1 A t this time some people came to Jesus. They told Him that Pilate had killed some people from the country of Galilee. It was while they were giving gifts of animals on the altar in worship to God.

Just at that time there some people who informed Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.

2 P ilate put their blood together with the blood of the animals. Jesus said to them, “What about these people from Galilee? Were they worse sinners than all the other people from Galilee because they suffered these things?

And He replied by saying to them, Do you think that these Galileans were greater sinners than all the other Galileans because they have suffered in this way?

3 N o, I tell you. But unless you are sorry for your sins and turn from them, you too will all die.

I tell you, No; but unless you repent ( change your mind for the better and heartily amend your ways, with abhorrence of your past sins), you will all likewise perish and be lost eternally.

4 W hat about those eighteen men who were killed when the high building in Siloam fell on them? Do you think they were the worst sinners living in Jerusalem?

Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them—do you think that they were more guilty offenders (debtors) than all the others who dwelt in Jerusalem?

5 N o, I tell you. But unless you are sorry for your sins and turn from them, you too will all die.” The Picture-Story of the Fig Tree Which Had No Fruit

I tell you, No; but unless you repent ( change your mind for the better and heartily amend your ways, with abhorrence of your past sins), you will all likewise perish and be lost eternally.

6 T hen He told them this picture-story: “A man had a fig tree in his grape-field. He looked for fruit on it but found none.

And He told them this parable: A certain man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it, but did not find.

7 H e said to his servant, ‘See! For three years I have been coming here looking for fruit on this fig tree. I never find any. Cut it down. Why does it even waste the ground?’

So he said to the vinedresser, See here! For these three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree and I find none. Cut it down! Why should it continue also to use up the ground '> deplete the soil, intercept the sun, and take up room]?

8 T he servant said, ‘Sir! Leave it here one more year. I will dig around it and put plant food on it.

But he replied to him, Leave it alone, sir, this one more year, till I dig around it and put manure.

9 I t may be that it will give fruit next year. If it does not, then cut it down.’” Jesus Heals on the Day of Rest

Then perhaps it will bear fruit after this; but if not, you can cut it down and out.

10 J esus was teaching in one of the Jewish places of worship on the Day of Rest.

Now Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath.

11 A woman was there who had suffered for eighteen years because of a demon. She was not able to stand up straight.

And there was a woman there who for eighteen years had had an infirmity caused by a spirit ( a demon of sickness). She was bent completely forward and utterly unable to straighten herself up or to look upward.

12 J esus saw her and said, “Woman, you are now free from your trouble!”

And when Jesus saw her, He called and said to her, Woman, you are released from your infirmity!

13 T hen He put His hand on her. At once she stood up straight and gave thanks to God.

Then He laid hands on her, and instantly she was made straight, and she recognized and thanked and praised God.

14 T he leader of the Jewish place of worship was angry because Jesus healed on the Day of Rest. The leader said to the people, “There are six days in which work should be done. Come on those days and get healed. Do not come to be healed on the Day of Rest.”

But the leader of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the crowd, There are six days on which work ought to be done; so come on those days and be cured, and not on the Sabbath day.

15 T he Lord said to him, “You pretend to be someone you are not! Do not each of you let his cow or his donkey out and lead them to water on the Day of Rest?

But the Lord replied to him, saying, You playactors (hypocrites)! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or his donkey from the stall and lead it out to water it?

16 S hould not this Jewish woman be made free from this trouble on the Day of Rest? She has been chained by Satan for eighteen years.”

And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?

17 W hen He said this, all those who were against Him were ashamed. All the many people were glad for the great things being done by Him. The Picture-Stories of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast

Even as He said this, all His opponents were put to shame, and all the people were rejoicing over all the glorious things that were being done by Him.

18 T hen Jesus asked, “What is the holy nation of God like? What can I use to show you?

This led Him to say, What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it?

19 I t is like a mustard seed which a man took and planted in his field. It grew and became a tree. The birds of the sky stayed in its branches.”

It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his own garden; and it grew and became a tree, and the wild birds found shelter and roosted and nested in its branches.

20 A gain Jesus said, “What can I use to show you what the holy nation of God is like?

And again He said, To what shall I liken the kingdom of God?

21 I t is like yeast that a woman put into three pails of flour until it was all full of yeast.” Jesus Teaches on the Way to Jerusalem

It is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of wheat flour or meal until it was all leavened (fermented).

22 J esus taught the people as He went through the cities and towns on His way to Jerusalem.

journeyed on through towns and villages, teaching, and making His way toward Jerusalem.

23 S omeone asked Jesus, “Lord, will only a few people be saved from the punishment of sin?” Jesus said to them,

And someone asked Him, Lord, will only a few be saved (rescued, delivered from the penalties of the last judgment, and made partakers of the salvation by Christ)? And He said to them,

24 “ Work hard to go in through the narrow door. I tell you, many will try to go in but will not be able to go in.

Strive to enter by the narrow door, for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able.

25 T he owner of the house will get up and shut the door. You who are on the outside will knock on the door and say, ‘Lord, let us in.’ Then He will say, ‘I do not know you.’

When once the Master of the house gets up and closes the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, open to us! He will answer you, I do not know where '> what household—certainly not Mine] you come from.

26 T hen you will say, ‘We ate and drank with You when You taught in our streets.’

Then you will begin to say, We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.

27 B ut He will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know you. Go away from Me. You are sinful.’

But He will say, I tell you, I do not know where '> what household—certainly not Mine] you come from; depart from Me, all you wrongdoers!

28 “ There will be loud crying and grinding of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the early preachers in the holy nation of God, but you will be put out.

There will be weeping and grinding of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves being cast forth (banished, driven away).

29 T hose who sit at the table in the holy nation of God will come from the east and west and from the north and south.

And will come from east and west, and from north and south, and sit down (feast at table) in the kingdom of God.

30 L isten! Some are last who will be first. Some are first who will be last.”

And behold, there are some last who will be first, and there are some first who will be last.

31 T hat same day some of the proud religious law-keepers came to Jesus. They said, “Go away from here! Herod wants to kill You.”

At that very hour some Pharisees came up and said to Him, Go away from here, for Herod is determined to kill You.

32 J esus said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘See. I put out demons and heal the sick. I will do these things today and tomorrow. And the third day My work will be finished.’

And He said to them, Go and tell that fox, Behold, I drive out demons and perform healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish (complete) My course.

33 B ut I must go on My way today and tomorrow and the day after. One who speaks for God cannot die except at Jerusalem. Jesus Sorrows Over Jerusalem

Nevertheless, I must continue on My way today and tomorrow and the day after that—for it will never do for a prophet to be destroyed away from Jerusalem!

34 “ Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you kill the early preachers and throw stones on those sent to you. How many times I wanted to gather your children around me, as a bird gathers her young under her wings, but you would not let Me.

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who continue to kill the prophets and to stone those who are sent to you! How often I have desired and yearned to gather your children together, as a hen her young under her wings, but you would not!

35 S ee! Your house is empty. And I tell you, you will not see Me again until the time comes when you will say, ‘Great and honored is the One Who comes in the name of the Lord.’”

Behold, your house is forsaken (abandoned, left to you destitute of God’s help)! And I tell you, you will not see Me again until the time comes when you shall say, Blessed (to be celebrated with praises) is He Who comes in the name of the Lord!