He Journeys on the Road towards Jerusalem
Samaritans Refuse to Let Jesus Pass Through
Now it came about, when the time came for Him to be received up (having previously gone back to Galilee from the Feast of Tabernacles), that He had set out with determination for Jerusalem, and sent messengers ahead of Himself. As they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans to prepare His way (5:178L 9:51-52).
2 The Samaritans, however, did not accept Him since He was headed for Jerusalem.1 And when His disciples, Jacob and John saw this, they said, "Lord, do You want us to call fire down from heaven to consume them?"2 (2 Kings 1:1-18) (L 9:53-54).
3 He turned and rebuked them, saying, "You do not know what kind of spirit you are like. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them."3 So, instead, they went around and into a different village (L 9:55-56).
Several Men Tell Jesus They Will Follow Him
4 Now it had happened, at certain times throughout His ministry, while He was on the road traveling,4 that someone had said to Him, "Lord, I will follow You wherever You go" (L 9:57).
5 Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests. But the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head" (L 9:58).
6 He had also said to someone else (another one of His disciples), "Follow Me" (4:53M 8:21a, L 9:59a).
7 But he said, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father"5 (M 8:21b, L 9:59b).
8 "Let the dead bury their own dead," Jesus said. "But you follow me as I go and proclaim the kingdom of God"6 (M 8:224:54, L 9:60).
9 Someone else had said, "Lord, I will follow You. But first let me go home and say goodbye to my family and friends" (L 9:61).
No One Who Looks Back is Worthy to Follow Me
10 Jesus said to him, "No one, having put his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God" (see Genesis 19:23-26) (L 9:62).
Jesus Appoints and Sends Out Seventy Others
11 Sometime after this, the Lord appointed seventy other men and sent them out, two by two, to go ahead of Him into every city and place where He was about to go Himself and said to them (L 10:1-2a).
12 "There is a large harvest, but there are not a lot of workers. Therefore, ask the Lord of the harvest to send workers out into His field to harvest the crop. You also go but, behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves. Do not bring a wallet or even an extra pair of sandals with you. And do not greet anyone while you travel on the road." (L 10:2b-5).
13 "Then to whichever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this house.' If a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it. And if not, it will return to you. But into whichever house you do go, stay there and except whatever it is they give you, – whether is it food, water, or anything else, for a worker deserves his wages" (L 10:6-7a).
14 "Do not jump from house to house, though. Instead, whichever city you go, and you are asked to stay and eat, accept their offer. Heal their sick and tell them, 'The kingdom of God has approached you.' (L 10:7b-9).
15 "But whichever city you enter and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, 'The dust from your city that clings to the bottom of our feet, we wipe it off as a testimony against you. Yet, know this, the kingdom of God has approached you.' For I tell you, it will be less unbearable in that Great Day of Judgment (See Jude 6)7 for Sodom than it will be for that city" (L 10:10-12).
Woe to Chorazin, Woe to Bethsaida
16 Then He began to speak against the cities in which He had displayed8 most of His powers, since they did not turn to God away from their sinful thinking:9 He said "Woe to you Chorazin, and woe to you Bethsaida! For if these powers which have been displayed among you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have turned from their sin – and mourned over it10 – a long time ago.' Therefore, I tell you, it will be easier for Tyre and Sidon to go through the day of judgment than it will be for you" (3:154M 11:20-22, L 10:13-14).
Woe to You Capernaum
17 "And to you, Capernaum: Will you be exalted into heaven? No, you will be brought down into Hades.11 For if the powers that have been displayed among you had been seen in Sodom, it would still be around today. And I tell you, it will be easier for the land of Sodom to go through the day of judgment12 than it will be for you" (M 11:23-24, L 10:15).
18 Then to the disciples He said: "Now as you go out – as I am having you do – whoever listens to you listens to Me, whoever rejects you rejects Me, and whoever rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me" (L 10:16).
The Seventy Return
19 Sometime later, the seventy returned, filled with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons obey us when we come to them in Your name" (L 10:17).
Satan Falls Like Lightning
20 He said to them, "I know! I was watching as Satan fell from the sky like lightening.13 But look, I am giving you the authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, so that nothing will hurt you. Even so, do not be excited because the spirits obey you. Instead, rejoice because your names are written in heaven" (L 10:18-20).
Jesus Rejoices that the Father Has Revealed Him to His Disciples
21 At that hour,14 Jesus greatly rejoiced in the Holy and set apart Spirit of God and said, "Praise to You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. Because You have hidden these things from men who trust in wisdom and intelligence and revealed them to those who are simple, like little children trusting in God" (See Matthew 18:3) (M 11:25, L 10:21a).
22 "Certainly, Father, it is because it is according to Your good pleasure. For My Father has delivered everything to Me. And no one knows who the Son is except the Father. As well, no one knows who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wants to reveal Him" (M 11:26-27, L 10:21b-22).
23 "And so it is, everyone who is wearied with a heavy burden, come to Me and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me. For I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is pleasant and My burden is light" (M 11:28-303:53).
24 Then He turned to His disciples and said, privately, "Blessed are the eyes that see the things you see. For I tell you, many prophets and kings have wanted to see what you see and did not see it, and to hear what you hear and did not hear (Daniel 12:8-10)" (L 10:23-24).
Jesus Teaches The Life of a Believer vs. an Unbeliever
A Lawyer Asks Jesus, "What Shall I Do to Inherit Eternal Life"
25 Around this time, then, behold, a scholar of the law stood up to test Him and said, "Teacher, what do I have to do to inherit eternal life?" (L 10:25).
26 "What is written in the law?" Jesus asked. "How do you recall it?" (L 10:26).
27 He answered, "'You shall love Yhvh your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind (Deuteronomy 6:5).' And to 'Love your neighbor as yourself'" (Leviticus 19:18) (L 10:27).
28 Jesus said, "You have given the correct answer, now do this and you will live" (L 10:28).
29 But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, "Who is my neighbor?"15 (L 10:29).
The Parable of the Good Samaritan
"A man went down from Jerusalem to go to Jericho and, on his way, stumbled into a group of thieves. They stripped him of his clothes, wounded him, and went away leaving him half dead" (L 10:30).
31 "Now it just so happened that a priest came down that road, and when he saw him, he went to the other side of the road and walked right by. In the same way, a Levite, when he got there and saw him, he also passed by on the other side" (L 10:31-32).
32 "However, when a Samaritan, who was on a long trip, came to where he was, he saw him and had compassion for him. He went and bandaged his wounds and poured olive oil and wine on them (Revelation 6:6). He put the man on his own animal and brought him to an inn to care for him" (L 10:33-34).
33 "On the next day, as he left, he took out two days worth of wages,16 gave them to the innkeeper, and said, 'Take care of him. And whatever else you have to spend on him, when I come back, I will reimburse you'" (L 10:35).
34 Then Jesus asked, "Which one of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of those thieves?" (L 10:36).
35 "The one who was merciful to him," the man said17 (L 10:37a).
36 Then Jesus said, "Go, and do things just like this" (L 10:37b).
Martha Serves While Mary Sits at Jesus' Feet
37 After that, as He traveled, He came into a village where a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. She had a sister named Miriam, who, with the disciples, sat at His feet and listened to His words18 (L 10:38-39).
38 But Martha was distracted with a lot of preparations . . . (L 10:40a).
39 The situation as such, Martha came up 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!" (L 10:40b).
40 The Lord answered, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about too much. There is only one thing needed, and Miriam has chosen the good part. And it will not be taken away from her" (L 10:41-42).
The Lord's Prayer
(number two)
41 At one point,19 as He was somewhere praying, once He had stopped, one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just like John also taught his disciples" (L 11:1).
42 He said, "When you pray, say:
"Our Father, Your Name is righteous and set-apart. Have Your rule become more and more a reality in our lives.20 Give us our food, each day, as we need it. And forgive us of our sins, as we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not carry us into tests,"21 (L 11:2-4).
From Persistence, a Man Will Open the Door for a Friend in the Middle of the Night
"Suppose22 you have a friend and you go to him in the middle of the night and say, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread. A friend of mine has just come to me from a long distance, and I have nothing to feed him'. While the man answers from inside, 'Do not disturb me. I have already shut my door, and the children are now already asleep next to me.23 I can't get up to give you anything.'" (L 11:5-7).
44 "I tell you," Jesus said, "though he will not get up to give him anything – even though he is his friend – if he is persistent, the man will get up and give him as much as he needs" (L 11:8).
Seek and You Shall Find
45 "So I tell you: Ask and it will be given to you. Seek and you will find. Knock and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened" (3:121M 7:7-8, L 11:9-10).
"If You Ask for Bread Will He Give You a Stone?"
46 "Or which one of you men, if you are a father and your son asks you for a loaf of bread would give him a stone; or if he asks you for a fish would give him a snake, instead, or if he asks for an egg would hand him a scorpion?" (M 7:9-10, L 11:11-12).
47 "So then, if you, being evil, and you still know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good – the Holy Spirit24 to those who ask Him!" (M 7:113:122, L 11:134:2).
Jesus Proclaims The Hypocrisy of the Religious Leaders
He Teaches and Heals in Jerusalem
48 Then it happened, once Jesus had finished saying these things, that He got up, left the area of Galilee, and came into the region of Judea (A part of Judea that is on the other side of the Jordan from Jerusalem). where large crowds of people followed Him and gathered around Him again. And as His custom was, He taught and healed them while they were there (5:196M 19:1-2, 5:196K 10:1).
The Pharisees Test Jesus
49 Now the Pharisees had also come to Him, but they had only come to test Him and asked, "Is it OK for a man to divorce his wife for any reason he wants?" (See Deuteronomy 24:1) (M 19:3, K 10:2).
50 "What did Moses command you?" He asked (K 10:3).
51 They answered, "Moses gave a man permission to write a certificate of divorce and to send her away" (K 10:4).
52 Then Jesus told them, "Don't you remember25 the Scripture that say how from the beginning of creation He made them
(Genesis 1:27; 5:2)
and how,
And be joined to his wife,
And the two will become one flesh?'"
(Genesis 2:24)
"So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no man separate" (M 19:4-6, K 10:6b-9).
53 "Then why did Moses give the command to write a certificate of divorce to send her away?" they said (M 19:7).
54 Jesus told them, "It is because of the hardness of your hearts that Moses wrote that command,26 permitting you to divorce your wives. But it was not that way from the beginning. And I tell you, whoever divorces his wife – if it was not because of sexual immorality – and marries someone else, he commits adultery (Compare with M 5:32).27 And whoever marries a lady who is divorced, he also is in adultery"28 (M 19:8-9, K 10:5-6a).
Disciples Ask About Divorce
55 Then, once they were back in the house they were staying in at the time, His disciples asked Him about this again. And so He told them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else, he is presently committing adultery against her; it is the same with a woman, if she divorces her husband and marries someone else, she also is in adultery"29 (K 10:10-127:197).
56 So then His disciples said, "If this is how it is suppose to be between a man and his wife, it is better not to marry at all" (M 19:10).
57 To this He answered, "Everyone cannot accept this – except those to whom it has been given. For there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mother's womb, and there are eunuchs who were made into eunuchs by men. There are even eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs on account of the kingdom of heaven" (M 19:11-12a).
58 "Whoever is able to accept this, go ahead and accept it" (See 1 Corinthians 36-40) (M 19:12b7:197).
Jesus Dines at a Pharisees House
59 After He had said this, a Pharisee asked Jesus to eat with him, and so He went in and reclined at the table . . . (3:115L 11:37).
60 When the Pharisee saw this, he was stunned because Jesus did not immerse His hands in water first, before the meal30 (L 11:38).
Woe to You Pharisees
61 Knowing this, the Lord said to him, "You Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but inside yourselves you are still full of greed and wickedness. Foolish ones! Didn't the same One who made the outside make the inside as well? But instead, from inside your heart show kindness; then, behold, everything from you is clean" (L 11:39-41).
62 "But woe to you Pharisees! Because you tithe with your mint, rue, and all the other herbs, but you overlook justice and the love of God. You need to do the tithes without leaving these other parts of the law undone.31 Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the congregations and being greeted in the marketplaces. Woe to you because you are like unseen tombs which men walk over not even knowing it"32 (L 11:42-44).
Woe to You Lawyers Who Kill the Prophets
63 Once He said this, one of the scholars of the law said to Him: "Teacher, by saying these things You insult us also" (L 11:45).
64 But He said, "Woe to you scholars of the law as well! For you load onto men burdens too hard to carry, and then do not touch them with a single finger yourself. Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, that your fathers had killed. And so it is, you testify against yourself by approving of what your fathers had done. They killed the prophets, and now you build their tombs" (L 11:46-48).
65 "Therefore, in His wisdom, God has also said,
"Some of them they will kill,
"And others they will persecute.'"33
66 "And so it will be, the blood of all the prophets that has been shed, even from the beginning of the world, will be held against this type of generation34 – from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah who was killed between the altar and the house of God. Yes, I tell you, this type of generation will be held accountable" (L 11:50-51).
67 "Woe to you, scholars of the law, for you have taken away the key of knowledge. . . . You did not go in for yourselves, and then you hindered those who were going in" (L 11:52).
The Scribes and Pharisees Look to Accuse Him
68 Having said this, and after Jesus had left the Pharisee's house, the scribes and Pharisees began to harbor bitterness against Him and interrogated Him about many beliefs. They were lying in wait to catch Him in something He might say so that they could incriminate Him35 (L 11:53-547:67).
Things Done in the Dark Will Be Seen in the Light
69 Meanwhile, many thousands of people gathered to where they were even trampling over each other (7:66L 12:1a).
70 So first, He began to tell His disciples, "Protect yourselves from being infested with the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered that will not be uncovered, and nothing hidden that will not become known." (L 12:1b-2).
71 "Therefore, whatever you say in the dark, it will be heard in the light. And what you have whispered in the ear, in private, will be proclaimed on the housetops. Therefore, whatever I tell you in the dark, say it in the light, and whatever you have heard whispered, proclaim it on the housetops" (7:77M 10:27, L 12:3).
Do Not Fear Him Who Can Kill the Body
72 "And I tell you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and cannot do anything more than that – for they cannot kill the soul. But I will show you whom you should fear more: Fear Him who, after He has killed, then has the authority to destroy both the body and the soul into the valley of Hinnom, the dump of continual burning garbage.36 Yes, I tell you, fear Him!" (M 10:28, L 12:4-5).
You Are of More Value than Sparrows
73 "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny, or five for two," and yet God has not neglected even one of them. Not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Fathers knowledge. Even all the hairs of your head are numbered. Therefore, do not be afraid, you are more valuable than many sparrows" (M 10:29-31, L 12:6-7).
He Who Confesses Me I Will Confess Him
74 "And so I tell you, whoever confesses Me in the presence of men, I will confess him in the presence of My Father and His angels (See, Matthew 18:10). But he who denies Me in the sight of men, I will also deny him in the sight of My Father and His angels in heaven" (M 10:32-337:90, L 12:8-9).
75 "And anyone who says anything against the Son of Man, he will be forgiven. But whoever slanders the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven"37 (L 12:10).
He Sends His Sheep Out Among Wolves
76 "Now, look, I send you out as sheep among wolves. Therefore, be as practical as serpents and as pure as doves. However, beware of men, for they will hand you over into the courts. They will bring you to the congregations and in front of rulers and authorities, and they will whip you. You will also be brought to appear before governors and kings on account of Me, as a testimony to them and to the nations" (5:5M 10:16-18, L 12:11a).
77 "But do not worry about how you will respond to them in defense, or about what you will say. For the Holy Spirit will tell you, at that time, what you will need to say. It will not be you speaking but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you" (M 10:19-20, L 12:11b-12).
78 "At that time, also, a brother will hand over a brother to death and a father his child. As well, children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. And all these people will hate you because of My name. But those who endure until the end will be saved" (M 10:21-22).
79 "But whenever they persecute you in this city, flee to the next. For I tell you, you will certainly not finish going throughout all the cities of Israel until the Son of Man has come" (M 10:23).
80 "Now a student is not above his teacher, and a slave is not over his master. It is enough that the student becomes like his teacher and a slave like his master. But if they have called the head of the household Beelzebub, how much more will they call them who are of His household.38 Therefore, do not fear them, for there is nothing covered that will not be uncovered and nothing hidden that will not be made known" (M 10:24-267:68).
One From the Crowd Asks Jesus to Be a Judge
81 Just then, someone from the crowd said, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me" (L 12:13).
82 He said to him, "Man, who made Me a judge or a divider between you?" (L 12:14).
83 Then He said to them, "Be careful, and guard yourselves against all forms of greed. For even in having a lot of wealth, life does not exist in what a person has" (L 12:15).
Parable of the Rich Man Who Stores Up Goods
84 Then He told them a parable, saying:
"A certain rich man owned some very fruitful land, and so he said to himself, 'What should I do, since I have no more room to store my crops?' Then he said, 'This is what I will do, I will tare down my old barns and build bigger ones. I will store all my grains and goods there. Then I will say to my soul, 'Soul, you have a lot of good things laid up for you that will last for many years. So take it easy, eat, drink, and be merry!'" (L 12:16-19).
85 "However, God said to him, 'You Foolish man! Tonight your soul will be taken away from you. And then who will own these things which you have prepared?'" (L 12:20).
86 "And so it is, this is how it is for the one who lays up treasures for himself and is not rich toward God" (L 12:21).
Do Not Worry About What You Will Eat.
87 "And through this, I tell you, do not worry yourself with what you will eat or drink, or even about the clothes you will wear. For life is more than just food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air for instance: they do not sow, or reap, or gather food into storage, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not more valuable than they? Which one of you can add just the length of one of your forearms39 to your life by worrying about it? And if you are not even able to do this, why worry about the rest of it?" (3:116M 6:25-27, L 12:22-26).
Seek First His Kingdom and Do Not Worry About Tomorrow
88 "As well, why do you worry about clothing? Take the lilies of the field for example: they grow without laboring or spinning thread, and yet, I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory did not dress as nice as these lilies" (M 6:28-29, L 12:27).
89 "Now if the grass of the field, which is alive today and is then thrown into the oven tomorrow, is clothed by God like this, how much more will He clothe you" (M 6:30a, L 12:28a).
90 "O you of little faith. Do not worry, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear?' These are the things the pagans40 go after. Your heavenly Father knows you need all these things. So seek His kingdom and His righteousness first, and then all these things will be provided for you as well. Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. The current day has enough troubles of it's own" (M 6:30b-34413:117, L 12:28b-31).
91 "Do not fear, little flock. Your Father is pleased in giving you the kingdom. So sell what you have and give it to those in need. Make wallets for yourselves that do not grow old: Store up treasure for yourselves in heaven that do not fail, where thieves can not go near it, and where moths cannot destroy it. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (L 12:32-3410:38).
I Did Not Come to Bring Peace but Division
92 "I came to throw fire onto the earth, and oh how I wish it were already kindled! But I have an immersion to be immersed with first, and oh how distressed I am until it is completed!"42 (10:43L 12:49-50).
93 "Do you think I came to bring peace onto the earth? Not at all, I tell you, but I came to bring a dagger of division.43 For from now on, five people in one house will be divided against each other – three against two and two against three" (7:71M 10:34-35a, L 12:51-52).
94 "A father will be divided against his son, and a son against his father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A man's enemies will be those of his own house" (M 10:35b-36, L 12:53).
95 "This being so, whoever loves their father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me, and whoever loves even their own son or daughter more than Me, is not worthy of Me. For whoever does not take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it" (M 10:37-395:6).
You Predict the Weather, but Not the Times
"Whenever you see a cloud coming up from the west, you immediately say, 'A rainstorm is coming.' And it is. As well, whenever you see the wind blow from the south, you say, 'It is going to be a hot day today.' And it is. You hypocrites! You can read the appearance of the sky and the earth, so why is it that you do not read the signs of the times?" (L 12:54-56).
Settle With Your Brother, or You Will Be Delivered to the Judge
97 "And why do you not judge righteously among yourselves? For it should be, while you are going with your opponent to the authorities that you make every effort along the way to settle with him so that he will not drag you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. For I tell you, you will not be released until you have paid the very last penny" (L 12:57-59).
Don't Think You Are More Righteous than Criminals
98 While He was saying this, there were some people there at that time who had brought up the incident with the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with the sacrifices they were offering44 (L 13:1).
"Do you think these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, since they suffered like this? Well, I tell you, that is not true. And unless you turn to God away from your sinful thinking, you will be destroyed in the same way" (L 13:2-3).
100 "Or how about those eighteen men on whom the tower in Siloam fell, killing them. Do you think they were worse sinners than all the other men who lived in Jerusalem? I tell you – that is not true. And unless you turn to God away from your sinful thinking,45 you will be destroyed in the same way" (L 13:4-5).
Parable of the Tended Fig Tree
101 He also told them this parable:
"A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard. One day he came to look for fruit on it and did not find any. This being so, he told the man who took care of his vineyard, 'Now Look, for three years I have come here looking for fruit from this fig tree and never find any. Go cut it down. Why should it just waste space like this?'" (L 13:6-7).
102 "The caretaker said, 'Sir, let it stay one more year while I dig and fertilize around it. 'Then, after that, if it bears fruit, good! But if does not, then you can cut it down'" (L 13:8-9).
Heals a Lady from an Affliction of 18 Years
Lady Bent Over for 18 Years Healed
103 Around this time, also, as He was teaching in one of the congregations, on the day of rest, behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of a weakness for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not raise herself up to stand straight. When Jesus saw her, He called for her attention and said, "Woman, you are released from your affliction." Then He placed His hands on her, and she instantly straightened up and glorified God (L 13:10-13).
104 But since Jesus had healed her on the day of rest, the ruler of the congregation responded to it with indignation. He told the people, "There are six days on which you have to work; therefore, come and be healed on them and not on the Sabbath" (L 13:14).
105 But the Lord answered him, saying, "You hypocrite!46 Don't each one of you on the day of rest release his cow or donkey from the stall and lead it to water for a drink? Well in the same way, shouldn't this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom the Enemy has bound – think of it – for eighteen years, be released from this bond on the Sabbath?" (L 13:15-16).
106 When He said this, all His adversaries were put to shame. But all the people rejoiced over all the glorious things that were being done by Him (L 13:17).
The Kingdom of God is Like a Mustard Seed
107 Therefore, He said, "What is the kingdom of heaven like, or to what shall I compare it with? It is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in his garden that grew until it became a tree so big that the birds of the air made their nests in it"47 (L 13:18-19).
The Kingdom of God is Like Leaven
108 Again, he said, "What is the kingdom of God like? It is like leaven that a woman took and hid into three measures of meal (about nine gallons or 4.5 pecks) until it was all leavened"48 (L 13:20-21).
Herod Seeks to Kill Jesus
Some Will Say Lord, Lord Did We Not Prophesy in Your Name
109 Then Jesus went through each of the cities and villages, teaching, as He traveled to Jerusalem. And at some point in doing that, someone said to Him, "Lord, are there only a few people saved?" (L 13:22-23a).
"Strive to go through the narrow entrance. For there will be many, I tell you, that will try to come in and not be able. For once the Master of the house gets up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside knocking and say, 'Lord, Lord, open the door for us.' He will answer and say, 'I do not know you or where you are from'" (L 13:23b-25).
111 "Then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets'" (L 13:26).
112 "But He will say, 'I tell you, I do not know you or where you are from. Go away from Me, all you who practice unrighteousness'"49 (L 13:27).
113 "There will be weeping and clenching of teeth in pain,50 while you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God; and you yourselves thrown out. They will all come from the east, west, north, and south – these are the ones who will recline at the table in the kingdom of God. For behold, those who are last will be first and the first last" (L 13:28-30).
Herod Seeks to Kill Jesus
114 On that same day,51 some of the Pharisees came and said "Get out of here and go to the other side of the border. Herod wants to kill You!" (L 13:31).
115 Jesus said, "Go tell that fox, 'Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will be finished.52 Yet, I must travel today, tomorrow, and the next day. For it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem" (L 13:32-33).
I Would Have Gathered You As a Hen Gathers Her Chicks
116 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kills the prophets and stone those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together as a bird gathers her chicks under her wings, but you did not want Me to! So look, now your house is left to you in desolation.53 And I assure you, from now on you will not see Me any more until you say, 'Praised is He who comes in the name of the Lord!'" (9:37M 23:37-3910:3, L 13:34-35).
Jesus Rebukes Those Who Take the Best Seats
Would You Save a Donkey on the Sabbath?
117 Then it happened, on a Sabbath, once He had gone into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees to eat bread, that they watched Him closely. And behold, there was a man in front of Him who suffered from dropsy.54 With this man among them, Jesus responded to the Pharisees and those who were educated in the law,55 saying, "Is it OK to heal someone on the Sabbath?" (L 14:1-3).
118 But they remained silent (L 14:4a).
119 Jesus took hold of the man,56 healed him, and then let him go. Then He said to the Scribes and Pharisees,57 "Which one of you, if you have a son – or even a cow – and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath would not immediately go and pull him out?" (L 14:4b-5).
120 But they could not think of an answer for this (L 14:6).
Do Not Choose the Best Seats
121 Then having said this, once Jesus noticed how they were taking the more honorable places at the table, He started to tell a parable to the guests, saying,
(L 14:7)
122 "When you are invited by someone to a wedding, do not recline at the table in the places of honor. For the man of the wedding may have invited someone else – someone who is dear to him – and then he, even though he has invited you, might come with the other guest and tell you, 'Get up and give that place to this man.' To which you, in disgrace, will have to go and take the last place" (L 14:8-9).
123 "But when you are invited, go and sit in the last place so that when the one who had invited you comes in, he may say to you, 'Friend, come on up and move to a better seat'" (L 14:10a).
124 "If that happens,58 you will have been honored in the sight of all those who are reclining at the table with you, rather than humiliated. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted" (See Proverbs 25:6-7) (L 14:10b-11).
125 Then Jesus said to the one who had invited Him,
"When you give a dinner or supper, do not invite your friends, brothers, relatives, or your rich neighbors so that they will also invite you sometime, so that you will be repaid. But when you throw a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. Then you will be blessed even though they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid when the righteous are raised from their graves" (L 14:12-14).
You Are Not of My Kingdom
Parable of Excuses to Not Come to a Feast
126 When someone reclining at the table with Him heard this, he said, "Blessed are those who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!" (L 14:15).
"A man threw a large feast and invited a lot of people, and when it was time for the meal, he sent his servant to tell everyone he invited. 'You can come now, everything is ready'" (L 14:16-17).
128 "But everyone began to make excuses: The first one said, 'I have /i>just purchased a piece of land, and I need to go see it, please have me excused.' Someone else said, 'I have just purchased five pairs of oxen for plowing, and I am going to go try them out, please have me excused.' Still, someone else had said, 'I have just married a woman. I cannot come . . .'" (L 14:18-20).
129 "The servant came back and reported all these things to his master. But the master of the house became angry and told his servant, 'Quick! Go into the streets and to the crowds of the city and bring back the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind'" (L 14:21).
130 "The servant said, 'Master, it is done as you have commanded and there is still room'" (L 14:22).
131 "To which the master then told the servant, 'Go out into the highways and over the boarders and compel the people there59 to come in, so that my house will be filled. For I tell you, none of the ones who were invited will even taste my supper'" (L 14:23-24).
Whoever Does Not Take Up His Cross is Not Worthy of Me
132 After saying that, as Jesus left, great multitudes went with Him (L 14:25a).
133 Jesus turned around and said, "If anyone comes to Me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters – yes, even his own life – he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not take up his cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple" (L 14:25b-27).
134 "For which one of you, if he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost to make sure he has enough to finish. Or else, after he has laid the foundation and is not able to finish, everyone who sees it will begin to mock him and say, 'This man began to build and he was not able to finish'" (L 14:28-30).
135 "Or what king is going to make war against another king without first sitting down and considering if he is able to go against an army of twenty thousand men while he only has ten? If he doesn't, he may, while the other king is still far away, send out a delegation and ask for the terms of a peace agreement" (L 14:31-32).
136 "In the same way, anyone of you who does not forsake everything he has, cannot be My disciple" (L 14:33).
If Salt Looses it's Saltiness
137 "Salt, then, is good. But if the salt becomes useless, with what will it be seasoned?60 It is good for nothing except to be used as dirt or a pile of manure. In fact, it is thrown away" (L 14:34-35a).
138 "Whoever has the ears to hear this, let him hear it (See Ezekiel 3:37b)!" (L 14:35b).
Parables of the Lost Sheep and Found Coin
139 Then all the tax collectors and sinners came close to hear Him (L 15:1).
140 The scribes and Pharisees, however, murmured, saying, "This man receives sinners. He is even eating with them"61 (L 15:2).
141 In reply, He told this parable:
"What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and loses just one of them, will not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness to go after the one who is being destroyed until he finds it? And then once he does find it, he places it on his shoulders and rejoices. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me. For I have found my sheep that was on its way to being destroyed!'62" (L 15:3-6).
142 "Well, in the same way, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over just one sinner who turns away from their sinful thinking than there will be over ninety-nine righteous people who do not need to turn from their sin"63 (L 15:7).
143 "Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses just one of them, will not light a lamp and sweep the house, carefully searching for it, until she finds it? And then, once she finds it, calls her friends and neighbors over, saying, 'Rejoice with me! For I have found the coin I had lost!'" (L 15:8-9).
144 "Well, I tell you, in the same way, there is joy in the presence of God's angels over just one sinner who turns to God, away from his sinful thinking"64 (L 15:10).
div>The Prodigal Son
"A man had two sons, and the younger one said to him, 'Father, give me the inheritance I would receive if you were to die'" (L 15:11-12a).
146 "The father did, and divided his livelihood between them" (L 15:12b).
147 "A few days later, the younger son gathered everything that was his and moved to a far away place. After he arrived, he spent his inheritance wastefully"65 (L 15:13).
148 "Finally, once he had spent everything he had, a severe famine came into that whole area, and he became needy. Being in need, he went and joined the workforce of one of the citizens of that area. That man sent him out into his fields to feed the pigs. While he was there, the son craved to eat just the food the pigs were given to eat. But no one gave him anything" (L 15:14-16).
149 "Once he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have plenty to eat, and here I am starving to death! Therefore, I will get up, go to my father, and say, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I am not even worthy to be called your son anymore. So, please, make me as if I was one of your hired servants'" (L 15:17-19).
150 "With this as his plan, he got up and came to his father" (L 15:20a).
151 "While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and had compassion for him. He ran, threw his arms around him, kissing him" (L 15:20b).
152 "Just then, the son said, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son . . .'" (L 15:21).
153 "The father told his servants, 'Quick! Go get the best robe and put it on him. As well, get a ring for his hand and sandals for his feet. Then go get the fattened calf. Kill it, and let us eat and have a celebration (See Isaiah 55:7). For this, my son, was once dead, but now he is alive. He was lost but now he is found.' And so they began to celebrate" (L 15:22-24).
154 "Now the man's older son had been out in the field. And as he came close to the house, he heard the music and the dancing" (L 15:25).
155 "Then, coming up to the house, he called one of the servants over and asked him what it was all about. The servant said, 'Your brother is here. And since he has come home safe and sound, your father has killed the fattened calf'" (L 15:26-27).
156 "This, however, made the other son angry, therefore, he was not willing to go in" (L 15:28a).
157 "When the father heard this, he came out and encouraged his son to come in. But he told his father, 'Look at this! For many years I have been here serving you, and I have never ignored a single one of your commandments. Yet you have never given me even a young goat to celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours – who has wasted your savings with harlots – has come home, you kill the fattened calf for him'" (L 15:28b-30).
158 "The father said to him: 'My child, you have always been here with me and everything I have is yours. But now we need to celebrate and rejoice because your brother, who was once dead, is now alive. And though he was lost, now he is found'" (L 15:31-32).
Parable of the Shrewd Servant
159 Then Jesus also told His disciples:
"There was a rich man who had a manager for his household, and an accusation had been made to him about this man, that he was wasting his estate. So he called him in and said, 'What is this I am hearing about you? Give me a record of your administration. You can no longer be my manager'" (L 16:1-2).
160 "Hearing this, the manager said to himself, 'What should I do since my master is going to give my position away? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am too ashamed to beg. I know! What I will do so that, when he lets me go, people will welcome me into their homes is . . .'" (L 16:3-4).
161 "Then he called every one of his master's debtors and asked to see them" (L 16:5a).
162 "He asked the first one, 'How much do you owe my master?' He answered, 'Eight hundred gallons of oil.' So he told him, 'Quick, take your bill, sit down, and write four hundred, instead'"66 (L 16:5b-6).
163 "Then he said to another one, 'How much do you owe?' And he answered, 'One thousand bushels of wheat.' So he said to him, 'Take your bill and write down eight hundred'"67 (L 16:7).
164 "Now since the unrighteous manager had been shrewd in doing this, the master praised him for it" (L 16:8a).
165 Then Jesus said, "I tell you this to show you how the sons of this age are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light. And so, now, I tell you, make friends for yourselves using riches destined for corruption, so that when it does fail, they will receive you into an everlasting home"68 (See Isaiah 40:8) (L 16:8b-9).
166 "He who is faithful in the smaller things is also faithful in bigger things, and he who is corrupt in the smaller things is also corrupt in the larger. Therefore, if you have not been faithful in the corrupt riches, who will trust you with the true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy in the things that belong to someone else, who will give you even what is yours? No servant can serve two masters. He will hate one and love the other, or he will be loyal to the one and ignore the other. You cannot serve both God and riches" (L 16:10-13).
167 Now the Pharisees who were lovers of money had also heard this, and so they mocked Him (L 16:14).
168 But He told them, "You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men. But God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is detestable in God's sight" (L 16:15).
The Law and the Prophets Were Until John
169 "The law and the prophets have foretold the kingdom of heaven up until John, and since then the good news of the kingdom of God is being proclaimed. And everyone who belongs to the kingdom is forcing his way into it.69 Even still, it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for the least stroke of the pen written in the law to fall away"70 (L 16:16-17).
Divorce Equals Adultery
170 "Consequently, whoever divorces his wife and marries a different woman, he is in adultery. And whoever marries a woman who is divorced from her husband, he also is in adultery (Also see M 5:32 & 19:9)"71 (L 16:18).
Parable of The Rich Man and Lazarus
171 "Now there was a rich man who always wore purple and expensive materials, living merrily in luxury. And there was a beggar, named Lazarus, who was lying at his gate, covered in sores. Lazarus longed only to be fed with the crumbs that would fall from the rich man's table. If that wasn't enough,72 the dogs would come and lick his sores" (L 16:19-21).
172 "Then it happened, the beggar died and was carried off by God's angels and brought into resting back onto Abraham's chest.73 The rich man also died and was buried. While they were both in the under world,74 the rich man looked up and saw Abraham far off, and Lazarus resting back on his chest.75 Seeing this, he called out and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me. Send Lazarus here so that he can dip the tip of his finger into water and cool my tongue, for I am being tormented here in this fire'" (L 16:22-24).
173 "Abraham said, 'Son, remember how you received good things in your life, and, in the same way, Lazarus received the bad. Well, now, here he is being comforted, and you are suffering in pain. Besides all that, there is a large gap sitting between us. And anyone who wants to step across from here over to you can't, even if he wanted to. Neither can anyone from there come over here to us'" (L 16:25-26).
174 "To this he said, 'Then I beg you, father Abraham, send him over to my father's house. For I have five brothers living there, and I would like him to warn them so that they will not come to this place of torment like I have'" (L 16:27-28).
175 "Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the prophets, let them listen to them'" (L 16:29).
176 "He said, 'No, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead were to go to them, then they will turn away from their sinful thinking'"76 (L 16:30).
177 "Abraham answered, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, then they will not be convinced even if someone were to rise from the dead'"77 (L 16:315:180).
If You Have the Faith of a Mustard Seed
178 From this, the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith" (5:184L 17:5).
179 To which the Lord replied,
"If you have faith only the size of a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted into the sea,' and it would obey you" (L 17:6).
180 "Along with that, which one of you if you had a servant who was out plowing your fields or tending your sheep, when he comes in from the field would tell him, 'Quick, come in and recline at the table to eat'?" (L 17:7).
181 "Wouldn't he, instead, say, 'Prepare something for me to eat, get ready and serve me until I have finished eating and drinking. Then, after that, you will sit down to eat?'" (L 17:8).
182 "Well, what do you think? After he has eaten, do you think he will thank that servant because he did what he was supposed to do? Not at all!" (L 17:9).
183 "In the same way, after you have done everything you are supposed to do, say, 'We are unworthy servants. We have only done what we should have done'" (L 17:10).
Ten Lepers Healed
184 Then, still on His journey to Jerusalem, it happened, as He traveled, that He went through the lands of Samaria and Galilee. As He went into one of the villages, ten men with leprosy met Him. They stood at a distance, raised their voices, and said, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" (L 17:11-13).
185 Seeing them, Jesus said, "Go and show yourselves to the priests" (L 17:14a).
186 As they were on their way, they became clean (L 17:14b).
187 One of them, however, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and, with a loud voice, glorified God. He fell down with his face at the feet of Jesus and thanked Him. And he was a Samaritan (L 17:15-16).
188 In response, Jesus said, "Were there not ten lepers made clean? Where are the other nine then? Is there nobody else found to come back and give the glory to God except this foreigner?" Then He told him, "Get up and go! Your faith has saved you" (L 17:17-19).
When Will the Kingdom Come?
The Kingdom Will Come As in the Days of Noah and Lot
189 After this, when the Pharisees asked Jesus when the kingdom of God would come, He answered, "The kingdom of God does not come by watching for it, nor will they say, 'Look, here it is!' or 'Look, there it is over there!' For behold, the kingdom of God is in your grasp"78 (L 17:20-21).
190 Then He told the disciples, "The time will come when you will long to see just one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. They will say to you, 'Look, here it is!' or 'Look, there it is over there!' But do not go where they say it is! Do not follow them! For just as lightning flashes from one point of the sky over to the other, that is how it will also be on the day of the Son of Man" (L 17:22-24).
191 "Before this, however, it is necessary for the Son of Man79 to suffer many things, and to be rejected by this generation" (L 17:25).
192 "In the days of the Son of Man, it will also be just like it was in the days of Noah: they were eating and drinking, they were marrying and being given in marriage – even up to the point Noah entered the Ark. After which, the floods then came and destroyed everything outside of it" (L 17:26-30).
193 "Therefore, at that time, if anyone is on the porch over his house and his things are down inside, do not go down to get them out before you leave. If he is out in the field, the same thing, do not go back home to get your things. Remember Lot's wife? Whoever tries to preserve his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it" (L 17:31-33).
194 "For I tell you, on that night there will be two men on one couch, one will be received to be with the Son of Man, and the other one left to suffer His wrath80 Two women will be grinding wheat together, one will be received to be with the Son of Man, and the other one left to suffer His wrath.8182 All this, just like it was in the days of Noah"83 (L 17:34-36).
195 So then they asked Him, "Where will this happen, Lord?" (L 17:37a).
196 He said, "Wherever the dead body is, that is where you will find the vultures"84 (L 17:37b).
The Parable of the Unjust Judge
197 Then He told a parable on how men should always pray and not lose heart, saying,
"In a city somewhere, there was a judge who did not fear God or have any concern for people, and there was also a widow living there.85 She came to the judge and said, 'Defend me from my enemy.' But he wouldn't – at least for a while – because after awhile, he said to himself, 'Even though I do not fear God or have any concern for people, yet because this widow is not going to leave me alone, I will clear her of this accusation. I will do this so that she will not keep coming back and irritating me"86 (L 18:1-5).
"Now listen to what the unjust judge had said! And, like this, will God not also avenge His elect who cry out to Him day and night while He preserves His care upon them? For I tell you, He will avenge them in a hurry" (See 2 Peter 3:9) (L 18:6-8a).
199 "However, when the Son of Man does come, will He find faith on the earth?"87 (L 18:8b8:24).
Do Not Forbid the Little Ones to Come
200 Just then, they brought some young children and some infants to Him so that He would put His hands on them and pray for them. But when the disciples saw this, they rebuked those who were bringing them to Him (7:56M 19:13, 7:53K 10:13, 8:28L 18:15).
201 When Jesus saw that, He was very displeased. He called them over and said, "Do not stop the children! Allow them to come to Me. For the kingdom of heaven88 belongs to those just like this. And I guarantee you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a small child will certainly not enter into it." Then He took them up into His arms, put His hands on them, and blessed them (M 19:14-15a, K 10:14-15, L 18:16-17).
It is Hard for a Rich Man to Enter the Kingdom
What Must I Do to Inherit Eternal Life
202 After that, He and His disciples left and continued on their journey. And so it was, as He went out and onto the road, behold, a ruler came running to Him, got on his knees, and asked, "Good Teacher, what good works should I do to inherit everlasting life?" (M 19:15b-16, K 10:16-17, L 18:18).
203 Jesus said, "Why do you call Me good? And why do you ask Me about good works? No one is good except God alone. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments" (M 19:17, K 10:18, L 18:19).
204 "Which ones?" he asked (M 19:18a).
205 "You know the commandments: 'Do not murder. Do not commit adultery. Do not steal. Do not give false testimony. Honor your father and your mother.' And 'love your neighbor as yourself'" (Exodus 20:12-16, Deuteronomy 5:16-20, Leviticus 19:18) (M 19:18b-19, K 10:19, L 18:20).
206 The young man said, "Teacher, I have kept all those since childhood. What am I still missing?" (M 19:20, K 10:20, L 18:21).
207 When Jesus heard this, He looked at him, loved him (See John 14:21).89 and said, "You are still missing one thing. If you want to be completely obedient, go and sell everything you own and give it to the poor. Then you will have treasure in heaven. Then come follow Me"90 (M 19:21, K 10:21-22, L 18:22).
208 When the young man heard this, and since he was very wealthy and had a lot of possessions, he became very sad and went away distressed (M 19:22, L 18:23).
209 When Jesus saw that he had become very sorrowful, He looked around at His disciples and said, "How hard it is for those who have a lot of things to enter the kingdom of Heaven! Again, I assure you, children, it is hard for those who trust in their riches to enter the kingdom of God. In fact, it is easier for something as big as a camel to go through something as small as the eye of a needle than it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God" (M 19:23-24, K 10:23-25, L 18:24-25).
210 Just then, those of His disciples who heard this were stunned at what He had said, and they began to say among themselves, "Who is it then that can be saved?"91 (M 19:25, K 10:26, L 18:26).
211 Jesus looked at them and said, "With men this is impossible! But not with God. With God all things are possible" (M 19:26, K 10:27, L 18:27).
212 So then Peter said, "Look, we have left everything of ours and followed You. What is it that we will have?" (M 19:27, K 10:28, L 18:28)
213 He told them, "I assure you, there is no one who has left their house, parents, brothers, wife, or children for the sake of the kingdom of God who will not get many times more now, and everlasting life in the age to come" (L 18:29-308:9).
The Twelve Disciples Shall Sit on Twelve Thrones
214 Jesus also said, "I assure you, in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left their houses, lands, parents, brothers, sisters, wife, or children for My name's sake, and for the sake of the good news, will receive a hundred times as much in this life, and inherit everlasting life in the age to come. But many who are first will be last and the last first" (See Proverbs 15:33) (M 19:28-307:212, K 10:29-318:4).
Parable of the Land Owner and the Wicked Laborers
215 "The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard. He agreed to pay each worker a denarius for the day and then sent them into his vineyard" (7:211M 20:1-2).
216 "He went out at about nine in the morning also92 and saw other men standing around in the marketplace doing nothing, and so he told them, 'You, also, go into the vineyard and I will pay you the going wage.'93 And so they went to work" (M 20:3-4).
217 "After that, he went out again at around noon, and at three, doing the same thing each time" (M 20:5).
218 "At about five o'clock, then, he went out again and found more men standing around doing nothing. So he asked them, 'Why have you been standing here all day doing nothing?'" (M 20:6).
219 "They said, 'Because no one has hired us!'" (M 20:7a).
220 "Therefore, to them He said, 'You, also, go into the vineyard and you will receive the going wage'" (M 20:7b).
221 "In the evening, once the days work was done, the owner of the vineyard told his foreman, 'Go and call the workers over here, beginning with the ones who were hired last up to the ones hired first, and give them their pay'" (M 20:8).
222 "When those who were hired last came, they were each paid a days wage (one denarius).94 But when those who were hired first came, they figured they were going to be paid more. But they received a denarius as well. And so, once they were paid, they complained about the landowner and said, 'These men that were hired last have only worked one hour, and you have made them equal to us, the ones who have carried the burden and heat of the day'" (M 20:9-12).
223 "He answered one of them and said, 'Friend, I am not doing you anything wrong. Did you not agree with me to work for one denarius?95 In that case, take what is yours and go; for I want to give this last man the same pay I have given you. Isn't it OK for me to do what I want with my own things? Or is your eye evil96 because I'm good?'" (M 20:13-15).
224 Then Jesus said, "In this same way,"97 the last will be first and the first last" (M 20:168:4).
His Sheep Hear His Voice, but the Religious Rulers Took Up Stones to Stone Him
225 Sometime later, after He had arrived in Jerusalem – during the winter, at the feast of Chanukah98 – Jesus was walking in Yhvh's House, in the area of Solomon's porch,99 and the Jews surrounded Him and said, "How long do You keep us wondering? If You are the Anointed One, tell us clearly" (J 10:22-24).
226 "I told you and you do not believe Me," Jesus answered: "The works I do in My Father's name testify about Me. However, you do not believe us because you are not of My sheep. For My sheep hear My voice. I know them and they follow Me. I give them everlasting life, and they will never perish. No one will ever snatch them out of My hand because My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all, and no one can snatch them out of His hand. The Father and I are one"100 (J 10:25-30).
227 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. But He said, "I have shown you many good works from the Father. Which one of them are you going to stone Me for?" (J 10:31-32)
228 "We are not going to stone You for a good work but for slander,"101 the Jews replied, "because You, a mere Man, make Yourself out to be God!" (J 10:33).
Is it Not Written, "I Said You Are Gods?"
229 "Isn't it written in your law: 'I said "You are gods (Psalm 82:6)?"' Well if He called those to whom the word of God came 'gods' (and the Scripture cannot be broken) do you now say of Him whom the Father has set apart,102 and sent into the world, 'You are slandering,'103 just because I said 'I am the Son of God'? If I do not do the works of My Father, then do not believe Me. But if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe because of the works themselves so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I am in Him" (J 10:34-38).
230 Hearing this, they tried to seize Him again, but He escaped from their hands (J 10:39).
He Departs from Jerusalem to a Place Beyond the Jordan
231 After this, He went out to the other side of the Jordan, again, to the place where John was baptizing at first; He stayed there for a while, and many of the people came to see Him. And the people were saying, "John did not do a single sign, and, yet, everything he has said about this Man is true." Therefore, many of the people believed in Jesus while He was there (J 10:40-428:1).
