Part 4
Mk 9:36 Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, Lk 9:48 "Whoever welcomes this child 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."
Lk 17:1 Jesus said to his disciples, Mt 18:7 "Woe to the world because of stumbling blocks! Lk 17:1 Stumbling blocks are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come! Mk 9:42 If anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a huge millstone tied around his neck and to be thrown into the sea. Lk 17:3 Watch yourselves!
Mk 9:43 "If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away! It is better for you to enter into life crippled than to have two hands and go into hell, to the unquenchable fire. 45 If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off! It is better to enter life lame than to have two feet and be thrown into the eternal fire of hell. 47 If your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away! It is better to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into fiery hell, 48 where their worm never dies and the fire is never quenched. 49 Everyone will be salted with fire.
Mt 18:10 "See that you do not disdain one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. [11 For the Son of Man came to seek the lost.a]
12 "What do you think? If someone owns a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go look for the one that went astray? 13 And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. 14 In the same way, your Father in heaven is not willing that one of these little ones be lost."b
Mk 9:38 John said to him, "Teacher (Master), we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him because Lk 9:49 he is not a disciple along with us."
Mk 9:39 But Jesus said, "Do not stop him, because no one who does a miracle in my name will be able soon afterward to say anything bad about me. 40 For whoever is not against us is for us. 41 For I tell you the truth, whoever gives you a cup of water because you bear Christ's name will never lose his reward."
Sin, Repentance & Forgiveness (Mt 18:15-35; Lk 17:3b-6) Lk 17:3 "Watch yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him. Mt 18:15 Go and show him his fault when the two of you are alone. If he listens to you and repents, you have regained your brother. Lk 17:3 Forgive him. Mt 18:16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others with you, so that at the testimony of two or three witnesses every matter may be established.c 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. If he refuses to listen to the church, treat him like a Gentile or a tax collector.
Mt 18:18 "I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you release on earth will have been released in heaven. 19 Again, I tell you the truth, if two of you on earth agree about whatever you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. 20 For where two or three are assembled in my name, I am there among them."
21 Then Peter came to him and said, "Lord, how many times must I forgive my brother who sins against me? As many as seven times?"
Lk 17:4 Jesus said to him, "Even if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times returns to you saying, 'I repent,' you must forgive him. Mt 18:22 Not seven times, I tell you, but seventy-seven times!"
Lk 17:5 The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith." 6 So the Lord replied, "I tell you the truth, if you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this black mulberry tree, 'Be pulled out by the roots and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you.
Mt 18:23 "For this reason, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his slaves. 24 As he began settling his accounts, a man who owed ten thousand talents was brought to him. 25 Because he was not able to repay it, the lord ordered him to be sold, along with his wife, children, and whatever he possessed, and repayment to be made.
26 "Then the slave threw himself to the ground before him, saying, 'Be patient with me, and I will repay you everything.' 27 The lord had compassion on that slave and released him, and forgave him the debt.
28 "After he went out, that same slave found one of his fellow slaves who owed him one hundred silver coins. So he grabbed him by the throat and started to choke him, saying, 'Pay back what you owe me!'
29 "Then his fellow slave threw himself down and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will repay you.' 30 But he refused. Instead, he went out and threw him in prison until he repaid the debt. 31 When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were very upset and went and told their lord everything that had taken place.
32 "Then his lord called the first slave and said to him, 'Evil slave! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me! 33 Should you not have shown mercy to your fellow slave, just as I showed it to you?' 34 And in anger his lord turned him over to the prison guards to torture him until he repaid all he owed.
a The most important manuscripts do not contain this verse.
b The parable of the lost sheep in Lk 15:3-7 is very similar to Mt 18:10-14, but the context appears to be different, as Mt 18 is directly related to little children.
c Dt 19:15
35 "So also my heavenly Father will do to you, if each of you does not forgive your brother from your heart."
HEADING TO JERUSALEM
Cost of Following Jesus (Lk 9:51-62; Mt 8:19-22) Lk 9:51 Now when the days drew near for him to be taken up, Jesus set out resolutely to go to Jerusalem. 52 He sent messengers on ahead of him. As they went along, they entered a Samaritan village to make things ready in advance for him, 53 but the villagers refused to welcome him, because he was determined to go to Jerusalem.
54 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 consume them?"a
55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them, 56 and they went on to another village. Lk 9:57 As they were walking along the road, Mt 8:19 an expert in the law came to him and said, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go."
20 Jesus said to him, "Foxes have dens and the birds in the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."
Lk 9:59 Jesus said to another, "Follow me." But he replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." Mt 8:22 But Jesus said to him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead, Lk 9:60 but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God."
61 Yet another said, "I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say goodbye to my family." 62 Jesus said to him, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God." JUDEA
Sending Out the Other 72b (Lk 10:1-16; Mt 10:16; 11:20-24) Lk 10:1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him two by two into every town and place where he himself was about to go.c 2 He said to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest. 3 Go! I am sending you out like lambs surrounded by wolves, Mt 10:16 so be wise as serpents and gentle as doves.
Lk 10:4 "Do not carry a money bag, a traveler's bag, or sandals, and greet no one on the road. 5 Whenever you enter a house, first say, 'May peace be on this house!' 6 And if a peace-loving person is there, your peace will remain on him, but if not, it will return to you. 7 Stay in that same house, eating and drinking what they give you, for the worker deserves his pay. Do not move around from house to house.
8 "Whenever you enter a town and the people welcome you, eat what is set before you. 9 Heal the sick in that town and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come upon you!' 10 But whenever you enter a town and the people do not welcome you, go into its streets and say, 11 'Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this: The kingdom of God has come.'
Mt 11:20 Then Jesus began to criticize openly the cities in which he had done many of his miracles, because they did not repent. 21 "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you! 23 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be thrown down to Hades! For if the miracles done among you had been done in Sodom, it would have continued to this day. 24 But I tell you, it will be more bearable for the region of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you!
a An allusion to 2Kgs 1:10, 12, 14.
b Since these 72 were not present when Jesus gave his instructions to the 12, Jesus repeats many of the same instructions.
c It is estimated they went to at least 35 places. This time Jesus does not instruct them not to go into any Gentile or Samaritan area, implying that they may have gone to such locations.
Lk 10:16 "The one who listens to you listens to me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects the one who sent me."
Return of the 72 (Lk 10:17-24; Mt 11:25-30) Lk 10:17 Then the seventy-two returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name!" 18 So he said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Look, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions and on the full force of the enemy, and nothing will hurt you. 20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names stand written in heaven."
Mt 11:25 At that time Jesus Lk 10:21 rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, Mt 11:25 "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent, and revealed them to little children. 26 Yes, Father, for this was your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son decides to reveal him.
Mt 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke on you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and my load is not hard to carry."
Lk 10:23 Then Jesus turned to his disciples and said privately, "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. 24 For I tell you that many prophets, kings and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it."
Loving Your Neighbor: The Good Samaritan (Lk 10:25-37) Lk 10:25 Now an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus, saying, "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
26 Jesus said to him, "What is written in the law? How do you understand it?" 27 The expert answered, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself."a
28 Jesus said to him, "You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live." 29 But the expert, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" 30 Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him up, and went off, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road, but when he saw the injured man he passed by on the other side. 32 So too a Levite, when he came up to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.
33 "But a Samaritan who was traveling came to where the injured man was, and when he saw him, he felt compassion for him. 34 He went up to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, 'Take care of him, and whatever else you spend, I will repay you when I come back this way.'
36 "Which of these three do you think became a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?"
37 The expert in religious law said, "The one who showed mercy to him." So Jesus said to him, "Go and do the same."
a Dt 6:5; Lv 19:18
Priority One: Mary & Martha – Bethany, near Jerusalem (Lk 10:38-42)
Lk 10:38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him as a guest. 39 She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted with all the preparations she had to make, so she came up to him and said, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do all the work alone? Tell her to help me."
41 But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the best part; it will not be taken away from her."
How to Pray – "The Lord's Prayer" (Lk 11:1-13; Mt 6:9-15, 7:7-11; Mk 11:25) Lk 11:1 Now Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he stopped, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples."
2 So he said to them, "When you pray, say:
Mt 6:9 Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored, 10 may your kingdom come, may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread, Lk 11:4 and forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. Mt 6:13 And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
Mk 11:25 "Whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him. Mt 6:14 For if you forgive others their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive you your sins."a
Lk 11:5 Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6 because a friend of mine has stopped here while on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him.' 7 Then he will reply from inside, 'Do not bother me. The door is already shut, and my children and I are in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything.' 8 I tell you, even though the man inside will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of the first man's sheer persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs.
9 "So I tell you: Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
11 "What father among you, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead of a fish? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? Mt 7:9 Or if he asks for bread, will give him a stone? Lk 11:13 If you then, although you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the good gift of the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
Satan's Divided Kingdom? (Mt 12:22-29, 43-45; Mk 3:22-27; Lk 11:14-22, 24-27)b Mt 12:22 Then they brought to Jesus a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute. Jesus healed him so that he could speak and see. 23 All the crowds were amazed and said, "Could this one be the Son of David?"
Mk 3:22 But the Pharisees, the experts in the law who came down from Jerusalem, said, "He is possessed by Beelzebul. Mt 12:24 He does not cast out demons except by the power of Beelzebul, the ruler of demons!"
Mt 12:25 Now when Jesus realized what they were thinking, Mk 3:23 he called them and spoke to them in parables: "How can Satan cast out Satan? Mt 12:25 Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed, and no town or house divided against itself will stand. 26 So if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? Lk 11:18 I ask you this because you claim that I cast out demons by Beelzebul.
a Some later manuscripts add Mt 6:15 to Mk 11:26
b Mark's account of Satan's divided kingdom and blaspheming against the Holy Spirit comes much earlier in his Gospel than in Matthew's and Luke's. But the wording is almost identical.
Mt 12:27 "Now if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? For this reason they will be your judges. 28 But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has already overtaken you.
Lk 11:21 "When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his possessions are safe Mk 3:27 and no one is able to enter his house and steal his property. Lk 11:22 But when a stronger man attacks, ties him up and conquers him, he takes away the first man's armor on which the man relied. Mk 3:7 Then he can thoroughly plunder his house Lk 11:22 and divide up his plunder.
Mt 12:43 "When an unclean spirit goes out of a person, it passes through waterless places looking for rest but does not find it. 44 Then it says, 'I will return to the home I left.' When it returns, it finds the house empty, swept clean, and put in order. 45 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there, so the last state of that person is worse than the first. It will be that way for this evil generation as well!"
Lk 11:27 As he said these things, a woman in the crowd spoke out to him, "Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts at which you nursed!"
28 But he replied, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it!"
Blaspheming the Holy Spirit (Mt 12:30-37; Mk 3:28-30; Lk 11:23; 12:10) Mt 12:30 "Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 31 For this reason I tell you, people will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come, Mk 3:30 (because they said, 'He has an unclean spirit').
Mt 12:33 "Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is known by its fruit. 34 Offspring of vipers! How are you able to say anything good, since you are evil? For the mouth speaks from what fills the heart. 35 The good person brings good things out of his good treasury, and the evil person brings evil things out of his evil treasury. 36 I tell you that on the day of judgment, people will give an account for every worthless word they speak. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."
The Sign of Jonah (Mt 12:38-42; Lk 11:16, 29-32) Mt 12:38 Then some of the experts in the law along with some Pharisees answered him, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from you."
Lk 11:29 As the crowds were increasing, Mt 12:39 Jesus answered them, "This evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For just as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish for three days and three nights,a so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. Lk 11:30 For just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so the Son of Man will be a sign to this generation.
Mt 12:41 "The people of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented when Jonah preached to them—and now, something greater than Jonah is here! 42 The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon—and now, something greater than Solomon is here!"
a Jon 1:17
Internal Light (Lk 11:33-36; Mt 6:22-23)
Lk 11:33 "No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a hidden place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, so that those who come in can see the light.a 34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light, but when it is diseased, your body is full of darkness.
Mt 6:23 "If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! Lk 11:35 Therefore see to it that the light in you is not darkness. 36 If then your whole body is full of light, with no part in the dark, it will be as full of light as when the light of a lamp shines on you."
Rebuking Hypocritical Religious Leaders (Lk 11:37-54; Mt 23:4, 13-36)b Lk 11:37 As he spoke, a Pharisee invited Jesus to have a meal with him, so he went in and took his place at the table. 38 The Pharisee was astonished when he saw that Jesus did not first wash his hands before the meal. 39 But the Lord said to him, "Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside you are full of greed, wickedness and self-indulgence. 40 You fools! Didn't the one who made the outside make the inside as well? Mt 23:26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup, so that the outside may become clean too! Lk
11:41 Give from your heart to those in need, and then everything will be clean for you. 43 "Woe to you Pharisees! You love the best seats in the synagogues and elaborate greetings in the marketplaces! 44 Woe to you! You are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them without realizing it!"
45 One of the experts in religious law answered him, "Teacher, when you say these things you insult us too." 46 But Jesus replied, "Woe to you experts in religious law as well! Mt 23:4 You tie up heavy loads hard to carry, and put them on men's shoulders, Lk 11:46 yet you yourselves refuse to touch the burdens with even one of your fingers!
Mt 23:13 "Woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! Lk 11:52 You have taken away the key to knowledge Mt 23:13 and you keep locking people out of the kingdom of heaven! For you neither enter yourselves nor permit those trying to enter to go in.c
15 "Woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You cross land and sea to make one convert, and when you get one, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves!
16 "Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'Whoever swears by the temple is bound by nothing. But whoever swears by the gold of the temple is bound by the oath.' 17 Blind fools! Which is greater, the gold or the temple that makes the gold sacred? 18 And, 'Whoever swears by the altar is bound by nothing. But if anyone swears by the gift on it he is bound by the oath.' 19 You are blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21 And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and the one who dwells in it. 22 And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and the one who sits on it.
23 "Woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You give a tenth of your mint, dill, cumin, Lk
11:42 rue and every herb, Mt 23:23 yet you neglect what is more important in the law—justice, mercy, faithfulness Lk
11:42 and love for God! Mt 23:23 You should have done these things without neglecting the others. 24 Blind guides! You strain out a gnat yet swallow a camel!
Mt 23:27 "Woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs that look beautiful on the outside but inside are full of the bones of the dead and of everything unclean. 28 In the same way, on the outside you look righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
a Luke recorded these same words in Lk 8:16. Lk 11:34-36, "eye is the lamp of the body" is identical to Mt 6:22-23.
b Luke records Jesus' rebuke of religious leaders at this dinner setting in a Pharisee's house (Lk 11:37-53), while Matthew records it much later, just after warning the crowds and his disciples to beware of the religious leaders (Mt 23:1-39). This harmony places Matthew "woes" in with those of Luke. Putting this earlier in Jesus' ministry might help explain the intense hatred of him by the religious leaders. Plus, the woes against religious leaders seem more appropriate in a smaller setting with those leaders than in a crowd that includes his disciples.
c The most important manuscripts omit Mt 23:14, which is included in Lk 20:47: "They devour widows' property and will receive a more severe punishment."
29 "Woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous Lk 11:47 whom your ancestors killed. Mt 23:30 And you say, 'If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have participated with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.' 31 By saying this you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets. Lk 11:48 You approve of the deeds of your ancestors, because they killed the prophets and you build their tombs! Mt
23:32 Fill up then the measure of your ancestors! 33 You snakes, you offspring of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?
Lk 11:49 "For this reason also the wisdom of God said, Mt 23:34 'I am sending you prophets, and apostles, and wise men and experts in the law, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town.' Lk 11:50 So, this generation will be held accountable for the blood of all the righteous prophets shed on earth since the beginning of the world, 51 from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah Mt 23:35 son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 Yes, I tell you the truth, this generation will be held responsible for all these things!"
Lk 11:53 When Jesus went out from there, the experts in the law and the Pharisees began to oppose him bitterly, and to ask him hostile questions about many things, 54 plotting against him, to catch him in something he might say.
Fear God, Not People (Lk 12:1-9, 11-12; 6:40; Mt 10:17-20, 22-33)
Lk 12:1 Meanwhile, when many thousands of the crowd had gathered so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, "Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. Mt 10:26 Do not be afraid of them, for nothing is hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing is secret that will not be made known. 27 What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light, and what is whispered in your ear Lk 12:3 in private rooms, Mt 10:27 proclaim from the housetops.
Lk 12:4 "I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more they can do, Mt 10:28 because they cannot kill the soul. Lk 12:5 But I will warn you whom you should fear: Mt 10:28 Fear the one who is able to destroy both soul and body, Lk 12:5 who, after the killing, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!
6 "Aren't five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God, Mt 10:29 or falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. 30 In fact, even all the hairs on your head are numbered. So do not be afraid; you are more valuable than many sparrows.
Lk 12:8 "I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man, will also acknowledge before the angels Mt10:32 and my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever denies me before people, I will deny him also before my Father in heaven Lk 12:9 and before his angels."
Mt 10:17 "Beware of people, because they will hand you over to councils Lk 12:11 and bring you before the synagogues, the rulers, and the authorities, Mt 10:17 and flog you in their synagogues. 18 And you will be brought before governors and kings because of me, as a witness to them and the Gentiles.
Lk 12:11 "But when they bring you before the synagogues, the rulers and the authorities, Mt 10:19 and hand you over for trial, Lk 12:11 do not worry about how you should make your defense or what you should say, 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you must say. Mt 10:20 For it is not you speaking, but the Spirt of your Father speaking through you.a
22 "You will be hated by everyone because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 23
Whenever they persecute you in one place, flee to another. I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
24 "A disciple is not greater than his teacher, nor a slave greater than his master. 25 It is enough for the disciple to become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. Lk 6:40 Everyone when fully trained will be like his teacher. Mt 10:25 If they have called the head of the house 'Beelzebul,' how much more will they defame the members of his household!"
a Luke records Jesus repeating these statements much later (Lk 21).
Not Peace But Division (Lk 12:49-56; Mt 10:34-36)
Lk 12:49 "I have come to bring fire on the earth—and how I wish it were already kindled! 50 I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is finished! 51 Do you think I have come to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! Mt 10:34 I have not come to bring peace but a sword.
Lk 12:52 "For from now on there will be five in one household divided, three against two and two against three. 53 They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law. Mt 10:36 A man's enemies will be the members of his household."
Lk 12:54 Jesus also said to the crowds, "When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, 'A rainstorm is coming,' and it does. 55 And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, 'There will be scorching heat,' and there is. 56 You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how can you not know how to interpret the present time?" Lasting Treasure (Lk 12:13-21, 33-34; Mt 6:19-21, 24)
Lk 12:13 Then someone from the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."
14 But Jesus said to him, "Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator between you two?" 15 Then he said to them, "Watch out and guard yourself from all types of greed, because one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."
16 He then told them a parable: "The land of a certain rich man produced an abundant crop, 17 so he thought to himself, 'What should I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?' 18 Then he said, 'I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to myself, "You have plenty of goods stored up for many years; relax, eat, drink, celebrate!
20 "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded back from you, but who will get what you have prepared for yourself?' 21 So it is with the one who stores up riches for himself, but is not rich toward God.
Mt 6:19 "Do not accumulate for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. Lk 12:33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide yourselves purses that do not wear out—a treasure in heaven that never decreases, where no thief approaches to break in and steal, and no moth or rust destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Mt 6:24 "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money."a
Don't Worry, Seek God's Kingdom (Lk 12:22-32; Mt 6:25-34) Lk 12:22 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. 23 For there is more to life than food and more to the body than clothing. 24 Look at the birds in the sky, the ravens: They do not sow, or reap, or gather into storerooms or barns, yet God your heavenly Father feeds them. How much more valuable are you than the birds! 25 And which of you by worrying can add even one hour to his life? 26 So if you cannot do such a very little thing as this, why do you worry about the rest?
Mt 6:28 "Why do you worry about clothing? Think about how the flowers of the field grow; they do not work or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these! 30 And if this is how God clothes the wild grass, which is here today and tomorrow is tossed into the fire to heat the oven, won't he clothe you even more, you people of little faith?
31 "So then, don't be overly concerned or worry saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear?' Lk 12:30 For all the nations of the world, Mt 6:32 the unconverted, pursue these things, and your
a Luke has these same words about two masters in Lk 16:13 but the context appears to be different.
heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 Instead, above all pursue his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
34 "So then, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own. Lk 12:32 Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is well pleased to give you the kingdom."
Call to Repentance & Bearing Fruit (Lk 13:1-9) Lk 13:1 Now there were some present on that occasion who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2 He answered them, "Do you think these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered these things? 3 No, I tell you! But unless you repent, you will all perish as well! 4 Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower in Siloam fell on them, do you think they were worse offenders than all the others who live in Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you! But unless you repent you will all perish as well!"
6 Then Jesus told this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. 7 So he said to the worker who tended the vineyard, 'For three years now, I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and each time I inspect it I find none. Cut it down! Why should it continue to deplete the soil?'
8 "But the worker answered him, 'Sir, leave it alone this year too, until I dig around it and put fertilizer on it. 9 Then if it bears fruit next year, very well, but if not, you can cut it down.' " Healing on the Sabbath (Lk 13:10-17) Lk 13:10 Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath, 11 and a woman was there who had been disabled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten herself up completely. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her to him and said, "Woman, you are freed from your infirmity." 13 Then he placed his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.
14 But the president of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the crowd, "There are six days on which work should be done! So come and be healed on those days, and not on the Sabbath day."
15 Then the Lord answered him, "You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from its stall, and lead it to water? 16 Then shouldn't this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be released from this imprisonment on the Sabbath day?"
17 When he said this all his adversaries were humiliated, but the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things he was doing.
The Narrow Door (Lk 13:22-30) Lk 13:22 Then Jesus traveled throughout towns and villages, teaching and making his way toward Jerusalem. 23 Someone asked him, "Lord, will only a few be saved?" So he said to them, 24 "Exert every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. 25 Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, then you will stand outside and start to knock on the door and beg him, 'Lord, let us in!' But he will answer you, 'I don't know where you come from.' 26 Then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.' 27 But he will reply, 'I don't know where you come from! Go away from me, all you evildoers!'
28 "There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves thrown out. 29 Then people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and take their places at the banquet table in the kingdom of God. 30 But indeed, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last."a
Jerusalem = Place of Death for Prophets (Lk 13:31-35; Mt 23:37-39)
a "The last will be first and the first last" is repeated later in Mark and twice in Matthew.
Lk 13:31 At that time, some Pharisees came up and said to Jesus, "Get away from here, because Herod wants to kill you."
32 But he said to them, "Go and tell that fox, 'Look, I am casting out demons and performing healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will complete my work. 33 Nevertheless I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the next day, because it is impossible that a prophet should be killed outside Jerusalem.'
34 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! How often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you would have none of it! 35 Look, your house is forsaken Mt 23:38 and left to you desolate! 39 For I tell you, you will not see me from now until you say, 'Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!' "a
a Ps 118:26
BACK TO GALILEEa
Dining With Pharisees (Lk 14:1-24) Healing on the Sabbath Lk 14:1 Now one Sabbath when Jesus went to dine at the house of a leader of the Pharisees, they were watching him closely. 2 There right in front of him was a man suffering from dropsy. 3 So Jesus asked the experts in religious law and the Pharisees, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?"
4 But they remained silent. So Jesus took hold of the man, healed him, and sent him away. 5 Then he said to them, "Which of you, if you have a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?" 6 But they could not reply to this.
Parable of the Wedding Feast: Seats of Honor Lk 14:7 Then when Jesus noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable. He said to them, 8 "When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, because a person more distinguished than you may have been invited by your host. 9 So the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, 'Give this man your place.' Then, ashamed, you will begin to move to the least important place.
10 "But when you are invited, go and take the least important place, so that when your host approaches he will say to you, 'Friend, move up here to a better place.' Then you will be honored in the presence of all who share the meal with you. 11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted."
12 He said also to the man who had invited him, "When you host a dinner or a banquet, don't invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors so you can be invited by them in return and get repaid. 13 But when you host an elaborate meal, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. 14 Then you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."
Parable of the Great Banquet Lk 14:15 When one of those at the meal with Jesus heard this, he said to him, "Blessed is everyone who will feast in the kingdom of God!"
16 But Jesus said to him, "A man once gave a great banquet and invited many guests. 17 At the time for the banquet he sent his slave to tell those who had been invited, 'Come, because everything is now ready.' 18 But one after another they all began to make excuses. The first said to him, 'I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please excuse me.' 19 Another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going out to examine them. Please excuse me.' 20 Another said, 'I just got married, and I cannot come.'
21 "So the slave came back and reported this to his master. Then the master of the household was furious and said to his slave, 'Go out quickly to the streets and alleys of the city, and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.' 22 Then the slave said, 'Sir, what you instructed has been done, and there is still room.' 23 So the master said to his slave, 'Go out to the highways and country roads and urge people to come in, so that my house will be filled. 24 For I tell you, not one of those individuals who were invited will taste my banquet!' "
Counting the Cost (Lk 14:25-33; Mt 10:37-39) Lk 14:25 Now large crowds were accompanying Jesus, and turning to them he said, 26 "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother, and wife and children, and brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Mt 10:37 For whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me Lk 14:27 and cannot be my disciple. Mt 10:39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life because of me will find it.
a Pharisees' warning (Lk 13:31) implies Jesus is in Judea, and his statement that he must go (Lk 13:33) implies he is heading out of Judea.
Lk 14:28 "For which of you, wanting to build a tower, doesn't sit down first and compute the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish the tower, all who see it will begin to make fun of him. 30 They will say, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish!'
31 "Or what king, going out to confront another king in battle, will not sit down first and determine whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 If he cannot succeed, he will send a representative while the other is still a long way off and ask for terms of peace. 33 In the same way therefore not one of you can be my disciple if he does not renounce all his own possessions."
Parable of the Lost Sheep & Coin (Lk 15:1-10) Lk 15:1 Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming to hear him. 2 But the Pharisees and the experts in the law were complaining, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."
3 So Jesus told them this parable: 4 "Which one of you, if he has a hundred sheep and he loses one of them, would not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go look for the one that is lost until he finds it? 5 Then when he has found it, he places it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 Returning home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, telling them, 'Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost.' 7 I tell you, in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need to repent.
8 "Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search thoroughly until she finds it? 9 Then when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.' 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of God's angels over one sinner who repents."
Parable of the Lost Son & Compassionate Father (Lk 15:11-32) Lk 15:11 Then Jesus said, "A man had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of the estate that will belong to me.' So he divided his assets between them.
13 "After a few days, the younger son gathered together all he had and left on a journey to a distant country, and there he squandered his wealth with a wild lifestyle. 14 Then after he had spent everything, a severe famine took place in that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and worked for one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He was longing to eat the carob pods the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
17 "But when he came to his senses he said, 'How many of my father's hired workers have food enough to spare, but here I am dying from hunger! 18 I will get up and go to my father and say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired workers. 20 So he got up and went to his father.
"But while he was still a long way from home his father saw him, and his heart went out to him; he ran and hugged his son and kissed him. 21 Then his son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'
22 "But the father said to his slaves, 'Hurry! Bring the best robe, and put it on him! Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet! 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it! Let us eat and celebrate, 24 because this son of mine was dead, and is alive again—he was lost and is found!' So they began to celebrate.
25 "Now his older son was in the field. As he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the slaves and asked what was happening. 27 The slave replied, 'Your brother has returned, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he got his son back safe and sound.'
28 "But the older son became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and appealed to him, 29 but he answered his father, 'Look! These many years I have worked like a slave for you, and I never disobeyed your commands. Yet you never gave me even a goat so that I could celebrate with my friends! 30 But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your assets with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!'
31 "Then the father said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and everything that belongs to me is yours. 32 It was appropriate to celebrate and be glad, for your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost and is found.' "
Parable of the Clever Steward: Handling Money (Lk 16:1-13) Lk 16:1 Jesus also said to the disciples, "There was a rich man who was informed of accusations that his manager was wasting his assets. 2 So he called the manager in and said to him, 'What is this I hear about you? Turn in the account of your administration, because you can no longer be my manager.'
3 "Then the manager said to himself, 'What should I do, since my master is taking my position away from me? I'm not strong enough to dig, and I'm too ashamed to beg. 4 I know what to do so that when I am put out of management, people will welcome me into their homes.'
5 "So he contacted his master's debtors one by one. He asked the first, 'How much do you owe my master?' 6 The man replied, 'A hundred measures of olive oil.' The manager said to him, 'Take your bill, sit down quickly, and write fifty.' 7 Then he said to another, 'And how much do you owe?' The second man replied, 'A hundred measures of wheat.' The manager said to him, 'Take your bill, and write eighty.'
8 "The master commended the dishonest manager because he acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their contemporaries than the people of light. 9 And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by how you use worldly wealth, so that when it runs out you will be welcomed into the eternal homes.
10 "The one who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and the one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. 11 If then you haven't been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will entrust you with the true riches? 12 And if you haven't been trustworthy with someone else's property, who will give you your own?
13 "No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money."
The Rich Man & Lazarus (Lk 16:14-15, 19-31) Lk 16:14 The Pharisees (who loved money) heard all this and ridiculed him. 15 But Jesus said to them, "You are the ones who justify yourselves in men's eyes, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly prized among men is utterly detestable in God's sight.
19 "There was a rich man who dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 But at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus whose body was covered with sores, 21 who longed to eat what fell from the rich man's table. In addition, the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 Now the poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side.
"The rich man also died and was buried. 23 And in hell, as he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far off with Lazarus at his side. 24 So he called out, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in anguish in this fire.'
25 "But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things and Lazarus likewise bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in anguish. 26 Besides all this, a great chasm has been fixed between us, so that those who want to cross over from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.'
27 "So the rich man said, 'Then I beg you, father—send Lazarus to my father's house 28 (for I have five brothers) to warn them so that they don't come into this place of torment.'
29 "But Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the prophets; they must respond to them.' 30 "Then the rich man said, 'No, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'
31 "He replied to him, 'If they do not respond to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.' "
Doing One's Duty (Lk 17:7-10)
Lk 17:7 Jesus said, "Would any one of you say to your slave who comes in from the field after plowing or shepherding sheep, 'Come at once and sit down for a meal'? 8 Won't the master instead say to him, 'Get my dinner ready, and make yourself ready to serve me while I eat and drink. Then you may eat and drink'? 9 He won't thank the slave because he did what he was told, will he? 10 So you too, when you have done everything you were commanded to do, should say, 'We are slaves undeserving of special praise; we have only done what was our duty.' "
NORTHERN SAMARIA/SOUTHERN GALILEE
Healing 10 Lepers/Kingdom in Your Midst (Lk 17:11-21) Lk 17:11 Now on the way to Jerusalem, Jesus was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was entering a village, ten men with leprosy met him. They stood at a distance, 13 raised their voices and said, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us."
14 When he saw them he said, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went along, they were cleansed. 15 Then one of them, when he saw he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. 16 He fell with his face to the ground at Jesus' feet and thanked him. (Now he was a Samaritan.)
17 Then Jesus said, "Were not ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Was no one found to turn back and give praise to God except this foreigner?" 19 Then he said to the man, "Get up and go your way. Your faith has made you well."
20 Now at one point the Pharisees asked Jesus when the kingdom of God was coming, so he answered, "The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed, 21 nor will they say, 'Look, here it is!' or 'There!' For indeed, the kingdom of God is in your midst."
Parable of the Persistent Widow (Lk 18:1-8) Lk 18:1 Then Jesus told them a parable to show them they should always pray and not lose heart. 2 He said, "In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected people. 3 There was also a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, 'Give me justice against my adversary.' 4 For a while he refused, but later on he said to himself, 'Though I neither fear God nor have regard for people, 5 yet because this widow keeps on bothering me, I will give her justice, or in the end she will wear me out by her unending pleas.' "
6 And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unrighteous judge says! 7 Won't God give justice to his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he delay long to help them? 8 I tell you, he will give them justice speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?"
Parable of the Pharisee & Tax Collector (Lk 18:9-14) Lk 18:9 Jesus also told this parable to some who were confident that they were righteous and looked down on everyone else. 10 "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed about himself like this: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other people: extortionists, unrighteous people, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of everything I get.'
13 "The tax collector, however, stood far off and would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, be merciful to me, sinner that I am!' 14 I tell you that this man went down to his home justified rather than the Pharisee. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted."
PEREA (E of Jordan River, N of Dead Sea)
Teaching on Divorce (Mt 19:1-12; Mk 10:1-12; Lk 16:18) Mt 19:1 Now when Jesus finished these sayings, he left Galilee and went to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan River. Mk 10:1 Again large crowds gathered to him, and again, as was his custom, he taught them, Mt 19:2 and he healed them there.
Mt 19:3 Then some Pharisees came to him in order to test him. They asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause?"
Mk 10:3 He answered them, "What did Moses command you?" 4 They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her."a 5 But Jesus said to them, "He wrote this commandment Mt 19:8 permitting you to divorce your wives because of your hard hearts, but from the beginning it was not this way. Mt 19:4 Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator made them male and female, 5 and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and will be united with his wife, and the two will become one flesh'?b 6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate."
Mk 10:10 In the house once again, the disciples asked him about this. 11 So he told them, "Whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another commits adultery against her. 12 If she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery. Lk 16:18 And the man who marries a woman divorced from her husband also commits adultery."
Mt 19:10 The disciples said to him, "If this is the case of a husband with a wife, it is better not to marry!" 11 He said to them, "Not everyone can accept this statement, except those to whom it has been given. 12 For there are some eunuchs who were that way from birth, and some who were made eunuchs by others, and some who became eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who is able to accept this should accept it."
Jesus & the Children (Mk 10:13-16; Mt 19:13-15; Lk 18:15-17) Mk 10:13 Now people were even bringing their babies and little children to Jesus for him to touch, Mt 19:13 to lay his hands on them and pray. Lk 18:15 But when the disciples saw it, they began to scold those who brought them. Mk 10:14 But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, "Let the little children come to me and do not try to stop them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 I tell you the truth, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it." 16 After he took the children in his arms, he placed his hands on them and blessed them, Mt 19:15 and went on his way.
Lazarus Dies (Jn 11:1-16) Jn 11:1 Now a certain man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village where Mary and her sister Martha lived. 2 (Now it was Mary who anointed the Lord with perfumed oil and wiped his feet dry with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.) 3 So the sisters sent a message to Jesus, "Lord, look, the one you love is sick."
4 When Jesus heard this, he said, "This sickness will not lead to death, but to God's glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it." 5 (Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.) 6 So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he remained in the place where he was for two more days. 7 Then after this, he said to his disciples, "Let us go to Judea again."
8 The disciples replied, "Rabbi, the Jewish leaders were just now trying to stone you to death! Are you going there again?"
9 Jesus replied, "Are there not twelve hours in a day? If anyone walks around in the daytime, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if anyone walks around at night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him." 11 After he said this, he added, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep. But I am going there to awaken him."
12 Then the disciples replied, "Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover." 13 (Now Jesus had been talking about his death, but they thought he had been talking about real sleep.)
14 Then Jesus told them plainly, "Lazarus has died, 15 and I am glad for your sake that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him."
16 So Thomas (called Didymus) said to his fellow disciples, "Let us go too, so that we may die with him."
a Dt 24:4. Matthew has the Pharisees asking this as a question, "Why did Moses command us to give a certificate of dismissal?"—after Jesus explained how God created marriage in the beginning.
b Gen 2:24
BETHANY (Near Jerusalem)
Raising Lazarus from the Dead (Jn 11:17-44) Jn 11:17 When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had been in the tomb four days already. 18 (Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, 19 so many of the Jewish people of the region had come to Martha and Mary to console them over the loss of their brother.)
20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary was sitting in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will grant you."
23 Jesus replied, "Your brother will come back to life again." 24 Martha said, "I know that he will come back to life again in the resurrection at the last day." 25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live even if he dies, 26 and the one who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" 27 She replied, "Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God who comes into the world." 28 And when she had said this, Martha went and called her sister Mary, saying privately, "The Teacher is here and is asking for you."
29 So when Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. 30 (Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still in the place where Martha had come out to meet him.) 31 Then the people who were with Mary in the house consoling her saw her get up quickly and go out. They followed her, because they thought she was going to the tomb to weep there.
32 Now when Mary came to the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said to him, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."
33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the people who had come with her weeping, he was intensely moved in spirit and greatly distressed. 34 He asked, "Where have you laid him?"
They replied, "Lord, come and see." 35 Jesus wept. 36 Thus the people who had come to mourn said, "Look how much he loved him!" 37 But some of them said, "This is the man who caused the blind man to see! Couldn't he have done something to keep Lazarus from dying?"
38 Jesus, intensely moved again, came to the tomb. (Now it was a cave, and a stone was placed across it.) 39 Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of the deceased, replied, "Lord, by this time the body will have a bad smell, because he has been buried four days."
40 Jesus responded, "Didn't I tell you that if you believe, you would see the glory of God?" 41 So they took away the stone. Jesus looked upward and said, "Father, I thank you that you have listened to me. 42 I knew that you always listen to me, but I said this for the sake of the crowd standing around here, that they may believe that you sent me."
43 When he had said this, he shouted in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" 44 The one who had died came out, his feet and hands tied up with strips of cloth, and a cloth wrapped around his face. Jesus said to them, "Unwrap him and let him go."
Plot to Kill Jesus (Jn 11:45-54) Jn 11:45 Then many of the people, who had come with Mary and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and reported to them what Jesus had done. 47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees called the council together and said, "What are we doing? For this man is performing many miraculous signs. 48 If we allow him to go on in this way, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away our sanctuary and our nation."