The Power of Jesus over a Demon

37 The next day,(A) when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met him. 38 Just then a man from the crowd cried out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, because he’s my only child.(B) 39 A spirit seizes him; suddenly he shrieks, and it throws him into convulsions until he foams at the mouth; severely bruising him, it scarcely ever leaves him. 40 I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they couldn’t.”(C)

41 Jesus replied, “You unbelieving and perverse[a] generation,(D) how long will I be with you and put up with you?(E) Bring your son here.”

42 As the boy was still approaching, the demon knocked him down and threw him into severe convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy,(F) and gave him back to his father.(G) 43 And they were all astonished at the greatness of God.(H)

The Second Prediction of His Death

While everyone was amazed at all the things he was doing,(I) he told his disciples, 44 “Let these words sink in:[b] The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men.”(J)

45 But they did not understand this statement;(K) it was concealed from them so that they could not grasp it,(L) and they were afraid to ask him about it.

Who Is the Greatest?

46 An argument started among them about who was the greatest of them.(M) 47 But Jesus, knowing their inner thoughts,[c](N) took a little child and had him stand next to him. 48 He told them, “Whoever welcomes[d] this little child in my name welcomes me. And whoever welcomes me welcomes him who sent me.(O) For whoever is least among you—this one is great.”(P)

In His Name

49 John responded,(Q) “Master, we saw someone driving out demons in your name,(R) and we tried to stop him because he does not follow us.”(S)

50 “Don’t stop him,” Jesus told him, “because whoever is not against you is for you.”[e](T)

The Journey to Jerusalem

51 When the days were coming to a close for him to be taken up,(U) he determined[f](V) to journey to Jerusalem.(W) 52 He sent messengers ahead of himself,(X) and on the way they entered a village of the Samaritans(Y) to make preparations for him. 53 But they did not welcome him, because he determined to journey to Jerusalem.(Z) 54 When the disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?” [g](AA)

55 But he turned and rebuked them,[h] 56 and they went to another village.

Following Jesus

57 As they were traveling on the road someone said to him,(AB) “I will follow you wherever you go.”

58 Jesus told him, “Foxes have dens, and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” 59 Then he said to another, “Follow me.”

“Lord,” he said, “first let me go bury my father.”

60 But he told him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and spread the news of the kingdom of God.”(AC)

61 Another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me go and say good-bye to those at my house.”(AD)

62 But Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

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Footnotes

  1. 9:41 Or corrupt, or perverted, or twisted; Dt 32:5
  2. 9:44 Lit “Put these words in your ears
  3. 9:47 Lit the thoughts of their hearts
  4. 9:48 Or receives, throughout the verse
  5. 9:50 Other mss read against us is for us
  6. 9:51 Lit he stiffened his face to go; Is 50:7
  7. 9:54 Other mss add as Elijah also did
  8. 9:55–56 Other mss add and said, “You don’t know what kind of spirit you belong to. 56 For the Son of Man did not come to destroy people’s lives but to save them,”

Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Boy(A)

37 The next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met him. 38 A man in the crowd called out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. 39 A spirit seizes him and he suddenly screams; it throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It scarcely ever leaves him and is destroying him. 40 I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not.”

41 “You unbelieving and perverse generation,”(B) Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.”

42 Even while the boy was coming, the demon threw him to the ground in a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the impure spirit, healed the boy and gave him back to his father. 43 And they were all amazed at the greatness of God.

Jesus Predicts His Death a Second Time

While everyone was marveling at all that Jesus did, he said to his disciples, 44 “Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.”(C) 45 But they did not understand what this meant. It was hidden from them, so that they did not grasp it,(D) and they were afraid to ask him about it.

46 An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest.(E) 47 Jesus, knowing their thoughts,(F) took a little child and had him stand beside him. 48 Then he said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.(G) For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.”(H)

49 “Master,”(I) said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us.”

50 “Do not stop him,” Jesus said, “for whoever is not against you is for you.”(J)

Samaritan Opposition

51 As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven,(K) Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.(L) 52 And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan(M) village to get things ready for him; 53 but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. 54 When the disciples James and John(N) saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them[a]?”(O) 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them. 56 Then he and his disciples went to another village.

The Cost of Following Jesus(P)

57 As they were walking along the road,(Q) a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”

58 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man(R) has no place to lay his head.”

59 He said to another man, “Follow me.”(S)

But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”

60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”(T)

61 Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”(U)

62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 9:54 Some manuscripts them, just as Elijah did