Luke 13
1 Just at that time people came to tell Him about the Galilaeans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
Some people who were [listening to Jesus] at that time told him about some people from Galilee [district who had gone to Jerusalem]. Pilate, [the Roman governor], had [ordered soldiers to] kill them [MTY] while they were offering sacrifices [in the Temple there].
2 "Do you suppose," He asked in reply, "that those Galilaeans were worse sinners than the mass of the Galilaeans, because this happened to them?
Jesus replied to them, “Do you think [that this happened to those] people from Galilee [because] they were more sinful than all the other people from Galilee?
3 I tell you, certainly not. On the contrary, if you are not penitent you will all perish as they did.
I assure you, [that was] not [so]! But instead of [being concerned about them, you need to remember that God] will similarly punish you [eternally] if you do not turn away from your sinful behavior.
4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower at Siloam fell, do you suppose they had failed in their duty more than all the rest of the people who live in Jerusalem?
Or, [consider] the 18 people who died when the tower at Siloam [outside Jerusalem] fell on them. Do you think [that this happened to them because] they were more sinful than all the other people who lived in Jerusalem?
5 I tell you, certainly not. On the contrary, if you do not repent you will all perish just as they did."
I assure you, [that was] not so! But instead, you [need to realize that God] will similarly punish you [eternally] if you do not stop your sinful behavior!”
6 And He gave them the following parable. "A man," He said, "who had a fig-tree growing in his garden came to look for fruit on it and could find none.
Then Jesus told them this illustration [to show what God would do to the Jews, whom he continually blessed, but who did not do things that please him]: “A man planted a fig tree on his farmland. ([Each year/Many times]) he came to it looking for figs, but there were no figs.
7 So he said to the gardener, "'See, this is the third year I have come to look for fruit on this fig-tree and cannot find any. Cut it down. Why should so much ground be actually wasted?'
Then he said to the gardener, ‘Look [here]! I have been looking for fruit on this fig tree every year for the past three years, but there have been no figs. Cut it down! (It is just using up the nutrients in the soil for nothing!/Why should it continue using up the [nutrients in] the soil [for nothing]?) [RHQ]’
8 "But the gardener pleaded, "'Leave it, Sir, this year also, till I have dug round it and manured it.
But the gardener replied to the owner, ‘Sir, leave it here for another year. I will dig around it and put manure around it.
9 If after that it bears fruit, well and good; if it does not, then you shall cut it down.'"
If it bears fruit next year, we [(inc)] will allow it to keep growing. If it does not bear fruit next year, you [(sg)] can cut it down.’”
10 Once He was teaching on the Sabbath in one of the synagogues
One (Sabbath/Jewish day of rest), [Jesus] was teaching people in one of the Jewish meeting places.
11 where a woman was present who for eighteen years had been a confirmed invalid: she was bent double, and was unable to lift herself to her full height.
There was a woman there whom an evil spirit [MTY] had crippled for 18 years. She was always bent over; she could not stand up straight.
12 But Jesus saw her, and calling to her, He said to her, "Woman, you are free from your weakness."
When Jesus saw her, he called her over to him. He said to her, “Woman, [I am] freeing you [(sg)] from your illness!”
13 And He put His hands on her, and she immediately stood upright and began to give glory to God.
He put his hands on her. Immediately she stood up straight, and she praised God!
14 Then the Warden of the Synagogue, indignant that Jesus had cured her on a Sabbath, said to the crowd, "There are six days in the week on which people ought to work. On those days therefore come and get yourselves cured, and not on the Sabbath day."
But the man in charge (of the synagogue/of the meeting place) was angry because Jesus had healed her (on the Sabbath/on the Jewish rest day). [He considered that healing was doing work]. So he said to the people, “There are six days [each week] in which [our Jewish] laws permit people to work. [If you need healing], those are the days to come ([to the synagogue/to the meeting place]) and be healed. Do not come on our Jewish day of rest!”
15 But the Lord's reply to him was, "Hypocrites, does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his bullock or his ass from the stall and lead him to water?
Then the Lord replied to him, “You [(sg) and your fellow religious leaders are] hypocrites! (On the Sabbath/On our Jewish day of rest), [just like on every other day], (each of you unties his ox or donkey, and then leads it from the food trough to where it can drink water./does not each of you untie his ox or donkey, and then lead it from the food trough to where it can drink water?) [RHQ] [That is work, too]!
16 And this woman, daughter of Abraham as she is, whom Satan had bound for no less than eighteen years, was she not to be loosed from this chain because it is the Sabbath day?"
This woman [is more important than an animal; she is a Jew], descended from Abraham! But Satan has [kept her] [MET] [crippled] for 18 years, [as though] he had tied her up [and not let her escape]! So (it is certainly right that she be freed {that [I] free her}, [even if this] is a Sabbath day!/was it not right that she be freed {that [I] free her}, [even if this] is a Jewish rest day?) [RHQ]”
17 When He had said this, all His opponents were ashamed, while the whole multitude was delighted at the many glorious things continually done by Him.
After Jesus said that, all the people [there] who opposed him were ashamed. But all the [other] people [there] were happy about all the wonderful things he was doing.
18 This prompted Him to say, "What is the Kingdom of God like? and to what shall I compare it?
Then Jesus said, “(I will tell you how [the number of people who let] God rule [MET] [their lives will increase]./Do you know how [the number of people who let] God rule [MET] [their lives will increase]?) [RHQ] I will tell you what I can compare it to.
19 It is like a mustard seed which a man drops into the soil in his garden, and it grows and becomes a tree in whose branches the birds roost."
It is like a [tiny] mustard seed that a man planted in his field. It grew until it became [big, like] a tree. It was [so big that] birds built nests in its branches.”
20 And again He said, "To what shall I compare the Kingdom of God?
Then he said, “I will tell [RHQ] you something else, to illustrate how the people who let God rule [MET] [their lives can influence their society more and more].
21 It is like yeast which a woman takes and buries in a bushel of flour, to work there till the whole is leavened."
It is like [a little bit of] yeast that a woman mixed with about 50 pounds of flour. [That small amount of yeast made] the whole batch of dough swell up.”
22 He was passing through town after town and village after village, steadily proceeding towards Jerusalem,
[Jesus] continued traveling, along [with his disciples], through various towns and villages on the way to Jerusalem. As they went, he was teaching [the people].
23 when some one asked Him, "Sir, are there but few who are to be saved?"
Someone asked him, “Lord, will there be only a few people who are saved {whom [God] saves}?” He replied to them, “[There will not be many, because] the way [to heaven] [MET] is [like] a narrow door.
24 "Strain every nerve to force your way in through the narrow gate," He answered; "for multitudes, I tell you, will endeavour to find a way in and will not succeed.
[Therefore, try hard] to enter that narrow doorway, because I tell you that many people will try to enter [heaven by some other way], but they will not be able to get in.
25 As soon as the Master of the house shall have risen and shut the door, and you have begun to stand outside and knock at the door and say, "'Sir, open the door for us' --"'I do not know you,' He answers; 'you are no friends of mine.'
[God is like] the owner of a house. [Some day] he will lock his door. Then [some of] you will begin to stand outside that door and knock. You will say, ‘Lord, open the door for us!’ But he will reply, ‘[No, I will not open it, because] I do not know you, and I do not know where you are from!’
26 "Then you will plead, "'We have eaten and drunk in your company and you have taught in our streets.'
Then you will say, ‘([You must have forgotten!/Surely you know us, because]) [RHQ] we [(exc)] ate [meals] with you [(sg)], and you taught [people] in the streets of our [towns]’!
27 "But He will reply, "'I tell you that you are no friends of mine. Begone from me, all of you, wrongdoers that you are.'
But he will say, ‘[I tell you again], I do not know you, and I do not know where you are from. You [are] wicked people! Get away from here!’”
28 "There will be the weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the Prophets in the Kingdom of God, and yourselves being driven far away.
Then Jesus continued, saying, “[From where God will send you], you will see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the distance. All the prophets [who lived long ago will also be there], in the kingdom where God [is ruling]. But you will be outside, crying and grinding your teeth [because you will have severe pain]!
29 They will come from east and west, from north and south, and will sit down at the banquet in the Kingdom of God.
Furthermore, many [non-Jewish] people will [be inside]. There will be ones who have come from [lands to] the north, east, south, and west. They will be feasting in (that place where God is ruling/God’s kingdom).
30 And I tell you that some now last will then be first, and some now first will then be last."
Think about this: Some people whom others do not [consider] important [now, God will make] them very important [then], and some people whom [others consider] very important [now, God will make] to be not important [then].”
31 Just at that time there came some Pharisees who warned Him, saying, "Leave this place and continue your journey; Herod means to kill you."
At that very time, some Pharisees came and said to Jesus, “Leave this area, because [the ruler] Herod [Antipas] wants to kill you [(sg)]!”
32 "Go," He replied, "and take this message to that fox: "'See, to-day and to-morrow I am driving out demons and effecting cures, and on the third day I finish my course.'
He replied to them, “Herod is [MET] [as cruel as] a fox, [but also as insignificant as a fox]. [So I do not worry about him]. But [to show him that no one can harm me until it is the time and place God has determined], go tell him this [message from me]: ‘Listen! I am expelling demons and performing miracles today, and [I will continue doing] it for a short time. After that, I will finish my work.
33 "Yet I must continue my journey to-day and to-morrow and the day following; for it is not conceivable that a Prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem.
But I must continue my trip [to Jerusalem] during the coming days, because [they killed many other] prophets there, and [since I am also a prophet], no other place is appropriate for people to kill [me].’”
34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou who murderest the Prophets and stonest those who have been sent to thee, how often have I desired to gather thy children just as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not come!
[Then Jesus said], “O [people of] [MTY] Jerusalem [APO]! You killed the prophets [who lived long ago, and you killed others], whom [God] sent to you, [by throwing] stones [at them]. Many times I wanted to gather you together [to protect you] [SIM] like a hen gathers her young chicks under her wings. But you did not want [me to do that].
35 See, your house is left to you. But I tell you that you will never see me again until you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!'"
So listen to this: Your city [MTY] (OR, your temple) is going to be abandoned (OR, God will no longer protect it). I will [MTY] also tell you this: I [will enter your city only once more. After that], you will not see me until the time when [I return and] you say [about me], ‘God is truly pleased with this man who comes with God’s authority [MTY]!’”
