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Luke 9
New American Bible (Revised Edition)

Chapter 9

The Mission of the Twelve.[a] 1 (A)He summoned the Twelve and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal [the sick]. 3 He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey,[b] neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money, and let no one take a second tunic. 4 Whatever house you enter, stay there and leave from there.(B) 5 And as for those who do not welcome you, when you leave that town, shake the dust from your feet[c] in testimony against them.”(C) 6 Then they set out and went from village to village proclaiming the good news and curing diseases everywhere.

Herod’s Opinion of Jesus.(D) 7 [d]Herod the tetrarch[e] heard about all that was happening, and he was greatly perplexed because some were saying, “John has been raised from the dead”;(E) 8 others were saying, “Elijah has appeared”; still others, “One of the ancient prophets has arisen.” 9 [f](F)But Herod said, “John I beheaded. Who then is this about whom I hear such things?” And he kept trying to see him.

The Return of the Twelve and the Feeding of the Five Thousand.(G) 10 When the apostles returned, they explained to him what they had done. He took them and withdrew in private to a town called Bethsaida. 11 The crowds, meanwhile, learned of this and followed him. He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and he healed those who needed to be cured. 12 As the day was drawing to a close, the Twelve approached him and said, “Dismiss the crowd so that they can go to the surrounding villages and farms and find lodging and provisions; for we are in a deserted place here.” 13 (H)He said to them, “Give them some food yourselves.” They replied, “Five loaves and two fish are all we have, unless we ourselves go and buy food for all these people.” 14 Now the men there numbered about five thousand. Then he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of [about] fifty.” 15 They did so and made them all sit down. 16 Then taking[g] the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing over them, broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd.(I) 17 They all ate and were satisfied. And when the leftover fragments were picked up, they filled twelve wicker baskets.

Peter’s Confession About Jesus.[h] 18 (J)Once when Jesus was praying in solitude,[i] and the disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” 19 They said in reply, “John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, ‘One of the ancient prophets has arisen.’”(K) 20 Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter said in reply, “The Messiah of God.”[j] 21 He rebuked them and directed them not to tell this to anyone.

The First Prediction of the Passion. 22 He said, “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.”(L)

The Conditions of Discipleship.(M) 23 Then he said to all, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily[k] and follow me.(N) 24 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.(O) 25 What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself? 26 Whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.(P) 27 Truly I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.”

The Transfiguration of Jesus.[l] 28 (Q)About eight days after he said this, he took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray.[m] 29 While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white. 30 And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah,[n] 31 [o](R)who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem. 32 Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep, but becoming fully awake, they saw his glory[p] and the two men standing with him.(S) 33 As they were about to part from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents,[q] one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” But he did not know what he was saying. 34 [r]While he was still speaking, a cloud came and cast a shadow over them, and they became frightened when they entered the cloud. 35 [s](T)Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my chosen Son; listen to him.” 36 After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. They fell silent and did not at that time[t] tell anyone what they had seen.

The Healing of a Boy with a Demon.[u] 37 (U)On the next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met him. 38 There was a man in the crowd who cried out, “Teacher, I beg you, look at my son; he is my only child. 39 For a spirit seizes him and he suddenly screams and it convulses him until he foams at the mouth; it releases him only with difficulty, wearing him out. 40 I begged your disciples to cast it out but they could not.” 41 Jesus said in reply, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long will I be with you and endure you? Bring your son here.” 42 As he was coming forward, the demon threw him to the ground in a convulsion; but Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and returned him to his father. 43 And all were astonished by the majesty of God.

The Second Prediction of the Passion.(V) While they were all amazed at his every deed, he said to his disciples, 44 “Pay attention to what I am telling you. The Son of Man is to be handed over to men.” 45 But they did not understand this saying; its meaning was hidden from them so that they should not understand it, and they were afraid to ask him about this saying.

The Greatest in the Kingdom.(W) 46 [v]An argument arose among the disciples about which of them was the greatest.(X) 47 Jesus realized the intention of their hearts and took a child and placed it by his side 48 and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. For the one who is least among all of you is the one who is the greatest.”(Y)

Another Exorcist.(Z) 49 Then John said in reply, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow in our company.” 50 Jesus said to him, “Do not prevent him, for whoever is not against you is for you.”

V. The Journey to Jerusalem: Luke’s Travel Narrative[w]

Departure for Jerusalem; Samaritan Inhospitality. 51 [x]When the days for his being taken up[y] were fulfilled, he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem,(AA) 52 [z]and he sent messengers ahead of him.(AB) On the way they entered a Samaritan village to prepare for his reception there, 53 but they would not welcome him because the destination of his journey was Jerusalem. 54 When the disciples James and John saw this they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?”(AC) 55 Jesus turned and rebuked them, 56 and they journeyed to another village.

The Would-be Followers of Jesus.[aa] 57 (AD)As they were proceeding on their journey someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 Jesus answered him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.” 59 And to another he said, “Follow me.” But he replied, “[Lord,] let me go first and bury my father.” 60 But he answered him, “Let the dead bury their dead.[ab] But you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” 61 (AE)And another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say farewell to my family at home.” 62 [To him] Jesus said, “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Footnotes

  1. 9:1–6 Armed with the power and authority that Jesus himself has been displaying in the previous episodes, the Twelve are now sent out to continue the work that Jesus has been performing throughout his Galilean ministry: (1) proclaiming the kingdom (Lk 4:43; 8:1); (2) exorcising demons (Lk 4:33–37, 41; 8:26–39) and (3) healing the sick (Lk 4:38–40; 5:12–16, 17–26; 6:6–10; 7:1–10, 17, 22; Lk 8:40–56).
  2. 9:3 Take nothing for the journey: the absolute detachment required of the disciple (Lk 14:33) leads to complete reliance on God (Lk 12:22–31).
  3. 9:5 Shake the dust from your feet: see note on Mt 10:14.
  4. 9:7–56 This section in which Luke gathers together incidents that focus on the identity of Jesus is introduced by a question that Herod is made to ask in this gospel: “Who then is this about whom I hear such things?”(Lk 9:9) In subsequent episodes, Luke reveals to the reader various answers to Herod’s question: Jesus is one in whom God’s power is present and who provides for the needs of God’s people (Lk 9:10–17); Peter declares Jesus to be “the Messiah of God” (Lk 9:18–21); Jesus says he is the suffering Son of Man (Lk 9:22, 43–45); Jesus is the Master to be followed, even to death (Lk 9:23–27); Jesus is God’s son, his Chosen One (Lk 9:28–36).
  5. 9:7 Herod the tetrarch: see note on Lk 3:1.
  6. 9:9 And he kept trying to see him: this indication of Herod’s interest in Jesus prepares for Lk 13:31–33 and for Lk 23:8–12 where Herod’s curiosity about Jesus’ power to perform miracles remains unsatisfied.
  7. 9:16 Then taking…: the actions of Jesus recall the institution of the Eucharist in Lk 22:19; see also note on Mt 14:19.
  8. 9:18–22 This incident is based on Mk 8:27–33, but Luke has eliminated Peter’s refusal to accept Jesus as suffering Son of Man (Mk 8:32) and the rebuke of Peter by Jesus (Mk 8:33). Elsewhere in the gospel, Luke softens the harsh portrait of Peter and the other apostles found in his Marcan source (cf. Lk 22:39–46, which similarly lacks a rebuke of Peter that occurs in the source, Mk 14:37–38).
  9. 9:18 When Jesus was praying in solitude: see note on Lk 3:21.
  10. 9:20 The Messiah of God: on the meaning of this title in first-century Palestinian Judaism, see notes on Lk 2:11 and on Mt 16:13–20 and Mk 8:27–30.
  11. 9:23 Daily: this is a Lucan addition to a saying of Jesus, removing the saying from a context that envisioned the imminent suffering and death of the disciple of Jesus (as does the saying in Mk 8:34–35) to one that focuses on the demands of daily Christian existence.
  12. 9:28–36 Situated shortly after the first announcement of the passion, death, and resurrection, this scene of Jesus’ transfiguration provides the heavenly confirmation to Jesus’ declaration that his suffering will end in glory (Lk 9:32); see also notes on Mt 17:1–8 and Mk 9:2–8.
  13. 9:28 Up the mountain to pray: the “mountain” is the regular place of prayer in Luke (see Lk 6:12; 22:39–41).
  14. 9:30 Moses and Elijah: the two figures represent the Old Testament law and the prophets. At the end of this episode, the heavenly voice will identify Jesus as the one to be listened to now (Lk 9:35). See also note on Mk 9:5.
  15. 9:31 His exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem: Luke identifies the subject of the conversation as the exodus of Jesus, a reference to the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus that will take place in Jerusalem, the city of destiny (see Lk 9:51). The mention of exodus, however, also calls to mind the Israelite Exodus from Egypt to the promised land.
  16. 9:32 They saw his glory: the glory that is proper to God is here attributed to Jesus (see Lk 24:26).
  17. 9:33 Let us make three tents: in a possible allusion to the feast of Tabernacles, Peter may be likening his joy on the occasion of the transfiguration to the joyful celebration of this harvest festival.
  18. 9:34 Over them: it is not clear whether them refers to Jesus, Moses, and Elijah, or to the disciples. For the cloud casting its shadow, see note on Mk 9:7.
  19. 9:35 Like the heavenly voice that identified Jesus at his baptism prior to his undertaking the Galilean ministry (Lk 3:22), so too here before the journey to the city of destiny is begun (Lk 9:51) the heavenly voice again identifies Jesus as Son. Listen to him: the two representatives of Israel of old depart (Lk 9:33) and Jesus is left alone (Lk 9:36) as the teacher whose words must be heeded (see also Acts 3:22).
  20. 9:36 At that time: i.e., before the resurrection.
  21. 9:37–43a See note on Mk 9:14–29.
  22. 9:46–50 These two incidents focus on attitudes that are opposed to Christian discipleship: rivalry and intolerance of outsiders.
  23. 9:51–18:14 The Galilean ministry of Jesus finishes with the previous episode and a new section of Luke’s gospel begins, the journey to Jerusalem. This journey is based on Mk 10:1–52 but Luke uses his Marcan source only in Lk 18:15–19:27. Before that point he has inserted into his gospel a distinctive collection of sayings of Jesus and stories about him that he has drawn from Q, a collection of sayings of Jesus used also by Matthew, and from his own special traditions. All of the material collected in this section is loosely organized within the framework of a journey of Jesus to Jerusalem, the city of destiny, where his exodus (suffering, death, resurrection, ascension) is to take place (Lk 9:31), where salvation is accomplished, and from where the proclamation of God’s saving word is to go forth (Lk 24:47; Acts 1:8). Much of the material in the Lucan travel narrative is teaching for the disciples. During the course of this journey Jesus is preparing his chosen Galilean witnesses for the role they will play after his exodus (Lk 9:31): they are to be his witnesses to the people (Acts 10:39; 13:31) and thereby provide certainty to the readers of Luke’s gospel that the teachings they have received are rooted in the teachings of Jesus (Lk 1:1–4).
  24. 9:51–55 Just as the Galilean ministry began with a rejection of Jesus in his hometown, so too the travel narrative begins with the rejection of him by Samaritans. In this episode Jesus disassociates himself from the attitude expressed by his disciples that those who reject him are to be punished severely. The story alludes to 2 Kgs 1:10, 12 where the prophet Elijah takes the course of action Jesus rejects, and Jesus thereby rejects the identification of himself with Elijah.
  25. 9:51 Days for his being taken up: like the reference to his exodus in Lk 9:31 this is probably a reference to all the events (suffering, death, resurrection, ascension) of his last days in Jerusalem. He resolutely determined: literally, “he set his face.”
  26. 9:52 Samaritan: Samaria was the territory between Judea and Galilee west of the Jordan river. For ethnic and religious reasons, the Samaritans and the Jews were bitterly opposed to one another (see Jn 4:9).
  27. 9:57–62 In these sayings Jesus speaks of the severity and the unconditional nature of Christian discipleship. Even family ties and filial obligations, such as burying one’s parents, cannot distract one no matter how briefly from proclaiming the kingdom of God. The first two sayings are paralleled in Mt 8:19–22; see also notes there.
  28. 9:60 Let the dead bury their dead: i.e., let the spiritually dead (those who do not follow) bury their physically dead. See also note on Mt 8:22.
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Luke 9
New American Standard Bible

Ministry of the Twelve

9 (A)Now He called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all the demons, and the power to heal diseases. 2 And He sent them out to (B)proclaim the kingdom of God and to perform healing. 3 And He said to them, “(C)Take nothing for your journey, (D)neither a staff, nor a [a]bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not even have two [b]tunics. 4 And whatever house you enter, stay there [c]until you leave that city. 5 And as for all who do not receive you, when you leave that city, (E)shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” 6 And as they were leaving, they began going [d]throughout the villages, (F)preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.

7 (G)Now (H)Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening; and he was greatly perplexed, because it was said by some that (I)John had risen from the dead, 8 and by some that (J)Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the prophets of old had risen. 9 Herod said, “I myself had John beheaded; but who is this man about whom I hear such things?” And (K)he kept trying to see Him.

10 (L)When the apostles returned, they gave an account to Him of all that they had done. (M)And taking them with Him, He withdrew privately to a city called (N)Bethsaida. 11 But the crowds were aware of this and followed Him; and He welcomed them and began speaking to them about the kingdom of God, and curing those who had need of healing.

Five Thousand Men Fed

12 Now the day [e]was ending, and the twelve came up and said to Him, “Dismiss the crowd, so that they may go into the surrounding villages and countryside and find lodging and get [f]something to eat; because here, we are in a secluded place.” 13 But He said to them, “You give them something to eat!” But they said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless perhaps we go and buy food for all these people.” 14 (For there were about five thousand men.) But He said to His disciples, “Have them recline to eat (O)in groups of about fifty each.” 15 They did so, and had them all recline. 16 And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and, looking up to heaven, He blessed them and broke them, and gave them to the disciples again and again, to serve the crowd. 17 And they all ate and were satisfied; and [g]the broken pieces which they had left over were picked up, twelve (P)baskets full.

Peter Says Jesus is The Christ

18 (Q)And it happened that while He was (R)praying alone, the disciples were with Him, and He questioned them, saying, “Who do the [h]people say that I am?” 19 They answered and said, “John the Baptist, and others say Elijah; but others, that one of the prophets of old has risen.” 20 And He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered and said, “(S)The [i]Christ of God.” 21 But He [j](T)warned them and instructed them not to tell this to anyone, 22 (U)saying, “(V)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 on the third day.”

23 And He was saying to them all, “(W)If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me. 24 For (X)whoever wants to save his [k]life will lose it, but whoever loses his [l]life for My sake, this is the one who will save it. 25 For what good does it do a person if he gains the whole world, but (Y)loses or forfeits himself? 26 (Z)For whoever is ashamed 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 Father and the holy angels. 27 But I say to you truthfully, (AA)there are some of those standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.”

The Transfiguration

28 (AB)About eight days after these sayings, He took along (AC)Peter, John, and James, and (AD)went up on the mountain (AE)to pray. 29 And while He was (AF)praying, the appearance of His face (AG)became different, and His clothing became white and [m]gleaming. 30 And behold, two men were talking with Him; and they were Moses and Elijah, 31 who, appearing in [n]glory, were speaking of His (AH)departure, which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 Now Peter and his companions (AI)had been overcome with sleep; but when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men who were standing with Him. 33 And as [o]these two men were leaving Him, Peter said to Jesus, “(AJ)Master, it is good that we are here; and (AK)let’s make three [p]tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—(AL)not realizing what he was saying. 34 But while he was saying this, a cloud [q]formed and began to overshadow them; and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 And then (AM)a voice came from the cloud, saying, “(AN)This is My Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him!” 36 And when the voice [r]had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And (AO)they kept silent, and reported to no one in those days any of the things which they had seen.

37 (AP)On the next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met Him. 38 And a man from the crowd shouted, saying, “Teacher, I beg You to look at my son, because he is my only son, 39 and a spirit seizes him and he suddenly screams, and it throws him into a convulsion with foaming at the mouth; and only with difficulty does it leave him, mauling him as it leaves. 40 And I begged Your disciples to cast it out, and they could not.” 41 And Jesus answered and said, “You unbelieving and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.” 42 Now while he was still approaching, the demon slammed him to the ground and threw him into a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the boy and gave him back to his father. 43 And they were all amazed at the [s](AQ)greatness of God.

(AR)But while everyone was astonished at all that He was doing, He said to His disciples, 44 “As for you, let these words sink into your ears: (AS)for the Son of Man is going to be [t]handed over to men.” 45 But (AT)they [u]did not understand this statement, and it was concealed from them so that they would not comprehend it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this statement.

The Test of Greatness

46 (AU)Now an argument [v]started among them as to which of them might be the greatest. 47 But Jesus, (AV)knowing [w]what they were thinking in their hearts, took a child and had him stand by His side, 48 and He said to them, “(AW)Whoever receives this child in My name receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me; (AX)for the one who is least among all of you, this is the one who is great.”

49 (AY)John answered and said, “(AZ)Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name; and we tried to prevent him, because he does not follow along with us.” 50 But Jesus said to him, “Do not hinder him; (BA)for the one who is not against you is [x]for you.”

51 When the days were approaching for (BB)His [y]ascension, He [z]was determined (BC)to go to Jerusalem; 52 and He sent messengers on ahead of Him, and they went and entered a village of the (BD)Samaritans to [aa]make arrangements for Him. 53 And they did not receive Him, (BE)because [ab]He was traveling toward Jerusalem. 54 When His disciples (BF)James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to (BG)command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” 55 But He turned and rebuked them.[ac] 56 And they went on to another village.

Exacting Discipleship

57 (BH)As they were going on the road, (BI)someone said to Him, “I will follow You wherever You go.” 58 And Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the sky have nests, but (BJ)the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” 59 And He said to another, “(BK)Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.” 60 But He said to him, “Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and (BL)proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.” 61 Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord; but (BM)first permit me to say goodbye to those at my home.” 62 But Jesus said to him, “(BN)No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Footnotes

  1. Luke 9:3 Or knapsack
  2. Luke 9:3 A long shirt worn next to the skin
  3. Luke 9:4 Lit and leave from there
  4. Luke 9:6 Or from village to village
  5. Luke 9:12 Lit began to decline
  6. Luke 9:12 Lit provisions
  7. Luke 9:17 Lit what was left over to them of the broken pieces was
  8. Luke 9:18 Lit crowds
  9. Luke 9:20 I.e., Messiah
  10. Luke 9:21 Or strictly admonished
  11. Luke 9:24 Or soul
  12. Luke 9:24 Or soul
  13. Luke 9:29 Or flashing like lightning
  14. Luke 9:31 Or splendor
  15. Luke 9:33 Lit they
  16. Luke 9:33 Or sacred tents
  17. Luke 9:34 Lit occurred
  18. Luke 9:36 Lit occurred
  19. Luke 9:43 Or majesty
  20. Luke 9:44 Or betrayed
  21. Luke 9:45 Lit were not knowing
  22. Luke 9:46 Lit entered
  23. Luke 9:47 Lit the reasoning; or argument
  24. Luke 9:50 Or on your side
  25. Luke 9:51 Lit taking up
  26. Luke 9:51 Lit set His face
  27. Luke 9:52 Or prepare
  28. Luke 9:53 Lit His face was proceeding toward
  29. Luke 9:55 Some late mss add: and said, “You do not know of what kind of spirit you are; for the Son of Man did not come to destroy people’s lives, but to save them.”
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Luke 9
English Standard Version

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Apostles

9 (A)And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, 2 (B)and he sent them out to (C)proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. 3 (D)And he said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, (E)no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics.[a] 4 And whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. 5 And wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town (F)shake off the dust from your feet (G)as a testimony (H)against them.” 6 (I)And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.

Herod Is Perplexed by Jesus

7 (J)Now (K)Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening, and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that (L)John had been raised from the dead, 8 (M)by some that Elijah had appeared, and (N)by others that one of the prophets of old had risen. 9 Herod said, “John I beheaded, but who is this about whom I hear such things?” And (O)he sought to see him.

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

10 On their return (P)the apostles told him all that they had done. (Q)And he took them and withdrew apart to a town called Bethsaida. 11 When the crowds learned it, they followed him, and he (R)welcomed them and (S)spoke to them of the kingdom of God and (T)cured those who had need of healing. 12 Now (U)the day began to wear away, and the twelve came and said to him, (V)“Send the crowd away to go into the surrounding villages and countryside to find lodging and get provisions, for we are here in a desolate place.” 13 But he said to them, (W)“You give them something to eat.” They said, “We have no more than (X)five loaves and two fish—unless we are to go and buy food for all these people.” 14 For there were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” 15 And they did so, and had them all sit down. 16 And taking the five loaves and the two fish, (Y)he looked up to heaven and (Z)said a blessing over them. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. 17 And they all ate and were satisfied. And what was left over was picked up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.

Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ

18 (AA)Now it happened that as he was praying alone, the disciples were with him. And he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” 19 And they answered, (AB)“John the Baptist. But others say, (AC)Elijah, and others, that one of the prophets of old has risen.” 20 Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered, (AD)“The Christ of God.”

Jesus Foretells His Death

21 (AE)And he strictly charged and commanded them to tell this to no one, 22 (AF)saying, (AG)“The Son of Man must (AH)suffer many things and (AI)be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on (AJ)the third day be raised.”

Take Up Your Cross and Follow Jesus

23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him (AK)deny himself and (AL)take up his cross (AM)daily and follow me. 24 For (AN)whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. 25 (AO)For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? 26 For (AP)whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed (AQ)when he comes in (AR)his glory and the glory of the Father and of (AS)the holy angels. 27 But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not (AT)taste death (AU)until they see the kingdom of God.”

The Transfiguration

28 (AV)Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him (AW)Peter and John and James and (AX)went up on the mountain to pray. 29 And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was (AY)altered, and (AZ)his clothing became dazzling white. 30 And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, 31 who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure,[b] which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 Now Peter and those who were with him (BA)were heavy with sleep, but when they became fully awake (BB)they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. 33 And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three (BC)tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah”—(BD)not knowing what he said. 34 As he was saying these things, (BE)a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 And (BF)a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, (BG)my Chosen One;[c] (BH)listen to him!” 36 And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. (BI)And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen.

Jesus Heals a Boy with an Unclean Spirit

37 (BJ)On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. 38 And behold, a man from the crowd cried out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for (BK)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 shatters him, and will hardly leave him. 40 And I begged your disciples to cast it out, but (BL)they could not.” 41 Jesus answered, “O (BM)faithless and twisted generation, (BN)how long am I to be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.” 42 While he was coming, the demon threw him to the ground and convulsed him. But Jesus (BO)rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy, and (BP)gave him back to his father. 43 And all were astonished at (BQ)the majesty of God.

Jesus Again Foretells His Death

(BR)But while they were all marveling at everything he was doing, Jesus[d] said (BS)to his disciples, 44 “Let these words sink into your ears: (BT)The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men.” 45 (BU)But they did not understand this saying, and (BV)it was concealed from them, so that they might not perceive it. And they were afraid to ask him about this saying.

Who Is the Greatest?

46 (BW)An argument arose among them as to which of them was the greatest. 47 But Jesus, knowing the reasoning of their hearts, took a child and put him by his side 48 and said to them, (BX)“Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and (BY)whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For (BZ)he who is least among you all is the one who is great.”

Anyone Not Against Us Is For Us

49 (CA)John answered, “Master, we saw someone (CB)casting out demons in your name, and (CC)we tried to stop him, because he does not follow with us.” 50 But Jesus said to him, “Do not stop him, (CD)for the one who is not against you is for you.”

A Samaritan Village Rejects Jesus

51 When the days drew near for (CE)him to be taken up, (CF)he set his face (CG)to go to Jerusalem. 52 And (CH)he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of (CI)the Samaritans, to make preparations for him. 53 But (CJ)the people did not receive him, because (CK)his face was set toward Jerusalem. 54 And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to tell (CL)fire to come down from heaven and consume them?”[e] 55 But he turned and rebuked them.[f] 56 And they went on to another village.

The Cost of Following Jesus

57 As they were going (CM)along the road, (CN)someone said to him, “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 has nowhere to lay his head.” 59 To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 60 And Jesus[g] said to him, “Leave (CO)the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and (CP)proclaim the kingdom of God.” 61 Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, (CQ)but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” 62 Jesus said to him, (CR)“No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Footnotes

  1. Luke 9:3 Greek chiton, a long garment worn under the cloak next to the skin
  2. Luke 9:31 Greek exodus
  3. Luke 9:35 Some manuscripts my Beloved
  4. Luke 9:43 Greek he
  5. Luke 9:54 Some manuscripts add as Elijah did
  6. Luke 9:55 Some manuscripts add And he said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of; 56for the Son of Man came not to destroy people's lives but to save them”
  7. Luke 9:60 Greek he
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Luke 9
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

The Mission of the Twelve

9 Then Jesus[a] called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. 3 He said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money—not even an extra tunic. 4 Whatever house you enter, stay there, and leave from there. 5 Wherever they do not welcome you, as you are leaving that town shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” 6 They departed and went through the villages, bringing the good news and curing diseases everywhere.

Herod’s Perplexity

7 Now Herod the ruler[b] heard about all that had taken place, and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had been raised from the dead, 8 by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the ancient prophets had arisen. 9 Herod said, “John I beheaded; but who is this about whom I hear such things?” And he tried to see him.

Feeding the Five Thousand

10 On their return the apostles told Jesus[c] all they had done. He took them with him and withdrew privately to a city called Bethsaida. 11 When the crowds found out about it, they followed him; and he welcomed them, and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed to be cured.

12 The day was drawing to a close, and the twelve came to him and said, “Send the crowd away, so that they may go into the surrounding villages and countryside, to lodge and get provisions; for we are here in a deserted 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 we are to go and buy food for all these people.” 14 For there were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, “Make them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” 15 They did so and made them all sit down. 16 And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. 17 And all ate and were filled. What was left over was gathered up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.

Peter’s Declaration about Jesus

18 Once when Jesus[d] was praying alone, with only the disciples near him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” 19 They answered, “John the Baptist; but others, Elijah; and still others, that one of the ancient prophets has arisen.” 20 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered, “The Messiah[e] of God.”

Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection

21 He sternly ordered and commanded them not to tell anyone, 22 saying, “The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”

23 Then he said to them all, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it. 25 What does it profit them if they gain the whole world, but lose or forfeit themselves? 26 Those who are ashamed of me and of my words, of them the Son of Man will be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. 27 But truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.”

The Transfiguration

28 Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus[f] took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. 30 Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. 31 They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake,[g] they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. 33 Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings,[h] 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 terrified as they entered the cloud. 35 Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Son, my Chosen;[i] listen to him!” 36 When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.

Jesus Heals a Boy with a Demon

37 On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. 38 Just then a man from the crowd shouted, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son; he is my only child. 39 Suddenly a spirit seizes him, and all at once he[j] shrieks. It convulses him until he foams at the mouth; it mauls him and will scarcely leave him. 40 I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.” 41 Jesus answered, “You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.” 42 While he was coming, the demon dashed him to the ground in convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. 43 And all were astounded at the greatness of God.

Jesus Again Foretells His Death

While everyone was amazed at all that he was doing, he said to his disciples, 44 “Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into human hands.” 45 But they did not understand this saying; its meaning was concealed from them, so that they could not perceive it. And they were afraid to ask him about this saying.

True Greatness

46 An argument arose among them as to which one of them was the greatest. 47 But Jesus, aware of their inner thoughts, took a little child and put it by his side, 48 and said to them, “Whoever welcomes this child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me; for the least among all of you is the greatest.”

Another Exorcist

49 John answered, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not follow with us.” 50 But Jesus said to him, “Do not stop him; for whoever is not against you is for you.”

A Samaritan Village Refuses to Receive Jesus

51 When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. 52 And he sent messengers ahead of him. On their way they entered a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him; 53 but they did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. 54 When his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?”[k] 55 But he turned and rebuked them. 56 Then[l] they went on to another village.

Would-Be Followers of Jesus

57 As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “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 has nowhere to lay his head.” 59 To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” 60 But Jesus[m] said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” 61 Another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” 62 Jesus said to him, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Footnotes

  1. Luke 9:1 Gk he
  2. Luke 9:7 Gk tetrarch
  3. Luke 9:10 Gk him
  4. Luke 9:18 Gk he
  5. Luke 9:20 Or The Christ
  6. Luke 9:28 Gk he
  7. Luke 9:32 Or but when they were fully awake
  8. Luke 9:33 Or tents
  9. Luke 9:35 Other ancient authorities read my Beloved
  10. Luke 9:39 Or it
  11. Luke 9:54 Other ancient authorities add as Elijah did
  12. Luke 9:56 Other ancient authorities read rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what spirit you are of, 56 for the Son of Man has not come to destroy the lives of human beings but to save them.” Then
  13. Luke 9:60 Gk he
Listen to Luke 9
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Luke 9
New International Version

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve(A)(B)

9 When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons(C) and to cure diseases,(D) 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God(E) and to heal the sick. 3 He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt.(F) 4 Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. 5 If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.”(G) 6 So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere.

7 Now Herod(H) the tetrarch heard about all that was going on. And he was perplexed because some were saying that John(I) had been raised from the dead,(J) 8 others that Elijah had appeared,(K) and still others that one of the prophets of long ago had come back to life.(L) 9 But Herod said, “I beheaded John. Who, then, is this I hear such things about?” And he tried to see him.(M)

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand(N)(O)

10 When the apostles(P) returned, they reported to Jesus what they had done. Then he took them with him and they withdrew by themselves to a town called Bethsaida,(Q) 11 but the crowds learned about it and followed him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God,(R) and healed those who needed healing.

12 Late in the afternoon the Twelve came to him and said, “Send the crowd away so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside and find food and lodging, because we are in a remote place here.”

13 He replied, “You give them something to eat.”

They answered, “We have only five loaves of bread and two fish—unless we go and buy food for all this crowd.” 14 (About five thousand men were there.)

But he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” 15 The disciples did so, and everyone sat down. 16 Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them.(S) Then he gave them to the disciples to distribute to the people. 17 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.

Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah(T)(U)

18 Once when Jesus was praying(V) in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?”

19 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist;(W) others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.”(X)

20 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

Peter answered, “God’s Messiah.”(Y)

Jesus Predicts His Death

21 Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone.(Z) 22 And he said, “The Son of Man(AA) must suffer many things(AB) and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law,(AC) and he must be killed(AD) and on the third day(AE) be raised to life.”(AF)

23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.(AG) 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.(AH) 25 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? 26 Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them(AI) when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.(AJ)

27 “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.”

The Transfiguration(AK)

28 About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James(AL) with him and went up onto a mountain to pray.(AM) 29 As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. 30 Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. 31 They spoke about his departure,[a](AN) which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. 32 Peter and his companions were very sleepy,(AO) but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. 33 As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, “Master,(AP) it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what he was saying.)

34 While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen;(AQ) listen to him.”(AR) 36 When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves and did not tell anyone at that time what they had seen.(AS)

Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Boy(AT)

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,”(AU) 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.”(AV) 45 But they did not understand what this meant. It was hidden from them, so that they did not grasp it,(AW) 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.(AX) 47 Jesus, knowing their thoughts,(AY) 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.(AZ) For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.”(BA)

49 “Master,”(BB) 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.”(BC)

Samaritan Opposition

51 As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven,(BD) Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.(BE) 52 And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan(BF) 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(BG) saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them[b]?”(BH) 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them. 56 Then he and his disciples went to another village.

The Cost of Following Jesus(BI)

57 As they were walking along the road,(BJ) 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(BK) has no place to lay his head.”

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

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.”(BM)

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

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

Footnotes

  1. Luke 9:31 Greek exodos
  2. Luke 9:54 Some manuscripts them, just as Elijah did
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