Luke 9
The Message
Keep It Simple
9 1-5 Jesus now called the Twelve and gave them authority and power to deal with all the demons and cure diseases. He commissioned them to preach the news of God’s kingdom and heal the sick. He said, “Don’t load yourselves up with equipment. Keep it simple; you are the equipment. And no luxury inns—get a modest place and be content there until you leave. If you’re not welcomed, leave town. Don’t make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and move on.”
6 Commissioned, they left. They traveled from town to town telling the latest news of God, the Message, and curing people everywhere they went.
7-9 Herod, the ruler, heard of these goings on and didn’t know what to think. There were people saying John had come back from the dead, others that Elijah had appeared, still others that some prophet of long ago had shown up. Herod said, “But I killed John—took off his head. So who is this that I keep hearing about?” Curious, he looked for a chance to see him in action.
10-11 The apostles returned and reported on what they had done. Jesus took them away, off by themselves, near the town called Bethsaida. But the crowds got wind of it and followed. Jesus graciously welcomed them and talked to them about the kingdom of God. Those who needed healing, he healed.
Bread and Fish for Five Thousand
12 As the sun set, the Twelve said, “Dismiss the crowd so they can go to the farms or villages around here and get a room for the night and a bite to eat. We’re out in the middle of nowhere.”
13-14 “You feed them,” Jesus said.
They said, “We couldn’t scrape up more than five loaves of bread and a couple of fish—unless, of course, you want us to go to town ourselves and buy food for everybody.” (There were more than five thousand people in the crowd.)
14-17 But he went ahead and directed his disciples, “Sit them down in groups of about fifty.” They did what he said, and soon had everyone seated. He took the five loaves and two fish, lifted his face to heaven in prayer, blessed, broke, and gave the bread and fish to the disciples to hand out to the crowd. After the people had all eaten their fill, twelve baskets of leftovers were gathered up.
Don’t Run from Suffering
18 One time when Jesus was off praying by himself, his disciples nearby, he asked them, “What are the crowds saying about me, about who I am?”
19 They said, “John the Baptizer. Others say Elijah. Still others say that one of the prophets from long ago has come back.”
20-21 He then asked, “And you—what are you saying about me? Who am I?”
Peter answered, “The Messiah of God.” Jesus then warned them to keep it quiet. They were to tell no one what Peter had said.
22 He went on, “It is necessary that the Son of Man proceed to an ordeal of suffering, be tried and found guilty by the religious leaders, high priests, and religion scholars, be killed, and on the third day be raised up alive.”
23-27 Then he told them what they could expect for themselves: “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat—I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? If any of you is embarrassed with me and the way I’m leading you, know that the Son of Man will be far more embarrassed with you when he arrives in all his splendor in company with the Father and the holy angels. This isn’t, you realize, pie in the sky by and by. Some who have taken their stand right here are going to see it happen, see with their own eyes the kingdom of God.”
Jesus in His Glory
28-31 About eight days after saying this, he climbed the mountain to pray, taking Peter, John, and James along. While he was in prayer, the appearance of his face changed and his clothes became blinding white. At once two men were there talking with him. They turned out to be Moses and Elijah—and what a glorious appearance they made! They talked over his exodus, the one Jesus was about to complete in Jerusalem.
32-33 Meanwhile, Peter and those with him were slumped over in sleep. When they came to, rubbing their eyes, they saw Jesus in his glory and the two men standing with him. When Moses and Elijah had left, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, this is a great moment! Let’s build three memorials: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He blurted this out without thinking.
34-35 While he was babbling on like this, a light-radiant cloud enveloped them. As they found themselves buried in the cloud, they became deeply aware of God. Then there was a voice out of the cloud: “This is my Son, the Chosen! Listen to him.”
36 When the sound of the voice died away, they saw Jesus there alone. They were speechless. And they continued speechless, said not one thing to anyone during those days of what they had seen.
* * *
37-40 When they came down off the mountain the next day, a big crowd was there to meet them. A man called from out of the crowd, “Please, please, Teacher, take a look at my son. He’s my only child. Often a spirit seizes him. Suddenly he’s screaming, thrown into convulsions, his mouth foaming. And then it beats him black-and-blue before it leaves. I asked your disciples to deliver him but they couldn’t.”
41 Jesus said, “What a generation! No sense of God! No focus to your lives! How many times do I have to go over these things? How much longer do I have to put up with this? Bring your son here.”
42-43 While he was coming, the demon slammed him to the ground and threw him into convulsions. Jesus stepped in, ordered the foul spirit gone, healed the boy, and handed him back to his father. They all shook their heads in wonder, astonished at God’s greatness, God’s majestic greatness.
Your Business Is Life
43-44 While they continued to stand around exclaiming over all the things he was doing, Jesus said to his disciples, “Treasure and ponder each of these next words: The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into human hands.”
45 They didn’t get what he was saying. It was like he was speaking a foreign language and they couldn’t make heads or tails of it. But they were embarrassed to ask him what he meant.
46-48 They started arguing over which of them would be most famous. When Jesus realized how much this mattered to them, he brought a child to his side. “Whoever accepts this child as if the child were me, accepts me,” he said. “And whoever accepts me, accepts the One who sent me. You become great by accepting, not asserting. Your spirit, not your size, makes the difference.”
49 John spoke up, “Master, we saw a man using your name to expel demons and we stopped him because he wasn’t of our group.”
50 Jesus said, “Don’t stop him. If he’s not an enemy, he’s an ally.”
51-54 When it came close to the time for his Ascension, he gathered up his courage and steeled himself for the journey to Jerusalem. He sent messengers on ahead. They came to a Samaritan village to make arrangements for his hospitality. But when the Samaritans learned that his destination was Jerusalem, they refused hospitality. When the disciples James and John learned of it, they said, “Master, do you want us to call a bolt of lightning down out of the sky and incinerate them?”
55-56 Jesus turned on them: “Of course not!” And they traveled on to another village.
57 On the road someone asked if he could go along. “I’ll go with you, wherever,” he said.
58 Jesus was curt: “Are you ready to rough it? We’re not staying in the best inns, you know.”
Jesus said to another, “Follow me.”
59 He said, “Certainly, but first excuse me for a couple of days, please. I have to make arrangements for my father’s funeral.”
60 Jesus refused. “First things first. Your business is life, not death. And life is urgent: Announce God’s kingdom!”
61 Then another said, “I’m ready to follow you, Master, but first excuse me while I get things straightened out at home.”
62 Jesus said, “No procrastination. No backward looks. You can’t put God’s kingdom off till tomorrow. Seize the day.”
Luke 9
Revised Geneva Translation
9 Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to heal diseases.
2 And He sent them forth to preach the Kingdom of God, and to cure the sick.
3 And He said to them, “Take nothing on your journey, neither staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; nor have two tunics apiece.
4 “And whatever house you enter, stay there, and leave from there.
5 “And however many will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them.”
6 And they went out and went through every town preaching the Gospel and healing everywhere.
7 Now Herod the Tetrarch heard of all that had been done by Him. And he doubted, because it was said by some that John had risen again from the dead.
8 And by some that Elijah had appeared. And by some that one of the old Prophets had risen again.
9 Then Herod said, “John I have beheaded. Who then is this of Whom I hear such things?” And he sought to see Him.
10 And when the Apostles returned, they told Him what great things they had done. Then He took them and went aside into a solitary place, near the city called Bethsaida.
11 But when the people knew of it, they followed Him. And He received them, and spoke to them of the Kingdom of God, and healed those needing to be healed.
12 And when the day began to wear away, the twelve came and said to Him, “Send the people away, so that they may go into the surrounding towns and villages, and lodge, and get food. For we are here in a desert place.
13 But He said to them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we go and buy food for all these people.”
14 For there were about five thousand men. Then He said to His disciples, “Make them sit down in groups of fifty.”
15 And they did so and made all sit down.
16 Then He took the five loaves, and the two fish, and looked up to Heaven and blessed them; and broke and gave to the disciples to set before the people.
17 So they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces from what remained.
18 And it happened that as He was alone praying, His disciples were with Him. And He asked them, saying, “Whom do the people say that I am?”
19 They answered, and said, “John Baptist. And others say, Elijah. And some say that one of the old Prophets has risen again.”
20 And He said to them, “But Whom do you say that I am?” Peter answered, and said, “The Christ of God.”
21 And He warned and commanded them to tell that to no one,
22 saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, and by the chief priests and scribes, and be killed; and the third day rise again.”
23 And He said to them all, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.
24 “For whoever would save his life, shall lose it. And whoever shall lose his life, for my sake, the same shall save it.
25 "For what does it benefit a man if he wins the whole world and destroys himself, or loses himself?
26 “For whoever shall be ashamed of Me and My words, of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed when He shall come in His own Glory, and in the Glory of the Father, and of the holy angels.
27 “And I tell you truly, there are some standing here who shall not taste of death till they have seen the Kingdom of God.”
28 And it happened that about eight days after those words, He took Peter and John, and James, and went up into a mountain to pray.
29 And as He prayed, the appearance of His face was changed. And His clothes became white and radiant.
30 And behold, two men talked with Him (who were Moses and Elijah),
31 They appeared in glory and told of His departure which he would accomplish at Jerusalem.
32 But Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep. And when they awoke, they saw His Glory, and the two men standing with him.
33 And it happened that as they departed from Him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Therefore, let us make three tabernacles: one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah,” not knowing what he said.
34 While he said this, a cloud came and overshadowed them. And they were afraid as they entered into the cloud.
35 And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him.”
36 And after the voice spoke, Jesus was found alone. And they kept it secret and told no one in those days anything they had seen.
37 And it happened that on the next day, as they came down from the mountain, many people met Him.
38 And behold, a man from the crowd cried out, saying, “Master, I beg You! Look upon my son! For he is all that I have!
39 “And lo, a spirit takes him, and suddenly he cries. And he convulses him, so that he foams at the mouth. And when he has bruised him, he departs from him roughly.
40 “Now I have begged Your disciples to cast him out, but they could not.
41 Then Jesus answered and said, “O faithless and perverse generation! How long now shall I be with you, and bear with you? Bring your son here.”
42 And while He was still coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him. And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the child, and returned him to his father.
43 And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God. And while they all wondered at all the things which Jesus did, He said to His disciples,
44 “Let these words sink down into your ears. For the time will come when the Son of Man shall be delivered into the hands of man.”
45 But they did not understand that word, for it was hidden from them. So, they could not perceive it. And they were afraid to ask Him about that word.
46 Then a dispute arose among them: which one of them should be the greatest.
47 When Jesus saw the thoughts of their hearts, He took a little child and set him by Him.
48 And He said to them, “Whoever receives this little child in My Name, receives Me. And whoever shall receive Me, receives Him Who sent Me. For the one who is least among you all shall be great.”
49 And John answered and said, “Master, we saw one casting out demons in Your Name, and we forbade him because he does not follow with us.”
50 Then Jesus said to him, “Do not forbid him. For whoever is not against us, is with us.”
51 And it happened that when it was time for Him to be received up, He set His face to go to Jerusalem,
52 And sent messengers before Him. And they went and entered into a town of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him.
53 But they would not receive Him, because His face was set toward Jerusalem.
54 And when His disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command that fire come down from Heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?”
55 But Jesus turned around and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know of what spirit you are.
56 “For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.” Then they went to another town.
57 And it happened that as they went on the way, a certain man said to Him, “I will follow You, Lord, wherever You go!”
58 And Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the heaven nests. But the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”
59 But He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”
60 And Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their dead. But go and preach the Kingdom of God.”
61 Then another said, “I will follow You, Lord. But first let me go and bid farewell to those who are at my house.
62 And Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the Kingdom of God.”
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
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