Luke 9

Keep It Simple

1-5 Jesus now called the Twelve and gave them authority and power to deal with all the demons and cure diseases. He commissioned them to preach the news of God's kingdom and heal the sick. He said, "Don't load yourselves up with equipment. Keep it simple; you are the equipment. And no luxury inns—get a modest place and be content there until you leave. If you're not welcomed, leave town. Don't make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and move on."

6 Commissioned, they left. They traveled from town to town telling the latest news of God, the Message, and curing people everywhere they went.

7-9 Herod, the ruler, heard of these goings on and didn't know what to think. There were people saying John had come back from the dead, others that Elijah had appeared, still others that some prophet of long ago had shown up. Herod said, "But I killed John—took off his head. So who is this that I keep hearing about?" Curious, he looked for a chance to see him in action.

10-11 The apostles returned and reported on what they had done. Jesus took them away, off by themselves, near the town called Bethsaida. But the crowds got wind of it and followed. Jesus graciously welcomed them and talked to them about the kingdom of God. Those who needed healing, he healed.

Bread and Fish for Five Thousand

12 As the day declined, the Twelve said, "Dismiss the crowd so they can go to the farms or villages around here and get a room for the night and a bite to eat. We're out in the middle of nowhere."

13-14 "You feed them," Jesus said.
They said, "We couldn't scrape up more than five loaves of bread and a couple of fish—unless, of course, you want us to go to town ourselves and buy food for everybody." (There were more than five thousand people in the crowd.)

15-17 But he went ahead and directed his disciples, "Sit them down in groups of about fifty." They did what he said, and soon had everyone seated. He took the five loaves and two fish, lifted his face to heaven in prayer, blessed, broke, and gave the bread and fish to the disciples to hand out to the crowd. After the people had all eaten their fill, twelve baskets of leftovers were gathered up.

Don't Run from Suffering

18 One time when Jesus was off praying by himself, his disciples nearby, he asked them, "What are the crowds saying about me, about who I am?"

19 They said, "John the Baptizer. Others say Elijah. Still others say that one of the prophets from long ago has come back."

20-21 He then asked, "And you—what are you saying about me? Who am I?"
Peter answered, "The Messiah of God." Jesus then warned them to keep it quiet. They were to tell no one what Peter had said.

22 He went on, "It is necessary that the Son of Man proceed to an ordeal of suffering, be tried and found guilty by the religious leaders, high priests, and religion scholars, be killed, and on the third day be raised up alive."

23-27 Then he told them what they could expect for themselves: "Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat—I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? If any of you is embarrassed with me and the way I'm leading you, know that the Son of Man will be far more embarrassed with you when he arrives in all his splendor in company with the Father and the holy angels. This isn't, you realize, pie in the sky by and by. Some who have taken their stand right here are going to see it happen, see with their own eyes the kingdom of God."

Jesus in His Glory

28-31 About eight days after saying this, he climbed the mountain to pray, taking Peter, John, and James along. While he was in prayer, the appearance of his face changed and his clothes became blinding white. At once two men were there talking with him. They turned out to be Moses and Elijah—and what a glorious appearance they made! They talked over his exodus, the one Jesus was about to complete in Jerusalem.

32-33 Meanwhile, Peter and those with him were slumped over in sleep. When they came to, rubbing their eyes, they saw Jesus in his glory and the two men standing with him. When Moses and Elijah had left, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, this is a great moment! Let's build three memorials: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." He blurted this out without thinking.

34-35 While he was babbling on like this, a light-radiant cloud enveloped them. As they found themselves buried in the cloud, they became deeply aware of God. Then there was a voice out of the cloud: "This is my Son, the Chosen! Listen to him."

36 When the sound of the voice died away, they saw Jesus there alone. They were speechless. And they continued speechless, said not one thing to anyone during those days of what they had seen.

37-40 When they came down off the mountain the next day, a big crowd was there to meet them. A man called from out of the crowd, "Please, please, Teacher, take a look at my son. He's my only child. Often a spirit seizes him. Suddenly he's screaming, thrown into convulsions, his mouth foaming. And then it beats him black-and-blue before it leaves. I asked your disciples to deliver him but they couldn't."

41 Jesus said, "What a generation! No sense of God! No focus to your lives! How many times do I have to go over these things? How much longer do I have to put up with this? Bring your son here."

42-43 While he was coming, the demon slammed him to the ground and threw him into convulsions. Jesus stepped in, ordered the vile spirit gone, healed the boy, and handed him back to his father. They all shook their heads in wonder, astonished at God's greatness, God's majestic greatness.

Your Business Is Life

44 While they continued to stand around exclaiming over all the things he was doing, Jesus said to his disciples, "Treasure and ponder each of these next words: The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into human hands."

45 They didn't get what he was saying. It was like he was speaking a foreign language and they couldn't make heads or tails of it. But they were embarrassed to ask him what he meant.

46-48 They started arguing over which of them would be most famous. When Jesus realized how much this mattered to them, he brought a child to his side. "Whoever accepts this child as if the child were me, accepts me," he said. "And whoever accepts me, accepts the One who sent me. You become great by accepting, not asserting. Your spirit, not your size, makes the difference."

49 John spoke up, "Master, we saw a man using your name to expel demons and we stopped him because he wasn't of our group."

50 Jesus said, "Don't stop him. If he's not an enemy, he's an ally."

51-54 When it came close to the time for his Ascension, he gathered up his courage and steeled himself for the journey to Jerusalem. He sent messengers on ahead. They came to a Samaritan village to make arrangements for his hospitality. But when the Samaritans learned that his destination was Jerusalem, they refused hospitality. When the disciples James and John learned of it, they said, "Master, do you want us to call a bolt of lightning down out of the sky and incinerate them?"

55-56 Jesus turned on them: "Of course not!" And they traveled on to another village.

57 On the road someone asked if he could go along. "I'll go with you, wherever," he said.

58 Jesus was curt: "Are you ready to rough it? We're not staying in the best inns, you know."
Jesus said to another, "Follow me."

59 He said, "Certainly, but first excuse me for a couple of days, please. I have to make arrangements for my father's funeral."

60 Jesus refused. "First things first. Your business is life, not death. And life is urgent: Announce God's kingdom!"

61 Then another said, "I'm ready to follow you, Master, but first excuse me while I get things straightened out at home."

62 Jesus said, "No procrastination. No backward looks. You can't put God's kingdom off till tomorrow. Seize the day."

Luke 9

The Sending of the Twelve Apostles

1 Aftert Jesust calledt the twelves together, he gave them power and authority over all demons and to cures diseases,2 and he sents them out to proclaimt the kingdom of Gods and to heal the sick.s3 Het said to them, “Take nothing for yourt journey – no staff,s no bag,t no bread, no money, and do not take an extra tunic.t4 Whatevert house you enter, stay theres until you leave the area.t5 Wherevert they do not receive you,t as you leave that town,t shake the dust offs your feet as a testimony against them.”

6 Thent they departed and went throughoutt the villages, proclaiming the good newsts and healing people everywhere.

Herod’s Confusion about Jesus

7 Now Herods the tetrarchs heard about everything that was happening, and he was thoroughly perplexed,t because some people were saying that Johns had been raised from the dead,8 while others were saying that Elijahs had appeared, and still others that one of the prophets of long ago had risen.s

9 Herod said, “I had Johnt beheaded, but who is this about whom I hear such things?” So Herod wanted to learn about Jesus.t

The Feeding of the Five Thousand

10 Whent the apostles returned,t they told Jesust everything they had done. Thent he took them with him and they withdrew privately to a townst called Bethsaida.s11 But when the crowds found out, they followed him. Het welcomed them, spoke to them about the kingdom of God,s and cured those who needed healing.s12 Now the day began to draw to a close,t sot the twelve came and said to Jesus,t “Send the crowd away, so they can go into the surrounding villages and countryside and find lodgingt and food, because we are in an isolated place.”t13 But he said to them, “Yout give them something to eat.” Theyt replied,t “We have no more than five loaves and two fish – unlesst we got and buy foods for all these people.”14 (Now about five thousand ment were there.)s Thent he said to his disciples, “Havet them sit down in groups of about fifty each.”

15 So they did as Jesus directed,t and the peoplet all sat down.
16 Thent he took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven he gave thankss and broke them. He gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd.

17 They all ate and were satisfied, and what was left overs was picked up – twelve baskets of broken pieces.

Peter’s Confession

18 Oncet when Jesust was prayings by himself, and his disciples were nearby, he asked them,t “Who do the crowds say that I am?”s19 Theyt answered,t “John the Baptist; others say Elijah;s and still others that one of the prophets of long ago has risen.”s20 Thent he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Petert answered,t “The Christts of God.”21 But he forcefully commandedt them not to tell this to anyone,s

22 saying, “The Son of Man must suffers many things and be rejected by the elders,s chief priests, and experts in the law,t and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”s

A Call to Discipleship

23 Thent he said to them all,s “If anyone wants to become my follower,t he must denyt himself, take up his cross daily,s and follow me.24 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it,s but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.25 For what does it benefit a persont if he gains the whole world but loses or forfeits himself?26 For whoever is ashameds of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that persont when he comes in his glory and in the gloryt of the Father and of the holy angels.

27 But I tell you most certainly,t there are some standing here who will nott experiencet death before they see the kingdom of God.”s

The Transfiguration

28 Nowt about eight dayst after these sayings, Jesust took with him Peter, John, and James, and went up the mountain to pray.29 Ast he was praying,t the appearance of his face was transformed,ts and his clothes became very bright, a brilliant white.t30 Thent two men, Moses and Elijah,s began talking with him.t31 They appeared in glorious splendor and spoke about his departuret that he was about to carry outt at Jerusalem.s32 Now Peter and those with him were quite sleepy,t but as they became fully awake,t they saw his glory and the two men standing with him.33 Thent as the ment were starting to leave,t Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us make three shelters,ts one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah” – not knowing what he was saying.34 Ast he was saying this, a clouds camet and overshadowedt them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud.35 Thent a voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One.sts Listen to him!”s

36 Aftert the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. Sot they kept silent and told no ones at that timet anything of what they had seen.

Healing a Boy with an Unclean Spirit

37 Now ont the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a large crowd met him.38 Thent a man from the crowd cried out,t “Teacher, I beg you to look att my son – he is my only child!39 At spirit seizes him, and he suddenly screams;t it throws him into convulsionss and causes him to foam at the mouth. It hardly ever leaves him alone, torturingt him severely.40 It beggeds your disciples to cast it out, butt they could not do so.”t41 Jesus answered,t “Yout unbelievingts and perverse generation! How much longert must I be with you and enduret you?s Bring your son here.”42 Ast the boyt was approaching, the demon threw him to the grounds and shook him with convulsions.t But Jesus rebukedt the uncleans spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father.

43 Thent they were all astonished at the mighty powers of God.
But while the entire crowdt was amazed at everything Jesusst was doing, he said to his disciples,

Another Prediction of Jesus’ Suffering

44 “Take these words to heart,t for the Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men.”t

45 But they did not understand this statement; its meaningt had been concealeds from them, so that they could not grasp it. Yett they were afraid to ask him about this statement.

Concerning the Greatest

46 Now an argument started among the disciplest as to which of them might bet the greatest.47 But when Jesus discerned their innermost thoughts,t he took a child, had him stand byt his side,

48 and said to them, “Whoever welcomest this childs 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.”t

On the Right Side

49 John answered,t “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stops him because he is not a disciplet along with us.”

50 But Jesus said to him, “Do not stop him, for whoever is not against you is for you.”

Rejection in Samaria

51 Now whent the days drew neart for him to be taken up,s Jesust set out resolutelyt to go to Jerusalem.s52 Het sent messengers on ahead of him.t As they went along,t they entered a Samaritan village to make things ready in advancet for him,53 but the villagerst refused to welcomet him, because he was determined to go to Jerusalem.ts54 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 consumetthem?”ss55 But Jesust turned and rebuked them,ss

56 and they went on to another village.

Challenging Professed Followers

57 Ast they were walkingt along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”ss58 Jesus said to him, “Foxes have dens and the birds in the skyt have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”s59 Jesust said to another, “Follow me.” But he replied,t “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”60 But Jesust said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead,s but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”s61 Yett another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say goodbye to my family.”t

62 Jesust said to him, “No one who puts hist hand to the plow and looks backs is fit for the kingdom of God.”s