets were ⌞in force⌟ until the time of John. Since that time, people have been telling the Good News about God’s kingdom, and everyone is trying to force their way into it. ¹⁷ It is easier for the earth and the heavens to disappear than to drop a comma from the Scriptures.

¹⁸ “Any man who divorces his wife to marry another woman is committing adultery. The man who marries a woman divorced in this way is committing adultery.

A Rich Man and Lazarus

¹⁹ “There was a rich man who wore expensive clothes. Every day was like a party to him. ²⁰ There was also a beggar named Lazarus who was regularly brought to the gate of the rich man’s house. ²¹ Lazarus would have eaten any scraps that fell from the rich man’s table. Lazarus was covered with sores,^[c] and dogs would lick them.

²² “One day the beggar died, and the angels carried him to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. ²³ He went to hell, where he was constantly tortured. As he looked up, in the distance he saw Abraham and Lazarus. ²⁴ He yelled, ‘Father Abraham! Have mercy on me! Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water to cool off my tongue. I am suffering in this fire.’

²⁵ “Abraham replied, ‘Remember, my child, that you had a life filled with good times, while Lazarus’ life was filled with misery. Now he has peace here, while you suffer. ²⁶ Besides, a wide area separates us. People couldn’t cross it in either direction even if they wanted to.’

²⁷ “The rich man responded, ‘Then I ask you, Father, to send Lazarus back to my father’s home. ²⁸ I have five brothers. He can warn them so that they won’t end up in this place of torture.’

²⁹ “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses’ ⌞Teachings⌟ and the Prophets. Your brothers should listen to them!’

³⁰ “The rich man replied, ‘No, Father Abraham! If someone comes back to them from the dead, they will turn to God and change the way they think and act.’

³¹ “Abraham answered him, ‘If they won’t listen to Moses’ ⌞Teachings⌟ and the Prophets, they won’t be persuaded even if someone comes back to life.’ ”

Causing Others to Lose Faith^(H)

17 Jesus told his disciples, “Situations that cause people to lose their faith are certain to arise. But how horrible it will be for the person who causes someone to lose his faith! ² It would be best for that person to be thrown into the sea with a large stone hung around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to lose his faith. ³ So watch yourselves!

“If a believer sins, correct him. If he changes the way he thinks and acts, forgive him. ⁴ Even if he wrongs you seven times in one day and comes back to you seven times and says that he is sorry, forgive him.”

The Apostles Ask for More Faith

⁵ Then the apostles said to the Lord, “Give us more faith.”

⁶ The Lord said, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Pull yourself up by the roots, and plant yourself in the sea!’ and it would obey you.

⁷ “Suppose someone has a servant who is plowing fields or watching sheep. Does he tell his servant when he comes from the field, ‘Have something to eat’? ⁸ No. Instead, he tells his servant, ‘Get dinner ready for me! After you serve me my dinner, you can eat yours.’ ⁹ He doesn’t thank the servant for following orders. ¹⁰ That’s the way it is with you. When you’ve done everything you’re ordered to do, say, ‘We’re worthless servants. We’ve only done our duty.’ ”

Ten Men with a Skin Disease Are Healed

¹¹ Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee on his way to Jerusalem. ¹² As he went into a village, ten men with a skin disease met him. They stood at a distance ¹³ and shouted, “Jesus, Teacher, have mercy on us!”

¹⁴ When he saw them, he told them, “Show yourselves to the priests.” As they went, they were made clean.^{[d] 15} When one of them saw that he was healed, he turned back and praised God in a loud voice. ¹⁶ He quickly bowed at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. (The man was a Samaritan.)

¹⁷ Jesus asked, “Weren’t ten men made clean? Where are the other nine? ¹⁸ Only this foreigner came back to praise God.”

¹⁹ Jesus told the man, “Get up, and go home! Your faith has made you well.”

The Pharisees Ask about God’s Kingdom

²⁰ The Pharisees asked Jesus when God’s kingdom would come.

He answered them, “People can’t observe the coming of God’s kingdom. ²¹ They can’t say, ‘Here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’ You see, God’s kingdom is within ^[e] you.”

Jesus Teaches about the Time When He Will Come Again

²² Jesus said to his disciples, “The time will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. ²³ People will say, ‘There he is!’ or ‘Here he is!’ Don’t run after those people. ²⁴ The day of the Son of Man ^[f] will be like lightning that flashes from one end of the sky to the other. ²⁵ But first he must suffer a lot and be rejected by the people of his day.

²⁶ “When the Son of Man comes again, the situation will be like the time of Noah. ²⁷ People were eating, drinking, and getting married until the day that Noah went into the ship. Then the flood destroyed all of them.

²⁸ “The situation will also be like the time of Lot. People were eating, drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. ²⁹ But on the day that Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from the sky and destroyed all of them. ³⁰ The day when the Son of Man is revealed will be like that.

³¹ “On that day those who are on the roof shouldn’t come down to get their belongings out of their houses. Those who are in the field shouldn’t turn back. ³² Remember Lot’s wife! ³³ Those who try to save their lives will lose them, and those who lose their lives will save them.

³⁴ “I can guarantee that on that night if two people are in one bed, one will be taken and the other one will be left. ³⁵ Two women will be grinding grain together. One will be taken, and the other one will be left.” ^[g]

³⁷ They asked him, “Where, Lord?”

Jesus told them, “Vultures will gather wherever there is a dead body.”

God Will Help His People

18 Jesus used this illustration with his disciples to show them that they need to pray all the time and never give up. ² He said, “In a city there was a judge who didn’t fear God or respect people. ³ In that city there was also a widow who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice.’

⁴ “For a while the judge refused to do anything. But then he thought, ‘This widow really annoys me. Although I don’t fear God or respect people, ⁵ I’ll have to give her justice. Otherwise, she’ll keep coming to me until she wears me out.’ ”

⁶ The Lord added, “Pay attention to what the dishonest judge thought. ⁷ Won’t God give his chosen people justice when they cry out to him for help day and night? Is he slow to help them? ⁸ I can guarantee that he will give them justice quickly. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

A Pharisee and a Tax Collector

⁹ Jesus also used this illustration with some who were sure that God approved of them while they looked down on everyone else. ¹⁰ He said, “Two men went into the temple courtyard to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector. ¹¹ The Pharisee stood up and prayed, ‘God, I thank you that I’m not like other people! I’m not a robber or a dishonest person. I haven’t committed adultery. I’m not even like this tax collector. ¹² I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my entire income.’

¹³ “But the tax collector was standing at a distance. He wouldn’t even look up to heaven. Instead, he became very upset, and he said, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’

¹⁴ “I can guarantee that this tax collector went home with God’s approval, but the Pharisee didn’t. Everyone who honors himself will be humbled, but the person who humbles himself will be honored.”

Jesus Blesses Children^(I)

¹⁵ Some people brought infants to Jesus to have him hold them. When the disciples saw this, they told the people not to do that.

¹⁶ But Jesus called the infants to him and said, “Don’t stop the children from coming to me! Children like these are part of God’s kingdom. ¹⁷ I can guarantee this truth: Whoever doesn’t receive God’s kingdom as a little child receives it will never enter it.”

Eternal Life in the Kingdom^(J)

¹⁸ An official asked Jesus, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

¹⁹ Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God. ²⁰ You know the commandments: Never commit adultery. Never murder. Never steal. Never give false testimony. Honor your father and your mother.”

²¹ The official replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was a boy.”

²² When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still need one thing. Sell everything you have. Distribute the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then follow me!”

²³ When the official heard this, he became sad, because he was very rich. ²⁴ Jesus watched him and said, “How hard it is for rich people to enter God’s kingdom! ²⁵ Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter God’s kingdom.”

²⁶ Those who heard him asked, “Who, then, can be saved?”

²⁷ Jesus said, “The things that are impossible for people to do are possible for God to do.”

²⁸ Then Peter said, “We’ve left everything to follow you.”

²⁹ Jesus said to them, “I can guarantee this truth: Anyone who gave up his home, wife, brothers, parents, or children because of God’s kingdom ³⁰ will certainly receive many times as much in this life and will receive eternal life in the world to come.”

For the Third Time Jesus Foretells That He Will Die and Come Back to Life^(K)

³¹ Jesus took the twelve apostles aside and said to them, “We’re going to Jerusalem. Everything that the prophets wrote about the Son of Man will come true. ³² He will be handed over to foreigners. They will make fun of him, insult him, spit on him, ³³ whip him, and kill him. But on the third day he will come back to life.”

³⁴ But they didn’t understand any of this. What he said was a mystery to them, and they didn’t know what he meant.

Jesus Gives Sight to a Blind Man^(L)

³⁵ As Jesus came near Jericho, a blind man was sitting and begging by the road. ³⁶ When he heard the crowd going by, he tried to find out what was happening. ³⁷ The people told him that Jesus from Nazareth was passing by. ³⁸ Then the blind man shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” ³⁹ The people at the front of the crowd told the blind man to be quiet. But he shouted even louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

⁴⁰ Jesus stopped and ordered them to bring the man to him. When the man came near, Jesus asked him, ⁴¹ “What do you want me to do for you?”

The blind man said, “Lord, I want to see again.”

⁴² Jesus told him, “Receive your sight! Your faith has made you well.” ⁴³ Immediately, he could see again. He followed Jesus and praised God. All the people saw this, and they, too, praised God.

Zacchaeus Meets Jesus

19 Jesus was passing through Jericho. ² A man named Zacchaeus was there. He was the director of tax collectors, and he was rich. ³ He tried to see who Jesus was. But Zacchaeus was a small man, and he couldn’t see Jesus because of the crowd. ⁴ So Zacchaeus ran ahead and climbed a fig tree to see Jesus, who was coming that way.

⁵ When Jesus came to the tree, he looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, come down! I must stay at your house today.”

⁶ Zacchaeus came down and was glad to welcome Jesus into his home. ⁷ But the people who saw this began to express disapproval. They said, “He went to be the guest of a sinner.”

⁸ ⌞Later, at dinner,⌟ Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Lord, I’ll give half of my property to the poor. I’ll pay four times as much as I owe to those I have cheated in any way.”

⁹ Then Jesus said to Zacchaeus, “You and your family have been saved today. You’ve shown that you, too, are one of Abraham’s descendants. ¹⁰ Indeed, the Son of Man has come to seek and to save people who are lost.”

A Story about a King

¹¹ Jesus was getting closer to Jerusalem, and the people thought that God’s kingdom would appear suddenly. While Jesus had the people’s attention, he used this illustration. ¹² He said, “A prince went to a distant country to be appointed king, and then he returned. ¹³ ⌞Before he left,⌟ he called ten of his servants and gave them ten coins. He said to his servants, ‘Invest this money until I come back.’

¹⁴ “The citizens of his own country hated him. They sent representatives to follow him and say ⌞to the person who was going to appoint him⌟, ‘We don’t want this man to be our king.’

¹⁵ “After he was appointed king, he came back. Then he said, ‘Call those servants to whom I gave money. I want to know how much each one has made by investing.’

¹⁶ “The first servant said, ‘Sir, the coin you gave me has earned ten times as much.’

¹⁷ “The king said to him, ‘Good job! You’re a good servant. You proved that you could be trusted with a little money. Take charge of ten cities.’

¹⁸ “The second servant said, ‘The coin you gave me, sir, has made five times as much.’

¹⁹ “The king said to this servant, ‘You take charge of five cities.’

²⁰ “Then the other servant said, ‘Sir, look! Here’s your coin. I’ve kept it in a cloth for safekeeping because ²¹ I was afraid of you. You’re a tough person to get along with. You take what isn’t yours and harvest grain you haven’t planted.’

²² “The king said to him, ‘I’ll judge you by what you’ve said, you evil servant! You knew that I was a tough person to get along with. You knew that I take what isn’t mine and harvest grain I haven’t planted. ²³ Then why didn’t you put my money in the bank? When I came back, I could have collected it with interest.’ ²⁴ The king told his men, ‘Take his coin away, and give it to the man who has ten.’

²⁵ “They replied, ‘Sir, he already has ten coins.’

²⁶ “ ‘I can guarantee that everyone who has something will be given more. But everything will be taken away from those who don’t have much. ²⁷ Bring my enemies, who didn’t want me to be their king. Kill them in front of me.’ ”

The King Comes to Jerusalem^(M)

²⁸ After Jesus had given this illustration, he continued on his way to Jerusalem.

²⁹ When he came near Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives (as it was called), Jesus sent two of his disciples ahead of him. ³⁰ He said to them, “Go into the village ahead of you. As you enter, you will find a young donkey tied there. No one has ever sat on it. Untie it, and bring it. ³¹ If anyone asks you why you are untying it, say that the Lord needs it.”

³² The men Jesus sent found it as he had told them. ³³ While they were untying the young donkey, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the donkey?”

³⁴ The disciples answered, “The Lord needs it.”

³⁵ They brought the donkey to Jesus, put their coats on it, and helped Jesus onto it. ³⁶ As he was riding along, people spread their coats on the road. ³⁷ By this time he was coming near the place where the road went down the Mount of Olives. Then the whole crowd of disciples began to praise God for all the miracles they had seen. ³⁸ They shouted joyfully,

³⁹ Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, tell your disciples to be quiet.”

⁴⁰ Jesus replied, “I can guarantee that if they are quiet, the stones will cry out.”

⁴¹ When he came closer and saw the city, he began to cry. ⁴² He said, “If you had only known today what would bring you peace! But now it is hidden, so you cannot see it. ⁴³ The time will come when enemy armies will build a wall to surround you and close you in on every side. ⁴⁴ They will level you to the ground and kill your people. One stone will not be left on top of another, because you didn’t recognize the time when God came to help you.”

Jesus Throws Out the Moneychangers^(N)

⁴⁵ Jesus went into the temple courtyard and began to throw out those who were selling things there. ⁴⁶ He said to them, “Scripture says, ‘My house will be a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a gathering place for thieves.”

⁴⁷ Jesus taught in the temple courtyard every day. The chief priests, the experts in Moses’ Teachings, and the leaders of the people looked for a way to kill him. ⁴⁸ But they could not find a way to do it, because all the people were eager to hear him.