New Testament in a Year
A Call to Repent
13 Now[a] there were some present on that occasion who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.[b] 2 He[c] answered them, “Do you think these Galileans were worse sinners[d] than all the other Galileans, because they suffered these things? 3 No, I tell you! But unless you repent,[e] you will all perish as well![f] 4 Or those eighteen who were killed[g] when the tower in Siloam fell on them,[h] do you think they were worse offenders than all the others who live in Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you! But unless you repent[i] you will all perish as well!”[j]
Warning to Israel to Bear Fruit
6 Then[k] Jesus[l] told this parable: “A man had a fig tree[m] planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. 7 So[n] he said to the worker who tended the vineyard, ‘For[o] three years[p] now, I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and each time I inspect it[q] I find none. Cut[r] it down! Why[s] should it continue to deplete[t] the soil?’ 8 But the worker[u] answered him, ‘Sir, leave it alone this year too, until I dig around it and put fertilizer[v] on it. 9 Then if[w] it bears fruit next year,[x] very well,[y] but if[z] not, you can cut it down.’”
Healing on the Sabbath
10 Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues[aa] on the Sabbath, 11 and a woman was there[ab] who had been disabled by a spirit[ac] for eighteen years. She[ad] was bent over and could not straighten herself up completely.[ae] 12 When[af] Jesus saw her, he called her to him[ag] and said, “Woman,[ah] you are freed[ai] from your infirmity.”[aj] 13 Then[ak] he placed his hands on her, and immediately[al] 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[am] should be done![an] So come[ao] and be healed on those days, and not on the Sabbath day.” 15 Then the Lord answered him,[ap] “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from its stall,[aq] and lead it to water?[ar] 16 Then[as] shouldn’t[at] this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan[au] bound for eighteen long[av] years, be released from this imprisonment[aw] on the Sabbath day?” 17 When[ax] he said this all his adversaries were humiliated,[ay] but[az] the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things[ba] he was doing.[bb]
On the Kingdom of God
18 Thus Jesus[bc] asked,[bd] “What is the kingdom of God[be] like?[bf] To[bg] what should I compare it? 19 It is like a mustard seed[bh] that a man took and sowed[bi] in his garden. It[bj] grew and became a tree,[bk] and the wild birds[bl] nested in its branches.”[bm]
20 Again[bn] he said, “To what should I compare the kingdom of God?[bo] 21 It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with[bp] three measures[bq] of flour until all the dough had risen.”[br]
The Narrow Door
22 Then[bs] Jesus[bt] traveled throughout[bu] towns[bv] and villages, teaching and making his way toward[bw] Jerusalem.
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