Read the Gospels in 40 Days
Jesus Tells People to Turn to God and Change the Way They Think and Act
13 At that time some people reported to Yeshua about some Galileans whom Pilate had executed while they were sacrificing animals. 2 Yeshua replied to them, “Do you think that this happened to them because they were more sinful than other people from Galilee? 3 No! I can guarantee that they weren’t. But if you don’t turn to God and change the way you think and act, then you, too, will all die. 4 What about those 18 people who died when the tower at Siloam fell on them? Do you think that they were more sinful than other people living in Jerusalem? 5 No! I can guarantee that they weren’t. But if you don’t turn to God and change the way you think and act, then you, too, will all die.”
A Story about a Fruitless Tree
6 Then Yeshua used this illustration: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard. He went to look for fruit on the tree but didn’t find any. 7 He said to the gardener, ‘For the last three years I’ve come to look for figs on this fig tree but haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up good soil?’
8 “The gardener replied, ‘Sir, let it stand for one more year. I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. 9 Maybe next year it’ll have figs. But if not, then cut it down.’”
Jesus Heals a Disabled Woman
10 Yeshua was teaching in a synagogue on the day of worship. 11 A woman who was possessed by a spirit was there. The spirit had disabled her for 18 years. She was hunched over and couldn’t stand up straight. 12 When Yeshua saw her, he called her to come to him and said, “Woman, you are free from your disability.” 13 He placed his hands on her, and she immediately stood up straight and praised God.
14 The synagogue leader was irritated with Yeshua for healing on the day of worship. The leader told the crowd, “There are six days when work can be done. So come on one of those days to be healed. Don’t come on the day of worship.”
15 The Lord said, “You hypocrites! Don’t each of you free your ox or donkey on the day of worship? Don’t you then take it out of its stall to give it some water to drink? 16 Now, here is a descendant of Abraham. Satan has kept her in this condition for 18 years. Isn’t it right to free her on the day of worship?”
17 As he said this, everyone who opposed him felt ashamed. But the entire crowd was happy about the miraculous things he was doing.
Stories about a Mustard Seed and Yeast(A)
18 Yeshua asked, “What is the kingdom of God like? What can I compare it to? 19 It’s like a mustard seed that someone planted in a garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds nested in its branches.”
20 He asked again, “What can I compare the kingdom of God to? 21 It’s like yeast that a woman mixed into a large amount of flour until the yeast worked its way through all the dough.”
The Narrow Door
22 Then Yeshua traveled and taught in one city and village after another on his way to Jerusalem.
23 Someone asked him, “Sir, are only a few people going to be saved?”
He answered, 24 “Try hard to enter through the narrow door. I can guarantee that many will try to enter, but they won’t succeed. 25 After the homeowner gets up and closes the door, it’s too late. You can stand outside, knock at the door, and say, ‘Sir, open the door for us!’ But he will answer you, ‘I don’t know who you are.’ 26 Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 But he will tell you, ‘I don’t know who you are. Get away from me, all you evil people.’ 28 Then you will cry and be in extreme pain. That’s what you’ll do when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets. They’ll be in the kingdom of God, but you’ll be thrown out. 29 People will come from all over the world and will eat in the kingdom of God. 30 Some who are last will be first, and some who are first will be last.”
Jesus Warns Jerusalem
31 At that time some Pharisees told Yeshua, “Get out of here, and go somewhere else! Herod wants to kill you.”
32 Yeshua said to them, “Tell that fox that I will force demons out of people and heal people today and tomorrow. I will finish my work on the third day. 33 But I must be on my way today, tomorrow, and the next day. It’s not possible for a prophet to die outside Jerusalem.
34 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you kill the prophets and stone to death those sent to you! How often I wanted to gather your children together the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings! But you were not willing! 35 Your house will be abandoned. I can guarantee that you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’”
Jesus Attends a Banquet
14 On a day of worship Yeshua went to eat at the home of a prominent Pharisee. The guests were watching Yeshua very closely.
2 A man whose body was swollen with fluid was there. 3 Yeshua reacted by asking the Pharisees and the experts in Moses’ Teachings, “Is it right to heal on the day of worship or not?” 4 But they didn’t say a thing.
So Yeshua took hold of the man, healed him, and sent him away. 5 Yeshua asked them, “If your son or your ox falls into a well on a day of worship, wouldn’t you pull him out immediately?” 6 They couldn’t argue with him about this.
7 Then Yeshua noticed how the guests always chose the places of honor. So he used this illustration when he spoke to them: 8 “When someone invites you to a wedding, don’t take the place of honor. Maybe someone more important than you was invited. 9 Then your host would say to you, ‘Give this person your place.’ Embarrassed, you would have to take the place of least honor. 10 So when you’re invited, take the place of least honor. Then, when your host comes, he will tell you, ‘Friend, move to a more honorable place.’ Then all the other guests will see how you are honored. 11 Those who honor themselves will be humbled, but people who humble themselves will be honored.”
12 Then he told the man who had invited him, “When you invite people for lunch or dinner, don’t invite only your friends, family, other relatives, or rich neighbors. Otherwise, they will return the favor. 13 Instead, when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the handicapped, the lame, and the blind. 14 Then you will be blessed because they don’t have any way to pay you back. You will be paid back when those who have God’s approval come back to life.”
15 One of those eating with him heard this. So he said to Yeshua, “The person who will be at the banquet in the kingdom of God is blessed.”
16 Yeshua said to him, “A man gave a large banquet and invited many people. 17 When it was time for the banquet, he sent his servant to tell those who were invited, ‘Come! Everything is ready now.’
18 “Everyone asked to be excused. The first said to him, ‘I bought a field, and I need to see it. Please excuse me.’ 19 Another said, ‘I bought five pairs of oxen, and I’m on my way to see how well they plow. Please excuse me.’ 20 Still another said, ‘I recently got married, and that’s why I can’t come.’
21 “The servant went back to report this to his master. Then the master of the house became angry. He told his servant, ‘Run to every street and alley in the city! Bring back the poor, the handicapped, the blind, and the lame.’
22 “The servant said, ‘Sir, what you’ve ordered has been done. But there is still room for more people.’
23 “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go to the roads and paths! Urge the people to come to my house. I want it to be full. 24 I can guarantee that none of those invited earlier will taste any food at my banquet.’”
The Cost of Being a Disciple
25 Large crowds were traveling with Yeshua. He turned to them and said, 26 “If people come to me and are not ready to abandon their fathers, mothers, wives, children, brothers, and sisters, as well as their own lives, they cannot be my disciples. 27 So those who do not carry their crosses and follow me cannot be my disciples.
28 “Suppose you want to build a tower. You would first sit down and figure out what it costs. Then you would see if you have enough money to finish it. 29 Otherwise, if you lay a foundation and can’t finish the building, everyone who watches will make fun of you. 30 They’ll say, ‘This person started to build but couldn’t finish the job.’
31 “Or suppose a king is going to war against another king. He would first sit down and think things through. Can he and his 10,000 soldiers fight against a king with 20,000 soldiers? 32 If he can’t, he’ll send ambassadors to ask for terms of peace while the other king is still far away. 33 In the same way, none of you can be my disciples unless you give up everything.
34 “Salt is good. But if salt loses its taste, how will you restore its flavor? 35 It’s not any good for the ground or for the manure pile. People throw it away.
“Let the person who has ears listen!”
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.