Luke 9
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 9
Jesus Sends Out the Twelve on Mission.[a] 1 Calling the Twelve together, Jesus gave them power and authority to cast out all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them forth to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.
3 He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey, neither walking staff, nor sack, nor bread, nor money. Nor are you to have a second tunic. 4 Whatever house you enter, stay there until you depart from that area. 5 As for those who do not welcome you, when you leave that town shake the dust from your feet in testimony against them.” 6 Then they set forth and traveled from village to village, preaching the gospel and curing diseases everywhere.
John the Baptist, Herod, and Jesus.[b] 7 Now Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was taking place, and he was perplexed because some people were saying that John had been raised from the dead, 8 others that Elijah had appeared, and still others that one of the ancient prophets had come back to life. 9 But Herod said, “John I beheaded. Then who is this about whom I hear such things?” And he was anxious to see him.
10 Jesus Feeds Five Thousand Men.[c] On their return, the apostles reported to Jesus what they had done. Then he took them along and withdrew privately to a town named Bethsaida. 11 When the people learned of this, they followed him. Jesus welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God. He also cured those who were in need of healing.
12 When evening was approaching, the Twelve came to Jesus and said, “Send the people away now so that they can go to the villages and farms in the area and obtain food and lodging, for we are in a deserted place.” 13 He replied, “Give them something to eat yourselves.” They said, “All we have are five loaves and two fish—unless we go and buy food for all these people.” 14 For there were present about five thousand men.
Then he instructed his disciples, “Make them sit down in groups of about fifty.” 15 They did so and made them sit down. 16 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 distribute among the people. 17 They all ate and were satisfied. Then they gathered up what was left over—twelve baskets of fragments.
18 Peter’s Confession That Jesus Is the Christ.[d]Once while Jesus was praying by himself, he asked his disciples who were standing close by, “Who do the people say that I am?” 19 They answered, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the ancient prophets has arisen.” 20 “But you,” he said to them, “who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him: “The Christ of God.” 21 Thereupon he gave them strict orders and commanded them not to tell this to anyone.
22 Jesus Predicts His Passion. He then went on to say, “The Son of Man must endure great suffering, be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be put to death, and on the third day be raised.”
23 The Conditions of Discipleship.[e] Then he said to all who were with him, “Anyone who wishes to follow me must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. 25 What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?
26 “If anyone is ashamed of me and of my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. 27 Truly I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.”
28 Jesus Is Transfigured.[f] About eight days after he had said this, Jesus took Peter, John, and James and went up on a mountain to pray. 29 And while he was praying, the appearance of his face underwent a change, and his clothing became dazzling white. 30 Suddenly, there were two men talking with him, Moses and Elijah, 31 who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which would come to pass in Jerusalem. 32 Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake they beheld his glory and the two men standing beside him.
33 When they were ready to leave, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us make three tents—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” But he did not truly know what he was saying. 34 While he was speaking, a cloud came and cast its shadow over them, and the three disciples became frightened as they entered the cloud. 35 Then a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One.[g] Listen to him.” 36 After the voice had spoken, they beheld only Jesus. They kept silent and at that time they did not tell anyone about what they had witnessed.
End of the Galilean Ministry
37 Jesus Heals a Boy with a Demon.[h] On the following day, when they descended from the mountain, a large crowd came forth to meet him. 38 Then, suddenly, a man in the crowd cried out, “Teacher, I implore you to look at my son. He is my only child. 39 A spirit seizes him and with a shriek suddenly throws him into convulsions until he begins to foam at the mouth. It hardly ever leaves him, continuously torturing him. 40 I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they were unable to do so.”
41 Jesus said in reply, “O unbelieving and perverse generation! How much longer shall I remain with you and have to endure you? Bring your son here!” 42 As the boy was approaching him, the demon threw him into convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, cured the boy, and gave him back to his father. 43 And all those present were awestruck at the greatness of God.
Jesus Predicts His Passion a Second Time.[i] Amid the astonishment of the crowds at everything he was doing, Jesus said to his disciples, 44 “Listen carefully to these words. The Son of Man is going to be handed over into the power of men.” 45 But they did not understand what he was saying. Its meaning was hidden from them so that they could not comprehend his message, and they were afraid to ask him what he meant.
46 True Greatness.[j] The disciples then began to argue about which of them was the greatest. 47 Jesus, aware of their inner thoughts, took a child, placed him 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.”
49 Whoever Is Not against You Is with You.[k] John then said, “Master, we saw someone expelling demons in your name, and we forbade him because he is not with us.” 50 Jesus replied, “Do not hinder him! For whoever is not against you is with you.”
The Journey to Jerusalem[l]
The Departure
51 Passing through Samaria.[m] As the time drew near for him to be taken up, Jesus resolutely set his sights on Jerusalem, 52 and he sent messengers ahead of him. They entered a Samaritan village to make arrangements for his arrival, 53 but the people there would not receive him because his destination 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?”[n] 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them. 56 Then they journeyed forth to another village.
57 The Cost of Following Jesus.[o] As they traveled along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 Jesus told 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.” The man replied, “Lord, allow me to go first and bury my father.” 60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead. You are to go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
61 Another man said, “I will follow you, Lord, but allow me first to say farewell to my family at home.” 62 Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and then looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Footnotes
- Luke 9:1 The Twelve are to share the mission of Jesus, to announce and attest the coming of salvation. Like their Lord, the apostles of the kingdom must be disinterested and conscious of the grave importance of the Gospel. They will accept hospitality simply and without consideration of personal interest. It is by clearly dissociating themselves from incredulity that they will announce the judgment that is coming (see Acts 13:51; 18:5).
- Luke 9:7 People speak of the return of Elijah as a precursor of the day of the Lord (Mal 3:23). They have known John. Now Jesus’ renown reaches the palace of the prince whom he will encounter in the course of his Passion (see Lk 23:7-12). The murderer of John evinces an idle curiosity. The action of Jesus compels each of us to ask ourselves: What do we say of Jesus?
- Luke 9:10 The preaching of Jesus so excites the crowd that they go so far as to disturb him in his retreat. He receives them and speaks to them about the kingdom of God. The miracle of the loaves is like a renewal of the prodigy of the manna expected at the time of the Messiah. In this account, Christians already discern the signs of the Eucharist: God nourishes his people. See also notes on Mt 14:13-21; 14:19; and 14:21; and Mk 6:43.
- Luke 9:18 At the opening of this passage, Jesus is found in prayer—thus Luke underlines the importance of the moment. Christ invites the Twelve to declare themselves concerning who he is. Peter precedes the others—in the Gospel, Peter’s faith has a large role (see Lk 22:31-33)—in acknowledging Christ as God, that is, as the expected Messiah whose unity with God is astonishing. In order to avoid all ambiguity about himself, Jesus recommends secrecy and for the first time announces his Passion. Contrary to what people expect, the Messiah will not save his people by a popular or political uprising but by his Death and Resurrection. The title “Son of Man” suggests the Passion and announces a glorious coming on the last day.
- Luke 9:23 To believe in Christ is to strive to share the mystery of his Death and Resurrection. To do so it is necessary for each of us to go beyond ourselves and our egoism in the ordinary conditions of life. See the kingdom of God: this expression evokes the appearances of the risen Lord or the work of the Spirit in the primitive Church.
- Luke 9:28 In a vision on a mountain, three disciples behold, for one instant, the divine splendor of Jesus. Moses and Elijah, who announced God’s plan in the Law and the Prophets, attest that it will now be accomplished by the Passion, that “passage” of Jesus, which is the new “Exodus.” As formerly in the Exodus God manifested himself in the cloud, now through the one he designates as his Son, his Chosen One (see Isa 42:1; 49:7), he will give to all people the definitive liberation. The evangelist hardly explains the unfolding of this mysterious event. He gives us the shattering experience of Jesus’ inner life to prompt our faith in Christ: to hear this man is to hear God.
- Luke 9:35 My Chosen One: this is similar to a Palestinian Jewish title found in the literature of the Dead Sea Scrolls and to Isa 42:1.
- Luke 9:37 Returning to the people, Jesus resumes the struggle. In contrast with the lapse of the disciples, the Messiah manifests his sovereign power against all the forces that enchain us, of which the person afflicted with a demon is a striking example.
- Luke 9:43 Amid popular success, Jesus keeps his eyes fixed on his Passion, the decisive act of salvation. For the believers, as for the disciples, it remains difficult to accept the necessity of the cross.
- Luke 9:46 As a result of their lack of pretense, children are the beloved of God and become models for the believer (see Lk 18:15-17). We must share this regard of Christ for the little ones, even in the way of thinking and living.
- Luke 9:49 It is necessary to accept the initiative of all those who make use of the name of Christ.
- Luke 9:51 We are at a crossroads in the life of Christ: Jesus begins to go to Jerusalem where his mystery is to be accomplished. This journey will take him from Galilee to the Holy City. In this section, Luke brings together a part of the teaching of Jesus that the other evangelists do not have or that they give in very different contexts. In these ten chapters, we find some of the most moving words of Christ about the mercy of God.
- Luke 9:51 The Samaritans refused passage to Jewish pilgrims on their way to the temple in Jerusalem, because they did not give recognition to that sanctuary. The critical text says simply that Jesus “rebuked” the disciples (v. 55); some manuscripts have: “And he said, ‘You do not know what kind of spirit you are of, for the Son of Man did not come to destroy lives, but to save them.’ ”
- Luke 9:54 An allusion to 2 Ki 1:10-12.
- Luke 9:57 Jesus demands an unconditional commitment from those who hesitate. The preaching of the kingdom is of primary urgency. On its account, we are to renounce every possession and free ourselves from even the most sacred human attachments.
路加福音 9
Chinese New Version (Traditional)
差遣十二使徒(A)
9 耶穌召齊十二門徒，給他們能力、權柄，制伏一切鬼魔，醫治各樣的疾病， 2 差遣他們去宣講 神的國和醫治病人， 3 對他們說：“不要帶著甚麼上路，不要帶手杖，不要帶口袋，不要帶食物，不要帶銀錢，也不要帶兩件衣服。 4 無論進哪一家，就住在那裡，直到離開。 5 凡不接待你們的，你們離開那城的時候，當把腳上的灰塵跺下去，作為反對他們的表示。” 6 於是他們就出去，走遍各鄉，傳講福音，到處醫治病人。
希律的困惑(B)
7 分封王希律聽見所發生的一切事，猶豫不定，因為有人說：“約翰從死人中復活了。” 8 又有人說：“以利亞顯現了。”還有人說：“古時的一位先知復活了。” 9 希律說：“約翰已經斬頭了，但這是誰，我怎麼會聽到他這些事呢？”就設法要見他。
給五千人吃飽的神蹟(C)
10 使徒們回來，把所作的事報告耶穌。他帶著他們，悄悄地退往伯賽大城去。 11 群眾知道了，也跟了去。他接待他們，向他們講論 神的國，醫好需要醫治的人。 12 天將晚的時候，十二門徒來到他跟前，說：“請解散眾人，好讓他們往周圍的田舍村莊，去找地方住，找東西吃，因為我們這裡是曠野。” 13 他說：“你們給他們吃吧！”他們說：“我們所有的，不過是五個餅兩條魚，除非去為這些人另買食物。” 14 原來男人就約有五千。他對門徒說：“叫他們一組一組地坐下，每組約五十人。” 15 門徒就照他的話，叫眾人坐下。 16 耶穌拿起這五個餅，兩條魚，望著天，祝謝了，擘開遞給門徒，擺在眾人面前。 17 他們都吃飽了，把剩下的零碎拾起來，裝滿了十二個籃子。
彼得承認耶穌是基督(D)
18 有一次耶穌獨自祈禱的時候，只有門徒和他在一起。他問他們：“人說我是誰？” 19 他們回答：“有人說是施洗的約翰，有人說是以利亞，還有人說是古時的一位先知復活了。” 20 他又問他們：“你們說我是誰？”彼得回答：“是 神的基督！”
耶穌預言受難及復活(E)
21 耶穌警告他們，囑咐他們，不要把這事告訴人。 22 又說：“人子必須受許多苦，被長老、祭司長，和經學家棄絕、殺害，第三日復活。”
23 耶穌又對眾人說：“如果有人願意跟從我，就當捨己，天天背起他的十字架來跟從我。 24 凡是想救自己生命的，必喪掉生命；但為我犧牲自己生命的，必救了生命。 25 人若賺得全世界，卻喪失自己，或賠上自己，有甚麼好處呢？ 26 凡是把我和我的道當作可恥的，人子在自己與父並聖天使的榮耀裡降臨的時候，也必把他當作可恥的。 27 我實在告訴你們，站在這裡的，有人在沒有嘗過死味以前必定要看見 神的國。”
在山上改變形象(F)
28 說了這些話以後約有八天，耶穌帶著彼得、約翰和雅各，上山去禱告。 29 正禱告的時候，他的面貌就改變了，衣服潔白發光。 30 忽然有兩個人和他談話，就是摩西和以利亞。 31 他們在榮光裡顯現，談論他去世的事，就是他在耶路撒冷將要完成的。 32 彼得和同伴都在打盹。醒過來之後，就看見他的榮光，並與他站在一起的那兩個人。 33 二人正要離開他的時候，彼得對耶穌說：“主啊，我們在這裡真好！我們可以搭三個帳棚，一個為你，一個為摩西，一個為以利亞。”他根本不知道自己在說甚麼。 34 他說這話的時候，有一片雲彩籠罩他們，他們入了雲彩，門徒就害怕起來。 35 有聲音從雲彩裡出來，說：“這是我的兒子，我所揀選的（“這是我的兒子，我所揀選的”有些抄本作“這是我的愛子”），你們要聽從他！” 36 聲音過了，只見耶穌獨自在那裡。在那些日子，門徒保持緘默，不把所看見的告訴任何人。
治好癲癇病的小孩(G)
37 第二天，他們下了山，有一大群人迎面而來。 38 在人群中有一個人喊叫說：“老師，求你憐憫我的兒子，因為他是我的獨生子。 39 你看，污靈一抓住他，他就忽然喊叫，並且抽瘋，口吐白沫；污靈又折磨糟踐他，不肯放過他。 40 我求過你的門徒，把他趕出去，他們卻辦不到。” 41 耶穌說：“唉！這不信又乖謬的世代啊！我跟你們在一起，忍受你們，要到幾時呢？把你兒子帶到這裡來吧！” 42 那孩子正走過來的時候，污鬼把他摔倒，使他重重地抽瘋。耶穌斥責那污靈，把孩子醫好，交給他父親。 43 眾人都驚奇 神的大能。
第二次預言受難及復活(H)
眾人還在希奇耶穌所作的這一切時，他對門徒說： 44 “你們要把這些話存在心裡：人子將要被交在人的手裡。” 45 門徒不明白這話，因為這話的意思是隱藏的，不讓他們明白，他們也不敢問。
門徒爭論誰最大(I)
46 後來，門徒起了意見，爭論誰是最大的。 47 耶穌看出他們的心意，就領了一個小孩子來，叫他站在自己旁邊， 48 對他們說：“凡因我的名接待這小孩子的，就是接待我；凡接待我的，就是接待那差我來的。誰是你們中間最小的，那人就是最大的。” 49 約翰說：“主，我們看見有一個人奉你的名趕鬼，就禁止他，因為他不和我們一起跟從你。” 50 耶穌說：“不要禁止他，因為不反對你們的，就是贊成你們的。”
撒瑪利亞人不接待主
51 耶穌被接上升的日子快到了，他就決意向耶路撒冷去， 52 並且差遣使者走在前頭；他們去了，進入撒瑪利亞的一個村莊，要為他預備。 53 那裡的人不接待他，因為他面向著耶路撒冷走。 54 他的門徒雅各、約翰看見了，就說：“主啊，你要我們吩咐火從天降下來，燒滅他們嗎？” 55 耶穌就轉過身來，責備他們， 56 然後他們就往別的村莊去了。
要求跟從耶穌(J)
57 他們走路的時候，有一個人對他說：“你無論往哪裡去，我都要跟從你！” 58 耶穌說：“狐狸有洞，天空的飛鳥有窩，人子卻沒有棲身的地方。” 59 他對另一個人說：“你跟從我吧！”那人說：“主啊，請准我先回去安葬我的父親吧。” 60 耶穌說：“讓死人去埋葬他們的死人，你應該去傳揚 神的國。” 61 又有一個人說：“主，我要跟從你，但容我先回去，向家人道別。” 62 耶穌說：“手扶著犁向後看的，不適合進 神的國。”
Chinese New Version (CNV). Copyright © 1976, 1992, 1999, 2001, 2005 by Worldwide Bible Society.
