Add parallel Print Page Options

Jesus Sends His Twelve Followers Out (A)

Jesus called His twelve followers to Him. He gave them the right and the power over all demons and to heal diseases. He sent them to preach about the holy nation of God and to heal the sick. Then He said to them, “Take nothing along for the trip. Do not take a walking stick or a bag or bread or money. Do not take two coats. Whatever house you go into, stay there until you are ready to go on. If anyone will not take you in, as you leave that city, shake its dust off your feet. That will speak against them.”

They went out, going from town to town. They preached the Good News and healed the sick everywhere.

John the Baptist Is Killed (B)

Now Herod the leader heard of all that had been done by Jesus. He was troubled because some people said that John the Baptist had been raised from the dead. Some people said that Elijah had come back. Others thought one of the early preachers had been raised from the dead. Then Herod said, “I had John’s head cut off. But who is this Man that I hear these things about?” He wanted to see Jesus.

The Feeding of the Five Thousand (C)

10 The twelve followers came back. They told Jesus what they had done. Jesus took them to a desert near the town of Bethsaida. There they could be alone. 11 When the people knew where Jesus was, they followed Him. Jesus was happy to see them and talked to them about the holy nation of God. He healed all who were sick.

12 When the day was about over, the twelve followers came to Jesus. They said, “Send these many people away so they can go to the towns and country near here. There they can find a place to sleep and get food. We are here in a desert.” 13 But Jesus said to them, “Give them something to eat.” They said, “We have only five loaves of bread and two fish. Are we to go and buy food for all these people?” 14 There were about five thousand men. Jesus said to His followers, “Have them sit down in groups of fifty people.” 15 They did as He told them. They made all of the people sit down. 16 As Jesus took the five loaves of bread and two fish, He looked up to heaven and gave thanks. He broke them in pieces and gave them to His followers to give to the people. 17 They all ate and were filled. They picked up twelve baskets full of pieces of bread and fish after the people finished eating.

Peter Says Jesus Is the Christ (D)

18 While Jesus was praying alone, His followers were with Him. Jesus asked them, “Who do people say that I am?” 19 They said, “John the Baptist, but some say Elijah. Others say that one of the early preachers has been raised from the dead.” 20 Jesus said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter said, “You are the Christ of God.”

Jesus Tells of His Death for the First Time (E)

21 Then Jesus spoke to them and told them to tell no one. 22 He said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things. The leaders and the religious leaders and the teachers of the Law will have nothing to do with Him. He must be killed and be raised from the dead three days later.”

Giving Up Self and One’s Own Desires

23 Then Jesus said to them all, “If anyone wants to follow Me, he must give up himself and his own desires. He must take up his cross everyday and follow Me. 24 If anyone wants to keep his own life safe, he must lose it. If anyone gives up his life because of Me, he will save it. 25 For what does a man have if he gets all the world and loses or gives up his life? 26 Whoever is ashamed of Me and My Words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His own shining-greatness and of the Father’s and of the holy angels. 27 I tell you the truth, some standing here will not die until they see the holy nation of God.”

A Look at What Jesus Will Be Like (F)

28 About eight days after Jesus had said these things, He took Peter and James and John with Him. They went up on a mountain to pray. 29 As Jesus prayed, He was changed in looks before them. His clothes became white and shining bright. 30 Two men talked with Jesus. They were Moses and Elijah. 31 They looked like the shining-greatness of heaven as they talked about His death in Jerusalem which was soon to happen.

32 But Peter and those with him had gone to sleep. When they woke up, they saw His shining-greatness and the two men who stood with Him. 33 As the two men went from Jesus, Peter said to Him, “Teacher, it is good for us to be here. Let us build three tents to worship in. One will be for You. One will be for Moses. One will be for Elijah.” He did not know what he was saying. 34 While he was talking, a cloud came over them. They were afraid as the cloud came in around them.

35 A voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My Son, the One I have chosen. Listen to Him!” 36 When the voice was gone, Jesus was standing there alone. From that time on, they kept these things to themselves. They told no one what they had seen.

A Boy with a Demon Is Healed (G)

37 The next day they came down from the mountain and many people met Jesus. 38 A man from among the people cried out, “Teacher, I beg of You to look at my son. He is my only child. 39 See, a demon takes him and makes him cry out. It takes hold of him and makes him shake. Spit runs from his mouth. He has marks on his body from being hurt. The demon does not want to go from him. 40 I begged Your followers to put the demon out, but they could not.”

41 Then Jesus said, “You people of this day do not have faith. You turn from what is right! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring your son to Me.” 42 While the boy was coming, the demon threw him down and made him lose the use of his mind for awhile. Jesus spoke sharp words to the demon. He healed the child and gave him back to his father.

Jesus Tells of His Death the Second Time (H)

43 They were all surprised at the great power of God. They all were thinking about the special things Jesus had done. And Jesus said to His followers, 44 “Remember these words. For the Son of Man will be given over into the hands of men.” 45 They did not understand these words because it was hidden from them. They did not know what Jesus meant and were afraid to ask Him.

Jesus Teaches about the Faith of a Child (I)

46 The followers argued among themselves about which of them would be the greatest. 47 Jesus knew what they were thinking. He put a child beside Him. 48 He said to the followers, “Whoever receives this child in My name, receives Me. Whoever receives Me, receives Him Who sent Me. The one who is least among you is the one who is great.”

The Sharp Words Against the Followers

49 John said, “Teacher, we saw someone putting out demons in Your name. We told him to stop because he was not following us.” 50 Jesus said to him, “Do not stop him. He who is not against us is for us.”

Jesus and His Followers Leave Galilee

51 It was about time for Jesus to be taken up into heaven. He turned toward Jerusalem and was sure that nothing would stop Him from going. 52 He sent men on ahead of Him. They came to a town in Samaria. There they got things ready for Jesus. 53 The people did not want Him there because they knew He was on His way to Jerusalem. 54 James and John, His followers, saw this. They said, “Lord, do You want us to speak so fire will come down from heaven and burn them up as Elijah did?” 55 Jesus turned and spoke sharp words to them. (*He said, “You do not know what kind of spirit you have. 56 The Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives. He came to save them from the punishment of sin.” They went on their way to another town.)

The Testing of Some Followers (J)

57 As they were going on their way, a man said to Jesus, “Lord, I will follow You wherever You go.” 58 Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes. Birds of the sky have nests. The Son of Man has no place to put His head.” 59 He said to another, “Follow Me.” But the man said, “Lord, let me go first and bury my father.” 60 Jesus said to him, “Let the people who are dead bury their own dead. You go and preach about the holy nation of God.” 61 And another one said, “Lord, I will follow You, but first let me go and say good-bye to those at home.” 62 Jesus said to him, “Anyone who puts his hand on a plow and looks back at the things behind is of no use in the holy nation of God.”

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve(A)(B)

When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons(C) and to cure diseases,(D) and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God(E) and to heal the sick. He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt.(F) Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.”(G) So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere.

Now Herod(H) the tetrarch heard about all that was going on. And he was perplexed because some were saying that John(I) had been raised from the dead,(J) others that Elijah had appeared,(K) and still others that one of the prophets of long ago had come back to life.(L) But Herod said, “I beheaded John. Who, then, is this I hear such things about?” And he tried to see him.(M)

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand(N)(O)

10 When the apostles(P) returned, they reported to Jesus what they had done. Then he took them with him and they withdrew by themselves to a town called Bethsaida,(Q) 11 but the crowds learned about it and followed him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God,(R) and healed those who needed healing.

12 Late in the afternoon the Twelve came to him and said, “Send the crowd away so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside and find food and lodging, because we are in a remote place here.”

13 He replied, “You give them something to eat.”

They answered, “We have only five loaves of bread and two fish—unless we go and buy food for all this crowd.” 14 (About five thousand men were there.)

But he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” 15 The disciples did so, and everyone sat down. 16 Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them.(S) Then he gave them to the disciples to distribute to the people. 17 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.

Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah(T)(U)

18 Once when Jesus was praying(V) in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?”

19 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist;(W) others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.”(X)

20 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

Peter answered, “God’s Messiah.”(Y)

Jesus Predicts His Death

21 Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone.(Z) 22 And he said, “The Son of Man(AA) must suffer many things(AB) and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law,(AC) and he must be killed(AD) and on the third day(AE) be raised to life.”(AF)

23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.(AG) 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.(AH) 25 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? 26 Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them(AI) when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.(AJ)

27 “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.”

The Transfiguration(AK)

28 About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James(AL) with him and went up onto a mountain to pray.(AM) 29 As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. 30 Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. 31 They spoke about his departure,[a](AN) which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. 32 Peter and his companions were very sleepy,(AO) but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. 33 As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, “Master,(AP) it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what he was saying.)

34 While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen;(AQ) listen to him.”(AR) 36 When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves and did not tell anyone at that time what they had seen.(AS)

Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Boy(AT)

37 The next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met him. 38 A man in the crowd called out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. 39 A spirit seizes him and he suddenly screams; it throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It scarcely ever leaves him and is destroying him. 40 I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not.”

41 “You unbelieving and perverse generation,”(AU) Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.”

42 Even while the boy was coming, the demon threw him to the ground in a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the impure spirit, healed the boy and gave him back to his father. 43 And they were all amazed at the greatness of God.

Jesus Predicts His Death a Second Time

While everyone was marveling at all that Jesus did, he said to his disciples, 44 “Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.”(AV) 45 But they did not understand what this meant. It was hidden from them, so that they did not grasp it,(AW) and they were afraid to ask him about it.

46 An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest.(AX) 47 Jesus, knowing their thoughts,(AY) took a little child and had him stand beside him. 48 Then he said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.(AZ) For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.”(BA)

49 “Master,”(BB) said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us.”

50 “Do not stop him,” Jesus said, “for whoever is not against you is for you.”(BC)

Samaritan Opposition

51 As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven,(BD) Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.(BE) 52 And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan(BF) village to get things ready for him; 53 but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. 54 When the disciples James and John(BG) saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them[b]?”(BH) 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them. 56 Then he and his disciples went to another village.

The Cost of Following Jesus(BI)

57 As they were walking along the road,(BJ) a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”

58 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man(BK) has no place to lay his head.”

59 He said to another man, “Follow me.”(BL)

But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”

60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”(BM)

61 Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”(BN)

62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

Footnotes

  1. Luke 9:31 Greek exodos
  2. Luke 9:54 Some manuscripts them, just as Elijah did