Luke 13

Turn Away From Sin or Die

1Then some people in the crowd told Jesus about what had happened to certain Galileans whose blood Pilate mixed with their sacrifices. 2Jesus said, “These people from Galilee suffered greatly. But do you think this was because they were worse sinners than all the other Galileans? 3No, I’m telling you. Unless you turn away from your sins, you will all die too. 4Or what about those 18 people in Siloam who died when the tower fell on them? Do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5I tell you, they were not! But unless you turn away from your sins, you will all die too.”

6Then Jesus told a story. “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, but when he went to look for fruit on it, he didn’t find any. 7So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree but I’ve never 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 fertilize it. 9If it bears fruit next year, great. If not, then we can 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 was there who’d been disabled by an evil spirit for 18 years. She was bent over and couldn’t stand up straight. 12Jesus saw her and asked her to come to him. He told her, “Woman, you will no longer be disabled. I’m going to set you free!” 13Then he put his hands on her, and right away she stood up straight and praised God.

14But the synagogue leader was angry because Jesus had healed the woman on the Sabbath day. He told the people, “There are six days for work, so come and be healed on those days. Don’t come on the Sabbath day.”

15The Lord responded, “You’re such hypocrites! Doesn’t each of you go to the barn and untie your ox or donkey on the Sabbath day, and don’t you then lead it out and give it water? 16So shouldn’t this woman, who is a member of Abraham’s family line, but who was kept disabled by Satan for 18 long years, have been 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’s like a mustard seed that someone took and planted in a garden. It grew and became such a big tree that the birds could sit in its branches.”

20Again he asked, “What can I compare God’s kingdom to? 21It’s like yeast that a woman mixed into 60 pounds of flour that worked its way through all the dough.”

The Narrow Door

22Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching the people as he continued 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 that many will try to enter, but they will not be able to. 25Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will have stand outside knocking and begging, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’

“But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you and I don’t know where you’re from.’

26“Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you. You taught in our streets.’

27“But he will repeat, ‘I don’t know you and I don’t know where you’re from. Get away from me, all you who do evil!’

28“You will weep and grind your teeth together when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the prophets in God’s kingdom while you yourselves are thrown out. 29People will come from east and west and north and south to 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 and said to him, “Leave this place and go somewhere else, because Herod wants to kill you.”

32He replied, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Today and tomorrow I will keep on driving out demons and healing people, 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 to kill those who are sent to you. Many times I’ve wanted to gather your people together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but 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.’ ”

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