Luke

Luke Chapter 1

Many people have tried to write accounts about the events that have happened among us—events we’re fully convinced are true. These stories were passed down to us by those who were there from the beginning—eyewitnesses and faithful servants of the Word. Because I’ve carefully investigated everything from the start, I decided it was good to write it out for you in an orderly way, most honorable Theophilus, so you can be certain about the truth of what you’ve been taught.
During the time of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah from the priestly division of Abijah. His wife, Elizabeth, was also from the line of Aaron. They were both righteous in God’s eyes, faithfully obeying His commandments and regulations. But they had no children, because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both well advanced in years.
One day, Zechariah was serving as a priest before God, fulfilling his assigned duties. According to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. While he was inside, a large crowd of people stood outside, praying during the time of incense.

Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar. Zechariah was startled and overcome with fear. But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah. Your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to name him John. He will bring you great joy, and many will rejoice because of his birth. He will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before his birth. He will turn many in Israel back to the Lord their God. And he will go before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, turning the hearts of fathers to their children, and helping the disobedient find wisdom in righteousness—to prepare a people ready for the Lord.”
Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I’m an old man, and my wife is well along in years.”

The angel answered, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to give you this good news. But because you didn’t believe my words, which will come true at the appointed time, you will be unable to speak until the day these things happen.”
Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he was in the temple so long. When he finally came out, he couldn’t speak to them, and they realized he had seen a vision. He kept making signs but remained unable to talk.

When his time of service was completed, Zechariah went home. Soon after, Elizabeth became pregnant and stayed in seclusion for five months. “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “He has shown me favor and taken away my disgrace.”

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a young virgin named Mary who was engaged to Joseph, a man from the line of David. The angel greeted her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.”
Mary was troubled by his words and wondered what kind of greeting this could be.
The angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Mary. You have found favor with God. You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you are to name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His ancestor David. He will reign over Israel forever, and His kingdom will never end.”

Mary asked, “How can this happen? I’m a virgin.”

The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the child to be born will be holy, and He will be called the Son of God. And consider your relative Elizabeth. She is pregnant in her old age! She who was said to be barren is now in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.”

Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said come true.” Then the angel left her.

Soon after, Mary hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea. She entered Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s voice, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? As soon as I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who believed what the Lord promised!”

Mary said, “My soul glorifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! He looked on me with kindness, even though I’m nobody. From now on, all generations will call me blessed. The Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is His name! His mercy continues from generation to generation for those who fear Him. He has shown His mighty strength. He scattered the proud and brought down the powerful. He lifted up the humble and filled the hungry with good things, but sent the rich away empty. He has helped His servant Israel, remembering His mercy, just as He promised to our ancestors—to Abraham and his descendants forever.”

Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
When the time came, Elizabeth gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they celebrated with her. On the eighth day, they came to circumcise the child. They were going to name him Zechariah, after his father, but Elizabeth said, “No! His name is John.”

They said, “There’s no one in your family with that name.” Then they made signs to Zechariah, asking what he wanted to name the child. He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” Everyone was amazed.

Immediately, Zechariah could speak again, and he began to praise God. Awe spread throughout the surrounding area, and people talked about it everywhere. Everyone who heard about it wondered, “What kind of child will this be?” For the hand of the Lord was clearly on him.
Zechariah, filled with the Holy Spirit, prophesied: “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel! He has come to redeem His people. He has raised up a Savior for us from the family of His servant David, just as He promised long ago through His prophets—that we would be saved from our enemies and from all who hate us. He showed mercy to our ancestors and remembered His holy covenant—the promise He made to Abraham. He has rescued us from our enemies so we can serve Him without fear, living in holiness and righteousness every day.

“And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High. You will go ahead of the Lord to prepare the way for Him—to give His people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins. Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to shine on us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

The child grew up strong in spirit, and he lived in the wilderness until the time came for him to appear publicly in Israel.

Luke Chapter 2

At that time, Caesar Augustus issued a decree that everyone in the Roman world should be registered in a census. (This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) Everyone went to their hometowns to be registered.

Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem—the city of David—because he belonged to David’s family line. He went to be registered with Mary, who was engaged to him and was expecting a child.

While they were there, the time came for Mary to give birth. She gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped Him snugly in strips of cloth and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

That night, some shepherds were out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared, and the glory of the Lord lit up the night around them. They were terrified! But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid. I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. Today, in the city of David, a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloth and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly, a great crowd of heavenly angels appeared, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to those on whom His favor rests!”

When the angels left and returned to heaven, the shepherds said, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing the Lord has told us about.” They hurried and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.

After seeing Him, they spread the word about what had been told them concerning the child. Everyone who heard their story was amazed. But Mary treasured all these things in her heart and thought deeply about them.

The shepherds returned to their fields, glorifying and praising God for all they had seen and heard—it was just as the angel had said.

When eight days had passed, and it was time to circumcise the baby, He was named Jesus—the name the angel had given before He was conceived.

When the days of Mary’s purification according to the Law of Moses were completed, they took Jesus to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord. (As the Law says: “Every firstborn male is to be set apart as holy to the Lord.”) They also offered a sacrifice as required by the Law—either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.

At that time, there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was waiting for God to comfort Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him. The Spirit had revealed to him that he wouldn’t die before he saw the Lord’s Messiah. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When Mary and Joseph brought Jesus in to fulfill the custom of the Law, Simeon took the child in his arms and praised God:
“Lord, now let Your servant go in peace, just as You’ve promised. I have seen Your salvation, which You’ve prepared for everyone. He is a light to reveal You to the Gentiles and the glory of Your people Israel.”

Jesus’s parents were amazed at what was said about Him. Then Simeon blessed them and told Mary, “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall and rise again. He will be a sign that many will oppose. And a sword will pierce your own soul, too. Through Him, the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed.”

There was also a prophet named Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, from the tribe of Asher. She was very old and had lived with her husband for seven years before becoming a widow. She was now eighty-four and never left the temple, worshiping day and night with fasting and prayer. At that moment, she came up to them, gave thanks to God, and began telling everyone who was looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem about the child.

After Mary and Joseph had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their hometown of Nazareth. The child grew strong and wise, and God’s grace was upon Him.

Every year, Jesus’s parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. When Jesus was twelve years old, they went up to the festival as usual. After it ended, they began the journey home, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, and His parents didn’t realize it. Thinking He was with their group, they traveled for a day. Then they began looking for Him among their friends and relatives.
When they couldn’t find Him, they went back to Jerusalem to search. After three days, they found Him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking questions. Everyone who heard Him was amazed at His understanding and answers.

When His parents saw Him, they were astonished. Mary said, “Son, why have You done this to us? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for You!”

Jesus replied, “Why were you looking for Me? Didn’t you know I had to be in My Father’s house?” But they didn’t understand what He meant.
Then He went with them back to Nazareth and was obedient to them. But Mary treasured all these things in her heart.
And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and people.

Luke Chapter 3

It was the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius. Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea. Herod ruled over Galilee, his brother Philip over Iturea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias over Abilene. Annas and Caiaphas were the high priests during this time.

It was then that God’s message came to John, the son of Zechariah, while he was out in the wilderness. He traveled throughout the Jordan Valley, preaching a baptism of repentance—a way for people to turn from their sins and be forgiven.

This fulfilled what was written by the prophet Isaiah:
A voice is calling out in the wilderness: Prepare the way for the Lord! Make His paths straight! Every valley will be filled in, every mountain and hill leveled out. Crooked paths will be straightened, rough roads will be smoothed, and all people will see the salvation of God.

When the crowds came out to be baptized, John didn’t sugarcoat his message. He said, “You bunch of snakes! Who warned you to run from the judgment that’s coming? If you’re serious about turning to God, then let your life prove it. Don’t just say to yourselves, ‘We’re safe because Abraham is our ancestor.’ I’m telling you—God can turn these very rocks into children of Abraham!

“The axe is already at the root of the trees. Every tree that doesn’t bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”

The people were shaken. “What should we do?” they asked.

John replied, “If you have two coats, give one to someone who has none. If you have food, share it with those who don’t.”

Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher, what should we do?” they asked.

He told them, “Don’t collect more taxes than you’re required to.”

Then some soldiers asked him, “And us? What should we do?”

John answered, “Don’t use your power to harm anyone or make false accusations. Be content with your pay.”

The people were filled with anticipation, wondering in their hearts if John might actually be the Messiah.

But John set the record straight. He told them all, “I baptize you with water. But someone far more powerful is coming—so much greater that I’m not even worthy to untie the straps of His sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in His hand. He will clear out His threshing floor, gathering the wheat into His barn. But the chaff—the useless part—He will burn up with unquenchable fire.”

John said many other things like this, encouraging the people and calling them to turn back to God.

But when John confronted Herod the ruler about his many sins—including taking his brother’s wife, Herodias—Herod added to his guilt by throwing John into prison.

When all the people were being baptized, Jesus came to be baptized too. While He was praying, heaven opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in bodily form like a dove. Then a voice from heaven said, “You are My beloved Son. You bring Me great joy.”

Jesus was about thirty years old when He began His public ministry. People assumed He was the son of Joseph.

Joseph was the son of Heli,
Heli was the son of Matthat,
Matthat was the son of Levi,
Levi was the son of Melchi,
Melchi was the son of Jannai,
Jannai was the son of Joseph,
Joseph was the son of Mattathias,
Mattathias was the son of Amos,
Amos was the son of Nahum,
Nahum was the son of Esli,
Esli was the son of Naggai,
Naggai was the son of Maath,
Maath was the son of Mattathias,
Mattathias was the son of Semein,
Semein was the son of Joseph,
Joseph was the son of Judah,
Judah was the son of Joanan,
Joanan was the son of Rhesa,
Rhesa was the son of Zerubbabel,
Zerubbabel was the son of Shealtiel,
Shealtiel was the son of Neri,
Neri was the son of Melchi,
Melchi was the son of Addi,
Addi was the son of Cosam,
Cosam was the son of Elmadam,
Elmadam was the son of Er,
Er was the son of Joshua,
Joshua was the son of Eliezer,
Eliezer was the son of Jorim,
Jorim was the son of Matthat,
Matthat was the son of Levi,
Levi was the son of Simeon,
Simeon was the son of Judah,
Judah was the son of Joseph,
Joseph was the son of Jonan,
Jonan was the son of Eliakim,
Eliakim was the son of Melea,
Melea was the son of Menan,
Menan was the son of Mattatha,
Mattatha was the son of Nathan,
Nathan was the son of David,

David was the son of Jesse,
Jesse was the son of Obed,
Obed was the son of Boaz,
Boaz was the son of Salmon,
Salmon was the son of Nahshon,
Nahshon was the son of Amminadab,
Amminadab was the son of Ram,
Ram was the son of Hezron,
Hezron was the son of Perez,
Perez was the son of Judah,
Judah was the son of Jacob,
Jacob was the son of Isaac,
Isaac was the son of Abraham,
Abraham was the son of Terah,
Terah was the son of Nahor,
Nahor was the son of Serug,
Serug was the son of Reu,
Reu was the son of Peleg,
Peleg was the son of Eber,
Eber was the son of Shelah,
Shelah was the son of Cainan,
Cainan was the son of Arphaxad,
Arphaxad was the son of Shem,
Shem was the son of Noah,
Noah was the son of Lamech,
Lamech was the son of Methuselah,
Methuselah was the son of Enoch,
Enoch was the son of Jared,
Jared was the son of Mahalaleel,
Mahalaleel was the son of Cainan,
Cainan was the son of Enos,
Enos was the son of Seth,
Seth was the son of Adam,
and Adam was the son of God.

Luke Chapter 4

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. For forty days, He was tested by the devil. During that time, He didn’t eat anything, and by the end of it, He was very hungry.

The devil said to Him, “If You really are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”

But Jesus replied, “It is written: People don’t live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from God.”

Then the devil led Jesus up to a high place and, in a moment, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world. He said, “I’ll give You all this power and glory—it’s been handed over to me, and I can give it to anyone I want. If You worship me, all of it will be Yours.”

Jesus answered, “Get behind me, Satan. It is written: You must worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.”

Next, the devil took Jesus to Jerusalem and set Him on the highest point of the temple. “If You really are the Son of God,” he said, “jump off. It’s written: ‘God will command His angels to take care of You. They’ll catch You in their hands, so You won’t even stub Your toe on a stone.’”

Jesus responded, “It also says: You must not test the Lord your God.”

When the devil had finished trying every kind of temptation, he left Jesus alone for a while.

Jesus returned to Galilee, filled with the power of the Spirit, and word about Him began spreading throughout the surrounding area. He taught in the synagogues, and everyone spoke well of Him.

When He came to His hometown of Nazareth, where He had been raised, He went to the synagogue on the Sabbath, just as He always did. He stood up to read from the Scriptures, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. Unrolling it, He found the place where it said:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,

because He has anointed Me

to proclaim good news to the poor.

He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,

to announce freedom for the captives,

and recovery of sight to the blind,

to set the oppressed free,

to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Then Jesus rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. Every eye in the synagogue was fixed on Him. And He said, “Today, this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

Everyone was amazed at His gracious words. They said, “Wait… isn’t this Joseph’s son?”

Jesus replied, “No doubt you’ll quote the old saying to Me, ‘Physician, heal Yourself.’ You’ll want Me to do here in My hometown what you heard I did in Capernaum.”

Then He added, “Let Me tell you something: No prophet is accepted in his own hometown. Think about it—there were plenty of widows in Israel during the time of Elijah, when the skies were closed for three and a half years and a severe famine struck the land. But Elijah wasn’t sent to any of them—only to a widow in Zarephath, in the region of Sidon.

“And there were many people with leprosy in Israel during the time of the prophet Elisha, yet not one of them was healed—only Naaman, a Syrian.”

When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were furious. They got up, drove Jesus out of town, and led Him to the edge of the hill their city was built on, intending to throw Him off a cliff. But Jesus walked right through the crowd and left unharmed.

He went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and taught the people on the Sabbath. They were blown away by His teaching because He spoke with real authority.

In one of the synagogues, there was a man possessed by an evil spirit. The demon screamed, “Leave us alone! What do You want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—you’re the Holy One of God!”

But Jesus commanded it, “Be quiet! Come out of him!” The demon threw the man down in front of everyone and left without hurting him.

Everyone was amazed and began talking to one another: “What kind of word is this? With authority and power, He commands evil spirits—and they obey!” News about Jesus spread everywhere.

Afterward, Jesus left the synagogue and went to Simon’s house. Simon’s mother-in-law was very sick with a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. He stood over her, spoke to the fever, and it left her. She got up immediately and started taking care of them.

As the sun was going down, people brought all their sick loved ones to Jesus. He laid His hands on each one of them and healed them. Demons came out of many, shouting, “You are the Christ, the Son of God!” But Jesus rebuked them and wouldn’t let them speak, because they knew He was the Messiah.

Early the next morning, Jesus went to a quiet place. But the crowds searched for Him and tried to keep Him from leaving. He told them, “I have to go tell others the good news about the Kingdom of God—it’s why I was sent.”

And so He continued preaching in the synagogues throughout Galilee.

Luke Chapter 5

One day, a crowd was pressing in on Jesus, eager to hear the word of God. He was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret and saw two empty boats left there by fishermen who were off washing their nets.

Jesus stepped into one of the boats—Simon’s boat—and asked him to push out a little from the shore. Then He sat down and began teaching the people from the boat.

When He finished speaking, He turned to Simon and said, “Let’s go out into deeper water. Throw out your nets again.”

Simon replied, “Master, we’ve been working hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But if You say so, I’ll give it another try.”

And when they did, the net was suddenly bursting with fish—so many that the net began to tear! They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come help. They came and filled both boats until they nearly sank.

When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Lord, get away from me—I’m a sinful man.”

He and everyone with him were overwhelmed by the catch of fish. So were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. But Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid. From now on, you’ll be catching people.”

So they brought the boats to shore, left everything behind, and followed Him.

Later, in one of the towns, a man covered with leprosy came to Jesus. Seeing Him, the man fell facedown and begged, “Lord, if You’re willing, You can make me clean.”

Jesus reached out His hand, touched the man, and said, “I am willing. Be clean.” Instantly, the leprosy was gone.

Jesus told him, “Don’t tell anyone. Instead, go to the priest and offer the sacrifice Moses commanded, as a public testimony that you’ve been healed.”

Still, the word about Jesus spread like wildfire. Huge crowds came to hear Him teach and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often slipped away into the wilderness to pray.

One day, while Jesus was teaching, some Pharisees and religious scholars were sitting nearby. They had come from all over Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. The power of the Lord was present for healing.

Some men showed up carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. They tried to bring him in to lay him before Jesus, but the crowd was too packed. So they went up on the roof, made an opening, and lowered him down on his mat right in front of Jesus.

When Jesus saw their faith, He said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”

The Pharisees and law experts started whispering among themselves, “Who does He think He is? That’s blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!”

But Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you questioning this in your hearts? Which is easier to say: ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Get up and walk’? But to show you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins…”—He turned to the paralyzed man—“I say to you, get up, take your mat, and go home.”

Immediately, the man stood up in front of everyone, picked up what he had been lying on, and walked home praising God.

The crowd was stunned. They praised God, filled with awe and holy fear, saying, “We’ve seen unbelievable things today!”

After that, Jesus walked by a tax booth and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting there. He said to him, “Follow Me.”

Levi got up, left everything behind, and followed Jesus. Later, Levi hosted a big dinner at his house. A large group of tax collectors and others joined them at the table.

But the Pharisees and their religious crowd started complaining to Jesus’ disciples: “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”

Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I didn’t come to call the righteous, but to call sinners to turn back to God.”

Then they asked, “Why do John’s disciples fast and pray regularly, and so do the Pharisees’ disciples—but Yours are always eating and drinking?”

Jesus answered, “Can you make the wedding guests fast while the groom is still with them? No—but the day will come when the groom will be taken from them. Then they will fast.”

He then gave them this illustration: “No one patches an old garment with new fabric. If they do, the new piece tears away from the old, and the two don’t match. And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the new wine will burst the skins, spill out, and the skins will be ruined. No, new wine must be put into new wineskins. And even then, people who’ve tasted the old wine often say, ‘The old is better.”

Luke Chapter 6

One Sabbath day, Jesus and His disciples were walking through the grain fields. As they went, the disciples picked some heads of grain, rubbed them in their hands, and ate the kernels.

Some Pharisees saw this and said, “Why are you doing what isn’t allowed on the Sabbath?”

Jesus replied, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He went into the house of God, took the sacred bread, and ate it—even though only the priests were allowed to. He even gave some to those with him.”

Then Jesus said, “The Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath.”

On another Sabbath, Jesus went into the synagogue to teach. A man was there whose right hand was shriveled. The religious leaders watched closely to see if Jesus would heal on the Sabbath—they were looking for something to accuse Him of.

Jesus knew what they were thinking. He said to the man, “Get up and stand here where everyone can see.” So the man stood up.

Then Jesus said, “Let me ask you something. On the Sabbath, is it lawful to do good or to do evil? To save life or to destroy it?”

He looked around at them all, then said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” The man did—and his hand was completely restored.

The religious leaders were furious. They began discussing what they could do to stop Jesus.

Around that time, Jesus went up a mountain to pray. He spent the whole night in prayer to God. The next morning, He called all His disciples together and chose twelve of them to be His apostles:

Simon (whom He also named Peter), Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James (son of Alphaeus), Simon (called the Zealot), Judas (son of James), and Judas Iscariot—the one who later betrayed Him.

Jesus came down with them to a level area where a large group of His followers had gathered, along with people from all over Judea, Jerusalem, and the coastal regions of Tyre and Sidon. They had come to hear Him and to be healed. Those tormented by evil spirits were also set free.

Everyone tried to touch Him, because power was flowing out from Him—and He healed them all.

Then Jesus looked at His disciples and began to teach them:

“Blessed are you who are poor—
because the kingdom of God belongs to you.

Blessed are you who are hungry now—
because you will be satisfied.

Blessed are you who weep now—
because you will laugh.

Blessed are you when people hate you,
exclude you, insult you,
and say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.

Rejoice when that happens—leap for joy!
Your reward in heaven will be great.
Remember, the prophets were treated the same way.”

“But woe to you who are rich—
you’ve already received your comfort.

Woe to you who are full now—
you will go hungry.

Woe to you who laugh now—
you will mourn and weep.

Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you—
that’s how their ancestors treated false prophets.”

“But I say this to anyone who’s really listening:
Love your enemies.
Do good to those who hate you.
Bless those who curse you.
Pray for those who mistreat you.

If someone hits you on one cheek,
offer them the other.
If someone takes your coat,
don’t stop them from taking your shirt too.

Give to everyone who asks you for something.
If someone takes what belongs to you,
don’t demand it back.

Do for others what you’d want them to do for you.

If you only love the people who love you—what’s special about that? Even sinners love those who love them.

If you only do good to those who do good to you—how is that different from anyone else?

If you only lend to people you expect to pay you back, what credit is that to you?

Instead, love your enemies. Do good. Lend without expecting anything in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will truly be children of the Most High God. Because He is kind—even to the ungrateful and wicked.

Be merciful, just like your Father is merciful.

Don’t judge others, and you won’t be judged.
Don’t condemn, and you won’t be condemned.
Forgive, and you’ll be forgiven.

Give, and it will be given to you—a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and overflowing will be poured into your lap. The standard you use for others will be used for you.”

Then Jesus told them a parable: “Can one blind person lead another? Won’t they both fall into a ditch?

A student isn’t above the teacher. But everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.

Why do you notice the speck in your brother’s eye, but ignore the log in your own? How can you say, ‘Let me help you with that speck,’ when you can’t even see past the beam in your own eye? Hypocrite! First take care of your own eye—then you’ll be able to help others see clearly.

A good tree doesn’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree doesn’t produce good fruit. You recognize a tree by the kind of fruit it bears. People don’t pick figs from thornbushes or grapes from brambles.

A good person brings good out of the treasure in their heart.
An evil person brings evil from what’s inside.
What you say reveals what’s really in your heart.

Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ but don’t do what I say?

If you come to Me, listen to My words, and put them into practice—I’ll show you what that person is like:

They’re like a builder who dug deep and laid a foundation on solid rock. When a flood came, and the river rose and slammed into that house, it stood firm—because it was well built.

But the one who hears and doesn’t put My words into action is like a builder who skips the foundation and builds a house on top of the dirt. When the flood hits, it collapses right away. And the destruction is complete.”

Luke Chapter 7

After Jesus finished speaking to the people, He went into Capernaum.

There was a Roman centurion who had a servant he deeply valued. The servant was sick and near death. When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to ask Him to come and heal his servant.

When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly: “This man deserves Your help. He loves our nation, and he even built us a synagogue.”

So Jesus went with them. But when He was almost at the house, the centurion sent friends to say, “Lord, don’t trouble Yourself. I don’t deserve to have You come under my roof. That’s why I didn’t even consider myself worthy to come to You in person. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; another, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I tell my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

When Jesus heard this, He was amazed. Turning to the crowd following Him, He said, “I tell you the truth, I haven’t found faith this great in all Israel!”

The men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant completely well.

The next day, Jesus went to a town called Nain. His disciples and a large crowd went with Him. As He came near the town gate, a dead man was being carried out—the only son of his mother, who was a widow. A large crowd from the town was with her.

When the Lord saw her, His heart overflowed with compassion. He said, “Don’t cry.” Then He went up and touched the stretcher, and those carrying it stood still. He said, “Young man, I say to you—get up!”

The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.

Everyone was filled with awe and praised God. They said, “A great prophet has risen among us! God has come to help His people.” News about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding countryside.

John the Baptist’s disciples reported all these things to him. So John called two of his disciples and sent them to Jesus with a question: “Are You the One we’ve been expecting, or should we wait for someone else?”

When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to ask You: Are You the One who is to come, or should we look for another?”

At that very time, Jesus healed many people of sicknesses, diseases, and evil spirits, and He gave sight to many who were blind. He answered them, “Go back and tell John what you’ve seen and heard: the blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are healed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the one who does not stumble because of Me.”

After John’s messengers left, Jesus began speaking to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear expensive clothes and live in luxury are found in palaces. So what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, and more than a prophet.

“This is the one about whom it is written: ‘I will send My messenger ahead of You, who will prepare the way before You.’

“I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John. Yet the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

When all the people heard this—even the tax collectors—they recognized that God’s way was right, because they had been baptized by John. But the Pharisees and experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, since they had not been baptized by him.

Jesus went on: “What can I compare the people of this generation to? What are they like? They’re like children sitting in the marketplace, calling to each other:

‘We played the flute for you, but you didn’t dance.
We sang a dirge, but you didn’t cry.’

“For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proven right by all her children.”

One of the Pharisees invited Jesus to eat with him. So Jesus went to the Pharisee’s house and took His place at the table. A woman from the town, known as a sinner, learned that Jesus was there. She brought an alabaster jar of perfume. Standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears. She wiped them with her hair, kissed His feet, and poured the perfume on them.

When the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he thought, “If this man were really a prophet, He would know what kind of woman is touching Him—she’s a sinner.”

Jesus answered his thoughts: “Simon, I have something to say to you.”

“Go ahead, Teacher,” he replied.

Jesus said, “Two men owed money to a moneylender. One owed five hundred silver coins, the other fifty. Neither had the money to pay him back, so he forgave both debts. Which one will love him more?”

Simon answered, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.”

“You’ve judged correctly,” Jesus said. Then He turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house, and you didn’t give Me water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. You didn’t give Me a kiss of greeting, but from the moment I came in, she hasn’t stopped kissing My feet. You didn’t anoint My head with oil, but she has anointed My feet with perfume.

“I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But the one who has been forgiven little, loves little.”

Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

The other guests began to ask themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

Luke Chapter 8

After this, Jesus traveled from town to town, village to village, preaching the good news about the Kingdom of God. The twelve disciples were with Him, along with some women who had been healed of sickness and freed from evil spirits—Mary Magdalene (who had once been possessed by seven demons), Joanna (wife of Chuza, Herod’s household manager), Susanna, and many others. These women supported Jesus and His disciples with their own resources.

One day, a large crowd gathered from many towns to hear Jesus, and He told them this story:

“A farmer went out to plant seed. As he scattered it, some fell on the path, where it was stepped on and eaten by birds. Some landed on rocky ground, and though it sprang up quickly, it soon withered because it had no moisture. Some fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. But some seed fell on good soil—it grew up and produced a crop, a hundred times what was sown.”

Then Jesus called out, “If you have ears to hear, then listen!”

Later, His disciples asked Him what the story meant. Jesus said, “You’ve been given the privilege of understanding the secrets of the Kingdom of God. But for others, I speak in parables so that even though they see, they might not really see, and even though they hear, they may not truly understand.

“Here’s what the parable means:
The seed is the word of God.

The seeds on the path represent people who hear the word—but the devil comes and snatches it from their hearts before they can believe and be saved.

The seeds on rocky ground are those who receive the word with joy, but it doesn’t take root. They believe for a while, but when trouble comes, they fall away.

The seeds among thorns represent people who hear the word, but life’s worries, riches, and pleasures choke it out, and their lives never produce lasting fruit.

But the seeds on good soil are those who hear the word with an honest and open heart, hold onto it, and patiently grow to bear fruit.”

Jesus continued, “No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a bowl or hides it under a bed. Instead, they put it on a stand so people can see the light. Everything that’s hidden will one day be revealed. Everything secret will come out into the open.

So pay attention to how you listen. To those who truly hear, more understanding will be given. But for those who ignore what they’ve been given, even what they think they have will be taken away.”

Then Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see Him, but the crowd was so large they couldn’t get close. Someone told Jesus, “Your mother and brothers are outside, wanting to see You.”

Jesus replied, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.”

One day, Jesus got into a boat with His disciples and said, “Let’s go across to the other side of the lake.” So they set sail. As they were sailing, Jesus fell asleep. Suddenly, a fierce storm hit the lake. The boat started filling with water, and they were in serious danger.

The disciples woke Him, shouting, “Master, Master—we’re going to die!”

Jesus got up, rebuked the wind and the waves, and suddenly everything was calm.

He turned to them and asked, “Where is your faith?”

Filled with awe and fear, they said to each other, “Who is this man? Even the wind and the waves obey Him!”

They sailed on to the region of the Gerasenes, across from Galilee. When Jesus stepped ashore, a man from the town came to meet Him. He was possessed by demons and had been living among the tombs, naked and homeless. No one could restrain him, not even with chains—he always broke free and would run into the wilderness.

When he saw Jesus, he screamed, fell down before Him, and shouted, “What do You want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Please, don’t torture me!” (For Jesus had already commanded the evil spirit to come out of him.)

Jesus asked, “What is your name?”

“Legion,” the man replied, “because many demons have entered me.” They begged Jesus not to send them into the abyss.

Nearby, a large herd of pigs was feeding on a hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs, and He allowed it. The demons left the man and entered the pigs—and the whole herd rushed down the steep slope into the lake and drowned.

Those who had been tending the pigs ran into town and told everyone what happened. People came out to see for themselves. They found the man who had been possessed sitting calmly at Jesus’ feet, fully clothed and in his right mind—and they were terrified.

The eyewitnesses told the crowd how the man had been healed. Then everyone from the surrounding area begged Jesus to leave, overcome with fear. So He got into the boat to go back.

The man who had been freed from the demons begged to go with Him, but Jesus said, “No—go home. Tell everyone what God has done for you.” So the man went throughout the town, telling how Jesus had changed his life.

When Jesus returned, a large crowd was waiting to welcome Him back. Among them was a man named Jairus, a synagogue leader. He fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with Him to come to his home, because his only daughter—about twelve years old—was dying.

As Jesus went, the crowd pressed in around Him. And in the crowd was a woman who had suffered for twelve years from constant bleeding. She had spent all her money on doctors, but no one could heal her.

She came up behind Jesus and touched the edge of His cloak—and immediately the bleeding stopped.

Jesus asked, “Who touched Me?”

Everyone denied it, and Peter said, “Master, the crowd is pressing in all around You. Everyone’s touching You!”

But Jesus said, “Someone deliberately touched Me. I felt healing power go out from Me.”

When the woman realized she couldn’t stay hidden, she came trembling and fell at His feet. In front of everyone, she told why she had touched Him and how she had been healed instantly.

Jesus said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”

While He was still speaking, someone came from Jairus’ house with bad news: “Your daughter is dead. Don’t bother the Teacher anymore.”

But Jesus said, “Don’t be afraid. Just believe, and she will be healed.”

When they arrived at the house, Jesus didn’t let anyone go in except Peter, James, John, and the girl’s parents. The house was full of people weeping and mourning, but Jesus said, “Stop crying. She’s not dead—she’s only asleep.”

They laughed at Him, knowing she was dead.

But Jesus took her by the hand and said, “Little girl, get up.” Her spirit returned, and she stood up immediately. Jesus told them to give her something to eat.

Her parents were amazed, but Jesus told them not to tell anyone what had happened.

Luke Chapter 9

Jesus brought His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority to cast out demons and heal diseases. Then He sent them out to preach the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

He told them, “Take nothing with you—no walking stick, no bag, no food, no money. Don’t even bring a change of clothes. Wherever you’re welcomed, stay there until you leave that town. But if a town won’t receive you, shake the dust off your feet as a witness against them when you leave.”

So they went from village to village, spreading the good news and healing people everywhere.

Meanwhile, Herod the ruler heard everything that was happening. He was confused—some were saying John the Baptist had come back to life, others claimed Elijah had returned, and still others thought one of the ancient prophets had come back. Herod said, “I beheaded John. So who is this man I’m hearing so much about?” And he was eager to meet Jesus.

When the apostles returned, they told Jesus everything they had done. He took them aside to a quiet place near Bethsaida. But the crowds found out and followed them. Jesus welcomed the people, spoke to them about God’s Kingdom, and healed those in need.

As the day wore on, the twelve came to Him and said, “Send the crowd away so they can find food and shelter in the nearby towns. This place is remote.”

But Jesus replied, “You feed them.”

They said, “We only have five loaves of bread and two fish—unless we go buy food for all these people.” (There were about five thousand men.)

Jesus told His disciples, “Have the people sit down in groups of about fifty.” They did, and everyone sat down. Then Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish. He looked up to heaven, blessed the food, broke it, and gave it to the disciples to hand out to the crowd.

Everyone ate and was satisfied—and they collected twelve baskets of leftovers.

Later, while Jesus was praying alone, His disciples joined Him. He asked them, “Who do the people say I am?”

They replied, “Some say John the Baptist. Others say Elijah. Still others believe one of the old prophets has come back to life.”

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

Peter answered, “You are the Christ of God.”

Jesus strictly warned them not to tell anyone. He said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things. He’ll be rejected by the religious leaders, the priests, and the teachers of the law. He will be killed—but on the third day, He will rise again.”

Then Jesus told the crowd, “If you want to follow Me, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow Me. If you try to save your life, you’ll lose it. But if you lose your life for My sake, you’ll find it. What good is it to gain the whole world and lose your soul?

“If you’re ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of you when He returns in glory with the Father and the holy angels. I tell you the truth—some standing here will not die before they see the Kingdom of God come in power.”

About eight days later, Jesus took Peter, John, and James up a mountain to pray. As He was praying, His appearance changed—His face shone, and His clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly, two men appeared with Him—Moses and Elijah. They were radiant in glory and spoke with Jesus about His upcoming death in Jerusalem.

Peter and the others had been dozing off, but when they woke up, they saw Jesus in glory with Moses and Elijah. As the two were leaving, Peter blurted out, “Master, this is amazing! Let’s build three shelters—one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He didn’t really know what he was saying.

While Peter was still talking, a cloud surrounded them, and they were terrified. Then a voice from the cloud said, “This is My Son, My Chosen One—listen to Him!”

When the voice finished, they looked around and saw only Jesus. They kept this experience to themselves and told no one what had happened—for a while.

The next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met Jesus. A man in the crowd shouted, “Teacher, please look at my son—he’s my only child! An evil spirit takes control of him. He screams and convulses. It throws him into fits and leaves him bruised. I begged Your disciples to cast it out, but they couldn’t.”

Jesus said, “You faithless and twisted generation—how long must I stay with you and put up with this? Bring your son here.”

As the boy was coming, the demon slammed him to the ground in a violent fit. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father.

The crowd was amazed at the power of God. While everyone was marveling, Jesus said to His disciples, “Let these words sink in: the Son of Man is going to be handed over to His enemies.” But they didn’t understand what He meant—it was hidden from them, and they were afraid to ask.

Then the disciples began arguing about which of them was the greatest. Jesus knew what they were thinking. He took a small child and stood the child beside Him. Then He said, “Whoever welcomes this little one in My name welcomes Me. And whoever welcomes Me welcomes the One who sent Me. The one who is least among you—that’s the one who is truly great.”

John spoke up, “Master, we saw someone driving out demons in Your name, and we told him to stop because he’s not one of us.”

Jesus said, “Don’t stop him. Anyone who’s not against you is for you.”

When the time came for Jesus to complete His mission, He set His face toward Jerusalem with unwavering focus. He sent messengers ahead to prepare the way. They entered a Samaritan village to make arrangements, but the people there rejected Him because He was on His way to Jerusalem.

When James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, should we call down fire from heaven to destroy them—like Elijah did?”

But Jesus turned and rebuked them. “You don’t know what spirit you’re speaking from. The Son of Man didn’t come to destroy lives, but to save them.” And they moved on to another village.

As they walked along, someone said to Jesus, “I’ll follow You wherever You go.”

Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head.”

Jesus said to another man, “Follow Me.”

The man replied, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”

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

Another man said, “Lord, I’ll follow You, but let me first go say goodbye to my family.”

Jesus replied, “Anyone who puts their hand to the plow and keeps looking back isn’t fit for the Kingdom of God.”

Luke Chapter 10

After this, the Lord appointed seventy more followers and sent them out in pairs to every town and place He planned to visit.

He told them, “The harvest is huge, but the workers are few. So ask the Lord of the harvest to send more workers into His fields. Go now—I’m sending you out like lambs among wolves. Don’t take any money, bags, or extra sandals. And don’t stop to chat with people on the road.

“When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace be on this home.’ If someone there is open to peace, your blessing will remain. If not, it will return to you. Stay in that home—eat and drink what they give you. A worker deserves their wages. Don’t move from house to house.

“When you enter a town and the people welcome you, eat whatever they offer. Heal the sick and tell them, ‘The Kingdom of God has come close to you.’

“But if a town won’t welcome you, go out into its streets and say, ‘We wipe even the dust of your town off our feet to show we’re done here. But know this—the Kingdom of God still came close.’

“I’m telling you, it will be better for Sodom on judgment day than for that town.

“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles done in you had happened in Tyre and Sidon, those people would’ve repented long ago—sitting in sackcloth and ashes. It will be better for Tyre and Sidon on judgment day than for you. And you, Capernaum, do you think you’ll be exalted to heaven? No—you’ll be brought down.

“Anyone who listens to you is listening to Me. Anyone who rejects you is rejecting Me—and anyone who rejects Me is rejecting the One who sent Me.”

When the seventy came back, they were full of joy. “Lord,” they said, “even the demons obey us when we use Your name!”

Jesus replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I’ve given you authority over snakes and scorpions—over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will harm you. But don’t rejoice because evil spirits obey you. Rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

At that moment, Jesus was full of joy through the Holy Spirit. He said, “Thank You, Father—Lord of heaven and earth—for hiding these things from the wise and learned, and revealing them to little children. Yes, Father, because this is how You wanted it to be.”

Then He said, “My Father has handed everything over to Me. No one knows who the Son really is except the Father. And no one knows who the Father is except the Son—and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.”

Turning to His disciples privately, He said, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you’re seeing. Many prophets and kings longed to see and hear what you’re experiencing—but they didn’t.”

Then a legal expert stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

Jesus replied, “What does the Law say? How do you read it?”

The man answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind—and love your neighbor as yourself.”

Jesus said, “That’s right. Do this, and you’ll live.”

But wanting to justify himself, the man asked, “And who exactly is my neighbor?”

Jesus told him a story:

“A man was traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him, beat him, and left him half-dead by the roadside. A priest came along, saw the man, and crossed to the other side. Then a Levite passed by—he also avoided the man.

“But a Samaritan came along, saw him, and was moved with compassion. He went to him, bandaged his wounds with oil and wine, placed him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day, he gave the innkeeper two silver coins and said, ‘Take care of him. If the cost goes beyond this, I’ll pay you back when I return.’

“Now, which of these three was a true neighbor to the man who was attacked?”

The lawyer replied, “The one who showed him mercy.”

Jesus said, “Go and do the same.”

As Jesus continued traveling, He entered a village where a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to everything He said.

But Martha was distracted by all the preparations. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, don’t You care that my sister has left me to do all the work? Tell her to help me!”

Jesus gently replied, “Martha, Martha… you are worried and upset about many things. But only one thing is truly needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it won’t be taken from her.”

Luke Chapter 11

One day, Jesus was praying in a certain place. When He finished, one of His disciples said, “Lord, teach us to pray—just like John taught his followers.”

Jesus said, “When you pray, say:

Father, may Your name be honored.
Let Your Kingdom come.
Give us each day the food we need.
Forgive us our sins,
just as we forgive everyone who wrongs us.
And lead us away from temptation.”

Then He said, “Suppose one of you goes to a friend at midnight and says, ‘Hey, I need to borrow three loaves of bread. A guest just arrived at my house, and I have nothing to offer him.’

“But your friend answers from inside, ‘Don’t bother me! The door’s locked, my kids are in bed, and I can’t get up to help you.’

“I tell you, even if he won’t help just because you’re his friend, he’ll get up and give you what you need if you keep knocking and won’t give up.

“So I say to you: Ask—and you’ll receive. Seek—and you’ll find. Knock—and the door will be opened to you. Everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will open.

“If your child asks for bread, would you give him a stone? If he asks for fish, would you give him a snake? Or if he asks for an egg, would you hand him a scorpion?

“So if you—flawed as you are—know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?”

Later, Jesus drove out a demon from a man who couldn’t speak. When the demon left, the man began to talk, and the crowd was amazed. But some people accused Jesus, saying, “He drives out demons by the power of Beelzebub, the prince of demons.”

Others tested Him by asking for a miraculous sign from heaven.

But Jesus knew what they were thinking. He said, “Every kingdom divided against itself will collapse. A divided household will fall. So if Satan is fighting against himself, how can his kingdom survive? You say I drive out demons by Beelzebub—but what about your own people who do exorcisms? If I’m guilty, what about them? Let them be your judges.

“But if I cast out demons by the finger of God, then you can be sure the Kingdom of God has come to you.

“When a strong man guards his home with weapons, his possessions are safe. But if someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he strips away that man’s armor and divides up the loot.

“Anyone who isn’t with Me is against Me. And anyone who doesn’t help Me gather is actually scattering.

“When an evil spirit leaves a person, it wanders through dry places looking for rest. Finding none, it says, ‘I’ll go back to the person I left.’ When it returns, it finds the place clean and in order. Then it brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all move in. In the end, that person is worse off than before.”

As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd shouted, “Blessed is the woman who gave birth to You and nursed You!”

But Jesus replied, “Even more blessed are those who hear God’s word—and actually live it out.”

As the crowds grew larger, Jesus said, “This generation is evil. It demands a sign, but the only sign it will get is the sign of Jonah. Just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so will the Son of Man be to this generation.

“The Queen of the South will rise at judgment and condemn this generation. She came from far away to hear Solomon’s wisdom—and now someone greater than Solomon is here.

“The men of Nineveh will also rise at judgment and condemn this generation. They turned their lives around when Jonah preached to them—and someone greater than Jonah is standing right here.”

“No one lights a lamp and hides it or puts it under a basket. Instead, they place it on a stand so others can see the light. The lamp of your body is your eye. When your eyes are clear, your whole body is full of light. But when they’re clouded, your body is filled with darkness.

“So be careful—make sure the light inside you isn’t actually darkness. If your whole being is full of light, with no dark corners, it will be as bright as a lamp shining its light on you.”

As Jesus was finishing, a Pharisee invited Him to dinner. Jesus went in and reclined at the table. But the Pharisee was shocked that Jesus didn’t wash ceremonially before eating.

So Jesus said, “You Pharisees are so focused on the outside of the cup and dish—but inside, you’re full of greed and wickedness. You fools! Didn’t God make both the inside and the outside? Give generously from your heart, and then everything will be clean for you.

“But woe to you Pharisees! You’re careful to tithe even your mint and herbs—but you ignore justice and the love of God. You should have done both.

“Woe to you! You love the spotlight in the synagogues and being greeted with honor in the marketplaces.

“Woe to you! You’re like hidden graves—people walk over them without knowing what’s below.”

Then one of the law experts spoke up, “Teacher, when You say these things, You’re insulting us too.”

Jesus replied, “Woe to you lawyers, too! You crush people with unbearable religious demands, but you won’t lift a finger to help them.

“Woe to you! You build memorials for the prophets—but it was your ancestors who killed them! By doing this, you’re agreeing with what your ancestors did—they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs.

“This is why God’s wisdom says: ‘I will send them prophets and apostles. Some they will kill, and others they will persecute.’ Therefore, this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all God’s prophets, shed since the beginning of time—from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I’m telling you—it will be required of this generation.

“Woe to you lawyers! You’ve taken away the key to knowledge. You didn’t enter God’s Kingdom yourselves, and you’ve blocked others who were trying to enter.”

As Jesus left the house, the scribes and Pharisees began to oppose Him fiercely. They tried to trap Him in His words, hoping to catch something they could use to accuse Him.

Luke Chapter 12

As the crowds grew—so large that people were stepping on each other—Jesus first turned to His disciples and said, “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees—that is, their hypocrisy. Nothing that’s hidden will stay hidden. Everything that’s covered will be revealed. Whatever you’ve whispered in the dark will be shouted in the light. What you said quietly in a private room will be announced from the rooftops.

“My friends, don’t be afraid of those who can only kill the body. After that, there’s nothing more they can do. Let Me tell you who you should fear: the One who has authority not only over life and death, but who can also cast the soul into hell. Yes—fear Him.

“Think about this: Five sparrows are sold for just a few coins, and yet not a single one is forgotten by God. Even the hairs on your head are numbered. So don’t be afraid—you are worth more than many sparrows.

“If you stand with Me before people, the Son of Man will stand with you before God’s angels. But if you deny Me in front of others, you’ll be denied before the angels of God.

“You can speak a word against the Son of Man and still be forgiven—but if you blaspheme the Holy Spirit, there is no forgiveness.

“When you’re dragged into court or hauled before religious leaders, don’t worry about how to defend yourself or what to say. The Holy Spirit will teach you, in that very moment, what needs to be said.”

Then someone in the crowd said, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

Jesus replied, “Friend, who made Me your judge or mediator?”

Then He said to everyone, “Be on guard against all kinds of greed. Life isn’t about how much stuff you own.”

And He told them a story: “There was a rich man whose land produced a huge harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What will I do? I don’t have room to store all this.’

“Then he said, ‘I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll store up everything I’ve got and say to myself, “You’ve got it made—take it easy! Eat, drink, and enjoy life!”’

“But God said, ‘You fool! Tonight your soul will be required of you. Then who will get all the things you’ve stored up?’

“This is what happens to anyone who piles up wealth for themselves but isn’t rich toward God.”

Then Jesus turned to His disciples: “This is why I tell you—don’t worry about your life. Don’t worry about what you’ll eat, or what you’ll wear. Life is more than food, and your body is more than clothes.

“Look at the ravens—they don’t plant or harvest or store up food, but God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to Him than birds!

“Can any of you add a single hour to your life by worrying? If worry can’t do even that little thing, then why worry about the rest?

“Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or spin cloth, yet even Solomon in all his royal glory wasn’t dressed like one of these. If God cares so much for wildflowers—here today, gone tomorrow—how much more will He care for you, O you of little faith?

“So don’t stress over what you’re going to eat or drink. Don’t get caught up in anxious thoughts. That’s what people of the world chase after. But your Father knows exactly what you need.

“Instead, seek the Kingdom of God—and everything else will be provided for you.

“Don’t be afraid, little flock. Your Father is delighted to give you the Kingdom.

“Sell what you have and give to those in need. Store your treasure in heaven—where it won’t wear out, can’t be stolen, and won’t be destroyed by moths. For where your treasure is, that’s where your heart will be too.”

“Be dressed and ready—keep your lamps burning. Be like people waiting for their master to return from a wedding, ready to open the door as soon as he knocks. Blessed are the servants the master finds watching when he comes. I tell you the truth—he’ll dress himself to serve, have them sit down, and wait on them.

“If he comes in the middle of the night or just before dawn, and finds them alert—they are truly blessed.

“Understand this: if the homeowner had known what time the thief was coming, he would’ve been ready and wouldn’t have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come when you least expect Him.”

Peter asked, “Lord, is this parable just for us—or for everyone?”

The Lord replied, “Who is the wise and faithful servant, the one the master can trust to take care of the household and distribute food at the right time? Blessed is the servant who is doing just that when the master returns. I tell you—he’ll put that servant in charge of all he owns.

“But suppose that servant says, ‘My master is taking his time,’ and starts mistreating others—beating the workers and partying and getting drunk. That servant’s master will return when he’s not expecting it, and he’ll deal with him severely, assigning him a place with the unfaithful.

“The servant who knows what his master wants, but doesn’t get ready or do it—will be punished severely. But the one who didn’t know, and did wrong anyway, will receive a lighter punishment. To whom much is given, much is required. And the more that’s entrusted, the more will be expected.

“I came to bring fire to the earth—and how I wish it were already blazing! But I have a baptism of suffering to go through, and I am in deep anguish until it’s completed.

“Do you think I came to bring peace to the earth? No—I tell you, but rather division. From now on, families will be split apart: three against two, and two against three. Fathers against sons, mothers against daughters, in-laws against each other.”

Then Jesus turned to the crowd and said, “You know how to interpret the weather. When you see clouds forming in the west, you say, ‘Rain’s coming,’ and it does. When the wind blows from the south, you say, ‘It’s going to be hot,’ and it is. You hypocrites! You can interpret the signs in the sky and the earth—but you can’t see the signs of what’s happening right now?

“And why can’t you judge for yourselves what’s right? If someone’s taking you to court, settle it before you get there. Otherwise, the judge may hand you over to the officer, and the officer may throw you into jail. I’m telling you, you won’t get out until you’ve paid the last cent.”

Luke Chapter 13

Some people came to Jesus and told Him about a tragic event—Pilate had killed some Galileans while they were offering sacrifices, mixing their blood with the offerings.

Jesus responded, “Do you think those Galileans were worse sinners than all the others, just because they suffered like that? No—not at all. But unless you turn away from your sins, you will all perish just as they did.

“And what about the eighteen people who were killed when the tower in Siloam fell on them? Were they more guilty than everyone else in Jerusalem? I’m telling you—they weren’t. But unless you repent, you too will perish.”

Then Jesus told this story: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard. He came looking for fruit but found none. So he said to the gardener, ‘I’ve been checking this tree for three years and haven’t seen a single fig. Cut it down. Why let it keep draining the soil?’

“But the gardener replied, ‘Sir, let it alone one more year. I’ll dig around it and give it some fertilizer. If it bears fruit—great. If not, then you can cut it down.’”

One Sabbath, Jesus was teaching in a synagogue. There was a woman there who had been crippled by an evil spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and couldn’t straighten up at all.

When Jesus saw her, He called her over and said, “Woman, you are set free from your sickness.” Then He placed His hands on her, and instantly she stood up straight—and began praising God.

But the synagogue leader was angry because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath. He said to the people, “There are six days for work. Come on those days to be healed, not on the Sabbath.”

But the Lord replied, “You hypocrites! Don’t each of you untie your ox or donkey on the Sabbath and lead it to water? Then why shouldn’t this woman, a daughter of Abraham who’s been bound by Satan for eighteen years, be set free on the Sabbath?”

When Jesus said this, His opponents were put to shame, but the crowd was delighted by all the wonderful things He was doing.

Then Jesus said, “What is God’s Kingdom like? What can I compare it to?

“It’s like a tiny mustard seed that a man plants in his garden. It grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches.”

He continued, “The Kingdom of God is like yeast that a woman mixes into a large amount of flour until it spreads through the whole batch.”

Jesus continued traveling through towns and villages, teaching and making His way toward Jerusalem.

Someone asked Him, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?”

Jesus replied, “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many will try but won’t be able to. Once the master of the house gets up and locks the door, you’ll stand outside knocking and saying, ‘Lord, let us in!’ But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you’re from.’

“Then you’ll say, ‘But we ate with You and listened to You teach in our streets!’

“But he’ll say again, ‘I don’t know who you are. Get away from Me, all you evildoers!’

“There will be weeping and grinding of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets inside the Kingdom of God—and you’re left outside. People will come from every direction—from east and west, north and south—and take their places in the Kingdom of God. And remember this: those who are last now will be first, and those who are first now will be last.”

That same day, some Pharisees came to warn Him: “Leave this place. Herod wants to kill You.”

Jesus replied, “Go tell that fox, ‘I’m driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow. And on the third day, I’ll complete My work.’ But I must keep moving today, tomorrow, and the next day—for it wouldn’t be right for a prophet to die anywhere but in Jerusalem.

“Oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem—you kill the prophets and stone those God sends to you! How often I wanted to gather your children together like a mother hen gathers her chicks under her wings—but you were not willing.

“Look, your house is left to you desolate. And I tell you this—you won’t see Me again until the day you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.’”

Luke Chapter 14

One Sabbath day, Jesus went to eat at the home of a prominent Pharisee. Everyone there was watching Him closely.

In front of Him stood a man suffering from a severe swelling condition. Jesus turned to the religious experts and Pharisees and asked, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?”

But they said nothing. So Jesus took hold of the man, healed him, and sent him on his way.

Then He said to them, “If any of you had a son—or even an ox—that fell into a pit on the Sabbath, wouldn’t you pull him out immediately?” They had no answer.

Jesus noticed how the guests were picking the best seats at the table, so He told them a story.

“When someone invites you to a wedding feast, don’t take the place of honor. Someone more important than you might have been invited, and the host who invited you both may come and say, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then you’ll be embarrassed and have to take the lowest seat.

“Instead, when you’re invited, sit in the lowest place. Then when your host comes, he’ll say, ‘Friend, move up to a better spot.’ Then you’ll be honored in front of everyone at the table.

“For all who lift themselves up will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be lifted up.”

Then Jesus turned to His host and said, “When you throw a dinner or a party, don’t just invite your friends, your family, or your wealthy neighbors—because they’ll invite you back, and you’ll be repaid. Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. Then you’ll be truly blessed. They can’t repay you—but you’ll be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

Hearing this, one of the guests said, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the Kingdom of God!”

Jesus replied, “A man once prepared a great banquet and invited many guests. When the feast was ready, he sent his servant to say, ‘Come—everything is ready!’

“But they all started making excuses. One said, ‘I just bought a field, and I need to go inspect it.’ Another said, ‘I just bought five pairs of oxen and need to test them out.’ Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’

“The servant returned and told his master. The master was furious and said, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys and bring in the poor, the disabled, the blind, and the lame.’

“The servant came back and said, ‘I’ve done that, and there’s still room.’

“So the master said, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and urge everyone you find to come, so that my house will be full. But I tell you this—not one of those who were originally invited will taste a single bite of my banquet.’”

Large crowds were following Jesus, and He turned to them and said:

“If you want to follow Me, you must love Me more than you love your father, mother, spouse, children, brothers, sisters—and even your own life. If not, you can’t be My disciple.

“Anyone who won’t carry their own cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple.

“Think about it—if you wanted to build a tower, wouldn’t you first sit down and figure out the cost, to see if you had enough money to finish it? Otherwise, if you lay the foundation and then can’t complete it, everyone will laugh at you and say, ‘This person started building and couldn’t finish.’

“Or what king goes to war without first sitting down and deciding whether his army of ten thousand can defeat an enemy coming with twenty thousand? If not, he sends a delegation while the enemy is still far away to ask for peace.

“In the same way, anyone who does not give up everything they have cannot be My disciple.

“Salt is good—but if it loses its flavor, how can it be made salty again? It’s useless—fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile. People just throw it away.

“Whoever has ears to hear—listen!”

Luke Chapter 15

All the tax collectors and other known sinners kept coming to listen to Jesus. The Pharisees and religious scholars were grumbling about it. “This man welcomes sinners,” they said, “and even eats with them!”

So Jesus told them this story:

“Imagine one of you has a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders off. Wouldn’t you leave the ninety-nine in the open field and go search for the lost one until you find it?

“And when you do find it, you joyfully pick it up, throw it over your shoulders, and head home. Then you call your friends and neighbors together and say, ‘Celebrate with me—I found my lost sheep!’

“In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who turns back to God than over ninety-nine righteous people who don’t think they need to.”

He continued: “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the whole house, and search carefully until she finds it?

“And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors and says, ‘Celebrate with me—I found the coin I lost!’

“In the same way, I’m telling you, there’s joy in heaven in the presence of God’s angels over just one person who turns back to God.”

Then Jesus told them this story:

“A man had two sons. The younger one said, ‘Father, I want my share of the inheritance now.’ So the father divided his property between them.

“A few days later, the younger son packed up everything he had and moved to a distant land. There, he wasted all his money on wild living. After he had spent it all, a severe famine hit the land, and he began to starve.

“So he found work with a man who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He was so hungry, he longed to eat the scraps the pigs were eating—but no one gave him anything.

“One day, he came to his senses. He thought, ‘Even the hired workers at my father’s house have more than enough food, and here I am dying of hunger! I’ll go back home and say, “Father, I’ve sinned against heaven and against you. I’m not worthy to be your son. Just take me on as a hired worker.”’

“So he got up and headed home. But while he was still far away, his father saw him. Filled with compassion, he ran to his son, threw his arms around him, and kissed him.

“The son began his speech: ‘Father, I’ve sinned against heaven and against you. I’m not even worthy to be called your son.’

“But the father called to his servants: ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Get the fattest calf and prepare a feast! Let’s celebrate!

“For my son was dead—and now he’s alive. He was lost—but now he’s found!’ So they began to celebrate.

“Meanwhile, the older son was out working in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. He asked one of the servants what was going on.

“The servant said, ‘Your brother is back! And your father has killed the fattened calf because he’s home safe and sound.’

“The older brother got angry and refused to go inside. So his father came out and pleaded with him.

“But he said, ‘Look, all these years I’ve worked for you and never disobeyed your rules—and yet you never even gave me a young goat to celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours comes back—after wasting your money on prostitutes—you throw a feast for him!’

“The father said, ‘Son, you’ve always been with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate. Your brother was dead—and now he’s alive. He was lost—and now he’s found.’”

Luke Chapter 16

Jesus told His disciples this story:

“There was a wealthy man who had a manager working for him. But rumors started going around that the manager was wasting the man’s resources. So the rich man called him in and said, ‘What’s this I hear about you? Give me a full report of your management, because you can’t continue in this role.’

“The manager thought to himself, ‘What am I going to do? My job’s being taken away, and I’m not strong enough to dig ditches. I’m too ashamed to beg. I know what I’ll do—so that when I’m fired, people will welcome me into their homes.’

“So he called in everyone who owed his master money. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe?’

‘A hundred jugs of olive oil,’ the man replied.

The manager said, ‘Take your invoice, sit down quickly, and make it fifty.’

“Then he asked another, ‘How much do you owe?’

‘A hundred measures of wheat,’ he said.

‘Take your bill and make it eighty,’ the manager replied.

“The rich man actually commended the dishonest manager for being clever. Why? Because the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than the people of light are.

“Here’s the lesson: Use worldly wealth to build relationships that matter. Then, when it’s gone, you’ll be welcomed into eternal homes.

“If you can be trusted with small things, you can be trusted with big things. But if you’re dishonest with little, you’ll be dishonest with much. If you can’t be faithful with worldly money, why would God trust you with true spiritual riches? And if you’re not faithful with someone else’s property, why would anyone give you something of your own?

“No one can serve two masters. Either you’ll hate one and love the other, or you’ll be loyal to one and despise the other. You can’t serve both God and money.”

The Pharisees, who loved money, sneered when they heard all this.

But Jesus said to them, “You try to justify yourselves in front of others, but God sees your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in the sight of God.

“The law and the prophets were proclaimed until John the Baptist. Since then, the good news of the Kingdom of God is being preached—and people are pressing in to receive it. But understand this: It’s easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for even one small part of God’s law to fail.

“If a man divorces his wife and marries someone else, he commits adultery. And if someone marries a divorced woman, he commits adultery too.”

Then Jesus told another story:

“There was a rich man who lived in luxury every day, dressed in fine clothes and eating gourmet meals. At his gate was a poor man named Lazarus, covered in sores and hoping to eat even the scraps from the rich man’s table. Dogs came and licked his wounds.

“One day, the poor man died, and angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.

“He called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me! Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue—I’m in agony in this fire!’

“But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember—in your lifetime, you received good things, while Lazarus had nothing. Now he is comforted, and you are in pain. And besides, a great chasm separates us. No one can cross from here to you, and no one can come from there to us.’

“The rich man said, ‘Then please, Father, send Lazarus to my father’s house. I have five brothers—warn them so they don’t end up in this place of torment.’

“Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’

“‘No, Father Abraham!’ he said. ‘But if someone comes to them from the dead, then they’ll change!’

“Abraham answered, ‘If they won’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they won’t be convinced—even if someone rises from the dead.’”

Luke Chapter 17

Jesus said to His disciples, “It’s inevitable that people will stumble and fall—but woe to the person who causes it. It would be better for them to have a millstone tied around their neck and be thrown into the sea than to lead one of these little ones into sin.

“So watch yourselves. If your brother or sister does something wrong, speak to them about it. If they repent, forgive them. Even if they wrong you seven times in a single day—and seven times say, ‘I’m sorry’—you must forgive them.”

The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”

Jesus replied, “If you had even the tiniest bit of faith—like a mustard seed—you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.

“Suppose you had a servant working in the field or tending sheep. Would you say to him when he comes in, ‘Sit down and eat’? No—you’d say, ‘Prepare my meal, put on your apron, and serve me until I’m done eating and drinking. Then you can eat and drink.’ Do you thank the servant for doing what he was told?

“In the same way, when you’ve done everything God has asked of you, just say, ‘We are unworthy servants—we’ve only done our duty.’”

As Jesus continued on His way to Jerusalem, He traveled through the border between Samaria and Galilee. When He entered a village, ten men with leprosy called out to Him from a distance, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”

He saw them and said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were healed.

One of them, when he realized he was healed, came running back. He shouted praises to God and fell at Jesus’ feet, thanking Him. And this man was a Samaritan.

Jesus asked, “Weren’t ten healed? Where are the other nine? Is this outsider the only one who came back to give glory to God?”

Then He said to the man, “Get up and go. Your faith has made you whole.”

Later, the Pharisees asked Jesus when the Kingdom of God would come. He answered, “The Kingdom of God doesn’t come with visible signs. People won’t say, ‘Here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’ because the Kingdom of God is already among you.”

Then He told His disciples, “The days are coming when you’ll long to see just one of the days of the Son of Man—but you won’t see it. People will say to you, ‘Look—He’s here!’ or ‘He’s over there!’ Don’t go running after them.

“For when the Son of Man returns, it will be like lightning flashing across the sky—bright from one end to the other. But first, He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.

“When the Son of Man comes, it will be like it was in the days of Noah. People were eating, drinking, marrying—right up until the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.

“It will be like it was in the days of Lot. People were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, and building. But the very day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and wiped them out.

“That’s how it will be when the Son of Man is revealed.

“On that day, if you're on the roof and your stuff is inside, don’t go down to get it. If you're out in the field, don’t go back for anything. Remember Lot’s wife.

“If you try to cling to your life, you’ll lose it. But if you let go of your life, you’ll save it.

“I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed—one will be taken, the other left. Two women will be grinding grain together—one will be taken, the other left.”

They asked Him, “Where, Lord?”

Jesus replied, “Where there’s a body, the vultures will gather.”

Luke Chapter 18

Jesus told His disciples a story to show them that they should always pray and never give up.

“There was a judge in a certain town who didn’t respect God or care about people. A widow in that town kept coming to him with one request: ‘Give me justice against the one who’s wronged me.’

“At first, he ignored her. But after a while, he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care what people think, but this widow keeps bothering me! I’ll make sure she gets justice so she doesn’t wear me out with her constant requests.’”

Then the Lord said, “Did you hear what the corrupt judge said? Now, if even he gave justice, don’t you think God will bring justice to His chosen ones who cry out to Him day and night? Will He delay forever? I’m telling you, He will bring justice—and quickly. But when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”

Next, Jesus told a parable for those who trusted in their own righteousness and looked down on others:

“Two men went to the temple to pray—one was a Pharisee, the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed, ‘God, I thank You that I’m not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like that tax collector over there. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I earn.’

“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He wouldn’t even look up to heaven. Instead, he beat his chest and prayed, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

“I tell you, that man—not the Pharisee—went home right with God. For all who lift themselves up will be humbled, but those who humble themselves will be lifted up.”

People were also bringing their babies to Jesus so He could bless them. When the disciples saw this, they tried to stop them.

But Jesus called the children over and said, “Let the little ones come to Me—don’t stop them. The Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I’m telling you the truth—unless you receive the Kingdom of God like a child, you’ll never enter it.”

Then a wealthy ruler came and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

Jesus replied, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: Don’t commit adultery. Don’t murder. Don’t steal. Don’t lie. Honor your father and mother.”

The man said, “I’ve kept all these since I was young.”

When Jesus heard this, He said, “There’s still one thing you’re missing. Sell everything you have, give it to the poor, and you’ll have treasure in heaven. Then come follow Me.”

But when the man heard this, he became very sad—because he was extremely wealthy.

Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God! In fact, it’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter God’s Kingdom.”

Those who heard this asked, “Then who can be saved?”

Jesus answered, “What’s impossible for people is possible with God.”

Peter said, “We’ve left everything to follow You!”

Jesus replied, “I’m telling you the truth—no one who has left home, or family, or anything else for the sake of God’s Kingdom will fail to receive much more in this life—and eternal life in the world to come.”

Then Jesus took the twelve aside and said, “Listen carefully: We’re going up to Jerusalem. Everything written by the prophets about the Son of Man will come true. He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They’ll mock Him, insult Him, spit on Him, beat Him, and kill Him. But on the third day, He will rise again.”

The disciples didn’t understand any of this. The meaning was hidden from them, and they had no idea what He was talking about.

As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside, begging. When he heard a crowd passing by, he asked what was going on.

They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is coming by.”

So he shouted, “Jesus! Son of David! Have mercy on me!”

The people at the front of the crowd told him to be quiet—but he shouted even louder, “Son of David! Have mercy on me!”

Jesus stopped and ordered that the man be brought to Him. When he came close, Jesus asked, “What do you want Me to do for you?”

“Lord, I want to see,” he replied.

Jesus said, “Then receive your sight—your faith has healed you.”

Immediately the man could see. He followed Jesus, praising God. And everyone who saw it praised God too.

Luke Chapter 19

As Jesus entered Jericho and made His way through the city, a man named Zacchaeus was there. He was the chief tax collector—and he was wealthy.

Zacchaeus wanted to see who Jesus was, but the crowd was too big and he was too short to see over anyone. So he ran ahead and climbed up a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus as He passed by.

When Jesus got to the spot, He looked up and said, “Zacchaeus! Hurry and come down—I must stay at your house today.”

Zacchaeus scrambled down and welcomed Jesus joyfully.

But the people saw this and started grumbling: “He’s going to stay with a known sinner?”

Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “Look, Lord—right now I give half of everything I own to the poor. And if I’ve cheated anyone, I’ll pay them back four times as much!”

Jesus responded, “Today, salvation has come to this home—because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”

As the crowd listened, Jesus told them a story. He was near Jerusalem, and many thought God’s Kingdom would appear immediately.

He said, “A nobleman went away to be crowned king and then return. Before he left, he called ten of his servants and gave each of them a sum of money. ‘Do business with this until I return,’ he said.

“But his own people hated him and sent a message saying, ‘We don’t want this man to rule over us!’

“After he was crowned and came back, he called in his servants to see what they had done with the money.

“The first said, ‘Master, your money earned ten times more!’

“‘Well done, good servant!’ the master replied. ‘Because you were trustworthy in a small thing, I’ll give you authority over ten cities.’

“The second said, ‘Your money earned five times more.’

“He said, ‘You’ll be in charge of five cities.’

“But another came and said, ‘Master, here’s your money. I wrapped it up and hid it because I was afraid of you. You’re a tough man—taking what you didn’t deposit, harvesting what you didn’t plant.’

“The master replied, ‘You wicked servant! I’ll judge you by your own words. If you thought I was such a harsh man, why didn’t you at least put my money in the bank so I could have earned interest?’

“Then he said to those standing nearby, ‘Take the money from him and give it to the one who earned ten times more.’

“‘But Master,’ they said, ‘he already has ten!’

“‘Exactly. Those who have will be given even more. But those who do nothing with what they’ve been given—even what they have will be taken from them. And as for my enemies who didn’t want me to rule over them—bring them here and deal with them in front of me.’”

After telling this, Jesus continued on toward Jerusalem.

When He reached the towns of Bethphage and Bethany near the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples ahead. “Go into the village up ahead,” He said. “As you enter it, you’ll find a young donkey tied there—one no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks why you’re taking it, just say, ‘The Lord needs it.’”

They went and found everything just as Jesus had said. As they untied the colt, its owners asked, “Why are you taking the donkey?”

They replied, “The Lord needs it.” And they brought it to Jesus. Then they laid their cloaks over the colt and helped Jesus onto it.

As Jesus rode along, people spread their coats on the road before Him. When He reached the slope of the Mount of Olives, the entire crowd of disciples began shouting and praising God joyfully for all the miracles they had seen.

They shouted,
“Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, tell Your followers to stop!”

But Jesus answered, “If they keep quiet, the rocks themselves will cry out.”

As He approached Jerusalem, Jesus saw the city and began to weep over it. “If only you had understood—even today—what would bring you peace! But now it’s hidden from your eyes. The time is coming when your enemies will surround you, trap you, and level you to the ground. They’ll destroy you and your children, and not one stone will be left on another—because you didn’t recognize the time when God came to you.”

Then Jesus entered the temple and began to drive out the merchants. He said, “The Scriptures say, ‘My house will be a house of prayer’—but you’ve turned it into a den of thieves!”

He taught daily in the temple. But the religious leaders and powerful people were trying to find a way to kill Him. Yet they couldn’t figure out how—because all the people were hanging on His every word.

Luke Chapter 20

One day, while Jesus was teaching in the temple and sharing the good news, the chief priests, scribes, and elders came up to Him. They challenged Him, saying, “Tell us—what authority do You have to do these things? Who gave You this right?”

Jesus replied, “I’ll ask you one question. Answer Me, and I’ll tell you by what authority I do these things. John’s baptism—was it from heaven or just human?”

They whispered among themselves, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He’ll ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From men,’ the people might stone us because they’re convinced John was a prophet.”

So they answered, “We don’t know.”

Jesus said, “Then I won’t tell you by what authority I do these things.”

Then He told the people a story:

“A man planted a vineyard, rented it to some farmers, and went away for a long time. When harvest season came, he sent a servant to collect his share of the fruit. But the tenants beat the servant and sent him away with nothing.

“So he sent another servant—they beat him too, insulted him, and sent him away empty-handed. Then a third—they wounded him and threw him out.

“Finally, the owner said, ‘I’ll send my own beloved son. Surely they’ll respect him.’

“But when the tenants saw the son, they said, ‘This is the heir! Let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours!’ So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.

“Now what do you think the owner will do? He’ll come, destroy those tenants, and give the vineyard to others.”

When the people heard this, they said, “God forbid!”

Jesus looked at them and said, “Then what about this Scripture?
‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.’
Anyone who stumbles on that stone will be broken, but if it falls on someone, it will crush them.”

The religious leaders knew this parable was about them. They wanted to arrest Him immediately but were afraid of the people.

So they sent spies who pretended to be sincere. Their goal was to trap Him with His own words so they could hand Him over to the authorities. They said, “Teacher, we know You speak the truth and teach God’s way with integrity. You’re not swayed by appearances. So tell us—should we pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

But Jesus saw through their trap. “Why are you trying to test Me?” He asked. “Show Me a coin. Whose image and inscription are on it?”

They answered, “Caesar’s.”

He said, “Then give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar—and to God what belongs to God.”

They were stunned by His answer and had nothing left to say.

Then some Sadducees—who deny the resurrection—came to challenge Him. They said, “Teacher, Moses told us that if a man dies without children, his brother should marry the widow and raise up children in his name. Now, there were seven brothers. The first married a woman and died childless. The second married her, then the third, and so on—all seven died without leaving children. Finally, the woman died too. In the resurrection, whose wife will she be?”

Jesus answered, “In this age, people marry and are given in marriage. But in the age to come—those worthy of the resurrection—there is no marriage. They can no longer die; they’re like the angels. They are God’s children, children of the resurrection.

“And even Moses hinted at the resurrection when he spoke about the burning bush, calling the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ He is not the God of the dead, but of the living—for to Him, all are alive.”

Some of the scribes responded, “Well said, Teacher.” After that, no one dared to question Him anymore.

Then Jesus asked them, “Why do people say that the Messiah is the son of David? David himself wrote in the Psalms:
‘The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at My right hand until I put Your enemies under Your feet.’
If David calls Him ‘Lord,’ how can He be his son?”

Then, with all the people listening, Jesus warned His disciples: “Beware of the religious scholars. They love to walk around in long robes, to be greeted with honor in the marketplaces, to have the best seats in the synagogues, and to take the places of honor at banquets.

“But they cheat widows out of their homes, and then make a show of long prayers. They will be judged more severely.”

Luke Chapter 21

As Jesus looked up, He saw rich people putting their offerings into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow drop in two tiny coins.

“I tell you the truth,” He said, “this poor widow has given more than all the others. They gave out of their abundance—but she gave out of her poverty. She gave all she had to live on.”

Some of the people were talking about how beautiful the temple was—how it was adorned with magnificent stones and sacred gifts. But Jesus said, “The time is coming when all of this will be torn down. Not one stone will be left on another.”

They asked Him, “Teacher, when will this happen? And what signs should we look for?”

Jesus answered, “Be careful. Don’t let anyone mislead you. Many will come claiming to be Me, or saying, ‘The time has come!’ Don’t follow them.

“When you hear about wars and unrest, don’t panic. These things must happen first—but the end won’t come immediately.”

Then He said, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines, and plagues in many places. Fearful events will unfold—and there will be signs in the sky.

“But before all this, you’ll be arrested and persecuted. You’ll be dragged into synagogues, thrown in jail, and brought before rulers—all because you follow Me.

“This will be your opportunity to bear witness to the truth. Don’t worry about what to say in advance. I’ll give you words and wisdom your enemies won’t be able to refute or resist.

“You’ll be betrayed by parents, brothers, relatives—even friends. Some of you will be killed. Everyone will hate you because of Me. But not a single hair on your head will be lost eternally. Stand firm, and you will win your soul.”

“When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, know that its desolation is near. Those in Judea should flee to the mountains. Those in the city should get out—and no one should enter it. These are the days of judgment, when everything written in Scripture will be fulfilled.

“It will be especially hard for pregnant women and nursing mothers. There will be great distress in the land and judgment upon this people. Many will be killed by the sword. Others will be taken away as captives to other nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by Gentiles until their time is complete.

“There will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars. On the earth, nations will be in turmoil—confused and overwhelmed by roaring seas and waves. People will faint with fear, dreading what’s coming on the world. Even the powers of heaven will be shaken.

“Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to happen, stand up! Lift your heads high—because your redemption is drawing near.”

Then Jesus told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree—or any tree. When you see the leaves beginning to bud, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see these signs happening, you’ll know the Kingdom of God is close.

“I’m telling you the truth—this generation won’t pass away before all of this takes place. Heaven and earth will disappear—but My words will never pass away.

“Be careful. Don’t let your hearts be dulled by indulgence, drunkenness, or the worries of this life. Otherwise, that day will catch you off guard like a trap—for it will come upon everyone living on earth.

“Stay alert! Keep praying that you’ll have the strength to escape all these things and to stand before the Son of Man.”

During the day, Jesus taught at the temple. At night, He would go out to the Mount of Olives to rest. And every morning, the crowds would come early to hear Him teach.

Luke Chapter 22

As the Feast of Unleavened Bread, called Passover, approached, the religious leaders were plotting how to kill Jesus—but they were afraid of the people.

Then Satan entered Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve. He went and secretly arranged with the chief priests and temple guards to betray Jesus to them. They were thrilled and offered him money. Judas agreed and began looking for the right moment—when the crowds weren’t around—to hand Jesus over.

The day came when the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go get the Passover meal ready for us to eat.”

They asked, “Where should we prepare it?”

He told them, “When you enter the city, you’ll meet a man carrying a water jar. Follow him into the house he enters. Say to the owner, ‘The Teacher asks, Where is the guest room where I can eat the Passover with My disciples?’ He’ll show you a large furnished upstairs room. Get everything ready there.”

They went and found it exactly as He said, and they prepared the meal.

When the time came, Jesus took His place at the table with the twelve apostles. He said, “I’ve been longing to eat this Passover with you before My suffering begins. I won’t eat it again until it’s fulfilled in God’s Kingdom.”

Then He took a cup, gave thanks, and said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. I tell you—I won’t drink from the fruit of the vine again until God’s Kingdom comes.”

He took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body, given for you. Do this to remember Me.”

After supper, He took the cup again and said, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, poured out for you.”

“But look—the one who will betray Me is here at the table with Me. The Son of Man will go just as it was written—but woe to the one who betrays Him!”

The disciples began to ask each other which one of them could do such a thing.

Then a dispute broke out about which of them was the greatest.

Jesus said, “In this world, rulers lord it over people and love being called ‘benefactors.’ But that’s not how it should be with you. The greatest among you must become like the least. The leader must act like a servant. Who’s greater—the one who eats or the one who serves? Isn’t it the one at the table? But I’m here among you as one who serves.

“You’ve stood by Me in My trials. And just as My Father has given Me a Kingdom, I now give you a place in it. You’ll eat and drink at My table, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

Then Jesus said, “Simon, Simon—Satan has asked to sift all of you like wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith won’t fail. And when you turn back, strengthen your brothers.”

Peter said, “Lord, I’m ready to go with You—to prison and even to death!”

Jesus replied, “Peter, before the rooster crows today, you’ll deny three times that you even know Me.”

Then He asked, “When I sent you out without a purse, bag, or sandals, did you lack anything?”

“Nothing,” they answered.

He said, “But now, if you have a purse or bag, take it. If you don’t have a sword, sell your coat and buy one. For I tell you, what is written about Me must be fulfilled: ‘He was counted among the transgressors.’ It’s all coming to pass.”

The disciples said, “Look, Lord, we have two swords.”

“That’s enough,” He replied.

Jesus then went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and His disciples followed. When they reached the place, He told them, “Pray that you won’t fall into temptation.”

He went a short distance away, knelt down, and prayed, “Father, if You’re willing, take this cup from Me. But not My will—Yours be done.”

Then an angel from heaven appeared to strengthen Him. He was in deep anguish and prayed even harder—His sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground.

When He got up and returned to the disciples, He found them asleep, exhausted from grief. “Why are you sleeping?” He asked. “Get up and pray, so you won’t give in to temptation.”

While He was still speaking, a crowd appeared, led by Judas—one of the twelve. He came close to kiss Jesus.

But Jesus said, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”

When the disciples saw what was about to happen, they asked, “Lord, should we fight with our swords?” One of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear.

But Jesus said, “Enough of this!” He touched the man’s ear and healed him.

Then Jesus said to the chief priests, temple guards, and elders, “Am I a criminal that you come at Me with swords and clubs? I was with you every day in the temple, and you didn’t lay a hand on Me. But this is your hour—when darkness reigns.”

They arrested Him and took Him to the high priest’s house. Peter followed from a distance. When they lit a fire in the courtyard and sat down, Peter joined them.

A servant girl saw him and said, “This man was with Him.”

Peter denied it: “Woman, I don’t know Him.”

Later someone else said, “You’re one of them.”

Peter replied, “Man, I am not!”

An hour later, another confidently said, “This guy is definitely with Him—he’s a Galilean.”

Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just then, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. Jesus turned and looked straight at Peter. And Peter remembered what the Lord had said: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” He went outside and wept bitterly.

Meanwhile, the guards mocked and beat Jesus. They blindfolded Him and hit Him, saying, “Prophesy! Who hit You?” And they hurled many other insults at Him.

At daybreak, the council of elders—including the chief priests and scribes—gathered. They led Jesus before the council and said, “Tell us—are You the Messiah?”

Jesus answered, “If I tell you, you won’t believe Me. And if I ask you, you won’t answer. But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of God’s power.”

They all said, “Are You the Son of God, then?”

He replied, “You’re saying it yourselves.”

They said, “What more proof do we need? We’ve heard it from His own lips.”

Luke Chapter 23

The whole crowd got up and took Jesus to Pilate. They began accusing Him: “We found this man misleading our nation, telling people not to pay taxes to Caesar, and claiming to be the Messiah—a king.”

Pilate asked Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?”

Jesus answered, “You’ve said so.”

Pilate told the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.”

But they insisted, “He’s stirring up unrest among the people with His teaching—all the way from Galilee to here!”

When Pilate heard “Galilee,” he asked if Jesus was from there. Learning that He was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at the time.

Herod was excited to see Jesus. He’d been wanting to meet Him for a long time, hoping to see some miracle. He questioned Jesus for a while, but Jesus said nothing. Meanwhile, the chief priests and scribes kept hurling accusations.

Herod and his soldiers mocked Jesus, dressed Him in an elegant robe, and sent Him back to Pilate. From that day, Herod and Pilate became friends—they had been enemies before.

Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people. He said, “You brought me this man, accusing Him of stirring up rebellion. I’ve examined Him in your presence and found no guilt. Neither did Herod—he sent Him back to us. Clearly, He’s done nothing deserving death. I’ll have Him punished and release Him.”

(Every Passover, Pilate had to release one prisoner.)

But the crowd shouted, “Away with this man! Release Barabbas instead!” (Barabbas had been imprisoned for rebellion and murder.)

Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, tried again. But they kept shouting, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”

A third time Pilate said, “Why? What crime has He committed? I find no reason to execute Him. I’ll punish Him and release Him.”

But the crowd wouldn’t relent. Their shouts grew louder, demanding crucifixion. And finally, their voices won.

Pilate gave in to their demand. He released Barabbas—the one they asked for—and handed Jesus over to be crucified.

As they led Jesus away, they forced a man named Simon from Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, to carry the cross behind Him.

A large crowd followed, including many women who were weeping and mourning. Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, don’t weep for Me. Weep for yourselves and your children. The days are coming when people will say, ‘Blessed are the childless, the wombs that never bore, the breasts that never nursed.’ They’ll say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’ If they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it’s dry?”

Two criminals were led away to be executed with Him.

When they reached the place called The Skull, they crucified Him there—along with the criminals, one on His right, the other on His left.

Jesus said, “Father, forgive them—they don’t know what they’re doing.” And they cast lots to divide up His clothing.

The people stood watching. The leaders sneered, “He saved others—let Him save Himself if He’s really the Christ of God, the Chosen One.”

The soldiers mocked Him too. They offered Him sour wine and said, “If You’re the King of the Jews, save Yourself!”

Above His head, a sign was posted: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

One of the criminals hanging there mocked Him: “Aren’t You the Messiah? Save Yourself—and us!”

But the other one rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God? We’re getting what we deserve. But this man hasn’t done anything wrong.”

Then he turned to Jesus and said, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your Kingdom.”

Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you—today, you will be with Me in paradise.”

At about noon, darkness fell over the whole land until three in the afternoon. The sun stopped shining, and the temple curtain was torn in two.

Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.” And with that, He took His last breath.

The Roman centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.”

When all the people who had gathered for the execution saw what happened, they went home beating their chests in sorrow. Those who knew Jesus, including the women who had followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance watching.

Now there was a man named Joseph—a member of the council, a good and righteous man who had not agreed with what the others had done. He was from the town of Arimathea and was waiting for the Kingdom of God.

He went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. He took it down, wrapped it in linen, and placed it in a tomb carved out of rock—one that had never been used.

It was the day of preparation, and the Sabbath was about to begin.

The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed and saw the tomb and how His body was laid there. Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But on the Sabbath, they rested, as commanded.

Luke Chapter 24

Early on the first day of the week, just as the sun was rising, the women came to the tomb with the spices they had prepared. Others were with them too.

But when they arrived, they found the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. They stepped inside—but the body of the Lord Jesus was gone.

While they were standing there, confused and stunned, two men in dazzling clothes suddenly appeared beside them. The women were terrified and bowed down to the ground.

The men said, “Why are you looking for the living among the dead? He’s not here—He has risen! Remember what He told you back in Galilee? That the Son of Man must be handed over to sinful men, be crucified, and rise again on the third day?”

Then they remembered what He had said.

They rushed back from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven disciples and everyone else. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and several other women who shared the news.

But the men didn’t believe them—it sounded like nonsense.

Peter, however, ran to the tomb. He stooped down and saw only the strips of linen lying there. He went away, amazed at what had happened.

Later that same day, two followers were walking to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. As they walked, they talked about everything that had happened.

While they were deep in discussion, Jesus Himself came up and started walking with them—but they didn’t recognize Him.

He asked, “What are you talking about, and why do you look so sad?”

One of them, named Cleopas, replied, “Are you the only one in Jerusalem who doesn’t know what just happened?”

“What things?” Jesus asked.

They said, “About Jesus of Nazareth! He was a prophet—powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. But our leaders handed Him over to be condemned to death, and they crucified Him. We had hoped He was the one who would redeem Israel. And now it’s the third day since all this happened.

“Some of the women from our group amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn’t find His body. They came back saying they saw angels who told them He was alive. Some of our friends went to the tomb and found it just as the women said—but they didn’t see Him.”

Jesus said to them, “You’re so slow to believe all that the prophets have said. Wasn’t it necessary for the Messiah to suffer these things and then enter His glory?”

And starting with Moses and all the prophets, He walked them through the Scriptures, explaining everything that pointed to Himself.

As they neared the village, Jesus acted like He was going farther. But they urged Him, “Stay with us—it’s almost evening, and the day’s nearly over.” So He went in to stay with them.

As they sat down to eat, Jesus took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to them. In that moment, their eyes were opened—and they recognized Him. Then He disappeared from their sight.

They looked at each other and said, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us while He talked to us on the road and explained the Scriptures?”

That very hour, they got up and returned to Jerusalem. There they found the eleven and others with them, saying, “It’s true! The Lord has risen—and He appeared to Simon!”

Then the two from Emmaus told what had happened on the road and how they had recognized Jesus when He broke the bread.

While they were still talking, Jesus Himself suddenly stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”

They were startled and afraid, thinking they were seeing a ghost.

But He said, “Why are you troubled? Why do doubts rise in your hearts? Look at My hands and My feet—it’s really Me. Touch Me and see—a spirit doesn’t have flesh and bones like I do.”

After He said this, He showed them His hands and feet. Still overwhelmed with joy and disbelief, He asked, “Do you have anything to eat?”

They gave Him a piece of broiled fish, and He ate it right in front of them.

Then He said, “This is what I told you before—everything written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms had to be fulfilled.”

Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.

“This is what is written,” He said: “The Messiah must suffer and rise from the dead on the third day. And in His name, repentance and forgiveness of sins must be preached to all nations, beginning right here in Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.

“And now I’m sending you what My Father promised. But stay in the city until you’ve been clothed with power from on high.”

Then Jesus led them out to the vicinity of Bethany. He lifted His hands and blessed them. And while He was blessing them, He left them—and was taken up into heaven.

They worshiped Him and returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising and blessing God.

Amen.