Berean
04-11-2008, 05:37 PM
Luke 13:1-35
1 At that very season there were certain ones present that reported to him about the Gal·i·le´ans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2 So in reply he said to them: “Do YOU imagine that these Gal·i·le´ans were proved worse sinners than all other Gal·i·le´ans because they have suffered these things? 3 No, indeed, I tell YOU; but, unless YOU repent, YOU will all likewise be destroyed. 4 Or those eighteen upon whom the tower in Si·lo´am fell, thereby killing them, do YOU imagine that they were proved greater debtors than all other men inhabiting Jerusalem? 5 No, indeed, I tell YOU; but, unless YOU repent, YOU will all be destroyed in the same way.”
6 Then he went on to tell this illustration: “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it, but found none. 7 Then he said to the vinedresser, ‘Here it is three years that I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, but have found none. Cut it down! Why really should it keep the ground useless?’ 8 In reply he said to him, ‘Master, let it alone also this year, until I dig around it and put on manure; 9 and if then it produces fruit in the future, [well and good]; but if not, you shall cut it down.’”
10 Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. 11 And, look! a woman with a spirit of weakness for eighteen years, and she was bent double and was unable to raise herself up at all. 12 When he saw her, Jesus addressed her and said to her: “Woman, you are released from your weakness.” 13 And he laid his hands on her; and instantly she straightened up, and began to glorify God. 14 But in response the presiding officer of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus did the cure on the sabbath, began to say to the crowd: “There are six days on which work ought to be done; on them, therefore, come and be cured, and not on the sabbath day.” 15 However, the Lord answered him and said: “Hypocrites, does not each one of YOU on the sabbath untie his bull or his ass from the stall and lead it away to give it drink? 16 Was it not due, then, for this woman who is a daughter of Abraham, and whom Satan held bound, look! eighteen years, to be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?” 17 Well, when he said these things, all his opposers began to feel shame; but all the crowd began to rejoice at all the glorious things done by him.
18 Therefore he went on to say: “What is the kingdom of God like, and with what shall I compare it? 19 It is like a mustard grain that a man took and put in his garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of heaven took up lodging in its branches.”
20 And again he said: “With what shall I compare the kingdom of God? 21 It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three large measures of flour until the whole mass was fermented.”
22 And he journeyed through from city to city and from village to village, teaching and continuing on his journey to Jerusalem. 23 Now a certain man said to him: “Lord, are those who are being saved few?” He said to them: 24 “Exert yourselves vigorously to get in through the narrow door, because many, I tell YOU, will seek to get in but will not be able, 25 when once the householder has got up and locked the door, and YOU start to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Sir, open to us.’ But in answer he will say to YOU, ‘I do not know where YOU are from.’ 26 Then YOU will start saying, ‘We ate and drank in front of you, and you taught in our broad ways.’ 27 But he will speak and say to YOU, ‘I do not know where YOU are from. Get away from me, all YOU workers of unrighteousness!’ 28 There is where [YOUR] weeping and the gnashing of [YOUR] teeth will be, when YOU see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves thrown outside. 29 Furthermore, people will come from eastern parts and western, and from north and south, and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God. 30 And, look! there are those last who will be first, and there are those first who will be last.”
31 In that very hour certain Pharisees came up, saying to him: “Get out and be on your way from here, because Herod wants to kill you.” 32 And he said to them: “Go and tell that fox, ‘Look! I am casting out demons and accomplishing healing today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be finished.’ 33 Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the following day, because it is not admissible for a prophet to be destroyed outside of Jerusalem. 34 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the killer of the prophets and stoner of those sent forth to her—how often I wanted to gather your children together in the manner that a hen gathers her brood of chicks under her wings, but YOU people did not want [it]! 35 Look! YOUR house is abandoned to YOU. I tell YOU, YOU will by no means see me until YOU say, ‘Blessed is he that comes in Jehovah’s name.’”
Luke 14:1-35
1 And on an occasion when he went into the house of a certain one of the rulers of the Pharisees on the sabbath to eat a meal, they were closely watching him. 2 And, look! there was before him a certain man who had dropsy. 3 So in response Jesus spoke to those versed in the Law and to the Pharisees, saying: “Is it lawful on the sabbath to cure or not?” 4 But they kept silent. With that he took hold of [the man], healed him and sent [him] away. 5 And he said to them: “Who of YOU, if his son or bull falls into a well, will not immediately pull him out on the sabbath day?” 6 And they were not able to answer back on these things.
7 He then went on to tell the invited men an illustration, as he marked how they were choosing the most prominent places for themselves, saying to them: 8 “When you are invited by someone to a marriage feast, do not lie down in the most prominent place. Perhaps someone more distinguished than you may at the time have been invited by him, 9 and he that invited you and him will come and say to you, ‘Let this man have the place.’ And then you will start off with shame to occupy the lowest place. 10 But when you are invited, go and recline in the lowest place, that when the man that has invited you comes he will say to you, ‘Friend, go on up higher.’ Then you will have honor in front of all your fellow guests. 11 For everyone that exalts himself will be humbled and he that humbles himself will be exalted.”
12 Next he proceeded to say also to the man that invited him: “When you spread a dinner or evening meal, do not call your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors. Perhaps sometime they might also invite you in return and it would become a repayment to you. 13 But when you spread a feast, invite poor people, crippled, lame, blind; 14 and you will be happy, because they have nothing with which to repay you. For you will be repaid in the resurrection of the righteous ones.”
15 On hearing these things a certain one of the fellow guests said to him: “Happy is he who eats bread in the kingdom of God.”
16 [Jesus] said to him: “A certain man was spreading a grand evening meal, and he invited many. 17 And he sent his slave out at the hour of the evening meal to say to the invited ones, ‘Come, because things are now ready.’ 18 But they all in common started to beg off. The first said to him, ‘I bought a field and need to go out and see it; I ask you, Have me excused.’ 19 And another said, ‘I bought five yoke of cattle and am going to examine them; I ask you, Have me excused.’ 20 Still another said, ‘I just married a wife and for this reason I cannot come.’ 21 So the slave came up and reported these things to his master. Then the householder became wrathful and said to his slave, ‘Go out quickly into the broad ways and the lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ 22 In time the slave said, ‘Master, what you ordered has been done, and yet there is room.’ 23 And the master said to the slave, ‘Go out into the roads and the fenced-in places, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I say to YOU people, None of those men that were invited shall have a taste of my evening meal.’”
25 Now great crowds were traveling with him, and he turned and said to them: 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own soul, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever is not carrying his torture stake and coming after me cannot be my disciple. 28 For example, who of YOU that wants to build a tower does not first sit down and calculate the expense, to see if he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, he might lay its foundation but not be able to finish it, and all the onlookers might start to ridicule him, 30 saying, ‘This man started to build but was not able to finish.’ 31 Or what king, marching to meet another king in war, does not first sit down and take counsel whether he is able with ten thousand troops to cope with the one that comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 If, in fact, he cannot do so, then while that one is yet far away he sends out a body of ambassadors and sues for peace. 33 Thus, you may be sure, none of YOU that does not say good-bye to all his belongings can be my disciple.
34 “Salt, to be sure, is fine. But if even the salt loses its strength, with what will it be seasoned? 35 It is suitable neither for soil nor for manure. People throw it outside. Let him that has ears to listen, listen.”
Luke 15:1-32
1 Now all the tax collectors and the sinners kept drawing near to him to hear him. 2 Consequently both the Pharisees and the scribes kept muttering, saying: “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” 3 Then he spoke this illustration to them, saying: 4 “What man of YOU with a hundred sheep, on losing one of them, will not leave the ninety-nine behind in the wilderness and go for the lost one until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it he puts it upon his shoulders and rejoices. 6 And when he gets home he calls his friends and his neighbors together, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost.’ 7 I tell YOU that thus there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner that repents than over ninety-nine righteous ones who have no need of repentance.
8 “Or what woman with ten drachma coins, if she loses one drachma coin, does not light a lamp and sweep her house and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she has found it she calls the women who are her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found the drachma coin that I lost.’ 10 Thus, I tell YOU, joy arises among the angels of God over one sinner that repents.”
11 Then he said: “A certain man had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the part of the property that falls to my share.’ Then he divided his means of living to them. 13 Later, after not many days, the younger son gathered all things together and traveled abroad into a distant country, and there squandered his property by living a debauched life. 14 When he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred throughout that country, and he started to be in need. 15 He even went and attached himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to herd swine. 16 And he used to desire to be filled with the carob pods which the swine were eating, and no one would give him [anything].
17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many hired men of my father are abounding with bread, while I am perishing here from famine! 18 I will rise and journey to my father and say to him: “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Make me as one of your hired men.”’ 20 So he rose and went to his father. While he was yet a long way off, his father caught sight of him and was moved with pity, and he ran and fell upon his neck and tenderly kissed him. 21 Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Make me as one of your hired men.’ 22 But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quick! bring out a robe, the best one, and clothe him with it, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened young bull, slaughter it and let us eat and enjoy ourselves, 24 because this my son was dead and came to life again; he was lost and was found.’ And they started to enjoy themselves.
25 “Now his older son was in the field; and as he came and got near the house he heard a music concert and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants to him and inquired what these things meant. 27 He said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father slaughtered the fattened young bull, because he got him back in good health.’ 28 But he became wrathful and was unwilling to go in. Then his father came out and began to entreat him. 29 In reply he said to his father, ‘Here it is so many years I have slaved for you and never once did I transgress your commandment, and yet to me you never once gave a kid for me to enjoy myself with my friends. 30 But as soon as this your son who ate up your means of living with harlots arrived, you slaughtered the fattened young bull for him.’ 31 Then he said to him, ‘Child, you have always been with me, and all the things that are mine are yours; 32 but we just had to enjoy ourselves and rejoice, because this your brother was dead and came to life, and he was lost and was found.’”
Luke 16:1-31
1 Then he went on to say also to the disciples: “A certain man was rich and he had a steward, and this one was accused to him as handling his goods wastefully. 2 So he called him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Hand in the account of your stewardship, for you can no longer manage the house.’ 3 Then the steward said to himself, ‘What am I to do, seeing that my master will take the stewardship away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, I am ashamed to beg. 4 Ah! I know what I shall do, so that, when I am put out of the stewardship, people will receive me into their homes.’ 5 And calling to him each one of the debtors of his master he proceeded to say to the first, ‘How much are you owing my master?’ 6 He said, ‘A hundred bath measures of olive oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your written agreement back and sit down and quickly write fifty.’ 7 Next, he said to another one, ‘Now you, how much are you owing?’ He said, ‘A hundred cor measures of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your written agreement back and write eighty.’ 8 And his master commended the steward, though unrighteous, because he acted with practical wisdom; for the sons of this system of things are wiser in a practical way toward their own generation than the sons of the light are.
9 “Also, I say to YOU, Make friends for yourselves by means of the unrighteous riches, so that, when such fail, they may receive YOU into the everlasting dwelling places. 10 The person faithful in what is least is faithful also in much, and the person unrighteous in what is least is unrighteous also in much. 11 Therefore, if YOU have not proved yourselves faithful in connection with the unrighteous riches, who will entrust YOU with what is true? 12 And if YOU have not proved yourselves faithful in connection with what is another’s, who will give YOU what is for yourselves? 13 No house servant can be a slave to two masters; for, either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stick to the one and despise the other. YOU cannot be slaves to God and to riches.”
14 Now the Pharisees, who were money lovers, were listening to all these things, and they began to sneer at him. 15 Consequently he said to them: “YOU are those who declare yourselves righteous before men, but God knows YOUR hearts; because what is lofty among men is a disgusting thing in God’s sight.
16 “The Law and the Prophets were until John. From then on the kingdom of God is being declared as good news, and every sort of person is pressing forward toward it. 17 Indeed, it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one particle of a letter of the Law to go unfulfilled.
18 “Everyone that divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he that marries a woman divorced from a husband commits adultery.
19 “But a certain man was rich, and he used to deck himself with purple and linen, enjoying himself from day to day with magnificence. 20 But a certain beggar named Laz´a·rus used to be put at his gate, full of ulcers 21 and desiring to be filled with the things dropping from the table of the rich man. Yes, too, the dogs would come and lick his ulcers. 22 Now in course of time the beggar died and he was carried off by the angels to the bosom [position] of Abraham.
“Also, the rich man died and was buried. 23 And in Ha´des he lifted up his eyes, he existing in torments, and he saw Abraham afar off and Laz´a·rus in the bosom [position] with him. 24 So he called and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Laz´a·rus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in anguish in this blazing fire.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you received in full your good things in your lifetime, but Laz´a·rus correspondingly the injurious things. Now, however, he is having comfort here but you are in anguish. 26 And besides all these things, a great chasm has been fixed between us and YOU people, so that those wanting to go over from here to YOU people cannot, neither may people cross over from there to us.’ 27 Then he said, ‘In that event I ask you, father, to send him to the house of my father, 28 for I have five brothers, in order that he may give them a thorough witness, that they also should not get into this place of torment.’ 29 But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to these.’ 30 Then he said, ‘No, indeed, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them they will repent.’ 31 But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.’”
Luke 17:1-37
1 Then he said to his disciples: “It is unavoidable that causes for stumbling should come. Nevertheless, woe to the one through whom they come! 2 It would be of more advantage to him if a millstone were suspended from his neck and he were thrown into the sea than for him to stumble one of these little ones. 3 Pay attention to yourselves. If your brother commits a sin give him a rebuke, and if he repents forgive him. 4 Even if he sins seven times a day against you and he comes back to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”
5 Now the apostles said to the Lord: “Give us more faith.” 6 Then the Lord said: “If YOU had faith the size of a mustard grain, YOU would say to this black mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea!’ and it would obey YOU.
7 “Who of YOU is there that has a slave plowing or minding the flock who will say to him when he gets in from the field, ‘Come here at once and recline at the table’? 8 Rather, will he not say to him, ‘Get something ready for me to have my evening meal, and put on an apron and minister to me until I am through eating and drinking, and afterward you can eat and drink’? 9 He will not feel gratitude to the slave because he did the things assigned, will he? 10 So YOU, also, when YOU have done all the things assigned to YOU, say, ‘We are good-for-nothing slaves. What we have done is what we ought to have done.’”
11 And while he was going to Jerusalem he was passing through the midst of Sa·mar´i·a and Gal´i·lee. 12 And as he was entering into a certain village ten leprous men met him, but they stood up afar off. 13 And they raised their voices and said: “Jesus, Instructor, have mercy on us!” 14 And when he got sight of them he said to them: “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” Then as they were going off their cleansing occurred. 15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice. 16 And he fell upon his face at [Jesus’] feet, thanking him; furthermore, he was a Sa·mar´i·tan. 17 In reply Jesus said: “The ten were cleansed, were they not? Where, then, are the other nine? 18 Were none found that turned back to give glory to God but this man of another nation?” 19 And he said to him: “Rise and be on your way; your faith has made you well.”
20 But on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, he answered them and said: “The kingdom of God is not coming with striking observableness, 21 neither will people be saying, ‘See here!’ or, ‘There!’ For, look! the kingdom of God is in YOUR midst.”
22 Then he said to the disciples: “Days will come when YOU will desire to see one of the days of the Son of man but YOU will not see [it]. 23 And people will say to YOU, ‘See there!’ or, ‘See here!’ Do not go out or chase after [them]. 24 For even as the lightning, by its flashing, shines from one part under heaven to another part under heaven, so the Son of man will be. 25 First, however, he must undergo many sufferings and be rejected by this generation. 26 Moreover, just as it occurred in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of man: 27 they were eating, they were drinking, men were marrying, women were being given in marriage, until that day when Noah entered into the ark, and the flood arrived and destroyed them all. 28 Likewise, just as it occurred in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building. 29 But on the day that Lot came out of Sod´om it rained fire and sulphur from heaven and destroyed them all. 30 The same way it will be on that day when the Son of man is to be revealed.
31 “On that day let the person that is on the housetop but whose movable things are in the house not come down to pick these up, and the person out in the field, let him likewise not return to the things behind. 32 REMEMBER the wife of Lot. 33 Whoever seeks to keep his soul safe for himself will lose it, but whoever loses it will preserve it alive. 34 I tell YOU, In that night two [men] will be in one bed; the one will be taken along, but the other will be abandoned. 35 There will be two [women] grinding at the same mill; the one will be taken along, but the other will be abandoned.” 36 —— 37 So in response they said to him: “Where, Lord?” He said to them: “Where the body is, there also the eagles will be gathered together.”
1 At that very season there were certain ones present that reported to him about the Gal·i·le´ans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2 So in reply he said to them: “Do YOU imagine that these Gal·i·le´ans were proved worse sinners than all other Gal·i·le´ans because they have suffered these things? 3 No, indeed, I tell YOU; but, unless YOU repent, YOU will all likewise be destroyed. 4 Or those eighteen upon whom the tower in Si·lo´am fell, thereby killing them, do YOU imagine that they were proved greater debtors than all other men inhabiting Jerusalem? 5 No, indeed, I tell YOU; but, unless YOU repent, YOU will all be destroyed in the same way.”
6 Then he went on to tell this illustration: “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it, but found none. 7 Then he said to the vinedresser, ‘Here it is three years that I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, but have found none. Cut it down! Why really should it keep the ground useless?’ 8 In reply he said to him, ‘Master, let it alone also this year, until I dig around it and put on manure; 9 and if then it produces fruit in the future, [well and good]; but if not, you shall cut it down.’”
10 Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. 11 And, look! a woman with a spirit of weakness for eighteen years, and she was bent double and was unable to raise herself up at all. 12 When he saw her, Jesus addressed her and said to her: “Woman, you are released from your weakness.” 13 And he laid his hands on her; and instantly she straightened up, and began to glorify God. 14 But in response the presiding officer of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus did the cure on the sabbath, began to say to the crowd: “There are six days on which work ought to be done; on them, therefore, come and be cured, and not on the sabbath day.” 15 However, the Lord answered him and said: “Hypocrites, does not each one of YOU on the sabbath untie his bull or his ass from the stall and lead it away to give it drink? 16 Was it not due, then, for this woman who is a daughter of Abraham, and whom Satan held bound, look! eighteen years, to be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?” 17 Well, when he said these things, all his opposers began to feel shame; but all the crowd began to rejoice at all the glorious things done by him.
18 Therefore he went on to say: “What is the kingdom of God like, and with what shall I compare it? 19 It is like a mustard grain that a man took and put in his garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of heaven took up lodging in its branches.”
20 And again he said: “With what shall I compare the kingdom of God? 21 It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three large measures of flour until the whole mass was fermented.”
22 And he journeyed through from city to city and from village to village, teaching and continuing on his journey to Jerusalem. 23 Now a certain man said to him: “Lord, are those who are being saved few?” He said to them: 24 “Exert yourselves vigorously to get in through the narrow door, because many, I tell YOU, will seek to get in but will not be able, 25 when once the householder has got up and locked the door, and YOU start to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Sir, open to us.’ But in answer he will say to YOU, ‘I do not know where YOU are from.’ 26 Then YOU will start saying, ‘We ate and drank in front of you, and you taught in our broad ways.’ 27 But he will speak and say to YOU, ‘I do not know where YOU are from. Get away from me, all YOU workers of unrighteousness!’ 28 There is where [YOUR] weeping and the gnashing of [YOUR] teeth will be, when YOU see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves thrown outside. 29 Furthermore, people will come from eastern parts and western, and from north and south, and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God. 30 And, look! there are those last who will be first, and there are those first who will be last.”
31 In that very hour certain Pharisees came up, saying to him: “Get out and be on your way from here, because Herod wants to kill you.” 32 And he said to them: “Go and tell that fox, ‘Look! I am casting out demons and accomplishing healing today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be finished.’ 33 Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the following day, because it is not admissible for a prophet to be destroyed outside of Jerusalem. 34 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the killer of the prophets and stoner of those sent forth to her—how often I wanted to gather your children together in the manner that a hen gathers her brood of chicks under her wings, but YOU people did not want [it]! 35 Look! YOUR house is abandoned to YOU. I tell YOU, YOU will by no means see me until YOU say, ‘Blessed is he that comes in Jehovah’s name.’”
Luke 14:1-35
1 And on an occasion when he went into the house of a certain one of the rulers of the Pharisees on the sabbath to eat a meal, they were closely watching him. 2 And, look! there was before him a certain man who had dropsy. 3 So in response Jesus spoke to those versed in the Law and to the Pharisees, saying: “Is it lawful on the sabbath to cure or not?” 4 But they kept silent. With that he took hold of [the man], healed him and sent [him] away. 5 And he said to them: “Who of YOU, if his son or bull falls into a well, will not immediately pull him out on the sabbath day?” 6 And they were not able to answer back on these things.
7 He then went on to tell the invited men an illustration, as he marked how they were choosing the most prominent places for themselves, saying to them: 8 “When you are invited by someone to a marriage feast, do not lie down in the most prominent place. Perhaps someone more distinguished than you may at the time have been invited by him, 9 and he that invited you and him will come and say to you, ‘Let this man have the place.’ And then you will start off with shame to occupy the lowest place. 10 But when you are invited, go and recline in the lowest place, that when the man that has invited you comes he will say to you, ‘Friend, go on up higher.’ Then you will have honor in front of all your fellow guests. 11 For everyone that exalts himself will be humbled and he that humbles himself will be exalted.”
12 Next he proceeded to say also to the man that invited him: “When you spread a dinner or evening meal, do not call your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors. Perhaps sometime they might also invite you in return and it would become a repayment to you. 13 But when you spread a feast, invite poor people, crippled, lame, blind; 14 and you will be happy, because they have nothing with which to repay you. For you will be repaid in the resurrection of the righteous ones.”
15 On hearing these things a certain one of the fellow guests said to him: “Happy is he who eats bread in the kingdom of God.”
16 [Jesus] said to him: “A certain man was spreading a grand evening meal, and he invited many. 17 And he sent his slave out at the hour of the evening meal to say to the invited ones, ‘Come, because things are now ready.’ 18 But they all in common started to beg off. The first said to him, ‘I bought a field and need to go out and see it; I ask you, Have me excused.’ 19 And another said, ‘I bought five yoke of cattle and am going to examine them; I ask you, Have me excused.’ 20 Still another said, ‘I just married a wife and for this reason I cannot come.’ 21 So the slave came up and reported these things to his master. Then the householder became wrathful and said to his slave, ‘Go out quickly into the broad ways and the lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ 22 In time the slave said, ‘Master, what you ordered has been done, and yet there is room.’ 23 And the master said to the slave, ‘Go out into the roads and the fenced-in places, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I say to YOU people, None of those men that were invited shall have a taste of my evening meal.’”
25 Now great crowds were traveling with him, and he turned and said to them: 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own soul, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever is not carrying his torture stake and coming after me cannot be my disciple. 28 For example, who of YOU that wants to build a tower does not first sit down and calculate the expense, to see if he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, he might lay its foundation but not be able to finish it, and all the onlookers might start to ridicule him, 30 saying, ‘This man started to build but was not able to finish.’ 31 Or what king, marching to meet another king in war, does not first sit down and take counsel whether he is able with ten thousand troops to cope with the one that comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 If, in fact, he cannot do so, then while that one is yet far away he sends out a body of ambassadors and sues for peace. 33 Thus, you may be sure, none of YOU that does not say good-bye to all his belongings can be my disciple.
34 “Salt, to be sure, is fine. But if even the salt loses its strength, with what will it be seasoned? 35 It is suitable neither for soil nor for manure. People throw it outside. Let him that has ears to listen, listen.”
Luke 15:1-32
1 Now all the tax collectors and the sinners kept drawing near to him to hear him. 2 Consequently both the Pharisees and the scribes kept muttering, saying: “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” 3 Then he spoke this illustration to them, saying: 4 “What man of YOU with a hundred sheep, on losing one of them, will not leave the ninety-nine behind in the wilderness and go for the lost one until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it he puts it upon his shoulders and rejoices. 6 And when he gets home he calls his friends and his neighbors together, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost.’ 7 I tell YOU that thus there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner that repents than over ninety-nine righteous ones who have no need of repentance.
8 “Or what woman with ten drachma coins, if she loses one drachma coin, does not light a lamp and sweep her house and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she has found it she calls the women who are her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found the drachma coin that I lost.’ 10 Thus, I tell YOU, joy arises among the angels of God over one sinner that repents.”
11 Then he said: “A certain man had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the part of the property that falls to my share.’ Then he divided his means of living to them. 13 Later, after not many days, the younger son gathered all things together and traveled abroad into a distant country, and there squandered his property by living a debauched life. 14 When he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred throughout that country, and he started to be in need. 15 He even went and attached himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to herd swine. 16 And he used to desire to be filled with the carob pods which the swine were eating, and no one would give him [anything].
17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many hired men of my father are abounding with bread, while I am perishing here from famine! 18 I will rise and journey to my father and say to him: “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Make me as one of your hired men.”’ 20 So he rose and went to his father. While he was yet a long way off, his father caught sight of him and was moved with pity, and he ran and fell upon his neck and tenderly kissed him. 21 Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Make me as one of your hired men.’ 22 But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quick! bring out a robe, the best one, and clothe him with it, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened young bull, slaughter it and let us eat and enjoy ourselves, 24 because this my son was dead and came to life again; he was lost and was found.’ And they started to enjoy themselves.
25 “Now his older son was in the field; and as he came and got near the house he heard a music concert and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants to him and inquired what these things meant. 27 He said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father slaughtered the fattened young bull, because he got him back in good health.’ 28 But he became wrathful and was unwilling to go in. Then his father came out and began to entreat him. 29 In reply he said to his father, ‘Here it is so many years I have slaved for you and never once did I transgress your commandment, and yet to me you never once gave a kid for me to enjoy myself with my friends. 30 But as soon as this your son who ate up your means of living with harlots arrived, you slaughtered the fattened young bull for him.’ 31 Then he said to him, ‘Child, you have always been with me, and all the things that are mine are yours; 32 but we just had to enjoy ourselves and rejoice, because this your brother was dead and came to life, and he was lost and was found.’”
Luke 16:1-31
1 Then he went on to say also to the disciples: “A certain man was rich and he had a steward, and this one was accused to him as handling his goods wastefully. 2 So he called him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Hand in the account of your stewardship, for you can no longer manage the house.’ 3 Then the steward said to himself, ‘What am I to do, seeing that my master will take the stewardship away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, I am ashamed to beg. 4 Ah! I know what I shall do, so that, when I am put out of the stewardship, people will receive me into their homes.’ 5 And calling to him each one of the debtors of his master he proceeded to say to the first, ‘How much are you owing my master?’ 6 He said, ‘A hundred bath measures of olive oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your written agreement back and sit down and quickly write fifty.’ 7 Next, he said to another one, ‘Now you, how much are you owing?’ He said, ‘A hundred cor measures of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your written agreement back and write eighty.’ 8 And his master commended the steward, though unrighteous, because he acted with practical wisdom; for the sons of this system of things are wiser in a practical way toward their own generation than the sons of the light are.
9 “Also, I say to YOU, Make friends for yourselves by means of the unrighteous riches, so that, when such fail, they may receive YOU into the everlasting dwelling places. 10 The person faithful in what is least is faithful also in much, and the person unrighteous in what is least is unrighteous also in much. 11 Therefore, if YOU have not proved yourselves faithful in connection with the unrighteous riches, who will entrust YOU with what is true? 12 And if YOU have not proved yourselves faithful in connection with what is another’s, who will give YOU what is for yourselves? 13 No house servant can be a slave to two masters; for, either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stick to the one and despise the other. YOU cannot be slaves to God and to riches.”
14 Now the Pharisees, who were money lovers, were listening to all these things, and they began to sneer at him. 15 Consequently he said to them: “YOU are those who declare yourselves righteous before men, but God knows YOUR hearts; because what is lofty among men is a disgusting thing in God’s sight.
16 “The Law and the Prophets were until John. From then on the kingdom of God is being declared as good news, and every sort of person is pressing forward toward it. 17 Indeed, it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one particle of a letter of the Law to go unfulfilled.
18 “Everyone that divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he that marries a woman divorced from a husband commits adultery.
19 “But a certain man was rich, and he used to deck himself with purple and linen, enjoying himself from day to day with magnificence. 20 But a certain beggar named Laz´a·rus used to be put at his gate, full of ulcers 21 and desiring to be filled with the things dropping from the table of the rich man. Yes, too, the dogs would come and lick his ulcers. 22 Now in course of time the beggar died and he was carried off by the angels to the bosom [position] of Abraham.
“Also, the rich man died and was buried. 23 And in Ha´des he lifted up his eyes, he existing in torments, and he saw Abraham afar off and Laz´a·rus in the bosom [position] with him. 24 So he called and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Laz´a·rus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in anguish in this blazing fire.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you received in full your good things in your lifetime, but Laz´a·rus correspondingly the injurious things. Now, however, he is having comfort here but you are in anguish. 26 And besides all these things, a great chasm has been fixed between us and YOU people, so that those wanting to go over from here to YOU people cannot, neither may people cross over from there to us.’ 27 Then he said, ‘In that event I ask you, father, to send him to the house of my father, 28 for I have five brothers, in order that he may give them a thorough witness, that they also should not get into this place of torment.’ 29 But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to these.’ 30 Then he said, ‘No, indeed, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them they will repent.’ 31 But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.’”
Luke 17:1-37
1 Then he said to his disciples: “It is unavoidable that causes for stumbling should come. Nevertheless, woe to the one through whom they come! 2 It would be of more advantage to him if a millstone were suspended from his neck and he were thrown into the sea than for him to stumble one of these little ones. 3 Pay attention to yourselves. If your brother commits a sin give him a rebuke, and if he repents forgive him. 4 Even if he sins seven times a day against you and he comes back to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”
5 Now the apostles said to the Lord: “Give us more faith.” 6 Then the Lord said: “If YOU had faith the size of a mustard grain, YOU would say to this black mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea!’ and it would obey YOU.
7 “Who of YOU is there that has a slave plowing or minding the flock who will say to him when he gets in from the field, ‘Come here at once and recline at the table’? 8 Rather, will he not say to him, ‘Get something ready for me to have my evening meal, and put on an apron and minister to me until I am through eating and drinking, and afterward you can eat and drink’? 9 He will not feel gratitude to the slave because he did the things assigned, will he? 10 So YOU, also, when YOU have done all the things assigned to YOU, say, ‘We are good-for-nothing slaves. What we have done is what we ought to have done.’”
11 And while he was going to Jerusalem he was passing through the midst of Sa·mar´i·a and Gal´i·lee. 12 And as he was entering into a certain village ten leprous men met him, but they stood up afar off. 13 And they raised their voices and said: “Jesus, Instructor, have mercy on us!” 14 And when he got sight of them he said to them: “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” Then as they were going off their cleansing occurred. 15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice. 16 And he fell upon his face at [Jesus’] feet, thanking him; furthermore, he was a Sa·mar´i·tan. 17 In reply Jesus said: “The ten were cleansed, were they not? Where, then, are the other nine? 18 Were none found that turned back to give glory to God but this man of another nation?” 19 And he said to him: “Rise and be on your way; your faith has made you well.”
20 But on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, he answered them and said: “The kingdom of God is not coming with striking observableness, 21 neither will people be saying, ‘See here!’ or, ‘There!’ For, look! the kingdom of God is in YOUR midst.”
22 Then he said to the disciples: “Days will come when YOU will desire to see one of the days of the Son of man but YOU will not see [it]. 23 And people will say to YOU, ‘See there!’ or, ‘See here!’ Do not go out or chase after [them]. 24 For even as the lightning, by its flashing, shines from one part under heaven to another part under heaven, so the Son of man will be. 25 First, however, he must undergo many sufferings and be rejected by this generation. 26 Moreover, just as it occurred in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of man: 27 they were eating, they were drinking, men were marrying, women were being given in marriage, until that day when Noah entered into the ark, and the flood arrived and destroyed them all. 28 Likewise, just as it occurred in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building. 29 But on the day that Lot came out of Sod´om it rained fire and sulphur from heaven and destroyed them all. 30 The same way it will be on that day when the Son of man is to be revealed.
31 “On that day let the person that is on the housetop but whose movable things are in the house not come down to pick these up, and the person out in the field, let him likewise not return to the things behind. 32 REMEMBER the wife of Lot. 33 Whoever seeks to keep his soul safe for himself will lose it, but whoever loses it will preserve it alive. 34 I tell YOU, In that night two [men] will be in one bed; the one will be taken along, but the other will be abandoned. 35 There will be two [women] grinding at the same mill; the one will be taken along, but the other will be abandoned.” 36 —— 37 So in response they said to him: “Where, Lord?” He said to them: “Where the body is, there also the eagles will be gathered together.”