Jesus Drives Out an Impure Spirit^(A)

²¹ They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach.^{(B) 22} The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.^{(C) 23} Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure spirit cried out, ²⁴ “What do you want with us,^(D) Jesus of Nazareth?^(E) Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”^(F)

²⁵ “Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!”^{(G) 26} The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.^(H)

²⁷ The people were all so amazed^(I) that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him.” ²⁸ News about him spread quickly over the whole region^(J) of Galilee.

⁶ You see, at just the right time,^(A) when we were still powerless,^(B) Christ died for the ungodly.^{(C) 7} Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. ⁸ But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.^(D)

⁹ Since we have now been justified^(E) by his blood,^(F) how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath^(G) through him! ¹⁰ For if, while we were God’s enemies,^(H) we were reconciled^(I) to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!^{(J) 11} Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.^(K)

The Parable of the Lost Sheep^(A)

15 Now the tax collectors^(B) and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. ² But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”^(C)

³ Then Jesus told them this parable:^{(D) 4} “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?^{(E) 5} And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders ⁶ and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’^{(F) 7} I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.^(G)