Luke 9:28–62

The Transfiguration

^28*About a week after he had said these things, Jesus took Peter, John, and James with him and went up a hill to pray. ^29*While he was praying, his face changed its appearance, and his clothes became dazzling white. ^30*Suddenly two men were there talking with him. They were Moses and Elijah, ^31*who appeared in heavenly glory and talked with Jesus about the way in which he would soon fulfill God’s purpose by dying in Jerusalem. ^32*Peter and his companions were sound asleep, but they woke up and saw Jesus’ glory and the two men who were standing with him. ^33*As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, “Master, how good it is that we are here! We will make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” (He did not really know what he was saying.)

^34*While he was still speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them with its shadow; and the disciples were afraid as the cloud came over them. ^35*A voice said from the cloud, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen—listen to him!”

³⁶When the voice stopped, there was Jesus all alone. The disciples kept quiet about all this, and told no one at that time anything they had seen.

Jesus Heals a Boy with an Evil Spirit

³⁷The next day Jesus and the three disciples went down from the hill, and a large crowd met Jesus. ³⁸A man shouted from the crowd, “Teacher! I beg you, look at my son—my only son! ³⁹A spirit attacks him with a sudden shout and throws him into a fit, so that he foams at the mouth; it keeps on hurting him and will hardly let him go! ⁴⁰I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they couldn’t.”

⁴¹Jesus answered, “How unbelieving and wrong you people are! How long must I stay with you? How long do I have to put up with you?” Then he said to the man, “Bring your son here.”

⁴²As the boy was coming, the demon knocked him to the ground and threw him into a fit. Jesus gave a command to the evil spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. ⁴³All the people were amazed at the mighty power of God.

Jesus Speaks Again about His Death

The people were still marvelling at everything Jesus was doing, when he said to his disciples, ⁴⁴“Don’t forget what I am about to tell you! The Son of Man is going to be handed over to the power of human beings.” ⁴⁵But the disciples did not know what this meant. It had been hidden from them so that they could not understand it, and they were afraid to ask him about the matter.

Who Is the Greatest?

^46*An argument broke out among the disciples as to which one of them was the greatest. ⁴⁷Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he took a child, stood him by his side, ^48*and said to them, “Whoever welcomes this child in my name, welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me, also welcomes the one who sent me. For the one who is least among you all is the greatest.”

Whoever Is Not against You Is for You

⁴⁹John spoke up, “Master, we saw a man driving out demons in your name, and we told him to stop, because he doesn’t belong to our group.”

⁵⁰“Do not try to stop him,” Jesus said to him and to the other disciples, “because whoever is not against you is for you.”

A Samaritan Village Refuses to Receive Jesus

⁵¹As the time drew near when Jesus would be taken up to heaven, he made up his mind and set out on his way to Jerusalem. ⁵²He sent messengers ahead of him, who went into a village in Samaria to get everything ready for him. ⁵³But the people there would not receive him, because it was clear that he was on his way to Jerusalem. ^54*When the disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?”^{j 55}Jesus turned and rebuked them.^{k 56}Then Jesus and his disciples went on to another village.

The Would-be Followers of Jesus

⁵⁷As they went on their way, a man said to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go.”

⁵⁸Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lie down and rest.”

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

But that man said, “Sir, first let me go back and bury my father.”

⁶⁰Jesus answered, “Let the dead bury their own dead. You go and proclaim the Kingdom of God.”

^61*Someone else said, “I will follow you, sir; but first let me go and say goodbye to my family.”

⁶²Jesus said to him, “Anyone who starts to plough and then keeps looking back is of no use to the Kingdom of God.”