9:21 But he forcefully commanded ¹  them not to tell this to anyone, ²  9:22 saying, “The Son of Man must suffer ³  many things and be rejected by the elders, ⁴  chief priests, and experts in the law, ⁵  and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” ⁶ 

9:23 Then ⁷  he said to them all, ⁸  “If anyone wants to become my follower, ⁹  he must deny ¹⁰  himself, take up his cross daily, ¹¹  and follow me. 9:24 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, ¹²  but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. 9:25 For what does it benefit a person ¹³  if he gains the whole world but loses or forfeits himself? 9:26 For whoever is ashamed ¹⁴  of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person ¹⁵  when he comes in his glory and in the glory ¹⁶  of the Father and of the holy angels. 9:27 But I tell you most certainly, ¹⁷  there are some standing here who will not ¹⁸  experience ¹⁹  death before they see the kingdom of God.” ²⁰ 

9:28 Now ²¹  about eight days ²²  after these sayings, Jesus ²³  took with him Peter, John, and James, and went up the mountain to pray. 9:29 As ²⁴  he was praying, ²⁵  the appearance of his face was transformed, ²⁶  and his clothes became very bright, a brilliant white. ²⁷  9:30 Then ²⁸  two men, Moses and Elijah, ²⁹  began talking with him. ³⁰  9:31 They appeared in glorious splendor and spoke about his departure ³¹  that he was about to carry out ³²  at Jerusalem. ³³  9:32 Now Peter and those with him were quite sleepy, ³⁴  but as they became fully awake, ³⁵  they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. 9:33 Then ³⁶  as the men ³⁷  were starting to leave, ³⁸  Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us make three shelters, ³⁹  one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah” – not knowing what he was saying. 9:34 As ⁴⁰  he was saying this, a cloud ⁴¹  came ⁴²  and overshadowed ⁴³  them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 9:35 Then ⁴⁴  a voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One. ⁴⁵  Listen to him!” ⁴⁶  9:36 After ⁴⁷  the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. So ⁴⁸  they kept silent and told no one ⁴⁹  at that time ⁵⁰  anything of what they had seen.

9:37 Now on ⁵¹  the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a large crowd met him. 9:38 Then ⁵²  a man from the crowd cried out, ⁵³  “Teacher, I beg you to look at ⁵⁴  my son – he is my only child! 9:39 A ⁵⁵  spirit seizes him, and he suddenly screams; ⁵⁶  it throws him into convulsions ⁵⁷  and causes him to foam at the mouth. It hardly ever leaves him alone, torturing ⁵⁸  him severely. 9:40 I ⁵⁹  begged ⁶⁰  your disciples to cast it out, but ⁶¹  they could not do so.” ⁶²  9:41 Jesus answered, ⁶³  “You ⁶⁴  unbelieving ⁶⁵  and perverse generation! How much longer ⁶⁶  must I be with you and endure ⁶⁷  you? ⁶⁸  Bring your son here.” 9:42 As ⁶⁹  the boy ⁷⁰  was approaching, the demon threw him to the ground ⁷¹  and shook him with convulsions. ⁷²  But Jesus rebuked ⁷³  the unclean ⁷⁴  spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. 9:43 Then ⁷⁵  they were all astonished at the mighty power ⁷⁶  of God.

But while the entire crowd ⁷⁷  was amazed at everything Jesus ⁷⁸  was doing, he said to his disciples, 9:44 “Take these words to heart, ⁷⁹  for the Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men.” ⁸⁰  9:45 But they did not understand this statement; its meaning ⁸¹  had been concealed ⁸²  from them, so that they could not grasp it. Yet ⁸³  they were afraid to ask him about this statement.

9:46 Now an argument started among the disciples ⁸⁴  as to which of them might be ⁸⁵  the greatest. 9:47 But when Jesus discerned their innermost thoughts, ⁸⁶  he took a child, had him stand by ⁸⁷  his side, 9:48 and said to them, “Whoever welcomes ⁸⁸  this child ⁸⁹  in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me, for the one who is least among you all is the one who is great.” ⁹⁰ 

9:49 John answered, ⁹¹  “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop ⁹²  him because he is not a disciple ⁹³  along with us.” 9:50 But Jesus said to him, “Do not stop him, for whoever is not against you is for you.”

9:51 Now when ⁹⁴  the days drew near ⁹⁵  for him to be taken up, ⁹⁶  Jesus ⁹⁷  set out resolutely ⁹⁸  to go to Jerusalem. ⁹⁹  9:52 He ¹⁰⁰  sent messengers on ahead of him. ¹⁰¹  As they went along, ¹⁰²  they entered a Samaritan village to make things ready in advance ¹⁰³  for him, 9:53 but the villagers ¹⁰⁴  refused to welcome ¹⁰⁵  him, because he was determined to go to Jerusalem. ¹⁰⁶  9:54 Now when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do you want us to call fire to come down from heaven and consume ¹⁰⁷  them?” ¹⁰⁸  9:55 But Jesus ¹⁰⁹  turned and rebuked them, ¹¹⁰  9:56 and they went on to another village.

9:57 As ¹¹¹  they were walking ¹¹²  along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” ¹¹³  9:58 Jesus said to him, “Foxes have dens and the birds in the sky ¹¹⁴  have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” ¹¹⁵  9:59 Jesus ¹¹⁶  said to another, “Follow me.” But he replied, ¹¹⁷  “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” 9:60 But Jesus ¹¹⁸  said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, ¹¹⁹  but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” ¹²⁰  9:61 Yet ¹²¹  another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say goodbye to my family.” ¹²²  9:62 Jesus ¹²³  said to him, “No one who puts his ¹²⁴  hand to the plow and looks back ¹²⁵  is fit for the kingdom of God.” ¹²⁶ 

10:1 After this ¹²⁷  the Lord appointed seventy-two ¹²⁸  others and sent them on ahead of him two by two into every town ¹²⁹  and place where he himself was about to go. 10:2 He ¹³⁰  said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore ask the Lord of the harvest ¹³¹  to send out ¹³²  workers into his harvest. 10:3 Go! I ¹³³  am sending you out like lambs ¹³⁴  surrounded by wolves. ¹³⁵  10:4 Do not carry ¹³⁶  a money bag, ¹³⁷  a traveler’s bag, ¹³⁸  or sandals, and greet no one on the road. ¹³⁹  10:5 Whenever ¹⁴⁰  you enter a house, ¹⁴¹  first say, ‘May peace ¹⁴²  be on this house!’ 10:6 And if a peace-loving person ¹⁴³  is there, your peace will remain on him, but if not, it will return to you. ¹⁴⁴  10:7 Stay ¹⁴⁵  in that same house, eating and drinking what they give you, ¹⁴⁶  for the worker deserves his pay. ¹⁴⁷  Do not move around from house to house. 10:8 Whenever ¹⁴⁸  you enter a town ¹⁴⁹  and the people ¹⁵⁰  welcome you, eat what is set before you. 10:9 Heal ¹⁵¹  the sick in that town ¹⁵²  and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God ¹⁵³  has come upon ¹⁵⁴  you!’ 10:10 But whenever ¹⁵⁵  you enter a town ¹⁵⁶  and the people ¹⁵⁷  do not welcome ¹⁵⁸  you, go into its streets ¹⁵⁹  and say, 10:11 ‘Even the dust of your town ¹⁶⁰  that clings to our feet we wipe off ¹⁶¹  against you. ¹⁶²  Nevertheless know this: The kingdom of God has come.’ ¹⁶³  10:12 I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom ¹⁶⁴  than for that town! ¹⁶⁵ 

10:13 “Woe to you, Chorazin! ¹⁶⁶  Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if ¹⁶⁷  the miracles ¹⁶⁸  done in you had been done in Tyre ¹⁶⁹  and Sidon, ¹⁷⁰  they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 10:14 But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you! 10:15 And you, Capernaum, ¹⁷¹  will you be exalted to heaven? ¹⁷²  No, you will be thrown down to Hades! ¹⁷³ 

10:16 “The one who listens ¹⁷⁴  to you listens to me, ¹⁷⁵  and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects ¹⁷⁶  the one who sent me.” ¹⁷⁷ 

10:17 Then ¹⁷⁸  the seventy-two ¹⁷⁹  returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons submit to ¹⁸⁰  us in your name!” ¹⁸¹  10:18 So ¹⁸²  he said to them, “I saw ¹⁸³  Satan fall ¹⁸⁴  like lightning ¹⁸⁵  from heaven. 10:19 Look, I have given you authority to tread ¹⁸⁶  on snakes and scorpions ¹⁸⁷  and on the full force of the enemy, ¹⁸⁸  and nothing will ¹⁸⁹  hurt you. 10:20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice that ¹⁹⁰  the spirits submit to you, but rejoice ¹⁹¹  that your names stand written ¹⁹²  in heaven.”

10:21 On that same occasion ¹⁹³  Jesus ¹⁹⁴  rejoiced ¹⁹⁵  in the Holy Spirit and said, “I praise ¹⁹⁶  you, Father, Lord ¹⁹⁷  of heaven and earth, because ¹⁹⁸  you have hidden these things from the wise ¹⁹⁹  and intelligent, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your gracious will. ²⁰⁰  10:22 All things have been given to me by my Father. ²⁰¹  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 ²⁰²  to reveal him.”

10:23 Then ²⁰³  Jesus ²⁰⁴  turned ²⁰⁵  to his ²⁰⁶  disciples and said privately, “Blessed ²⁰⁷  are the eyes that see what you see! 10:24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings longed to see ²⁰⁸  what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”

10:25 Now ²⁰⁹  an expert in religious law ²¹⁰  stood up to test Jesus, ²¹¹  saying, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” ²¹²  10:26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you understand it?” ²¹³  10:27 The expert ²¹⁴  answered, “Love ²¹⁵  the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, ²¹⁶  and love your neighbor as yourself.” ²¹⁷  10:28 Jesus ²¹⁸  said to him, “You have answered correctly; ²¹⁹  do this, and you will live.”

10:29 But the expert, ²²⁰  wanting to justify ²²¹  himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 10:30 Jesus replied, ²²²  “A man was going down ²²³  from Jerusalem ²²⁴  to Jericho, ²²⁵  and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat ²²⁶  him up, and went off, leaving him half dead. ²²⁷  10:31 Now by chance ²²⁸  a priest was going down that road, but ²²⁹  when he saw the injured man ²³⁰  he passed by ²³¹  on the other side. ²³²  10:32 So too a Levite, when he came up to ²³³  the place and saw him, ²³⁴  passed by on the other side. 10:33 But ²³⁵  a Samaritan ²³⁶  who was traveling ²³⁷  came to where the injured man ²³⁸  was, and when he saw him, he felt compassion for him. ²³⁹  10:34 He ²⁴⁰  went up to him ²⁴¹  and bandaged his wounds, pouring oil ²⁴²  and wine on them. Then ²⁴³  he put him on ²⁴⁴  his own animal, ²⁴⁵  brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 10:35 The ²⁴⁶  next day he took out two silver coins ²⁴⁷  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.’ ²⁴⁸  10:36 Which of these three do you think became a neighbor ²⁴⁹  to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” 10:37 The expert in religious law ²⁵⁰  said, “The one who showed mercy ²⁵¹  to him.” So ²⁵²  Jesus said to him, “Go and do ²⁵³  the same.”

10:38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus ²⁵⁴  entered a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him as a guest. ²⁵⁵  10:39 She ²⁵⁶  had a sister named Mary, who sat ²⁵⁷  at the Lord’s feet ²⁵⁸  and listened to what he said. 10:40 But Martha was distracted ²⁵⁹  with all the preparations she had to make, ²⁶⁰  so ²⁶¹  she came up to him and said, “Lord, don’t you care ²⁶²  that my sister has left me to do all the work ²⁶³  alone? Tell ²⁶⁴  her to help me.” 10:41 But the Lord ²⁶⁵  answered her, ²⁶⁶  “Martha, Martha, ²⁶⁷  you are worried and troubled ²⁶⁸  about many things, 10:42 but one thing ²⁶⁹  is needed. Mary has chosen the best ²⁷⁰  part; it will not be taken away from her.”

11:1 Now ²⁷¹  Jesus ²⁷²  was praying in a certain place. When ²⁷³  he stopped, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John ²⁷⁴  taught ²⁷⁵  his disciples.” 11:2 So he said to them, “When you pray, ²⁷⁶  say:

Father, ²⁷⁷  may your name be honored; ²⁷⁸ 

may your kingdom come. ²⁷⁹ 

11:3 Give us each day our daily bread, ²⁸⁰ 

11:4 and forgive us our sins,

for we also forgive everyone who sins ²⁸¹  against us.

And do not lead us into temptation.” ²⁸² 

11:5 Then ²⁸³  he said to them, “Suppose one of you ²⁸⁴  has a friend, and you go to him ²⁸⁵  at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, ²⁸⁶  11:6 because a friend of mine has stopped here while on a journey, ²⁸⁷  and I have nothing to set before ²⁸⁸  him.’ 11:7 Then ²⁸⁹  he will reply ²⁹⁰  from inside, ‘Do not bother me. The door is already shut, and my children and I are in bed. ²⁹¹  I cannot get up and give you anything.’ ²⁹²  11:8 I tell you, even though the man inside ²⁹³  will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of the first man’s ²⁹⁴  sheer persistence ²⁹⁵  he will get up and give him whatever he needs.

11:9 “So ²⁹⁶  I tell you: Ask, ²⁹⁷  and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door ²⁹⁸  will be opened for you. 11:10 For everyone who asks ²⁹⁹  receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door ³⁰⁰  will be opened. 11:11 What father among you, if your ³⁰¹  son asks for ³⁰²  a fish, will give him a snake ³⁰³  instead of a fish? 11:12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? ³⁰⁴  11:13 If you then, although you are ³⁰⁵  evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit ³⁰⁶  to those who ask him!”

11:14 Now ³⁰⁷  he was casting out a demon that was mute. ³⁰⁸  When ³⁰⁹  the demon had gone out, the man who had been mute began to speak, ³¹⁰  and the crowds were amazed. 11:15 But some of them said, “By the power of Beelzebul, ³¹¹  the ruler ³¹²  of demons, he casts out demons.” 11:16 Others, to test ³¹³  him, ³¹⁴  began asking for ³¹⁵  a sign ³¹⁶  from heaven. 11:17 But Jesus, ³¹⁷  realizing their thoughts, said to them, ³¹⁸  “Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed, ³¹⁹  and a divided household falls. ³²⁰  11:18 So ³²¹  if ³²²  Satan too is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? I ask you this because ³²³  you claim that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. 11:19 Now if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons ³²⁴  cast them ³²⁵  out? Therefore they will be your judges. 11:20 But if I cast out demons by the finger ³²⁶  of God, then the kingdom of God ³²⁷  has already overtaken ³²⁸  you. 11:21 When a strong man, ³²⁹  fully armed, guards his own palace, ³³⁰  his possessions are safe. ³³¹  11:22 But ³³²  when a stronger man ³³³  attacks ³³⁴  and conquers him, he takes away the first man’s ³³⁵  armor on which the man relied ³³⁶  and divides up ³³⁷  his plunder. ³³⁸  11:23 Whoever is not with me is against me, ³³⁹  and whoever does not gather with me scatters. ³⁴⁰ 

11:24 “When an unclean spirit ³⁴¹  goes out of a person, ³⁴²  it passes through waterless places ³⁴³  looking for rest but ³⁴⁴  not finding any. Then ³⁴⁵  it says, ‘I will return to the home I left.’ ³⁴⁶  11:25 When it returns, ³⁴⁷  it finds the house ³⁴⁸  swept clean and put in order. ³⁴⁹  11:26 Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there, so ³⁵⁰  the last state of that person ³⁵¹  is worse than the first.” ³⁵² 

11:27 As ³⁵³  he said these things, a woman in the crowd spoke out ³⁵⁴  to him, “Blessed is the womb ³⁵⁵  that bore you and the breasts at which you nursed!” ³⁵⁶  11:28 But he replied, ³⁵⁷  “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey ³⁵⁸  it!”

11:29 As ³⁵⁹  the crowds were increasing, Jesus ³⁶⁰  began to say, “This generation is a wicked generation; it looks for a sign, ³⁶¹  but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. ³⁶²  11:30 For just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, ³⁶³  so the Son of Man will be a sign ³⁶⁴  to this generation. ³⁶⁵  11:31 The queen of the South ³⁶⁶  will rise up at the judgment ³⁶⁷  with the people ³⁶⁸  of this generation and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon – and now, ³⁶⁹  something greater ³⁷⁰  than Solomon is here! 11:32 The people ³⁷¹  of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented when Jonah preached to them ³⁷²  – and now, ³⁷³  something greater than Jonah is here!

11:33 “No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a hidden place ³⁷⁴  or under a basket, ³⁷⁵  but on a lampstand, so that those who come in can see the light. 11:34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, ³⁷⁶  your whole body is full of light, but when it is diseased, ³⁷⁷  your body is full of darkness. 11:35 Therefore see to it ³⁷⁸  that the light in you ³⁷⁹  is not darkness. 11:36 If ³⁸⁰  then ³⁸¹  your whole body is full of light, with no part in the dark, ³⁸²  it will be as full of light as when the light of a lamp shines on you.” ³⁸³ 

11:37 As he spoke, ³⁸⁴  a Pharisee ³⁸⁵  invited Jesus ³⁸⁶  to have a meal with him, so he went in and took his place at the table. ³⁸⁷  11:38 The ³⁸⁸  Pharisee was astonished when he saw that Jesus ³⁸⁹  did not first wash his hands ³⁹⁰  before the meal. 11:39 But the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees clean ³⁹¹  the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. ³⁹²  11:40 You fools! ³⁹³  Didn’t the one who made the outside make the inside as well? ³⁹⁴  11:41 But give from your heart to those in need, ³⁹⁵  and ³⁹⁶  then everything will be clean for you. ³⁹⁷ 

11:42 “But woe to you Pharisees! ³⁹⁸  You give a tenth ³⁹⁹  of your mint, ⁴⁰⁰  rue, ⁴⁰¹  and every herb, yet you neglect justice ⁴⁰²  and love for God! But you should have done these things without neglecting the others. ⁴⁰³  11:43 Woe to you Pharisees! You love the best seats ⁴⁰⁴  in the synagogues ⁴⁰⁵  and elaborate greetings ⁴⁰⁶  in the marketplaces! 11:44 Woe to you! ⁴⁰⁷  You are like unmarked graves, and people ⁴⁰⁸  walk over them without realizing it!” ⁴⁰⁹ 

11:45 One of the experts in religious law ⁴¹⁰  answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things you insult ⁴¹¹  us too.” 11:46 But Jesus ⁴¹²  replied, ⁴¹³  “Woe to you experts in religious law as well! ⁴¹⁴  You load people ⁴¹⁵  down with burdens difficult to bear, yet you yourselves refuse to touch ⁴¹⁶  the burdens with even one of your fingers! 11:47 Woe to you! You build ⁴¹⁷  the tombs of the prophets whom your ancestors ⁴¹⁸  killed. 11:48 So you testify that you approve of ⁴¹⁹  the deeds of your ancestors, ⁴²⁰  because they killed the prophets ⁴²¹  and you build their ⁴²²  tombs! ⁴²³  11:49 For this reason also the wisdom ⁴²⁴  of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,’ 11:50 so that this generation may be held accountable ⁴²⁵  for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning ⁴²⁶  of the world, ⁴²⁷  11:51 from the blood of Abel ⁴²⁸  to the blood of Zechariah, ⁴²⁹  who was killed ⁴³⁰  between the altar and the sanctuary. ⁴³¹  Yes, I tell you, it will be charged against ⁴³²  this generation. 11:52 Woe to you experts in religious law! You have taken away ⁴³³  the key to knowledge! You did not go in yourselves, and you hindered ⁴³⁴  those who were going in.”

11:53 When he went out from there, the experts in the law ⁴³⁵  and the Pharisees began to oppose him bitterly, ⁴³⁶  and to ask him hostile questions ⁴³⁷  about many things, 11:54 plotting against ⁴³⁸  him, to catch ⁴³⁹  him in something he might say.

12:1 Meanwhile, ⁴⁴⁰  when many thousands of the crowd had gathered so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus ⁴⁴¹  began to speak first to his disciples, “Be on your guard against ⁴⁴²  the yeast of the Pharisees, ⁴⁴³  which is hypocrisy. ⁴⁴⁴  12:2 Nothing is hidden ⁴⁴⁵  that will not be revealed, ⁴⁴⁶  and nothing is secret that will not be made known. 12:3 So then ⁴⁴⁷  whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered ⁴⁴⁸  in private rooms ⁴⁴⁹  will be proclaimed from the housetops. ⁴⁵⁰ 

12:4 “I ⁴⁵¹  tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, ⁴⁵²  and after that have nothing more they can do. 12:5 But I will warn ⁴⁵³  you whom you should fear: Fear the one who, after the killing, ⁴⁵⁴  has authority to throw you ⁴⁵⁵  into hell. ⁴⁵⁶  Yes, I tell you, fear him! 12:6 Aren’t five sparrows sold for two pennies? ⁴⁵⁷  Yet not one of them is forgotten before God. 12:7 In fact, even the hairs on your head are all numbered. Do not be afraid; ⁴⁵⁸  you are more valuable than many sparrows.

12:8 “I ⁴⁵⁹  tell you, whoever acknowledges ⁴⁶⁰  me before men, ⁴⁶¹  the Son of Man will also acknowledge ⁴⁶²  before God’s angels. 12:9 But the one who denies me before men will be denied before God’s angels. 12:10 And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the person who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit ⁴⁶³  will not be forgiven. ⁴⁶⁴  12:11 But when they bring you before the synagogues, ⁴⁶⁵  the ⁴⁶⁶  rulers, and the authorities, do not worry about how you should make your defense ⁴⁶⁷  or what you should say, 12:12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment ⁴⁶⁸  what you must say.” ⁴⁶⁹ 

12:13 Then ⁴⁷⁰  someone from the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell ⁴⁷¹  my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 12:14 But Jesus ⁴⁷²  said to him, “Man, ⁴⁷³  who made me a judge or arbitrator between you two?” ⁴⁷⁴  12:15 Then ⁴⁷⁵  he said to them, “Watch out and guard yourself from ⁴⁷⁶  all types of greed, ⁴⁷⁷  because one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” 12:16 He then ⁴⁷⁸  told them a parable: ⁴⁷⁹  “The land of a certain rich man produced ⁴⁸⁰  an abundant crop, 12:17 so ⁴⁸¹  he thought to himself, ⁴⁸²  ‘What should I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ ⁴⁸³  12:18 Then ⁴⁸⁴  he said, ‘I ⁴⁸⁵  will do this: I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 12:19 And I will say to myself, ⁴⁸⁶  “You have plenty of goods stored up for many years; relax, eat, drink, celebrate!”’ 12:20 But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life ⁴⁸⁷  will be demanded back from ⁴⁸⁸  you, but who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ ⁴⁸⁹  12:21 So it is with the one who stores up riches for himself, ⁴⁹⁰  but is not rich toward God.”

12:22 Then ⁴⁹¹  Jesus ⁴⁹²  said to his ⁴⁹³  disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry ⁴⁹⁴  about your ⁴⁹⁵  life, what you will eat, or about your ⁴⁹⁶  body, what you will wear. 12:23 For there is more to life than food, and more to the body than clothing. 12:24 Consider the ravens: ⁴⁹⁷  They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn, yet God feeds ⁴⁹⁸  them. How much more valuable are you than the birds! 12:25 And which of you by worrying ⁴⁹⁹  can add an hour to his life? ⁵⁰⁰  12:26 So if ⁵⁰¹  you cannot do such a very little thing as this, why do you worry about ⁵⁰²  the rest? 12:27 Consider how the flowers ⁵⁰³  grow; they do not work ⁵⁰⁴  or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these! 12:28 And if ⁵⁰⁵  this is how God clothes the wild grass, ⁵⁰⁶  which is here ⁵⁰⁷  today and tomorrow is tossed into the fire to heat the oven, ⁵⁰⁸  how much more ⁵⁰⁹  will he clothe you, you people of little faith! 12:29 So ⁵¹⁰  do not be overly concerned about ⁵¹¹  what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not worry about such things. ⁵¹²  12:30 For all the nations of the world pursue ⁵¹³  these things, and your Father knows that you need them. 12:31 Instead, pursue ⁵¹⁴  his ⁵¹⁵  kingdom, ⁵¹⁶  and these things will be given to you as well.

12:32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is well pleased ⁵¹⁷  to give you the kingdom. 12:33 Sell your possessions ⁵¹⁸  and give to the poor. ⁵¹⁹  Provide yourselves purses that do not wear out – a treasure in heaven ⁵²⁰  that never decreases, ⁵²¹  where no thief approaches and no moth ⁵²²  destroys. 12:34 For where your treasure ⁵²³  is, there your heart will be also.

12:35 “Get dressed for service ⁵²⁴  and keep your lamps burning; ⁵²⁵  12:36 be like people ⁵²⁶  waiting for their master to come back from the wedding celebration, ⁵²⁷  so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. 12:37 Blessed are those slaves ⁵²⁸  whom their master finds alert ⁵²⁹  when he returns! I tell you the truth, ⁵³⁰  he will dress himself to serve, ⁵³¹  have them take their place at the table, ⁵³²  and will come ⁵³³  and wait on them! ⁵³⁴  12:38 Even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night ⁵³⁵  and finds them alert, ⁵³⁶  blessed are those slaves! ⁵³⁷  12:39 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief ⁵³⁸  was coming, he would not have let ⁵³⁹  his house be broken into. 12:40 You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” ⁵⁴⁰ 

12:41 Then ⁵⁴¹  Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for everyone?” ⁵⁴²  12:42 The Lord replied, ⁵⁴³  “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, ⁵⁴⁴  whom the master puts in charge of his household servants, ⁵⁴⁵  to give them their allowance of food at the proper time? 12:43 Blessed is that slave ⁵⁴⁶  whom his master finds at work ⁵⁴⁷  when he returns. 12:44 I tell you the truth, ⁵⁴⁸  the master ⁵⁴⁹  will put him in charge of all his possessions. 12:45 But if ⁵⁵⁰  that ⁵⁵¹  slave should say to himself, ⁵⁵²  ‘My master is delayed ⁵⁵³  in returning,’ and he begins to beat ⁵⁵⁴  the other ⁵⁵⁵  slaves, both men and women, ⁵⁵⁶  and to eat, drink, and get drunk, 12:46 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, ⁵⁵⁷  and assign him a place with the unfaithful. ⁵⁵⁸  12:47 That ⁵⁵⁹  servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or do what his master asked ⁵⁶⁰  will receive a severe beating. 12:48 But the one who did not know his master’s will ⁵⁶¹  and did things worthy of punishment ⁵⁶²  will receive a light beating. ⁵⁶³  From everyone who has been given much, much will be required, ⁵⁶⁴  and from the one who has been entrusted with much, ⁵⁶⁵  even more will be asked. ⁵⁶⁶ 

12:49 “I have come ⁵⁶⁷  to bring ⁵⁶⁸  fire on the earth – and how I wish it were already kindled! 12:50 I have a baptism ⁵⁶⁹  to undergo, ⁵⁷⁰  and how distressed I am until it is finished! 12:51 Do you think I have come to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! ⁵⁷¹  12:52 For from now on ⁵⁷²  there will be five in one household divided, three against two and two against three. 12:53 They will be divided, ⁵⁷³  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.”

12:54 Jesus ⁵⁷⁴  also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, ⁵⁷⁵  you say at once, ‘A rainstorm ⁵⁷⁶  is coming,’ and it does. 12:55 And when you see the south wind ⁵⁷⁷  blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat,’ and there is. 12:56 You hypocrites! ⁵⁷⁸  You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how can you not know how ⁵⁷⁹  to interpret the present time?

12:57 “And ⁵⁸⁰  why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right? 12:58 As you are going with your accuser before the magistrate, ⁵⁸¹  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, ⁵⁸²  and the officer throw you into prison. 12:59 I tell you, you will never get out of there until you have paid the very last cent!” ⁵⁸³ 

13:1 Now ⁵⁸⁴  there were some present on that occasion who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. ⁵⁸⁵  13:2 He ⁵⁸⁶  answered them, “Do you think these Galileans were worse sinners ⁵⁸⁷  than all the other Galileans, because they suffered these things? 13:3 No, I tell you! But unless you repent, ⁵⁸⁸  you will all perish as well! ⁵⁸⁹  13:4 Or those eighteen who were killed ⁵⁹⁰  when the tower in Siloam fell on them, ⁵⁹¹  do you think they were worse offenders than all the others who live in Jerusalem? ⁵⁹²  13:5 No, I tell you! But unless you repent ⁵⁹³  you will all perish as well!” ⁵⁹⁴ 

13:6 Then ⁵⁹⁵  Jesus ⁵⁹⁶  told this parable: “A man had a fig tree ⁵⁹⁷  planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. 13:7 So ⁵⁹⁸  he said to the worker who tended the vineyard, ‘For ⁵⁹⁹  three years ⁶⁰⁰  now, I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and each time I inspect it ⁶⁰¹  I find none. Cut ⁶⁰²  it down! Why ⁶⁰³  should it continue to deplete ⁶⁰⁴  the soil?’ 13:8 But the worker ⁶⁰⁵  answered him, ‘Sir, leave it alone this year too, until I dig around it and put fertilizer ⁶⁰⁶  on it. 13:9 Then if ⁶⁰⁷  it bears fruit next year, ⁶⁰⁸  very well, ⁶⁰⁹  but if ⁶¹⁰  not, you can cut it down.’”

13:10 Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues ⁶¹¹  on the Sabbath, 13:11 and a woman was there ⁶¹²  who had been disabled by a spirit ⁶¹³  for eighteen years. She ⁶¹⁴  was bent over and could not straighten herself up completely. ⁶¹⁵  13:12 When ⁶¹⁶  Jesus saw her, he called her to him ⁶¹⁷  and said, “Woman, ⁶¹⁸  you are freed ⁶¹⁹  from your infirmity.” ⁶²⁰  13:13 Then ⁶²¹  he placed his hands on her, and immediately ⁶²²  she straightened up and praised God. 13:14 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 ⁶²³  should be done! ⁶²⁴  So come ⁶²⁵  and be healed on those days, and not on the Sabbath day.” 13:15 Then the Lord answered him, ⁶²⁶  “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from its stall, ⁶²⁷  and lead it to water? ⁶²⁸  13:16 Then ⁶²⁹  shouldn’t ⁶³⁰  this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan ⁶³¹  bound for eighteen long ⁶³²  years, be released from this imprisonment ⁶³³  on the Sabbath day?” 13:17 When ⁶³⁴  he said this all his adversaries were humiliated, ⁶³⁵  but ⁶³⁶  the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things ⁶³⁷  he was doing. ⁶³⁸ 

13:18 Thus Jesus ⁶³⁹  asked, ⁶⁴⁰  “What is the kingdom of God ⁶⁴¹  like? ⁶⁴²  To ⁶⁴³  what should I compare it? 13:19 It is like a mustard seed ⁶⁴⁴  that a man took and sowed ⁶⁴⁵  in his garden. It ⁶⁴⁶  grew and became a tree, ⁶⁴⁷  and the wild birds ⁶⁴⁸  nested in its branches.” ⁶⁴⁹ 

13:20 Again ⁶⁵⁰  he said, “To what should I compare the kingdom of God? ⁶⁵¹  13:21 It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with ⁶⁵²  three measures ⁶⁵³  of flour until all the dough had risen.” ⁶⁵⁴ 

13:22 Then ⁶⁵⁵  Jesus ⁶⁵⁶  traveled throughout ⁶⁵⁷  towns ⁶⁵⁸  and villages, teaching and making his way toward ⁶⁵⁹  Jerusalem. ⁶⁶⁰  13:23 Someone ⁶⁶¹  asked ⁶⁶²  him, “Lord, will only a few ⁶⁶³  be saved?” So ⁶⁶⁴  he said to them, 13:24 “Exert every effort ⁶⁶⁵  to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. 13:25 Once ⁶⁶⁶  the head of the house ⁶⁶⁷  gets up ⁶⁶⁸  and shuts the door, then you will stand outside and start to knock on the door and beg him, ‘Lord, ⁶⁶⁹  let us in!’ ⁶⁷⁰  But he will answer you, ⁶⁷¹  ‘I don’t know where you come from.’ ⁶⁷²  13:26 Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ ⁶⁷³  13:27 But ⁶⁷⁴  he will reply, ⁶⁷⁵  ‘I don’t know where you come from! ⁶⁷⁶  Go away from me, all you evildoers!’ ⁶⁷⁷  13:28 There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth ⁶⁷⁸  when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, ⁶⁷⁹  and all the prophets in the kingdom of God ⁶⁸⁰  but you yourselves thrown out. ⁶⁸¹  13:29 Then ⁶⁸²  people ⁶⁸³  will come from east and west, and from north and south, and take their places at the banquet table ⁶⁸⁴  in the kingdom of God. ⁶⁸⁵  13:30 But ⁶⁸⁶  indeed, ⁶⁸⁷  some are last ⁶⁸⁸  who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

13:31 At that time, ⁶⁸⁹  some Pharisees ⁶⁹⁰  came up and said to Jesus, ⁶⁹¹  “Get away from here, ⁶⁹²  because Herod ⁶⁹³  wants to kill you.” 13:32 But ⁶⁹⁴  he said to them, “Go ⁶⁹⁵  and tell that fox, ⁶⁹⁶  ‘Look, I am casting out demons and performing healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day ⁶⁹⁷  I will complete my work. ⁶⁹⁸  13:33 Nevertheless I must ⁶⁹⁹  go on my way today and tomorrow and the next day, because it is impossible ⁷⁰⁰  that a prophet should be killed ⁷⁰¹  outside Jerusalem.’ ⁷⁰²  13:34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, ⁷⁰³  you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! ⁷⁰⁴  How often I have longed ⁷⁰⁵  to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but ⁷⁰⁶  you would have none of it! ⁷⁰⁷  13:35 Look, your house is forsaken! ⁷⁰⁸  And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’” ⁷⁰⁹ 

14:1 Now ⁷¹⁰  one Sabbath when Jesus went to dine ⁷¹¹  at the house of a leader ⁷¹²  of the Pharisees, ⁷¹³  they were watching ⁷¹⁴  him closely. 14:2 There ⁷¹⁵  right ⁷¹⁶  in front of him was a man suffering from dropsy. ⁷¹⁷  14:3 So ⁷¹⁸  Jesus asked ⁷¹⁹  the experts in religious law ⁷²⁰  and the Pharisees, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath ⁷²¹  or not?” 14:4 But they remained silent. So ⁷²²  Jesus ⁷²³  took hold of the man, ⁷²⁴  healed him, and sent him away. ⁷²⁵  14:5 Then ⁷²⁶  he said to them, “Which of you, if you have a son ⁷²⁷  or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?” 14:6 But ⁷²⁸  they could not reply ⁷²⁹  to this.

14:7 Then ⁷³⁰  when Jesus ⁷³¹  noticed how the guests ⁷³²  chose the places of honor, ⁷³³  he told them a parable. He said to them, 14:8 “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, ⁷³⁴  do not take ⁷³⁵  the place of honor, because a person more distinguished than you may have been invited by your host. ⁷³⁶  14:9 So ⁷³⁷  the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this man your place.’ Then, ashamed, ⁷³⁸  you will begin to move to the least important ⁷³⁹  place. 14:10 But when you are invited, go and take the least important place, so that when your host ⁷⁴⁰  approaches he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up here to a better place.’ ⁷⁴¹  Then you will be honored in the presence of all who share the meal with you. 14:11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but ⁷⁴²  the one who humbles ⁷⁴³  himself will be exalted.”

14:12 He ⁷⁴⁴  said also to the man ⁷⁴⁵  who had invited him, “When you host a dinner or a banquet, ⁷⁴⁶  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. 14:13 But when you host an elaborate meal, ⁷⁴⁷  invite the poor, the crippled, ⁷⁴⁸  the lame, and ⁷⁴⁹  the blind. ⁷⁵⁰  14:14 Then ⁷⁵¹  you will be blessed, ⁷⁵²  because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid ⁷⁵³  at the resurrection of the righteous.”

14:15 When ⁷⁵⁴  one of those at the meal with Jesus ⁷⁵⁵  heard this, he said to him, “Blessed is everyone ⁷⁵⁶  who will feast ⁷⁵⁷  in the kingdom of God!” ⁷⁵⁸  14:16 But Jesus ⁷⁵⁹  said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet ⁷⁶⁰  and invited ⁷⁶¹  many guests. ⁷⁶²  14:17 At ⁷⁶³  the time for the banquet ⁷⁶⁴  he sent his slave ⁷⁶⁵  to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, because everything is now ready.’ 14:18 But one after another they all ⁷⁶⁶  began to make excuses. ⁷⁶⁷  The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, ⁷⁶⁸  and I must go out and see it. Please excuse me.’ ⁷⁶⁹  14:19 Another ⁷⁷⁰  said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, ⁷⁷¹  and I am going out ⁷⁷²  to examine them. Please excuse me.’ 14:20 Another ⁷⁷³  said, ‘I just got married, and I cannot come.’ ⁷⁷⁴  14:21 So ⁷⁷⁵  the slave came back and reported this to his master. Then the master of the household was furious ⁷⁷⁶  and said to his slave, ‘Go out quickly ⁷⁷⁷  to the streets and alleys of the city, ⁷⁷⁸  and bring in the poor, ⁷⁷⁹  the crippled, ⁷⁸⁰  the blind, and the lame.’ 14:22 Then ⁷⁸¹  the slave said, ‘Sir, what you instructed has been done, and there is still room.’ ⁷⁸²  14:23 So ⁷⁸³  the master said to his ⁷⁸⁴  slave, ‘Go out to the highways ⁷⁸⁵  and country roads ⁷⁸⁶  and urge ⁷⁸⁷  people ⁷⁸⁸  to come in, so that my house will be filled. ⁷⁸⁹  14:24 For I tell you, not one of those individuals ⁷⁹⁰  who were invited ⁷⁹¹  will taste my banquet!’” ⁷⁹² 

14:25 Now large crowds ⁷⁹³  were accompanying Jesus, ⁷⁹⁴  and turning to them he said, 14:26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate ⁷⁹⁵  his own father and mother, and wife and children, and brothers and sisters, and even his own life, ⁷⁹⁶  he cannot be my disciple. 14:27 Whoever does not carry his own cross ⁷⁹⁷  and follow ⁷⁹⁸  me cannot be my disciple. 14:28 For which of you, wanting to build a tower, doesn’t sit down ⁷⁹⁹  first and compute the cost ⁸⁰⁰  to see if he has enough money to complete it? 14:29 Otherwise, ⁸⁰¹  when he has laid ⁸⁰²  a foundation and is not able to finish the tower, ⁸⁰³  all who see it ⁸⁰⁴  will begin to make fun of ⁸⁰⁵  him. 14:30 They will say, ⁸⁰⁶  ‘This man ⁸⁰⁷  began to build and was not able to finish!’ ⁸⁰⁸  14:31 Or what king, going out to confront another king in battle, will not sit down ⁸⁰⁹  first and determine whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose ⁸¹⁰  the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 14:32 If he cannot succeed, ⁸¹¹  he will send a representative ⁸¹²  while the other is still a long way off and ask for terms of peace. ⁸¹³  14:33 In the same way therefore not one of you can be my disciple if he does not renounce all his own possessions. ⁸¹⁴ 

14:34 “Salt ⁸¹⁵  is good, but if salt loses its flavor, ⁸¹⁶  how can its flavor be restored? 14:35 It is of no value ⁸¹⁷  for the soil or for the manure pile; it is to be thrown out. ⁸¹⁸  The one who has ears to hear had better listen!” ⁸¹⁹ 

15:1 Now all the tax collectors ⁸²⁰  and sinners were coming ⁸²¹  to hear him. 15:2 But ⁸²²  the Pharisees ⁸²³  and the experts in the law ⁸²⁴  were complaining, ⁸²⁵  “This man welcomes ⁸²⁶  sinners and eats with them.”

15:3 So ⁸²⁷  Jesus ⁸²⁸  told them ⁸²⁹  this parable: ⁸³⁰  15:4 “Which one ⁸³¹  of you, if he has a hundred ⁸³²  sheep and loses one of them, would not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture ⁸³³  and go look for ⁸³⁴  the one that is lost until he finds it? ⁸³⁵  15:5 Then ⁸³⁶  when he has found it, he places it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 15:6 Returning ⁸³⁷  home, he calls together ⁸³⁸  his ⁸³⁹  friends and neighbors, telling them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost.’ 15:7 I tell you, in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner ⁸⁴⁰  who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people ⁸⁴¹  who have no need to repent. ⁸⁴² 

15:8 “Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins ⁸⁴³  and loses ⁸⁴⁴  one of them, ⁸⁴⁵  does not light a lamp, sweep ⁸⁴⁶  the house, and search thoroughly until she finds it? 15:9 Then ⁸⁴⁷  when she has found it, she calls together her ⁸⁴⁸  friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice ⁸⁴⁹  with me, for I have found the coin ⁸⁵⁰  that I had lost.’ 15:10 In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels ⁸⁵¹  over one sinner who repents.”

15:11 Then ⁸⁵²  Jesus ⁸⁵³  said, “A man had two sons. 15:12 The ⁸⁵⁴  younger of them said to his ⁸⁵⁵  father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate ⁸⁵⁶  that will belong ⁸⁵⁷  to me.’ So ⁸⁵⁸  he divided his ⁸⁵⁹  assets between them. ⁸⁶⁰  15:13 After ⁸⁶¹  a few days, ⁸⁶²  the younger son gathered together all he had and left on a journey to a distant country, and there he squandered ⁸⁶³  his wealth ⁸⁶⁴  with a wild lifestyle. 15:14 Then ⁸⁶⁵  after he had spent everything, a severe famine took place in that country, and he began to be in need. 15:15 So he went and worked for ⁸⁶⁶  one of the citizens of that country, who ⁸⁶⁷  sent him to his fields to feed pigs. ⁸⁶⁸  15:16 He ⁸⁶⁹  was longing to eat ⁸⁷⁰  the carob pods ⁸⁷¹  the pigs were eating, but ⁸⁷²  no one gave him anything. 15:17 But when he came to his senses ⁸⁷³  he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have food ⁸⁷⁴  enough to spare, but here I am dying from hunger! 15:18 I will get up and go to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned ⁸⁷⁵  against heaven ⁸⁷⁶  and against ⁸⁷⁷  you. 15:19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me ⁸⁷⁸  like one of your hired workers.”’ 15:20 So ⁸⁷⁹  he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way from home ⁸⁸⁰  his father saw him, and his heart went out to him; ⁸⁸¹  he ran and hugged ⁸⁸²  his son ⁸⁸³  and kissed him. 15:21 Then ⁸⁸⁴  his son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven ⁸⁸⁵  and against you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ ⁸⁸⁶  15:22 But the father said to his slaves, ⁸⁸⁷  ‘Hurry! Bring the best robe, ⁸⁸⁸  and put it on him! Put a ring on his finger ⁸⁸⁹  and sandals ⁸⁹⁰  on his feet! 15:23 Bring ⁸⁹¹  the fattened calf ⁸⁹²  and kill it! Let us eat ⁸⁹³  and celebrate, 15:24 because this son of mine was dead, and is alive again – he was lost and is found!’ ⁸⁹⁴  So ⁸⁹⁵  they began to celebrate.

15:25 “Now his older son was in the field. As ⁸⁹⁶  he came and approached the house, he heard music ⁸⁹⁷  and dancing. 15:26 So ⁸⁹⁸  he called one of the slaves ⁸⁹⁹  and asked what was happening. 15:27 The slave replied, ⁹⁰⁰  ‘Your brother has returned, and your father has killed the fattened calf ⁹⁰¹  because he got his son ⁹⁰²  back safe and sound.’ 15:28 But the older son ⁹⁰³  became angry ⁹⁰⁴  and refused ⁹⁰⁵  to go in. His father came out and appealed to him, 15:29 but he answered ⁹⁰⁶  his father, ‘Look! These many years I have worked like a slave ⁹⁰⁷  for you, and I never disobeyed your commands. Yet ⁹⁰⁸  you never gave me even a goat ⁹⁰⁹  so that I could celebrate with my friends! 15:30 But when this son of yours ⁹¹⁰  came back, who has devoured ⁹¹¹  your assets with prostitutes, ⁹¹²  you killed the fattened calf ⁹¹³  for him!’ 15:31 Then ⁹¹⁴  the father ⁹¹⁵  said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and everything that belongs to me is yours. 15:32 It was appropriate ⁹¹⁶  to celebrate and be glad, for your brother ⁹¹⁷  was dead, and is alive; he was lost and is found.’” ⁹¹⁸ 

16:1 Jesus ⁹¹⁹  also said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who was informed of accusations ⁹²⁰  that his manager ⁹²¹  was wasting ⁹²²  his assets. 16:2 So ⁹²³  he called the manager ⁹²⁴  in and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? ⁹²⁵  Turn in the account of your administration, ⁹²⁶  because you can no longer be my manager.’ 16:3 Then ⁹²⁷  the manager said to himself, ‘What should I do, since my master is taking my position ⁹²⁸  away from me? I’m not strong enough to dig, ⁹²⁹  and I’m too ashamed ⁹³⁰  to beg. 16:4 I know ⁹³¹  what to do so that when I am put out of management, people will welcome me into their homes.’ ⁹³²  16:5 So ⁹³³  he contacted ⁹³⁴  his master’s debtors one by one. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 16:6 The man ⁹³⁵  replied, ‘A hundred measures ⁹³⁶  of olive oil.’ The manager ⁹³⁷  said to him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and write fifty.’ ⁹³⁸  16:7 Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ The second man ⁹³⁹  replied, ‘A hundred measures ⁹⁴⁰  of wheat.’ The manager ⁹⁴¹  said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’ ⁹⁴²  16:8 The ⁹⁴³  master commended the dishonest ⁹⁴⁴  manager because he acted shrewdly. ⁹⁴⁵  For the people ⁹⁴⁶  of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their contemporaries ⁹⁴⁷  than the people ⁹⁴⁸  of light. 16:9 And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by how you use worldly wealth, ⁹⁴⁹  so that when it runs out you will be welcomed ⁹⁵⁰  into the eternal homes. ⁹⁵¹ 

16:10 “The one who is faithful in a very little ⁹⁵²  is also faithful in much, and the one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. 16:11 If then you haven’t been trustworthy ⁹⁵³  in handling worldly wealth, ⁹⁵⁴  who will entrust you with the true riches? ⁹⁵⁵  16:12 And if you haven’t been trustworthy ⁹⁵⁶  with someone else’s property, ⁹⁵⁷  who will give you your own ⁹⁵⁸ ? 16:13 No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate ⁹⁵⁹  the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise ⁹⁶⁰  the other. You cannot serve God and money.” ⁹⁶¹ 

16:14 The Pharisees ⁹⁶²  (who loved money) heard all this and ridiculed ⁹⁶³  him. 16:15 But ⁹⁶⁴  Jesus ⁹⁶⁵  said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in men’s eyes, ⁹⁶⁶  but God knows your hearts. For what is highly prized ⁹⁶⁷  among men is utterly detestable ⁹⁶⁸  in God’s sight.

16:16 “The law and the prophets were in force ⁹⁶⁹  until John; ⁹⁷⁰  since then, ⁹⁷¹  the good news of the kingdom of God ⁹⁷²  has been proclaimed, and everyone is urged to enter it. ⁹⁷³  16:17 But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tiny stroke of a letter ⁹⁷⁴  in the law to become void. ⁹⁷⁵ 

16:18 “Everyone who divorces his wife and marries ⁹⁷⁶  someone else commits adultery, and the one who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.

16:19 “There was a rich man who dressed in purple ⁹⁷⁷  and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously ⁹⁷⁸  every day. 16:20 But at his gate lay ⁹⁷⁹  a poor man named Lazarus ⁹⁸⁰  whose body was covered with sores, ⁹⁸¹  16:21 who longed to eat ⁹⁸²  what fell from the rich man’s table. In addition, the dogs ⁹⁸³  came and licked ⁹⁸⁴  his sores.

16:22 “Now ⁹⁸⁵  the poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. ⁹⁸⁶  The ⁹⁸⁷  rich man also died and was buried. ⁹⁸⁸  16:23 And in hell, ⁹⁸⁹  as he was in torment, ⁹⁹⁰  he looked up ⁹⁹¹  and saw Abraham far off with Lazarus at his side. ⁹⁹²  16:24 So ⁹⁹³  he called out, ⁹⁹⁴  ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus ⁹⁹⁵  to dip the tip of his finger ⁹⁹⁶  in water and cool my tongue, because I am in anguish ⁹⁹⁷  in this fire.’ ⁹⁹⁸  16:25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, ⁹⁹⁹  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. ¹⁰⁰⁰  16:26 Besides all this, ¹⁰⁰¹  a great chasm ¹⁰⁰²  has been fixed between us, ¹⁰⁰³  so that those who want to cross over from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.’ 16:27 So ¹⁰⁰⁴  the rich man ¹⁰⁰⁵  said, ‘Then I beg you, father – send Lazarus ¹⁰⁰⁶  to my father’s house 16:28 (for I have five brothers) to warn ¹⁰⁰⁷  them so that they don’t come ¹⁰⁰⁸  into this place of torment.’ 16:29 But Abraham said, ¹⁰⁰⁹  ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they must respond to ¹⁰¹⁰  them.’ 16:30 Then ¹⁰¹¹  the rich man ¹⁰¹²  said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead ¹⁰¹³  goes to them, they will repent.’ 16:31 He ¹⁰¹⁴  replied to him, ‘If they do not respond to ¹⁰¹⁵  Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’” ¹⁰¹⁶ 

17:1 Jesus ¹⁰¹⁷  said to his disciples, “Stumbling blocks are sure to come, but woe ¹⁰¹⁸  to the one through whom they come! 17:2 It would be better for him to have a millstone ¹⁰¹⁹  tied around his neck and be thrown into the sea ¹⁰²⁰  than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. ¹⁰²¹  17:3 Watch ¹⁰²²  yourselves! If ¹⁰²³  your brother ¹⁰²⁴  sins, rebuke him. If ¹⁰²⁵  he repents, forgive him. 17:4 Even if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times returns to you saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive ¹⁰²⁶  him.”

17:5 The ¹⁰²⁷  apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” ¹⁰²⁸  17:6 So ¹⁰²⁹  the Lord replied, ¹⁰³⁰  “If ¹⁰³¹  you had faith the size of ¹⁰³²  a mustard seed, you could say to this black mulberry ¹⁰³³  tree, ‘Be pulled out by the roots and planted in the sea,’ ¹⁰³⁴  and it would obey ¹⁰³⁵  you.

17:7 “Would any one of you say ¹⁰³⁶  to your slave ¹⁰³⁷  who comes in from the field after plowing or shepherding sheep, ‘Come at once and sit down for a meal’? ¹⁰³⁸  17:8 Won’t ¹⁰³⁹  the master ¹⁰⁴⁰  instead say to him, ‘Get my dinner ready, and make yourself ready ¹⁰⁴¹  to serve me while ¹⁰⁴²  I eat and drink. Then ¹⁰⁴³  you may eat and drink’? 17:9 He won’t thank the slave because he did what he was told, ¹⁰⁴⁴  will he? ¹⁰⁴⁵  17:10 So you too, when you have done everything you were commanded to do, should say, ‘We are slaves undeserving of special praise; ¹⁰⁴⁶  we have only done what was our duty.’” ¹⁰⁴⁷ 

17:11 Now on ¹⁰⁴⁸  the way to Jerusalem, ¹⁰⁴⁹  Jesus ¹⁰⁵⁰  was passing along ¹⁰⁵¹  between Samaria and Galilee. 17:12 As ¹⁰⁵²  he was entering ¹⁰⁵³  a village, ten men with leprosy ¹⁰⁵⁴  met him. They ¹⁰⁵⁵  stood at a distance, 17:13 raised their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy ¹⁰⁵⁶  on us.” 17:14 When ¹⁰⁵⁷  he saw them he said, “Go ¹⁰⁵⁸  and show yourselves to the priests.” ¹⁰⁵⁹  And ¹⁰⁶⁰  as they went along, they were cleansed. 17:15 Then one of them, when he saw he was healed, turned back, praising ¹⁰⁶¹  God with a loud voice. 17:16 He ¹⁰⁶²  fell with his face to the ground ¹⁰⁶³  at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. ¹⁰⁶⁴  (Now ¹⁰⁶⁵  he was a Samaritan.) ¹⁰⁶⁶  17:17 Then ¹⁰⁶⁷  Jesus said, ¹⁰⁶⁸  “Were ¹⁰⁶⁹  not ten cleansed? Where are the other ¹⁰⁷⁰  nine? 17:18 Was no one found to turn back and give praise to God except this foreigner?” ¹⁰⁷¹  17:19 Then ¹⁰⁷²  he said to the man, ¹⁰⁷³  “Get up and go your way. Your faith has made you well.” ¹⁰⁷⁴ 

17:20 Now at one point ¹⁰⁷⁵  the Pharisees ¹⁰⁷⁶  asked Jesus ¹⁰⁷⁷  when the kingdom of God ¹⁰⁷⁸  was coming, so he answered, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs ¹⁰⁷⁹  to be observed, 17:21 nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is ¹⁰⁸⁰  in your midst.” ¹⁰⁸¹ 

17:22 Then ¹⁰⁸²  he said to the disciples, “The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days ¹⁰⁸³  of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. 17:23 Then people ¹⁰⁸⁴  will say to you, ‘Look, there he is!’ ¹⁰⁸⁵  or ‘Look, here he is!’ Do not go out or chase after them. ¹⁰⁸⁶  17:24 For just like the lightning flashes ¹⁰⁸⁷  and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. ¹⁰⁸⁸  17:25 But first he must ¹⁰⁸⁹  suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. 17:26 Just ¹⁰⁹⁰  as it was ¹⁰⁹¹  in the days of Noah, ¹⁰⁹²  so too it will be in the days of the Son of Man. 17:27 People ¹⁰⁹³  were eating, ¹⁰⁹⁴  they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage – right up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then ¹⁰⁹⁵  the flood came and destroyed them all. ¹⁰⁹⁶  17:28 Likewise, just as it was ¹⁰⁹⁷  in the days of Lot, people ¹⁰⁹⁸  were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, building; 17:29 but on the day Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. ¹⁰⁹⁹  17:30 It will be the same on the day the Son of Man is revealed. 17:31 On that day, anyone who is on the roof, ¹¹⁰⁰  with his goods in the house, must not come down ¹¹⁰¹  to take them away, and likewise the person in the field must not turn back. 17:32 Remember Lot’s wife! ¹¹⁰²  17:33 Whoever tries to keep ¹¹⁰³  his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life ¹¹⁰⁴  will preserve it. 17:34 I tell you, in that night there will be two people in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. ¹¹⁰⁵  17:35 There will be two women grinding grain together; ¹¹⁰⁶  one will be taken and the other left.”

17:36 [[EMPTY]] ¹¹⁰⁷ 

17:37 Then ¹¹⁰⁸  the disciples ¹¹⁰⁹  said ¹¹¹⁰  to him, “Where, ¹¹¹¹  Lord?” He replied to them, “Where the dead body ¹¹¹²  is, there the vultures ¹¹¹³  will gather.” ¹¹¹⁴ 

18:1 Then ¹¹¹⁵  Jesus ¹¹¹⁶  told them a parable to show them they should always ¹¹¹⁷  pray and not lose heart. ¹¹¹⁸  18:2 He said, ¹¹¹⁹  “In a certain city ¹¹²⁰  there was a judge ¹¹²¹  who neither feared God nor respected people. ¹¹²²  18:3 There was also a widow ¹¹²³  in that city ¹¹²⁴  who kept coming ¹¹²⁵  to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ 18:4 For ¹¹²⁶  a while he refused, but later on ¹¹²⁷  he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor have regard for people, ¹¹²⁸  18:5 yet because this widow keeps on bothering me, I will give her justice, or in the end she will wear me out ¹¹²⁹  by her unending pleas.’” ¹¹³⁰  18:6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unrighteous judge says! ¹¹³¹  18:7 Won’t ¹¹³²  God give justice to his chosen ones, who cry out ¹¹³³  to him day and night? ¹¹³⁴  Will he delay ¹¹³⁵  long to help them? 18:8 I tell you, he will give them justice speedily. ¹¹³⁶  Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith ¹¹³⁷  on earth?”

18:9 Jesus ¹¹³⁸  also told this parable to some who were confident that they were righteous and looked down ¹¹³⁹  on everyone else. 18:10 “Two men went up ¹¹⁴⁰  to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee ¹¹⁴¹  and the other a tax collector. ¹¹⁴²  18:11 The Pharisee stood and prayed about himself like this: ¹¹⁴³  ‘God, I thank ¹¹⁴⁴  you that I am not like other people: ¹¹⁴⁵  extortionists, ¹¹⁴⁶  unrighteous people, ¹¹⁴⁷  adulterers – or even like this tax collector. ¹¹⁴⁸  18:12 I fast twice ¹¹⁴⁹  a week; I give a tenth ¹¹⁵⁰  of everything I get.’ 18:13 The tax collector, however, stood ¹¹⁵¹  far off and would not even look up ¹¹⁵²  to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, be merciful ¹¹⁵³  to me, sinner that I am!’ ¹¹⁵⁴  18:14 I tell you that this man went down to his home justified ¹¹⁵⁵  rather than the Pharisee. ¹¹⁵⁶  For everyone who exalts ¹¹⁵⁷  himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

18:15 Now people ¹¹⁵⁸  were even bringing their babies ¹¹⁵⁹  to him for him to touch. ¹¹⁶⁰  But when the disciples saw it, they began to scold those who brought them. ¹¹⁶¹  18:16 But Jesus called for the children, ¹¹⁶²  saying, “Let the little children come to me and do not try to stop them, for the kingdom of God ¹¹⁶³  belongs to such as these. ¹¹⁶⁴  18:17 I tell you the truth, ¹¹⁶⁵  whoever does not receive ¹¹⁶⁶  the kingdom of God like a child ¹¹⁶⁷  will never ¹¹⁶⁸  enter it.”

18:18 Now ¹¹⁶⁹  a certain ruler ¹¹⁷⁰  asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” ¹¹⁷¹  18:19 Jesus ¹¹⁷²  said to him, “Why do you call me good? ¹¹⁷³  No one is good except God alone. 18:20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’” ¹¹⁷⁴  18:21 The man ¹¹⁷⁵  replied, “I have wholeheartedly obeyed ¹¹⁷⁶  all these laws ¹¹⁷⁷  since my youth.” ¹¹⁷⁸  18:22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have ¹¹⁷⁹  and give the money ¹¹⁸⁰  to the poor, ¹¹⁸¹  and you will have treasure ¹¹⁸²  in heaven. Then ¹¹⁸³  come, follow me.” 18:23 But when the man ¹¹⁸⁴  heard this he became very sad, ¹¹⁸⁵  for he was extremely wealthy. 18:24 When Jesus noticed this, ¹¹⁸⁶  he said, “How hard ¹¹⁸⁷  it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! ¹¹⁸⁸  18:25 In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle ¹¹⁸⁹  than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 18:26 Those who heard this said, “Then ¹¹⁹⁰  who can be saved?” ¹¹⁹¹  18:27 He replied, “What is impossible ¹¹⁹²  for mere humans ¹¹⁹³  is possible for God.” 18:28 And Peter said, “Look, we have left everything we own ¹¹⁹⁴  to follow you!” ¹¹⁹⁵  18:29 Then ¹¹⁹⁶  Jesus ¹¹⁹⁷  said to them, “I tell you the truth, ¹¹⁹⁸  there is no one who has left home or wife or brothers ¹¹⁹⁹  or parents or children for the sake of God’s kingdom 18:30 who will not receive many times more ¹²⁰⁰  in this age ¹²⁰¹  – and in the age to come, eternal life.” ¹²⁰² 

18:31 Then ¹²⁰³  Jesus ¹²⁰⁴  took the twelve aside and said to them, “Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, ¹²⁰⁵  and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. ¹²⁰⁶  18:32 For he will be handed over ¹²⁰⁷  to the Gentiles; he will be mocked, ¹²⁰⁸  mistreated, ¹²⁰⁹  and spat on. ¹²¹⁰  18:33 They will flog him severely ¹²¹¹  and kill him. Yet ¹²¹²  on the third day he will rise again.” 18:34 But ¹²¹³  the twelve ¹²¹⁴  understood none of these things. This ¹²¹⁵  saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp ¹²¹⁶  what Jesus meant. ¹²¹⁷