Bible in 90 Days
The Mission of the Seventy-Two
10 After this[a] the Lord appointed seventy-two[b] others and sent them on ahead of him two by two into every town[c] and place where he himself was about to go. 2 He[d] said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore ask the Lord of the harvest[e] to send out[f] workers into his harvest. 3 Go! I[g] am sending you out like lambs[h] surrounded by wolves.[i] 4 Do not carry[j] a money bag,[k] a traveler’s bag,[l] or sandals, and greet no one on the road.[m] 5 Whenever[n] you enter a house,[o] first say, ‘May peace[p] be on this house!’ 6 And if a peace-loving person[q] is there, your peace will remain on him, but if not, it will return to you.[r] 7 Stay[s] in that same house, eating and drinking what they give you,[t] for the worker deserves his pay.[u] Do not move around from house to house. 8 Whenever[v] you enter a town[w] and the people[x] welcome you, eat what is set before you. 9 Heal[y] the sick in that town[z] and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God[aa] has come upon[ab] you!’ 10 But whenever[ac] you enter a town[ad] and the people[ae] do not welcome[af] you, go into its streets[ag] and say, 11 ‘Even the dust of your town[ah] that clings to our feet we wipe off[ai] against you.[aj] Nevertheless know this: The kingdom of God has come.’[ak] 12 I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom[al] than for that town![am]
13 “Woe to you, Chorazin![an] Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if[ao] the miracles[ap] done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon,[aq] they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.[ar] 14 But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon[as] in the judgment than for you! 15 And you, Capernaum,[at] will you be exalted to heaven?[au] No, you will be thrown down to Hades![av]
16 “The one who listens[aw] to you listens to me,[ax] and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects[ay] the one who sent me.”[az]
17 Then[ba] the seventy-two[bb] returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons submit to[bc] us in your name!”[bd] 18 So[be] he said to them, “I saw[bf] Satan fall[bg] like lightning[bh] from heaven. 19 Look, I have given you authority to tread[bi] on snakes and scorpions[bj] and on the full force of the enemy,[bk] and nothing will[bl] hurt you. 20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice that[bm] the spirits submit to you, but rejoice[bn] that your names stand written[bo] in heaven.”
21 On that same occasion[bp] Jesus[bq] rejoiced[br] in the Holy Spirit and said, “I praise[bs] you, Father, Lord[bt] of heaven and earth, because[bu] you have hidden these things from the wise[bv] and intelligent, and revealed them to little children.[bw] Yes, Father, for this was your gracious will.[bx] 22 All things have been given to me by my Father.[by] No one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son decides[bz] to reveal him.”
23 Then[ca] Jesus[cb] turned[cc] to his[cd] disciples and said privately, “Blessed[ce] are the eyes that see what you see! 24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings longed to see[cf] what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”
The Parable of the Good Samaritan
25 Now[cg] an expert in religious law[ch] stood up to test Jesus,[ci] saying, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”[cj] 26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you understand it?”[ck] 27 The expert[cl] answered, “Love[cm] the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,[cn] and love your neighbor as yourself.”[co] 28 Jesus[cp] said to him, “You have answered correctly;[cq] do this, and you will live.”
29 But the expert,[cr] wanting to justify[cs] himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus replied,[ct] “A man was going down[cu] from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat[cv] him up, and went off, leaving him half dead.[cw] 31 Now by chance[cx] a priest was going down that road, but[cy] when he saw the injured man[cz] he passed by[da] on the other side.[db] 32 So too a Levite, when he came up to[dc] the place and saw him,[dd] passed by on the other side. 33 But[de] a Samaritan[df] who was traveling[dg] came to where the injured man[dh] was, and when he saw him, he felt compassion for him.[di] 34 He[dj] went up to him[dk] and bandaged his wounds, pouring olive oil[dl] and wine on them. Then[dm] he put him on[dn] his own animal,[do] brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 The[dp] next day he took out two silver coins[dq] and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever else you spend, I will repay you when I come back this way.’[dr] 36 Which of these three do you think became a neighbor[ds] to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” 37 The expert in religious law[dt] said, “The one who showed mercy[du] to him.” So[dv] Jesus said to him, “Go and do[dw] the same.”
Jesus and Martha
38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus[dx] entered a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him as a guest.[dy] 39 She[dz] had a sister named Mary, who sat[ea] at the Lord’s feet[eb] and listened to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted[ec] with all the preparations she had to make,[ed] so[ee] she came up to him and said, “Lord, don’t you care[ef] that my sister has left me to do all the work[eg] alone? Tell[eh] her to help me.” 41 But the Lord[ei] answered her,[ej] “Martha, Martha,[ek] you are worried and troubled[el] about many things, 42 but one thing[em] is needed. Mary has chosen the best[en] part; it will not be taken away from her.”
Instructions on Prayer
11 Now[eo] Jesus[ep] was praying in a certain place. When[eq] he stopped, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John[er] taught[es] his disciples.” 2 So he said to them, “When you pray,[et] say:
Father,[eu] may your name be honored;[ev]
may your kingdom come.[ew]
3 Give us each day our daily bread,[ex]
4 and forgive us our sins,
for we also forgive everyone who sins[ey] against us.
And do not lead us into temptation.”[ez]
5 Then[fa] he said to them, “Suppose one of you[fb] has a friend, and you go to him[fc] at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,[fd] 6 because a friend of mine has stopped here while on a journey,[fe] and I have nothing to set before[ff] him.’ 7 Then[fg] he will reply[fh] from inside, ‘Do not bother me. The door is already shut, and my children and I are in bed.[fi] I cannot get up and give you anything.’[fj] 8 I tell you, even though the man inside[fk] will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of the first man’s[fl] sheer persistence[fm] he will get up and give him whatever he needs.
9 “So[fn] I tell you: Ask,[fo] and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door[fp] will be opened for you. 10 For everyone who asks[fq] receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door[fr] will be opened. 11 What father among you, if your[fs] son asks for[ft] a fish, will give him a snake[fu] instead of a fish? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?[fv] 13 If you then, although you are[fw] evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit[fx] to those who ask him!”
Jesus and Beelzebul
14 Now[fy] he was casting out a demon that was mute.[fz] When[ga] the demon had gone out, the man who had been mute began to speak,[gb] and the crowds were amazed. 15 But some of them said, “By the power of Beelzebul,[gc] the ruler[gd] of demons, he casts out demons!” 16 Others, to test[ge] him,[gf] began asking for[gg] a sign[gh] from heaven. 17 But Jesus,[gi] realizing their thoughts, said to them,[gj] “Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed,[gk] and a divided household falls.[gl] 18 So[gm] if[gn] Satan too is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? I ask you this because[go] you claim that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. 19 Now if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons[gp] cast them[gq] out? Therefore they will be your judges. 20 But if I cast out demons by the finger[gr] of God, then the kingdom of God[gs] has already overtaken[gt] you. 21 When a strong man,[gu] fully armed, guards his own palace,[gv] his possessions are safe.[gw] 22 But[gx] when a stronger man[gy] attacks[gz] and conquers him, he takes away the first man’s[ha] armor on which the man relied[hb] and divides up[hc] his plunder.[hd] 23 Whoever is not with me is against me,[he] and whoever does not gather with me scatters.[hf]
Response to Jesus’ Work
24 “When an unclean spirit[hg] goes out of a person,[hh] it passes through waterless places[hi] looking for rest but[hj] not finding any. Then[hk] it says, ‘I will return to the home I left.’[hl] 25 When it returns,[hm] it finds the house[hn] swept clean and put in order.[ho] 26 Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there, so[hp] the last state of that person[hq] is worse than the first.”[hr]
27 As[hs] he said these things, a woman in the crowd spoke out[ht] to him, “Blessed is the womb[hu] that bore you and the breasts at which you nursed!”[hv] 28 But he replied,[hw] “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey[hx] it!”
The Sign of Jonah
29 As[hy] the crowds were increasing, Jesus[hz] began to say, “This generation is a wicked generation; it looks for a sign,[ia] but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.[ib] 30 For just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh,[ic] so the Son of Man will be a sign[id] to this generation.[ie] 31 The queen of the South[if] will rise up at the judgment[ig] with the people[ih] of this generation and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon—and now,[ii] something greater[ij] than Solomon is here! 32 The people[ik] of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented when Jonah preached to them[il]—and now,[im] something greater than Jonah is here!
Internal Light
33 “No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a hidden place[in] or under a basket,[io] but on a lampstand, so that those who come in can see the light. 34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy,[ip] your whole body is full of light, but when it is diseased,[iq] your body is full of darkness. 35 Therefore see to it[ir] that the light in you[is] is not darkness. 36 If[it] then[iu] your whole body is full of light, with no part in the dark,[iv] it will be as full of light as when the light of a lamp shines on you.”[iw]
Rebuking the Pharisees and Experts in the Law
37 As he spoke,[ix] a Pharisee[iy] invited Jesus[iz] to have a meal with him, so he went in and took his place at the table.[ja] 38 The[jb] Pharisee was astonished when he saw that Jesus[jc] did not first wash his hands[jd] before the meal. 39 But the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees clean[je] the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.[jf] 40 You fools![jg] Didn’t the one who made the outside make the inside as well?[jh] 41 But give from your heart to those in need,[ji] and[jj] then everything will be clean for you.[jk]
42 “But woe to you Pharisees![jl] You give a tenth[jm] of your mint,[jn] rue,[jo] and every herb, yet you neglect justice[jp] and love for God! But you should have done these things without neglecting the others.[jq] 43 Woe to you Pharisees! You love the best seats[jr] in the synagogues[js] and elaborate greetings[jt] in the marketplaces![ju] 44 Woe to you![jv] You are like unmarked graves, and people[jw] walk over them without realizing it!”[jx]
45 One of the experts in religious law[jy] answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things you insult[jz] us too.” 46 But Jesus[ka] replied,[kb] “Woe to you experts in religious law as well![kc] You load people[kd] down with burdens difficult to bear, yet you yourselves refuse to touch[ke] the burdens with even one of your fingers! 47 Woe to you! You build[kf] the tombs of the prophets whom your ancestors[kg] killed. 48 So you testify that you approve of[kh] the deeds of your ancestors,[ki] because they killed the prophets[kj] and you build their[kk] tombs![kl] 49 For this reason also the wisdom[km] of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,’ 50 so that this generation may be held accountable[kn] for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning[ko] of the world,[kp] 51 from the blood of Abel[kq] to the blood of Zechariah,[kr] who was killed[ks] between the altar and the sanctuary.[kt] Yes, I tell you, it will be charged against[ku] this generation. 52 Woe to you experts in religious law! You have taken away[kv] the key to knowledge! You did not go in yourselves, and you hindered[kw] those who were going in.”
53 When he went out from there, the experts in the law[kx] and the Pharisees began to oppose him bitterly,[ky] and to ask him hostile questions[kz] about many things, 54 plotting against[la] him, to catch[lb] him in something he might say.
Fear God, Not People
12 Meanwhile,[lc] when many thousands of the crowd had gathered so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus[ld] began to speak first to his disciples, “Be on your guard against[le] the yeast of the Pharisees,[lf] which is hypocrisy.[lg] 2 Nothing is hidden[lh] that will not be revealed,[li] and nothing is secret that will not be made known. 3 So then[lj] whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered[lk] in private rooms[ll] will be proclaimed from the housetops.[lm]
4 “I[ln] tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body,[lo] and after that have nothing more they can do. 5 But I will warn[lp] you whom you should fear: Fear the one who, after the killing,[lq] has authority to throw you[lr] into hell.[ls] Yes, I tell you, fear him! 6 Aren’t five sparrows sold for two pennies?[lt] Yet not one of them is forgotten before God.[lu] 7 In fact, even the hairs on your head are all numbered. Do not be afraid;[lv] you are more valuable than many sparrows.
8 “I[lw] tell you, whoever acknowledges[lx] me before men,[ly] the Son of Man will also acknowledge[lz] before God’s angels. 9 But the one who denies me before men will be denied before God’s angels. 10 And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the person who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit[ma] will not be forgiven.[mb] 11 But when they bring you before the synagogues,[mc] the[md] rulers, and the authorities, do not worry about how you should make your defense[me] or what you should say, 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment[mf] what you must say.”[mg]
The Parable of the Rich Landowner
13 Then[mh] someone from the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell[mi] my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 But Jesus[mj] said to him, “Man,[mk] who made me a judge or arbitrator between you two?”[ml] 15 Then[mm] he said to them, “Watch out and guard yourself from[mn] all types of greed,[mo] because one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” 16 He then[mp] told them a parable:[mq] “The land of a certain rich man produced[mr] an abundant crop, 17 so[ms] he thought to himself,[mt] ‘What should I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’[mu] 18 Then[mv] he said, ‘I[mw] will do this: I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to myself,[mx] “You have plenty of goods stored up for many years; relax, eat, drink, celebrate!”’ 20 But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life[my] will be demanded back from[mz] you, but who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’[na] 21 So it is with the one who stores up riches for himself,[nb] but is not rich toward God.”
Exhortation Not to Worry
22 Then[nc] Jesus[nd] said to his[ne] disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry[nf] about your[ng] life, what you will eat, or about your[nh] body, what you will wear. 23 For there is more to life than food, and more to the body than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens:[ni] They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn, yet God feeds[nj] them. How much more valuable are you than the birds! 25 And which of you by worrying[nk] can add an hour to his life?[nl] 26 So if[nm] you cannot do such a very little thing as this, why do you worry about[nn] the rest? 27 Consider how the flowers[no] grow; they do not work[np] or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these! 28 And if[nq] this is how God clothes the wild grass,[nr] which is here[ns] today and tomorrow is tossed into the fire to heat the oven,[nt] how much more[nu] will he clothe you, you people of little faith! 29 So[nv] do not be overly concerned about[nw] what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not worry about such things.[nx] 30 For all the nations of the world pursue[ny] these things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 Instead, pursue[nz] his[oa] kingdom,[ob] and these things will be given to you as well.
32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is well pleased[oc] to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions[od] and give to the poor.[oe] Provide yourselves purses that do not wear out—a treasure in heaven[of] that never decreases,[og] where no thief approaches and no moth[oh] destroys. 34 For where your treasure[oi] is, there your heart will be also.
Call to Faithful Stewardship
35 “Get dressed for service[oj] and keep your lamps burning;[ok] 36 be like people[ol] waiting for their master to come back from the wedding celebration,[om] so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. 37 Blessed are those slaves[on] whom their master finds alert[oo] when he returns! I tell you the truth,[op] he will dress himself to serve,[oq] have them take their place at the table,[or] and will come[os] and wait on them![ot] 38 Even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night[ou] and finds them alert,[ov] blessed are those slaves![ow] 39 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief[ox] was coming, he would not have let[oy] his house be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”[oz]
41 Then[pa] Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for everyone?”[pb] 42 The Lord replied,[pc] “Who then is the faithful and wise manager,[pd] whom the master puts in charge of his household servants,[pe] to give them their allowance of food at the proper time? 43 Blessed is that slave[pf] whom his master finds at work[pg] when he returns. 44 I tell you the truth,[ph] the master[pi] will put him in charge of all his possessions. 45 But if[pj] that[pk] slave should say to himself,[pl] ‘My master is delayed[pm] in returning,’ and he begins to beat[pn] the other[po] slaves, both men and women,[pp] and to eat, drink, and get drunk, 46 then the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not foresee, and will cut him in two,[pq] and assign him a place with the unfaithful.[pr] 47 That[ps] servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or do what his master asked[pt] will receive a severe beating. 48 But the one who did not know his master’s will[pu] and did things worthy of punishment[pv] will receive a light beating.[pw] From everyone who has been given much, much will be required,[px] and from the one who has been entrusted with much,[py] even more will be asked.[pz]
Not Peace, but Division
49 “I have come[qa] to bring[qb] fire on the earth—and how I wish it were already kindled! 50 I have a baptism[qc] to undergo,[qd] and how distressed I am until it is finished! 51 Do you think I have come to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division![qe] 52 For from now on[qf] there will be five in one household divided, three against two and two against three. 53 They will be divided,[qg] father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
Reading the Signs
54 Jesus[qh] also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west,[qi] you say at once, ‘A rainstorm[qj] is coming,’ and it does. 55 And when you see the south wind[qk] blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat,’ and there is. 56 You hypocrites![ql] You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how can you not know how[qm] to interpret the present time?
Clear the Debts
57 “And[qn] why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right? 58 As you are going with your accuser before the magistrate,[qo] make an effort to settle with him on the way, so that he will not drag you before the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer,[qp] and the officer throw you into prison. 59 I tell you, you will never get out of there until you have paid the very last cent!”[qq]
A Call to Repent
13 Now[qr] there were some present on that occasion who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.[qs] 2 He[qt] answered them, “Do you think these Galileans were worse sinners[qu] than all the other Galileans, because they suffered these things? 3 No, I tell you! But unless you repent,[qv] you will all perish as well![qw] 4 Or those eighteen who were killed[qx] when the tower in Siloam fell on them,[qy] do you think they were worse offenders than all the others who live in Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you! But unless you repent[qz] you will all perish as well!”[ra]
Warning to Israel to Bear Fruit
6 Then[rb] Jesus[rc] told this parable: “A man had a fig tree[rd] planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. 7 So[re] he said to the worker who tended the vineyard, ‘For[rf] three years[rg] now, I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and each time I inspect it[rh] I find none. Cut[ri] it down! Why[rj] should it continue to deplete[rk] the soil?’ 8 But the worker[rl] answered him, ‘Sir, leave it alone this year too, until I dig around it and put fertilizer[rm] on it. 9 Then if[rn] it bears fruit next year,[ro] very well,[rp] but if[rq] not, you can cut it down.’”
Healing on the Sabbath
10 Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues[rr] on the Sabbath, 11 and a woman was there[rs] who had been disabled by a spirit[rt] for eighteen years. She[ru] was bent over and could not straighten herself up completely.[rv] 12 When[rw] Jesus saw her, he called her to him[rx] and said, “Woman,[ry] you are freed[rz] from your infirmity.”[sa] 13 Then[sb] he placed his hands on her, and immediately[sc] she straightened up and praised God. 14 But the president of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the crowd, “There are six days on which work[sd] should be done![se] So come[sf] and be healed on those days, and not on the Sabbath day.” 15 Then the Lord answered him,[sg] “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from its stall,[sh] and lead it to water?[si] 16 Then[sj] shouldn’t[sk] this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan[sl] bound for eighteen long[sm] years, be released from this imprisonment[sn] on the Sabbath day?” 17 When[so] he said this all his adversaries were humiliated,[sp] but[sq] the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things[sr] he was doing.[ss]
On the Kingdom of God
18 Thus Jesus[st] asked,[su] “What is the kingdom of God[sv] like?[sw] To[sx] what should I compare it? 19 It is like a mustard seed[sy] that a man took and sowed[sz] in his garden. It[ta] grew and became a tree,[tb] and the wild birds[tc] nested in its branches.”[td]
20 Again[te] he said, “To what should I compare the kingdom of God?[tf] 21 It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with[tg] three measures[th] of flour until all the dough had risen.”[ti]
The Narrow Door
22 Then[tj] Jesus[tk] traveled throughout[tl] towns[tm] and villages, teaching and making his way toward[tn] Jerusalem. 23 Someone[to] asked[tp] him, “Lord, will only a few[tq] be saved?” So[tr] he said to them, 24 “Exert every effort[ts] to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. 25 Once[tt] the head of the house[tu] gets up[tv] and shuts the door, then you will stand outside and start to knock on the door and beg him, ‘Lord,[tw] let us in!’[tx] But he will answer you,[ty] ‘I don’t know where you come from.’[tz] 26 Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’[ua] 27 But[ub] he will reply,[uc] ‘I don’t know where you come from![ud] Go away from me, all you evildoers!’[ue] 28 There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth[uf] when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob,[ug] and all the prophets in the kingdom of God[uh] but you yourselves thrown out.[ui] 29 Then[uj] people[uk] will come from east and west, and from north and south, and take their places at the banquet table[ul] in the kingdom of God.[um] 30 But[un] indeed,[uo] some are last[up] who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”
Going to Jerusalem
31 At that time,[uq] some Pharisees[ur] came up and said to Jesus,[us] “Get away from here,[ut] because Herod[uu] wants to kill you.” 32 But[uv] he said to them, “Go[uw] and tell that fox,[ux] ‘Look, I am casting out demons and performing healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day[uy] I will complete my work.[uz] 33 Nevertheless I must[va] go on my way today and tomorrow and the next day, because it is impossible[vb] that a prophet should be killed[vc] outside Jerusalem.’[vd] 34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem,[ve] you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you![vf] How often I have longed[vg] to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but[vh] you would have none of it![vi] 35 Look, your house is forsaken![vj] And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’”[vk]
Healing Again on the Sabbath
14 Now[vl] one Sabbath when Jesus went to dine[vm] at the house of a leader[vn] of the Pharisees,[vo] they were watching[vp] him closely. 2 There[vq] right[vr] in front of him was a man whose body was swollen with fluid.[vs] 3 So[vt] Jesus asked[vu] the experts in religious law[vv] and the Pharisees, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath[vw] or not?” 4 But they remained silent. So[vx] Jesus[vy] took hold of the man,[vz] healed him, and sent him away.[wa] 5 Then[wb] he said to them, “Which of you, if you have a son[wc] or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?” 6 But[wd] they could not reply[we] to this.
On Seeking Seats of Honor
7 Then[wf] when Jesus[wg] noticed how the guests[wh] chose the places of honor,[wi] he told them a parable. He said to them, 8 “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast,[wj] do not take[wk] the place of honor, because a person more distinguished than you may have been invited by your host.[wl] 9 So[wm] the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this man your place.’ Then, ashamed,[wn] you will begin to move to the least important[wo] place. 10 But when you are invited, go and take the least important place, so that when your host[wp] approaches he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up here to a better place.’[wq] Then you will be honored in the presence of all who share the meal with you. 11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but[wr] the one who humbles[ws] himself will be exalted.”
12 He[wt] said also to the man[wu] who had invited him, “When you host a dinner or a banquet,[wv] don’t invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors so you can be invited by them in return and get repaid. 13 But when you host an elaborate meal,[ww] invite the poor, the crippled,[wx] the lame, and[wy] the blind.[wz] 14 Then[xa] you will be blessed,[xb] because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid[xc] at the resurrection of the righteous.”
The Parable of the Great Banquet
15 When[xd] one of those at the meal with Jesus[xe] heard this, he said to him, “Blessed is everyone[xf] who will feast[xg] in the kingdom of God!”[xh] 16 But Jesus[xi] said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet[xj] and invited[xk] many guests.[xl] 17 At[xm] the time for the banquet[xn] he sent his slave[xo] to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, because everything is now ready.’ 18 But one after another they all[xp] began to make excuses.[xq] The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field,[xr] and I must go out and see it. Please excuse me.’[xs] 19 Another[xt] said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen,[xu] and I am going out[xv] to examine them. Please excuse me.’ 20 Another[xw] said, ‘I just got married, and I cannot come.’[xx] 21 So[xy] the slave came back and reported this to his master. Then the master of the household was furious[xz] and said to his slave, ‘Go out quickly[ya] to the streets and alleys of the city,[yb] and bring in the poor,[yc] the crippled,[yd] the blind, and the lame.’ 22 Then[ye] the slave said, ‘Sir, what you instructed has been done, and there is still room.’[yf] 23 So[yg] the master said to his[yh] slave, ‘Go out to the highways[yi] and country roads[yj] and urge[yk] people[yl] to come in, so that my house will be filled.[ym] 24 For I tell you, not one of those individuals[yn] who were invited[yo] will taste my banquet!’”[yp]
Counting the Cost
25 Now large crowds[yq] were accompanying Jesus,[yr] and turning to them he said, 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate[ys] his own father and mother, and wife and children, and brothers and sisters, and even his own life,[yt] he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not carry his own cross[yu] and follow[yv] me cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, wanting to build a tower, doesn’t sit down[yw] first and compute the cost[yx] to see if he has enough money to complete it? 29 Otherwise,[yy] when he has laid[yz] a foundation and is not able to finish the tower,[za] all who see it[zb] will begin to make fun of[zc] him. 30 They will say,[zd] ‘This man[ze] began to build and was not able to finish!’[zf] 31 Or what king, going out to confront another king in battle, will not sit down[zg] first and determine whether he is able with 10,000 to oppose[zh] the one coming against him with 20,000? 32 If he cannot succeed,[zi] he will send a representative[zj] while the other is still a long way off and ask for terms of peace.[zk] 33 In the same way therefore not one of you can be my disciple if he does not renounce all his own possessions.[zl]
34 “Salt[zm] is good, but if salt loses its flavor,[zn] how can its flavor be restored? 35 It is of no value[zo] for the soil or for the manure pile; it is to be thrown out.[zp] The one who has ears to hear had better listen!”[zq]
The Parable of the Lost Sheep and Coin
15 Now all the tax collectors[zr] and sinners were coming[zs] to hear him. 2 But[zt] the Pharisees[zu] and the experts in the law[zv] were complaining,[zw] “This man welcomes[zx] sinners and eats with them.”
3 So[zy] Jesus[zz] told them[aaa] this parable:[aab] 4 “Which one[aac] of you, if he has a hundred[aad] sheep and loses one of them, would not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture[aae] and go look for[aaf] the one that is lost until he finds it?[aag] 5 Then[aah] when he has found it, he places it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 Returning[aai] home, he calls together[aaj] his[aak] friends and neighbors, telling them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost.’ 7 I tell you, in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner[aal] who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people[aam] who have no need to repent.[aan]
8 “Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins[aao] and loses[aap] one of them,[aaq] does not light a lamp, sweep[aar] the house, and search thoroughly until she finds it? 9 Then[aas] when she has found it, she calls together her[aat] friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice[aau] with me, for I have found the coin[aav] that I had lost.’ 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels[aaw] over one sinner who repents.”
The Parable of the Compassionate Father
11 Then[aax] Jesus[aay] said, “A man had two sons. 12 The[aaz] younger of them said to his[aba] father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate[abb] that will belong[abc] to me.’ So[abd] he divided his[abe] assets between them.[abf] 13 After[abg] a few days,[abh] the younger son gathered together all he had and left on a journey to a distant country, and there he squandered[abi] his wealth[abj] with a wild lifestyle. 14 Then[abk] after he had spent everything, a severe famine took place in that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and worked for[abl] one of the citizens of that country, who[abm] sent him to his fields to feed pigs.[abn] 16 He[abo] was longing to eat[abp] the carob pods[abq] the pigs were eating, but[abr] no one gave him anything. 17 But when he came to his senses[abs] he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have food[abt] enough to spare, but here I am dying from hunger! 18 I will get up and go to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned[abu] against heaven[abv] and against[abw] you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me[abx] like one of your hired workers.”’ 20 So[aby] he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way from home[abz] his father saw him, and his heart went out to him;[aca] he ran and hugged[acb] his son[acc] and kissed him. 21 Then[acd] his son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven[ace] and against you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’[acf] 22 But the father said to his slaves,[acg] ‘Hurry! Bring the best robe,[ach] and put it on him! Put a ring on his finger[aci] and sandals[acj] on his feet! 23 Bring[ack] the fattened calf[acl] and kill it! Let us eat[acm] and celebrate, 24 because this son of mine was dead, and is alive again—he was lost and is found!’[acn] So[aco] they began to celebrate.
25 “Now his older son was in the field. As[acp] he came and approached the house, he heard music[acq] and dancing. 26 So[acr] he called one of the slaves[acs] and asked what was happening. 27 The slave replied,[act] ‘Your brother has returned, and your father has killed the fattened calf[acu] because he got his son[acv] back safe and sound.’ 28 But the older son[acw] became angry[acx] and refused[acy] to go in. His father came out and appealed to him, 29 but he answered[acz] his father, ‘Look! These many years I have worked like a slave[ada] for you, and I never disobeyed your commands. Yet[adb] you never gave me even a goat[adc] so that I could celebrate with my friends! 30 But when this son of yours[add] came back, who has devoured[ade] your assets with prostitutes,[adf] you killed the fattened calf[adg] for him!’ 31 Then[adh] the father[adi] said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and everything that belongs to me is yours. 32 It was appropriate[adj] to celebrate and be glad, for your brother[adk] was dead, and is alive; he was lost and is found.’”[adl]
The Parable of the Clever Steward
16 Jesus[adm] also said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who was informed of accusations[adn] that his manager[ado] was wasting[adp] his assets. 2 So[adq] he called the manager[adr] in and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you?[ads] Turn in the account of your administration,[adt] because you can no longer be my manager.’ 3 Then[adu] the manager said to himself, ‘What should I do, since my master is taking my position[adv] away from me? I’m not strong enough to dig,[adw] and I’m too ashamed[adx] to beg. 4 I know[ady] what to do so that when I am put out of management, people will welcome me into their homes.’[adz] 5 So[aea] he contacted[aeb] his master’s debtors one by one. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6 The man[aec] replied, ‘100 measures[aed] of olive oil.’ The manager[aee] said to him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and write fifty.’[aef] 7 Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ The second man[aeg] replied, ‘100 measures[aeh] of wheat.’ The manager[aei] said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write 80.’[aej] 8 The[aek] master commended the dishonest[ael] manager because he acted shrewdly.[aem] For the people[aen] of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their contemporaries[aeo] than the people[aep] of light. 9 And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by how you use worldly wealth,[aeq] so that when it runs out you will be welcomed[aer] into the eternal homes.[aes]
10 “The one who is faithful in a very little[aet] is also faithful in much, and the one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. 11 If then you haven’t been trustworthy[aeu] in handling worldly wealth,[aev] who will entrust you with the true riches?[aew] 12 And if you haven’t been trustworthy[aex] with someone else’s property,[aey] who will give you your own[aez] ? 13 No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate[afa] the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise[afb] the other. You cannot serve God and money.”[afc]
More Warnings about the Pharisees
14 The Pharisees[afd] (who loved money) heard all this and ridiculed[afe] him. 15 But[aff] Jesus[afg] said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in men’s eyes,[afh] but God knows your hearts. For what is highly prized[afi] among men is utterly detestable[afj] in God’s sight.
16 “The law and the prophets were in force[afk] until John;[afl] since then,[afm] the good news of the kingdom of God[afn] has been proclaimed, and everyone is urged to enter it.[afo] 17 But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tiny stroke of a letter[afp] in the law to become void.[afq]
18 “Everyone who divorces his wife and marries[afr] someone else commits adultery, and the one who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.
The Rich Man and Lazarus
19 “There was a rich man who dressed in purple[afs] and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously[aft] every day. 20 But at his gate lay[afu] a poor man named Lazarus[afv] whose body was covered with sores,[afw] 21 who longed to eat[afx] what fell from the rich man’s table. In addition, the dogs[afy] came and licked[afz] his sores.
22 “Now[aga] the poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side.[agb] The[agc] rich man also died and was buried.[agd] 23 And in Hades,[age] as he was in torment,[agf] he looked up[agg] and saw Abraham far off with Lazarus at his side.[agh] 24 So[agi] he called out,[agj] ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus[agk] to dip the tip of his finger[agl] in water and cool my tongue, because I am in anguish[agm] in this fire.’[agn] 25 But Abraham said, ‘Child,[ago] remember that in your lifetime you received your good things and Lazarus likewise bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in anguish.[agp] 26 Besides all this,[agq] a great chasm[agr] has been fixed between us,[ags] so that those who want to cross over from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.’ 27 So[agt] the rich man[agu] said, ‘Then I beg you, father—send Lazarus[agv] to my father’s house 28 (for I have five brothers) to warn[agw] them so that they don’t come[agx] into this place of torment.’ 29 But Abraham said,[agy] ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they must respond to[agz] them.’ 30 Then[aha] the rich man[ahb] said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead[ahc] goes to them, they will repent.’ 31 He[ahd] replied to him, ‘If they do not respond to[ahe] Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”[ahf]
Sin, Forgiveness, Faith, and Service
17 Jesus[ahg] said to his disciples, “Stumbling blocks are sure to come, but woe[ahh] to the one through whom they come! 2 It would be better for him to have a millstone[ahi] tied around his neck and be thrown into the sea[ahj] than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.[ahk] 3 Watch[ahl] yourselves! If[ahm] your brother[ahn] sins, rebuke him. If[aho] he repents, forgive him. 4 Even if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times returns to you saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive[ahp] him.”
5 The[ahq] apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”[ahr] 6 So[ahs] the Lord replied,[aht] “If[ahu] you had faith the size of[ahv] a mustard seed, you could say to this black mulberry[ahw] tree, ‘Be pulled out by the roots and planted in the sea,’[ahx] and it would obey[ahy] you.
7 “Would any one of you say[ahz] to your slave[aia] who comes in from the field after plowing or shepherding sheep, ‘Come at once and sit down for a meal’?[aib] 8 Won’t[aic] the master[aid] instead say to him, ‘Get my dinner ready, and make yourself ready[aie] to serve me while[aif] I eat and drink. Then[aig] you may eat and drink’? 9 He won’t thank the slave because he did what he was told,[aih] will he?[aii] 10 So you too, when you have done everything you were commanded to do, should say, ‘We are slaves undeserving of special praise;[aij] we have only done what was our duty.’”[aik]
The Grateful Leper
11 Now on[ail] the way to Jerusalem,[aim] Jesus[ain] was passing along[aio] between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As[aip] he was entering[aiq] a village, ten men with leprosy[air] met him. They[ais] stood at a distance, 13 raised their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy[ait] on us.” 14 When[aiu] he saw them he said, “Go[aiv] and show yourselves to the priests.”[aiw] And[aix] as they went along, they were cleansed. 15 Then one of them, when he saw he was healed, turned back, praising[aiy] God with a loud voice. 16 He[aiz] fell with his face to the ground[aja] at Jesus’ feet and thanked him.[ajb] (Now[ajc] he was a Samaritan.)[ajd] 17 Then[aje] Jesus said,[ajf] “Were[ajg] not ten cleansed? Where are the other[ajh] nine? 18 Was no one found to turn back and give praise to God except this foreigner?”[aji] 19 Then[ajj] he said to the man,[ajk] “Get up and go your way. Your faith has made you well.”[ajl]
The Coming of the Kingdom
20 Now at one point[ajm] the Pharisees[ajn] asked Jesus[ajo] when the kingdom of God[ajp] was coming, so he answered, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs[ajq] to be observed, 21 nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is[ajr] in your midst.”[ajs]
The Coming of the Son of Man
22 Then[ajt] he said to the disciples, “The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days[aju] of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. 23 Then people[ajv] will say to you, ‘Look, there he is!’[ajw] or ‘Look, here he is!’ Do not go out or chase after them.[ajx] 24 For just like the lightning flashes[ajy] and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day.[ajz] 25 But first he must[aka] suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. 26 Just[akb] as it was[akc] in the days of Noah,[akd] so too it will be in the days of the Son of Man. 27 People[ake] were eating,[akf] they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage—right up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then[akg] the flood came and destroyed them all.[akh] 28 Likewise, just as it was[aki] in the days of Lot, people[akj] were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, building; 29 but on the day Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.[akk] 30 It will be the same on the day the Son of Man is revealed. 31 On that day, anyone who is on the roof,[akl] with his goods in the house, must not come down[akm] to take them away, and likewise the person in the field must not turn back. 32 Remember Lot’s wife![akn] 33 Whoever tries to keep[ako] his life[akp] will lose it,[akq] but whoever loses his life will preserve it. 34 I tell you, in that night there will be two people in one bed; one will be taken and the other left.[akr] 35 There will be two women grinding grain together;[aks] one will be taken and the other left.”[akt]
37 Then[aku] the disciples[akv] said[akw] to him, “Where,[akx] Lord?” He replied to them, “Where the dead body[aky] is, there the vultures[akz] will gather.”[ala]
Prayer and the Parable of the Persistent Widow
18 Then[alb] Jesus[alc] told them a parable to show them they should always[ald] pray and not lose heart.[ale] 2 He said,[alf] “In a certain city[alg] there was a judge[alh] who neither feared God nor respected people.[ali] 3 There was also a widow[alj] in that city[alk] who kept coming[all] to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ 4 For[alm] a while he refused, but later on[aln] he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor have regard for people,[alo] 5 yet because this widow keeps on bothering me, I will give her justice, or in the end she will wear me out[alp] by her unending pleas.’”[alq] 6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unrighteous judge says![alr] 7 Won’t[als] God give justice to his chosen ones, who cry out[alt] to him day and night?[alu] Will he delay[alv] long to help them? 8 I tell you, he will give them justice speedily.[alw] Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith[alx] on earth?”
The Parable of the Pharisee and Tax Collector
9 Jesus[aly] also told this parable to some who were confident that they were righteous and looked down[alz] on everyone else. 10 “Two men went up[ama] to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee[amb] and the other a tax collector.[amc] 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed about himself like this:[amd] ‘God, I thank[ame] you that I am not like other people:[amf] extortionists,[amg] unrighteous people,[amh] adulterers—or even like this tax collector.[ami] 12 I fast twice[amj] a week; I give a tenth[amk] of everything I get.’ 13 The tax collector, however, stood[aml] far off and would not even look up[amm] to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, be merciful[amn] to me, sinner that I am!’[amo] 14 I tell you that this man went down to his home justified[amp] rather than the Pharisee.[amq] For everyone who exalts[amr] himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Jesus and Little Children
15 Now people[ams] were even bringing their babies[amt] to him for him to touch.[amu] But when the disciples saw it, they began to scold those who brought them.[amv] 16 But Jesus called for the children,[amw] saying, “Let the little children come to me and do not try to stop them, for the kingdom of God[amx] belongs to such as these.[amy] 17 I tell you the truth,[amz] whoever does not receive[ana] the kingdom of God like a child[anb] will never[anc] enter it.”
The Wealthy Ruler
18 Now[and] a certain leader[ane] asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”[anf] 19 Jesus[ang] said to him, “Why do you call me good?[anh] No one is good except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’”[ani] 21 The man[anj] replied, “I have wholeheartedly obeyed[ank] all these laws[anl] since my youth.”[anm] 22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have[ann] and give the money[ano] to the poor,[anp] and you will have treasure[anq] in heaven. Then[anr] come, follow me.” 23 But when the man[ans] heard this he became very sad,[ant] for he was extremely wealthy. 24 When Jesus noticed this,[anu] he said, “How hard[anv] it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God![anw] 25 In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle[anx] than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 Those who heard this said, “Then[any] who can be saved?”[anz] 27 He replied, “What is impossible[aoa] for mere humans[aob] is possible for God.” 28 And Peter said, “Look, we have left everything we own[aoc] to follow you! 29 Then[aod] Jesus[aoe] said to them, “I tell you the truth,[aof] there is no one who has left home or wife or brothers[aog] or parents or children for the sake of God’s kingdom 30 who will not receive many times more[aoh] in this age[aoi]—and in the age to come, eternal life.”[aoj]
Another Prediction of Jesus’ Passion
31 Then[aok] Jesus[aol] took the twelve aside and said to them, “Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished.[aom] 32 For he will be handed over[aon] to the Gentiles; he will be mocked,[aoo] mistreated,[aop] and spat on.[aoq] 33 They will flog him severely[aor] and kill him. Yet[aos] on the third day he will rise again.” 34 But[aot] the twelve[aou] understood none of these things. This[aov] saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp[aow] what Jesus meant.[aox]
Healing a Blind Man
35 As[aoy] Jesus[aoz] approached[apa] Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the road begging. 36 When he heard a crowd going by, he asked what was going on. 37 They[apb] told him, “Jesus the Nazarene is passing by.” 38 So[apc] he called out,[apd] “Jesus, Son of David,[ape] have mercy[apf] on me!” 39 And those who were in front[apg] scolded[aph] him to get him to be quiet, but he shouted[api] even more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 40 So[apj] Jesus stopped and ordered the beggar[apk] to be brought to him. When the man[apl] came near, Jesus[apm] asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?” He replied,[apn] “Lord, let me see again.”[apo] 42 Jesus[app] said to him, “Receive[apq] your sight; your faith has healed you.”[apr] 43 And immediately he regained[aps] his sight and followed Jesus,[apt] praising[apu] God. When[apv] all the people saw it, they too[apw] gave praise to God.
Jesus and Zacchaeus
19 Jesus[apx] entered Jericho and was passing through it. 2 Now[apy] a man named Zacchaeus was there; he was a chief tax collector[apz] and was rich. 3 He[aqa] was trying to get a look at Jesus,[aqb] but being a short man he could not see over the crowd.[aqc] 4 So[aqd] he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree[aqe] to see him, because Jesus[aqf] was going to pass that way. 5 And when Jesus came to that place, he looked up[aqg] and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly,[aqh] because I must[aqi] stay at your house today.”[aqj] 6 So he came down quickly[aqk] and welcomed Jesus[aql] joyfully.[aqm] 7 And when the people[aqn] saw it, they all complained,[aqo] “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.”[aqp] 8 But Zacchaeus stopped and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, half of my possessions I now give[aqq] to the poor, and if[aqr] I have cheated anyone of anything, I am paying back four times as much!” 9 Then[aqs] Jesus said to him, “Today salvation[aqt] has come to this household,[aqu] because he too is a son of Abraham![aqv] 10 For the Son of Man came[aqw] to seek and to save the lost.”
The Parable of the Ten Minas
11 While the people were listening to these things, Jesus[aqx] proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they thought[aqy] that the kingdom of God[aqz] was going to[ara] appear immediately. 12 Therefore he said, “A nobleman[arb] went to a distant country to receive[arc] for himself a kingdom and then return.[ard] 13 And he summoned ten of his slaves,[are] gave them ten minas,[arf] and said to them, ‘Do business with these until I come back.’ 14 But his citizens[arg] hated[arh] him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man[ari] to be king[arj] over us!’ 15 When[ark] he returned after receiving the kingdom, he summoned[arl] these slaves to whom he had given the money. He wanted[arm] to know how much they had earned[arn] by trading. 16 So[aro] the first one came before him and said, ‘Sir,[arp] your mina[arq] has made ten minas more.’ 17 And the king[arr] said to him, ‘Well done, good slave! Because you have been faithful[ars] in a very small matter, you will have authority[art] over ten cities.’ 18 Then[aru] the second one came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has made five minas.’ 19 So[arv] the king[arw] said to him, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’ 20 Then another[arx] slave[ary] came and said, ‘Sir, here is[arz] your mina that I put away for safekeeping[asa] in a piece of cloth.[asb] 21 For I was afraid of you, because you are a severe[asc] man. You withdraw[asd] what you did not deposit[ase] and reap what you did not sow.’ 22 The king[asf] said to him, ‘I will judge you by your own words,[asg] you wicked slave![ash] So you knew, did you, that I was a severe[asi] man, withdrawing what I didn’t deposit and reaping what I didn’t sow? 23 Why then didn’t you put[asj] my money in the bank,[ask] so that when I returned I could have collected it with interest?’ 24 And he said to his attendants,[asl] ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has ten.’[asm] 25 But[asn] they said to him, ‘Sir, he has ten minas already!’[aso] 26 ‘I tell you that everyone who has will be given more,[asp] but from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.[asq] 27 But as for these enemies of mine who did not want me to be their king,[asr] bring them here and slaughter[ass] them[ast] in front of me!’”
The Triumphal Entry
28 After Jesus[asu] had said this, he continued on ahead,[asv] going up to Jerusalem.[asw] 29 Now[asx] when he approached Bethphage[asy] and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives,[asz] he sent two of the disciples, 30 telling them,[ata] “Go to the village ahead of you.[atb] When[atc] you enter it, you will find a colt tied there that has never been ridden.[atd] Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ just say, ‘The Lord needs[ate] it.’” 32 So those who were sent ahead found[atf] it exactly[atg] as he had told them. 33 As[ath] they were untying the colt, its owners asked them,[ati] “Why are you untying that colt?” 34 They replied, “The Lord needs it.” 35 Then[atj] they brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks[atk] on the colt,[atl] and had Jesus get on[atm] it. 36 As[atn] he rode along, they[ato] spread their cloaks on the road. 37 As he approached the road leading down from[atp] the Mount of Olives,[atq] the whole crowd of his[atr] disciples began to rejoice[ats] and praise[att] God with a loud voice for all the mighty works[atu] they had seen:[atv] 38 “Blessed is the king[atw] who comes in the name of the Lord![atx] Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” 39 But[aty] some of the Pharisees[atz] in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.”[aua] 40 He answered,[aub] “I tell you, if they[auc] keep silent, the very stones[aud] will cry out!”
Jesus Weeps for Jerusalem under Judgment
41 Now[aue] when Jesus[auf] approached[aug] and saw the city, he wept over it, 42 saying, “If you had only known on this day,[auh] even you, the things that make for peace![aui] But now they are hidden[auj] from your eyes. 43 For the days will come upon you when your enemies will build[auk] an embankment[aul] against you and surround you and close in on you from every side. 44 They will demolish you[aum]—you and your children within your walls[aun]—and they will not leave within you one stone[auo] on top of another,[aup] because you did not recognize the time of your visitation from God.”[auq]
Cleansing the Temple
45 Then[aur] Jesus[aus] entered the temple courts[aut] and began to drive out those who were selling things there,[auu] 46 saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house will be a house of prayer,’[auv] but you have turned it into a den[auw] of robbers!”[aux]
47 Jesus[auy] was teaching daily in the temple courts. The chief priests and the experts in the law[auz] and the prominent leaders among the people were seeking to assassinate[ava] him, 48 but[avb] they could not find a way to do it,[avc] for all the people hung on his words.[avd]
The Authority of Jesus
20 Now one[ave] day, as Jesus[avf] was teaching the people in the temple courts[avg] and proclaiming[avh] the gospel, the chief priests and the experts in the law[avi] with the elders came up[avj] 2 and said to him,[avk] “Tell us: By what authority[avl] are you doing these things?[avm] Or who is it who gave you this authority?” 3 He answered them,[avn] “I will also ask you a question, and you tell me: 4 John’s baptism[avo]—was it from heaven or from people?”[avp] 5 So[avq] they discussed it with one another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why did you not believe him?’ 6 But if we say, ‘From people,’ all the people will stone us, because they are convinced that John was a prophet.” 7 So[avr] they replied that they did not know[avs] where it came from. 8 Then[avt] Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you[avu] by whose authority[avv] I do these things.”
The Parable of the Tenants
9 Then[avw] he began to tell the people this parable: “A man[avx] planted a vineyard,[avy] leased it to tenant farmers,[avz] and went on a journey for a long time. 10 When harvest time came, he sent a slave[awa] to the tenants so that they would give[awb] him his portion of the crop.[awc] However, the tenants beat his slave[awd] and sent him away empty-handed. 11 So[awe] he sent another slave. They beat this one too, treated him outrageously, and sent him away empty-handed.[awf] 12 So[awg] he sent still a third. They even wounded this one, and threw him out. 13 Then[awh] the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What should I do? I will send my one dear son;[awi] perhaps they will respect him.’ 14 But when the tenants saw him, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir; let’s kill him so the inheritance will be ours!’ 15 So[awj] they threw him out of the vineyard and killed[awk] him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16 He will come and destroy[awl] those tenants and give the vineyard to others.”[awm] When the people[awn] heard this, they said, “May this never happen!”[awo] 17 But Jesus[awp] looked straight at them and said, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’?[awq] 18 Everyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces,[awr] and the one on whom it falls will be crushed.”[aws] 19 Then[awt] the experts in the law[awu] and the chief priests wanted to arrest[awv] him that very hour, because they realized he had told this parable against them. But[aww] they were afraid of the people.
NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.