New Testament in a Year

Jesus Tells People to Turn to God and Change the Way They Think and Act

13 At that time some people reported to Jesus about some Galileans whom Pilate had executed while they were sacrificing animals. ² Jesus 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 Jesus 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 Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on the day of rest—a holy day. 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 Jesus 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 Jesus for healing on the day of rest. 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 rest—a holy day.”

¹⁵ The Lord said, “You hypocrites! Don’t each of you free your ox or donkey on the day of rest—a holy day? 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 rest—a holy day?”

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 Jesus asked, “What is God’s kingdom 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 God’s kingdom 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 Jesus traveled and taught in one city and village after another on his way to Jerusalem.