Luke 9
Jesus Sends Out the Apostles
1 Jesus called the twelve apostles together and gave them power and authority over all demons and the ability to heal sicknesses.2 He sent the apostles out to tell about God’s kingdom and to heal the sick.3 He said to them, “Take nothing for your trip, neither a walking stick, bag, bread, money, or extra clothes. 4 When you enter a house, stay there until it is time to leave. 5 If people do not welcome you, shake the dust off of your feet
6 So the apostles went out and traveled through all the towns, preaching the Good News and healing people everywhere.
Herod Is Confused About Jesus
7 Herod, the governor, heard about all the things that were happening and was confused, because some people said, “John the Baptist has risen from the dead.”8 Others said, “Elijah has come to us.” And still others said, “One of the prophets who lived long ago has risen from the dead.”
9 Herod said, “I cut off John’s head, so who is this man I hear such things about?” And Herod kept trying to see Jesus.
More than Five Thousand Fed
10 When the apostles returned, they told Jesus everything they had done. Then Jesus took them with him to a town called Bethsaida where they could be alone together.
11 But the people learned where Jesus went and followed him. He welcomed them and talked with them about God’s kingdom and healed those who needed to be healed.
12 Late in the afternoon, the twelve apostles came to Jesus and said, “Send the people away. They need to go to the towns and countryside around here and find places to sleep and something to eat, because no one lives in this place.”
13 But Jesus said to them, “You give them something to eat.”
They said, “We have only five loaves of bread and two fish, unless we go buy food for all these people.”
14 (There were about five thousand men there.)
Jesus said to his followers, “Tell the people to sit in groups of about fifty people.”
15 So the followers did this, and all the people sat down.16 Then Jesus took the five loaves of bread and two fish, and looking up to heaven, he thanked God for the food. Then he divided the food and gave it to the followers to give to the people.
17 They all ate and were satisfied, and what was left over was gathered up, filling twelve baskets.
Jesus Is the Christ
18 One time when Jesus was praying alone, his followers were with him, and he asked them, “Who do the people say I am?”
19 They answered, “Some say you are John the Baptist. Others say you are Elijah.
20 Then Jesus asked, “But who do you say I am?”
Peter answered, “You are the Christ from God.”
21 Jesus warned them not to tell anyone, saying,
22 “The Son of Man must suffer many things. He will be rejected by the Jewish elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of the law. He will be killed and after three days will be raised from the dead.”
23 Jesus said to all of them, “If people want to follow me, they must give up the things they want. They must be willing to give up their lives daily to follow me. 24 Those who want to save their lives will give up true life. But those who give up their lives for me will have true life. 25 It is worthless to have the whole world if they themselves are destroyed or lost. 26 If people are ashamed of me and my teaching, then the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and with the glory of the Father and the holy angels.
27 I tell you the truth, some people standing here will see the kingdom of God before they die.”
Jesus Talks with Moses and Elijah
28 About eight days after Jesus said these things, he took Peter, John, and James and went up on a mountain to pray.29 While Jesus was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became shining white.30 Then two men, Moses and Elijah, 31 They appeared in heavenly glory, talking about his departure which he would soon bring about in Jerusalem.32 Peter and the others were very sleepy, but when they awoke fully, they saw the glory of Jesus and the two men standing with him.
33 When Moses and Elijah were about to leave, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” (Peter did not know what he was talking about.)
34 While he was saying these things, a cloud came and covered them, and they became afraid as the cloud covered them.
35 A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen. Listen to him!”
36 When the voice finished speaking, only Jesus was there. Peter, John, and James said nothing and told no one at that time what they had seen.
Jesus Heals a Sick Boy
37 The next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met Jesus.38 A man in the crowd shouted to him, “Teacher, please come and look at my son, because he is my only child.39 An evil spirit seizes my son, and suddenly he screams. It causes him to lose control of himself and foam at the mouth. The evil spirit keeps on hurting him and almost never leaves him.
40 I begged your followers to force the evil spirit out, but they could not do it.”
41 Jesus answered, “You people have no faith, and your lives are all wrong. How long must I stay with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.”
42 While the boy was coming, the demon threw him on the ground and made him lose control of himself. But Jesus gave a strong command to the evil spirit and healed the boy and gave him back to his father.
43 All the people were amazed at the great power of God.
While everyone was wondering about all that Jesus did, he said to his followers,
Jesus Talks About His Death
44 “Don’t forget what I tell you now: The Son of Man will be handed over to people.”
45 But the followers did not understand what this meant; the meaning was hidden from them so they could not understand. But they were afraid to ask Jesus about it.
Who Is the Greatest?
46 Jesus’ followers began to have an argument about which one of them was the greatest.47 Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he took a little child and stood the child beside him.
48 Then Jesus said, “Whoever accepts this little child in my name accepts me. And whoever accepts me accepts the One who sent me, because whoever is least among you all is really the greatest.”
Anyone Not Against Us Is for Us
49 John answered, “Master, we saw someone using your name to force demons out of people. We told him to stop, because he does not belong to our group.”
50 But Jesus said to him, “Don’t stop him, because whoever is not against you is for you.”
A Town Rejects Jesus
51 When the time was coming near for Jesus to depart, he was determined to go to Jerusalem.52 He sent some messengers ahead of him, who went into a town in Samaria to make everything ready for him.53 But the people there would not welcome him, because he was set on going to Jerusalem.54 When James and John, followers of Jesus, saw this, they said, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven and destroy those people?” 55 But Jesus turned and scolded them. [And Jesus said, “You don’t know what kind of spirit you belong to. 56 The Son of Man did not come to destroy the souls of people but to save them.”]
Following Jesus
57 As they were going along the road, someone said to Jesus, “I will follow you any place you go.”
58 Jesus said to them, “The foxes have holes to live in, and the birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to rest his head.”
59 Jesus said to another man, “Follow me!”
But he said, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”
60 But Jesus said to him, “Let the people who are dead bury their own dead. You must go and tell about the kingdom of God.”
61 Another man said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me go and say good-bye to my family.”
62 Jesus said, “Anyone who begins to plow a field but keeps looking back is of no use in the kingdom of God.”
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