Luke 9–19

The Mission of the Twelve

⁹Then Jesus^s called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases,^{* 2}and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.^{* 3}He said to them, “Take nothing for your journey: no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money—not even an extra tunic.^{* 4}Whatever house you enter, stay there, and leave from there. ⁵Wherever they do not welcome you, as you are leaving that town shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.”^{* 6}So they departed and went through the villages, bringing the good news and curing diseases everywhere.

Herod’s Perplexity

⁷Now Herod the ruler heard about all that had taken place, and he was perplexed because it was said by some that John had been raised from the dead,^{* 8}by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the ancient prophets had arisen.^{* 9}Herod said, “John I beheaded, but who is this about whom I hear such things?” And he tried to see him.^*

Feeding the Five Thousand

¹⁰On their return the apostles told Jesus^t all they had done. Then, taking them along, he slipped quietly into a city called Bethsaida.^{* 11}When the crowds found out about it, they followed him, and he welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God and healed those who needed to be cured.

¹²The day was drawing to a close, and the twelve came to him and said, “Send the crowd away, so that they may go into the surrounding villages and countryside to lodge and get provisions, for we are here in a deserted place.” ¹³But he said to them, “You give them something to eat.” They said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish—unless we are to go and buy food for all these people.”^{* 14}For there were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” ¹⁵They did so and had them all sit down. ¹⁶And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and blessed and broke them and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd.^{* 17}And all ate and were filled, and what was left over was gathered up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.

Peter’s Declaration about Jesus

¹⁸Once when Jesus^u was praying alone, with only the disciples near him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”^{* 19}They answered, “John the Baptist; but others, Elijah; and still others, that one of the ancient prophets has arisen.”^{* 20}Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered, “The Messiah^v of God.”^*

Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection

²¹He sternly ordered and commanded them not to tell anyone,^{* 22}saying, “The Son of Man must undergo great suffering and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes and be killed and on the third day be raised.”^*

²³Then he said to them all, “If any wish to come after me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.^{* 24}For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it.^{* 25}For what does it profit them if they gain the whole world but lose or forfeit themselves?^{* 26}Those who are ashamed of me and of my words, of them the Son of Man will be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.^{* 27}Indeed, truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.”^*

The Transfiguration

²⁸Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus^w took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray.^{* 29}And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. ³⁰Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. ³¹They appeared in glory and were speaking about his exodus, which he was about to fulfill in Jerusalem.^{* 32}Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep, but as they awoke they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him.^{* 33}Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; let us set up three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah,” not realizing what he was saying.^{* 34}While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. ³⁵Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Son, my Chosen;^x listen to him!”^{* 36}When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.^*

Jesus Heals a Boy with a Demon

³⁷On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. ³⁸Just then a man from the crowd shouted, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son; he is my only child. ³⁹Suddenly a spirit seizes him, and all at once he^y shrieks. It convulses him until he foams at the mouth; it mauls him and will scarcely leave him. ⁴⁰I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.” ⁴¹Jesus answered, “You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.” ⁴²While he was being brought forward, the demon dashed him to the ground in convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. ⁴³And all were astounded at the greatness of God.

Jesus Again Foretells His Death

While everyone was amazed at all that he was doing, he said to his disciples,^{* 44}“Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into human hands.”^{* 45}But they did not understand this saying; its meaning remained concealed from them, so that they could not perceive it. And they were afraid to ask him about this saying.^*

True Greatness

⁴⁶An argument arose among them concerning which one of them was the greatest. ⁴⁷But Jesus, aware of their inner thoughts, took a little child and put it by his side ⁴⁸and said to them, “Whoever welcomes this child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me, for the least among all of you is the greatest.”^*

Another Exorcist

⁴⁹John answered, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him because he does not follow with us.”^{* 50}But Jesus said to him, “Do not stop him, for whoever is not against you is for you.”^*

A Samaritan Village Refuses to Receive Jesus

⁵¹When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem.^{* 52}And he sent messengers ahead of him. On their way they entered a village of the Samaritans to prepare for his arrival,^{* 53}but they did not receive him because his face was set toward Jerusalem. ⁵⁴When his disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?”^{z* 55}But he turned and rebuked them. ⁵⁶Then^a they went on to another village.

Would-Be Followers of Jesus

⁵⁷As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” ⁵⁸And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” ⁵⁹To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”^{* 60}And Jesus^b said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” ⁶¹Another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” ⁶²And Jesus said to him, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

The Mission of the Seventy-Two

¹⁰After this the Lord appointed seventy-two^c others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go.^{* 2}He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.^{* 3}Go on your way; I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves.^{* 4}Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals, and greet no one on the road.^{* 5}Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house!’^{* 6}And if a person of peace is there, your peace will rest on that person, but if not, it will return to you. ⁷Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the laborer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house.^{* 8}Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; ⁹cure the sick who are there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’^{d* 10}But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, ¹¹‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.’^{e* 12}I tell you, on that day it will be more tolerable for Sodom than for that town.^*

Woes to Unrepentant Cities

¹³“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the deeds of power done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.^{* 14}Indeed, at the judgment it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon than for you. ¹⁵And you, Capernaum,

will you be exalted to heaven?

No, you will be brought down to Hades.^*

¹⁶“Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”^*

The Return of the Seventy-Two

¹⁷The seventy-two^f returned with joy, saying, “Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!”^{* 18}He said to them, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning.^{* 19}Indeed, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will hurt you.^{* 20}Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”^*

Jesus Rejoices

²¹At that very hour Jesus^g rejoiced in the Holy Spirit^h and said, “I thankⁱ you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things…