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Matthew 17
Contemporary English Version
Matthew 17
Contemporary English Version
The True Glory of Jesus
(Mark 9.2-13; Luke 9.28-36)
17 (A) Six days later Jesus took Peter and the brothers James and John with him. They went up on a very high mountain where they could be alone. 2 There in front of the disciples, Jesus was completely changed. His face was shining like the sun, and his clothes became white as light.
3 All at once Moses and Elijah were there talking with Jesus. 4 So Peter said to him, “Lord, it is good for us to be here! Let us make three shelters, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
5 (B) While Peter was still speaking, the shadow of a bright cloud passed over them. From the cloud a voice said, “This is my own dear Son, and I am pleased with him. Listen to what he says!” 6 When the disciples heard the voice, they were so afraid they fell flat on the ground. 7 But Jesus came over and touched them. He said, “Get up and don't be afraid!” 8 When they opened their eyes, they saw only Jesus.
9 On their way down from the mountain, Jesus warned his disciples not to tell anyone what they had seen until after the Son of Man had been raised from death.
10 (C) The disciples asked Jesus, “Don't the teachers of the Law of Moses say Elijah must come before the Messiah does?”
11 (D) Jesus told them, “Elijah certainly will come and get everything ready. 12 (E) In fact, he has already come. But the people did not recognize him and treated him just as they wanted to. They will soon make the Son of Man suffer in the same way.” 13 Then the disciples understood Jesus was talking to them about John the Baptist.
Jesus Heals a Boy
(Mark 9.14-29; Luke 9.37-43a)
14 Jesus and his disciples returned to the crowd. A man knelt in front of him 15 and said, “Lord, have pity on my son! He has a bad case of epilepsy and often falls into a fire or into water. 16 I brought him to your disciples, but none of them could heal him.”
17 Jesus said, “You people are too stubborn to have any faith! How much longer must I be with you? Why do I have to put up with you? Bring the boy here.” 18 Then Jesus spoke sternly to the demon. It went out of the boy, and right then he was healed.
19 Later the disciples went to Jesus in private and asked him, “Why couldn't we force out the demon?”
20-21 (F) Jesus replied:
It is because you don't have enough faith! But I can promise you this. If you had faith no larger than a mustard seed, you could tell this mountain to move from here to there. And it would. Everything would be possible for you.[a]
Jesus Again Speaks about His Death
(Mark 9.30-32; Luke 9.43b-45)
22 While Jesus and his disciples were going from place to place in Galilee, he told them, “The Son of Man will be handed over to people 23 who will kill him. But three days later he will rise to life.” All of this made the disciples very sad.
Paying the Temple Tax
24 (G) When Jesus and the others arrived in Capernaum, the collectors for the temple tax came to Peter and asked, “Does your teacher pay the temple tax?”
25 “Yes, he does,” Peter answered.
After they had returned home, Jesus went up to Peter and asked him, “Simon, what do you think? Do the kings of this earth collect taxes and fees from their own people or from foreigners?”[b]
26 Peter answered, “From foreigners.”
Jesus replied, “Then their own people[c] don't have to pay. 27 But we don't want to cause trouble. So go cast a line into the lake and pull out the first fish you hook. Open its mouth, and you will find a coin. Use it to pay your taxes and mine.”
Footnotes
- 17.20,21 for you: Some manuscripts add, “But the only way to force out that kind of demon is by praying and going without eating.”
- 17.25 from their own people or from foreigners: Or “from their children or from others.”
- 17.26 From foreigners … their own people: Or “From other people … their children.”
Matthew 17
New International Version
Matthew 17
New International Version
The Transfiguration(A)(B)
17 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John(C) the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.
4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”
5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.(D) Listen to him!”(E)
6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.”(F) 8 When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.
9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone(G) what you have seen, until the Son of Man(H) has been raised from the dead.”(I)
10 The disciples asked him, “Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”
11 Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things.(J) 12 But I tell you, Elijah has already come,(K) and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished.(L) In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer(M) at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.(N)
Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Boy(O)
14 When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. 15 “Lord, have mercy on my son,” he said. “He has seizures(P) and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. 16 I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.”
17 “You unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” 18 Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed at that moment.
19 Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”
20 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith(Q) as small as a mustard seed,(R) you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move.(S) Nothing will be impossible for you.” [21] [a]
Jesus Predicts His Death a Second Time
22 When they came together in Galilee, he said to them, “The Son of Man(T) is going to be delivered into the hands of men. 23 They will kill him,(U) and on the third day(V) he will be raised to life.”(W) And the disciples were filled with grief.
The Temple Tax
24 After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax(X) came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?”
25 “Yes, he does,” he replied.
When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. “What do you think, Simon?” he asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes(Y)—from their own children or from others?”
26 “From others,” Peter answered.
“Then the children are exempt,” Jesus said to him. 27 “But so that we may not cause offense,(Z) go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”
Footnotes
- Matthew 17:21 Some manuscripts include here words similar to Mark 9:29.
Mark 9
Contemporary English Version
Mark 9
Contemporary English Version
9 I can assure you that some of the people standing here will not die before they see God's kingdom come with power.
The True Glory of Jesus
(Matthew 17.1-13; Luke 9.28-36)
2 (A) Six days later Jesus took Peter, James, and John with him. They went up on a high mountain, where they could be alone. There in front of the disciples, Jesus was completely changed. 3 And his clothes became much whiter than any bleach on earth could make them. 4 Then Elijah and Moses appeared and were talking with Jesus.
5 Peter said to Jesus, “Teacher, it is good for us to be here! Let us make three shelters, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 6 But Peter and the others were terribly frightened, and he did not know what he was talking about.
7 (B) The shadow of a cloud passed over and covered them. From the cloud a voice said, “This is my Son, and I love him. Listen to what he says!” 8 At once the disciples looked around, but they saw only Jesus.
9 As Jesus and his disciples were coming down the mountain, he told them not to say a word about what they had seen, until the Son of Man had been raised from death. 10 So they kept it to themselves. But they wondered what he meant by the words “raised from death.”
11 (C) The disciples asked Jesus, “Don't the teachers of the Law of Moses say that Elijah must come before the Messiah does?”
12 (D) Jesus answered:
Elijah certainly will come[a] to get everything ready. But don't the Scriptures also say that the Son of Man must suffer terribly and be rejected? 13 I can assure you that Elijah has already come. And people treated him just as they wanted to, as the Scriptures say they would.
Jesus Heals a Boy
(Matthew 17.14-20; Luke 9.37-43a)
14 When Jesus and his three disciples came back down, they saw a large crowd around the other disciples. The teachers of the Law of Moses were arguing with them.
15 The crowd was really surprised to see Jesus, and everyone hurried over to greet him.
16 Jesus asked, “What are you arguing about?”
17 Someone from the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought my son to you. A demon keeps him from talking. 18 Whenever the demon attacks my son, it throws him to the ground and makes him foam at the mouth and grit his teeth in pain. Then he becomes stiff. I asked your disciples to force out the demon, but they couldn't do it.”
19 Jesus said, “You people don't have any faith! How much longer must I be with you? Why do I have to put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”
20 They brought the boy, and as soon as the demon saw Jesus, it made the boy shake all over. He fell down and began rolling on the ground and foaming at the mouth.
21 Jesus asked the boy's father, “How long has he been like this?”
The man answered, “Ever since he was a child. 22 The demon has often tried to kill him by throwing him into a fire or into water. Please have pity and help us if you can!”
23 Jesus replied, “Why do you say ‘if you can’? Anything is possible for someone who has faith!”
24 At once the boy's father shouted, “I do have faith! Please help me to have even more.”
25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was gathering fast, he spoke sternly to the evil spirit that had kept the boy from speaking or hearing. He said, “I order you to come out of the boy! Don't ever bother him again.”
26 The spirit screamed and made the boy shake all over. Then it went out of him. The boy looked dead, and almost everyone said he was. 27 But Jesus took hold of his hand and helped him stand up.
28 After Jesus and the disciples had gone back home and were alone, they asked him, “Why couldn't we force out that demon?”
29 Jesus answered, “Only prayer can force out this kind of demon.”
Jesus Again Speaks about His Death
(Matthew 17.22,23; Luke 9.43b-45)
30 Jesus left with his disciples and started through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know about it, 31 because he was teaching the disciples that the Son of Man would be handed over to people who would kill him. But three days later he would rise to life. 32 The disciples did not understand what Jesus meant, and they were afraid to ask.
Who Is the Greatest?
(Matthew 18.1-5; Luke 9.46-48)
33 Jesus and his disciples went to his home in Capernaum. After they were inside the house, Jesus asked them, “What were you arguing about along the way?” 34 (E) They had been arguing about which one of them was the greatest, and so they did not answer.
35 (F) After Jesus sat down and told the twelve disciples to gather around him, he said, “If you want the place of honor, you must become a slave and serve others!”
36 Then Jesus asked a child to stand near him. He put his arm around the child and said, 37 (G) “When you welcome even a child because of me, you welcome me. And when you welcome me, you welcome the one who sent me.”
For or against Jesus
(Luke 9.49,50)
38 John said, “Teacher, we saw a man using your name to force demons out of people. But he wasn't one of us, and we told him to stop.”
39 Jesus said to his disciples:
Don't stop him! No one who works miracles in my name will soon turn and say something bad about me. 40 (H) Anyone who isn't against us is for us. 41 (I) And anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name, just because you belong to me, will surely be rewarded.
Temptations To Sin
(Matthew 18.6-9; Luke 17.1,2)
42 It will be terrible for people who cause even one of my little followers to sin. Those people would be better off thrown into the ocean with a heavy stone tied around their necks. 43-44 (J) So if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off! You would be better off to go into life paralyzed than to have two hands and be thrown into the fires of hell that never go out.[b] 45-46 If your foot causes you to sin, chop it off. You would be better off to go into life lame than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.[c] 47 (K) If your eye causes you to sin, get rid of it. You would be better off to go into God's kingdom with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell. 48 (L) The worms there never die, and the fire never stops burning.
49 Everyone must be salted with fire.[d]
50 (M) Salt is good. But if it no longer tastes like salt, how can it be made salty again? Have salt among you and live at peace with each other.[e]
Footnotes
- 9.12 Elijah certainly will come: See the note at 6.15.
- 9.43,44 never go out: Some manuscripts add, “The worms there never die, and the fire never stops burning.”
- 9.45,46 thrown into hell: Some manuscripts add, “The worms there never die, and the fire never stops burning.”
- 9.49 salted with fire: Some manuscripts add “and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt.” The verse may mean that Christ's followers must suffer because of their faith.
- 9.50 Have salt among you and live at peace with each other: This may mean that when Christ's followers have to suffer because of their faith, they must still try to live at peace with each other.
Mark 9
New International Version
Mark 9
New International Version
9 And he said to them, “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come(A) with power.”(B)
The Transfiguration(C)(D)
2 After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John(E) with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. 3 His clothes became dazzling white,(F) whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. 4 And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.
5 Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi,(G) it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 6 (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)
7 Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud:(H) “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”(I)
8 Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.
9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone(J) what they had seen until the Son of Man(K) had risen from the dead. 10 They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what “rising from the dead” meant.
11 And they asked him, “Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”
12 Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah does come first, and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man(L) must suffer much(M) and be rejected?(N) 13 But I tell you, Elijah has come,(O) and they have done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about him.”
Jesus Heals a Boy Possessed by an Impure Spirit(P)
14 When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. 15 As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.
16 “What are you arguing with them about?” he asked.
17 A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. 18 Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”
19 “You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”
20 So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.(Q)
21 Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”
“From childhood,” he answered. 22 “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”
23 “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”(R)
24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene,(S) he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”
26 The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.
28 After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately,(T) “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”
29 He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.[a]”
Jesus Predicts His Death a Second Time(U)
30 They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, 31 because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man(V) is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him,(W) and after three days(X) he will rise.”(Y) 32 But they did not understand what he meant(Z) and were afraid to ask him about it.
33 They came to Capernaum.(AA) When he was in the house,(AB) he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” 34 But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.(AC)
35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”(AD)
36 He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms,(AE) he said to them, 37 “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”(AF)
Whoever Is Not Against Us Is for Us(AG)
38 “Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.”(AH)
39 “Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, 40 for whoever is not against us is for us.(AI) 41 Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.(AJ)
Causing to Stumble
42 “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble,(AK) it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea.(AL) 43 If your hand causes you to stumble,(AM) cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell,(AN) where the fire never goes out.(AO) [44] [b] 45 And if your foot causes you to stumble,(AP) cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.(AQ) [46] [c] 47 And if your eye causes you to stumble,(AR) pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell,(AS) 48 where
49 Everyone will be salted(AU) with fire.
50 “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again?(AV) Have salt among yourselves,(AW) and be at peace with each other.”(AX)
Luke 9:28-62
Contemporary English Version
Luke 9:28-62
Contemporary English Version
The True Glory of Jesus
(Matthew 17.1-8; Mark 9.2-8)
28 (A) About eight days later Jesus took Peter, John, and James with him and went up on a mountain to pray. 29 While he was praying, his face changed, and his clothes became shining white. 30 Suddenly Moses and Elijah were there speaking with him. 31 They appeared in heavenly glory and talked about all that Jesus' death[a] in Jerusalem would mean.
32 Peter and the other two disciples had been sound asleep. All at once they woke up and saw how glorious Jesus was. They also saw the two men who were with him.
33 Moses and Elijah were about to leave, when Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here! Let us make three shelters, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” But Peter did not know what he was talking about.
34 While Peter was still speaking, a shadow from a cloud passed over, and they were frightened as the cloud covered them. 35 (B) From the cloud a voice spoke, “This is my chosen Son. Listen to what he says!”
36 After the voice had spoken, Peter, John, and James saw only Jesus. For some time they kept quiet and did not say anything about what they had seen.
Jesus Heals a Boy
(Matthew 17.14-18; Mark 9.14-27)
37 The next day Jesus and his three disciples came down from the mountain and were met by a large crowd. 38 Just then someone in the crowd shouted, “Teacher, please do something for my son! He is my only child! 39 A demon often attacks him and makes him scream. It shakes him until he foams at the mouth, and it won't leave him until it has completely worn the boy out. 40 I begged your disciples to force out the demon, but they couldn't do it.”
41 Jesus said to them, “You people are stubborn and don't have any faith! How much longer must I be with you? Why do I have to put up with you?”
Then Jesus said to the man, “Bring your son to me.” 42 While the boy was being brought, the demon attacked him and made him shake all over. Jesus ordered the demon to stop. Then he healed the boy and gave him back to his father. 43 Everyone was amazed at God's great power.
Jesus Again Speaks about His Death
(Matthew 17.22,23; Mark 9.30-32)
While everyone was still amazed at what Jesus was doing, he said to his disciples, 44 “Pay close attention to what I am telling you! The Son of Man will be handed over to his enemies.” 45 But the disciples did not know what he meant. The meaning was hidden from them. They could not understand it, and they were afraid to ask.
Who Is the Greatest?
(Matthew 18.1-5; Mark 9.33-37)
46 (C) Jesus' disciples were arguing about which one of them was the greatest. 47 Jesus knew what they were thinking, and he had a child stand there beside him. 48 (D) Then he said to his disciples, “When you welcome even a child because of me, you welcome me. And when you welcome me, you welcome the one who sent me. Whichever one of you is the most humble is the greatest.”
For or against Jesus
(Mark 9.38-40)
49 John said, “Master, we saw a man using your name to force demons out of people. But we told him to stop, because he isn't one of us.”
50 “Don't stop him!” Jesus said. “Anyone who isn't against you is for you.”
A Samaritan Village Refuses To Receive Jesus
51 Not long before it was time for Jesus to be taken up to heaven, he made up his mind to go to Jerusalem. 52 He sent some messengers on ahead to a Samaritan village to get things ready for him. 53 But he was on his way to Jerusalem, so the people there refused to welcome him. 54 (E) When the disciples James and John saw what was happening, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to destroy these people?”[b]
55 But Jesus turned and corrected them for what they had said.[c] 56 Then they all went on to another village.
Three People Who Wanted To Be Followers
(Matthew 8.19-22)
57 Along the way someone said to Jesus, “I'll follow you anywhere!”
58 Jesus said, “Foxes have dens, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man doesn't have a place to call his own.”
59 Jesus told someone else to come with him. But the man said, “Lord, let me wait until I bury my father.”[d]
60 Jesus answered, “Let the dead take care of the dead, while you go and tell about God's kingdom.”
61 (F) Then someone said to Jesus, “I want to follow you, Lord, but first let me go back and take care of things at home.”
62 Jesus answered, “Anyone who starts plowing and keeps looking back isn't worth a thing to God's kingdom!”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 9.31 Jesus' death: In Greek this is “his departure,” which probably includes his rising to life and his return to heaven.
- 9.54 to destroy these people: Some manuscripts add “as Elijah did.”
- 9.55 what they had said: Some manuscripts add, “and said, ‘Don't you know what spirit you belong to? The Son of Man did not come to destroy people's lives, but to save them.’ ”
- 9.59 bury my father: The Jewish people taught that giving someone a proper burial was even more important than helping the poor.
Luke 9:28-62
New International Version
Luke 9:28-62
New International Version
The Transfiguration(A)
28 About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James(B) with him and went up onto a mountain to pray.(C) 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](D) which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. 32 Peter and his companions were very sleepy,(E) 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,(F) 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;(G) listen to him.”(H) 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.(I)
Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Boy(J)
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,”(K) 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.”(L) 45 But they did not understand what this meant. It was hidden from them, so that they did not grasp it,(M) 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.(N) 47 Jesus, knowing their thoughts,(O) 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.(P) For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.”(Q)
49 “Master,”(R) 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.”(S)
Samaritan Opposition
51 As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven,(T) Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.(U) 52 And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan(V) 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(W) saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them[b]?”(X) 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them. 56 Then he and his disciples went to another village.
The Cost of Following Jesus(Y)
57 As they were walking along the road,(Z) 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(AA) has no place to lay his head.”
59 He said to another man, “Follow me.”(AB)
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.”(AC)
61 Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”(AD)
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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