1Some people who were there at that time told Jesus about certain Galileans. Pilate had mixed their blood with their sacrifices.2Jesus said, ‘These people from Galilee suffered greatly. Do you think they were worse sinners than all the other Galileans?3I tell you, no! But unless you turn away from your sins, you will all die too.4Or what about the 18 people in Siloam? They died when the tower fell on them. Do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem?5I tell you, no! But unless you turn away from your sins, you will all die too.’6Then Jesus told a story. ‘A man had a fig tree,’ he said. ‘It was growing in his vineyard. When he went to look for fruit on it, he didn’t find any.7So he went to the man who took care of the vineyard. He said, “For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree. But I haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?”8‘ “Sir”, the man replied, “leave it alone for one more year. I’ll dig around it and feed it.9If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.” ’
Jesus heals a disabled woman on the Sabbath day
10Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on a Sabbath day.11A woman there had been disabled by an evil spirit for 18 years. She was bent over and could not stand up straight.12Jesus saw her. He asked her to come to him. He said to her, ‘Woman, you will no longer be disabled. I am about to set you free.’13Then he put his hands on her. Right away she stood up straight and praised God.14Jesus had healed the woman on the Sabbath day. This made the synagogue leader angry. He told the people, ‘There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days. But do not come on the Sabbath day.’15The Lord answered him, ‘You pretenders! Doesn’t each of you go to the barn and untie your ox or donkey on the Sabbath day? Then don’t you lead it out to give it water?16This woman is a member of Abraham’s family line. But Satan has kept her disabled for 18 long years. Shouldn’t she be set free on the Sabbath day from what was keeping her disabled?’17When Jesus said this, all those who opposed him were put to shame. But the people were delighted. They loved all the wonderful things he was doing.
The stories of the mustard seed and the yeast
18Then Jesus asked, ‘What is God’s kingdom like? What can I compare it to?19It is like a mustard seed. Someone took the seed and planted it in a garden. It grew and became a tree. The birds sat in its branches.’20Again he asked, ‘What can I compare God’s kingdom to?21It is like yeast that a woman used. She mixed it into 30 kilograms of flour. The yeast worked its way all through the dough.’
The narrow door
22Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching the people. He was on his way to Jerusalem.23Someone asked him, ‘Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?’ He said to them,24‘Try very hard to enter through the narrow door. I tell you, many will try to enter and will not be able to.25The owner of the house will get up and close the door. Then you will stand outside knocking and begging. You will say, “Sir, open the door for us.” ‘But he will answer, “I don’t know you. And I don’t know where you come from.”26‘Then you will say, “We ate and drank with you. You taught in our streets.”27‘But he will reply, “I don’t know you. And I don’t know where you come from. Get away from me, all you who do evil!”28‘You will weep and grind your teeth together when you see those who are in God’s kingdom. You will see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets there. But you yourselves will be thrown out.29People will come from east and west and north and south. They will take their places at the feast in God’s kingdom.30Then the last will be first. And the first will be last.’
Jesus’ sadness over Jerusalem
31At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus. They said to him, ‘Leave this place. Go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you.’32He replied, ‘Go and tell that fox, “I will keep on driving out demons. I will keep on healing people today and tomorrow. And on the third day I will reach my goal.”33In any case, I must keep going today and tomorrow and the next day. Certainly no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!34‘Jerusalem! Jerusalem! You kill the prophets and throw stones in order to kill those who are sent to you. Many times I have wanted to gather your people together. I have wanted to be like a hen who gathers her chicks under her wings. And you would not let me.35Look, your house is left empty. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.” ’ (Ps 118:26)
Luke 13
English Standard Version
Repent or Perish
1There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. (Lu 3:1)2And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? (Job 4:7; Joh 9:2; Ac 28:4)3No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. (Lu 5:32)4Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? (Joh 9:7; Joh 9:11)5No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” (Lu 13:3)
The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree
6And he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. (Isa 5:2; Mt 21:19; Mr 11:13)7And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’ (Mt 7:19; Lu 3:9)8And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure.9Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”
A Woman with a Disabling Spirit
10Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. (Mt 4:23; Mr 6:2)11And behold, there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. (Lu 13:16; Ac 16:16)12When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your disability.”13And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God. (Mr 5:23; Lu 5:25; Lu 7:16; Lu 18:43)14But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, “There are six days in which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.” (Ex 20:9; Eze 46:1; Mt 12:2; Lu 8:41)15Then the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water it? (Mt 12:11; Lu 14:5)16And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?” (1Ch 21:1; Lu 13:11; Lu 19:9; Ac 10:38; 1Co 5:5; 2Co 12:7)17As he said these things, all his adversaries were put to shame, and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him. (Ps 132:18; Lu 18:43; 1Pe 3:16)
The Mustard Seed and the Leaven
18He said therefore, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? (Mt 13:31; Mr 4:30)19It is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.” (Mt 17:20; Lu 17:6)20And again he said, “To what shall I compare the kingdom of God?21It is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened.” (Ge 18:6; Mt 13:33; 1Co 5:6; Ga 5:9)
The Narrow Door
22He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. (Mr 6:6; Lu 9:51; Lu 13:33)23And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, (Ac 2:47; 1Co 1:18; 2Co 2:15)24“Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. (Mt 7:13; 1Co 9:25; 1Ti 4:10; 1Ti 6:12; Heb 12:4)25When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ (Mt 7:22; Mt 10:33; Mt 25:10; Mt 25:12; 2Ti 2:19)26Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ (Ex 24:11)27But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’ (Ps 6:8; Lu 13:25)28In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out. (Mt 8:11)29And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. (Lu 13:28; Lu 14:15; Lu 22:30)30And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.” (Mt 19:30)
Lament over Jerusalem
31At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” (Mt 19:1; Mr 10:1; Lu 3:1)32And he said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course. (Heb 2:10; Heb 5:9; Heb 7:28)33Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following, for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem.’ (Mt 21:11; Joh 11:9; Ac 3:21; Ac 17:3)34O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! (De 32:11; Ru 2:12; Ps 147:2; Pr 1:24; Mt 21:35; Mt 23:37; Mt 26:55; Lu 19:41; Lu 23:28; Joh 5:40)35Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’” (Ps 118:26; Isa 64:11; Jer 12:7; Jer 22:5; Lu 19:38)