Sin, Forgiveness, Faith, and Service

17 And he said to his disciples, “It is impossible for causes for stumbling not to come, but woe to him through whom they come! 2 It would be better for him if ⌊a millstone⌋a is placed around his neck and he is thrown into the sea than that he causes one of these little ones to sin.

3 “Be concerned about yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. 4 And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times he returns to you saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”

5 And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” 6 So the Lord said, “If you have faith like a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.

7 “And which of you who has a slave plowing or shepherding sheep* who comes in from the field will say to him, ‘Come here at once and* recline at the table’? 8 Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something that I may eat, and dress yourself to serve me while I eat and drink, and after these things you will eat and drink.’ 9 He will not ⌊be grateful⌋b to the slave because he did what was ordered, will he?* 10 Thus you also, when you have done all the ⌊things you were ordered to do⌋,c say, ‘We are unworthy slaves; we have done what we were obligated to do.’ ”

Ten Lepers Cleansed

11 And it happened that while traveling toward Jerusalem, he was passing through ⌊the region between⌋d Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as* he was entering into a certain village, ten men met him*e—lepers, who stood at a distance. 13 And they raised their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” 14 And when he* saw them* he said to them, “Go and* show yourselves to the priests.” And it happened that as they were going, they were cleansed. 15 But one of them, when he* saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. 16 And he fell on his face at his feet, giving thanks to him. And he was a Samaritan. 17 So Jesus answered and* said, “Were not ten cleansed? And where are the nine? 18 Was no one found to turn back and* give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 And he said to him, “Get up and* go your way. Your faith has saved you.”

The Coming of the Kingdom of God

20 Now when he* was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with ⌊things that can be observed⌋,f 21 nor will they say, ‘Behold, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst.”

The Coming of the Son of Man

22 And he said to the disciples, “Days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.* 23 And they will say to you, ‘Behold, there!’ ‘Behold, here!’g Do not go out or run after them!* 24 For just as the lightning shines forth, flashing from one place under heaven to another place under heaven, so the Son of Man will be in his day. 25 But first it is necessary for him to suffer many things, and to be rejected by this generation. 26 And just as it was in the days of Noah, so also it will be in the days of the Son of Man—27 they were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage, until the day Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 Likewise, just as it was 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 went out from Sodom, it rained fire and sulphur from heaven and destroyed them all. 30 It will be ⌊just the same⌋h on the day that the Son of Man is revealed. 31 On that day, whoever is on the housetop and his goods are in the house must not come down to take them away. And likewise the one who is in the field must not turn back. 32 Remember Lot’s wife! 33 Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses it* will keep it. 34 I tell you that in that night there will be two in one bed; one will be taken and the other will be left. 35 There will be two women* grinding at the same place; one will be taken and the other will be left.”i

37 And they answered and* said to him, “Where, Lord?” So he said to them, “Where the dead body is, there also the vultures will be gathered.”

The Parable of the Unjust Judge

18 And he told them a parable to show that they must always pray and not be discouraged, 2 saying, “There was a certain judge in a certain town who did not fear God and did not respect people. 3 And there was a widow in that town, and she kept coming to him, saying, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary!’ 4 And he was not willing for a time, but after these things he said to himself, ‘Even if I do not fear God or respect people, 5 yet because this widow is causing trouble for me, I will grant her justice, so that she does not wear me down in the end by her* coming back!’ ” 6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unrighteous judge is saying! 7 And will not God surely ⌊see to it that justice is done⌋a to his chosen ones who cry out to him day and night, and will he delay toward them? 8 I tell you that ⌊he will see to it that justice is done⌋b for them soon! Nevertheless, when* the Son of Man comes, then will he find faith on earth?”

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

9 And he also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and looked down on ⌊everyone else⌋:c 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and* prayed these things with reference to himself: ‘God, I give thanks to you that I am not like other people—swindlers, unrighteous people, adulterers, or even like this tax collector! 12 I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far away, did not want even to raise his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than that one! For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Little Children Brought to Jesus

15 Now they were bringing even their* babies to him so that he could touch them. But when* the disciples saw it,* they rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called them to himself, saying, “Allow the children to come to me, and do not forbid them, ⌊for to such belongs⌋d the kingdom of God. 17 Truly I say to you, whoever does not welcome the kingdom of God like a young child will never enter into it.”

A Rich Young Man

18 And a certain ruler asked him, saying, “Good Teacher, by* doing what will I inherit eternal life?” 19 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’ ”e 21 And he said, “All these I have observed from myf youth.” 22 And when he* heard this,* Jesus said to him, “⌊You still lack one thing⌋:g Sell all that you have, and distribute the proceeds* to the poor—and you will have treasure in heaven—and come, follow me.” 23 But when he* heard these things he became very sad, because he was extremely wealthy.

24 And Jesus took notice of himh and* said, “How ⌊difficult it is for⌋i those who possess wealth to enter into the kingdom of God! 25 For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter into the kingdom of God. 26 So those who heard this* said, “And who can be saved?” 27 But he said, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.”

28 And Peter said, “Behold, we have left ⌊all that is ours⌋j and* followed you.” 29 And he said to them, “Truly I say to you that there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children on account of the kingdom of God, 30 who will not receive many times more in this time and in the age to come, eternal life.”

Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection a Third Time

31 And taking aside the twelve, he said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all the things that are written by the prophets with reference to the Son of Man will be accomplished. 32 For he will be handed over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and mistreated and spit on, 33 and after* flogging him* they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise.” 34 And they understood none of these things, and this saying was concealed from them, and they did not comprehend the things that were said.

A Blind Man Healed at Jericho

35 Now it happened that as he drew near to Jericho, a certain blind man was sitting on the side of the road begging. 36 And when he* heard a crowd going by, he inquired what this meant. 37 And they told him, “Jesus the Nazarene is passing by.” 38 And he called out, saying, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 39 And those who were in front rebuked him, that he should be silent, but he cried out ⌊even more loudly⌋,k “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 40 So Jesus stopped and* ordered him to be brought to him. And when* he approached, he asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?” And he said, “Lord, that I may regain my sight. 42 And Jesus said to him, “Regain your sight! Your faith has saved you.” 43 And immediately he regained his sight and began to follow* him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they* saw it,* gave praise to God.

Jesus and Zacchaeus

19 And he entered and* traveled through Jericho. 2 And ⌊there was⌋a a man ⌊named⌋b Zacchaeus, and he was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. 3 And he was seeking to see Jesus—who he was—and he was not able to as a result of the crowd, because he was short in stature. 4 And he ran on ahead and* climbed up into a sycamore tree so that he could see him, because he was going to go through that way. 5 And when he came to the place, Jesus looked up and* said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, because it is necessary for me to stay at your house today!” 6 And he came down quickly and welcomed him joyfully. 7 And when they* saw it,* they all began to complain,* saying, “He has gone in to find lodging with a man who is a sinner!” 8 And Zacchaeus stopped and* said to the Lord, “Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I am giving to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone, I am paying it* back four times as much!” 9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save those who are lost.”

The Parable of the Ten Minas

11 Now while* they were listening to these things, he went on and* told a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and they thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately. 12 Therefore he said, “A certain nobleman traveled to a distant country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return. 13 And summoning ten of his own slaves, he gave them ten minasc and said to them, ‘Do business ⌊until I come back⌋.’d 14 But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to be king over us!’ 15 And it happened that when he returned after* receiving the kingdom, he ordered these slaves to whom he had given the money to be summoned to him, so that he could know what they had gained by trading. 16 So the first arrived, saying, ‘Sir, your mina has made ten minas more!’ 17 And he said to him, ‘Well done, good slave! Because you have been faithful in a very small thing, ⌊have authority⌋e over ten cities.’ 18 And the second came, saying, ‘Sir, your mina has made five minas.’ 19 So he said to this one also, ‘And you be over five cities.’ 20 And another came, saying, ‘Sir, behold your mina, which I had put away for safekeeping in a piece of cloth. 21 For I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man—you withdraw what you did not deposit, and you reap what you did not sow!’ 22 He said to him, ‘⌊By your own words⌋f I will judge you, wicked slave! You knew that I am a severe man, withdrawing what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow. 23 And why did you not give my money to the bank, and I, when I* returned, would have collected it with interest?’ 24 And to the bystanders he said, ‘Take away from him the mina and give it* to the one who has the ten minas!’ 25 And they said to him, ‘Sir, he has ten minas.’ 26 ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given. But from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 27 But these enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them* here and slaughter them in my presence!’ ”

The Triumphal Entry

28 And after he* had said these things, he traveled on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29 And it happened that when he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, to the hillg called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, 30 saying, ‘Go into the village in front of you, in which as you* enter you will find a colt tied, on which ⌊no person has ever⌋h sat, and untie it and* bring it.* 31 And if anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’* you will say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’ ” 32 So those who were sent went and* found it* just as he had told them. 33 And as* they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, ‘Why are you untying the colt?’ 34 So they said, ‘The Lord has need of it.’ 35 And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they put Jesus on it. 36 And as* he was going along, they were spreading out their cloaks on the road. 37 Now as* he was drawing near by this time to the descent from the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of the disciples began rejoicing to praise God with a loud voice for all the miracles that they had seen, 38 saying,

“Blessed is the king,

the one who comes in the name of the Lord!i

Peace in heaven

and glory in the highest!”

39 And some of the Pharisees from the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” 40 And he answered and* said, “I tell you thatj if these keep silent, the stones will cry out!”

Jesus Weeps over Jerusalem

41 And when he approached and* saw the city, he wept over it, 42 saying, “If you had known on this day—even you—the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For days will come upon you and your enemies will put up an embankmentk against you, and will surround you and press you hard from all directions. 44 And they will raze you to the ground, you and your children within you, and will not leave a stone upon a stone within you, ⌊because⌋l you did not recognize the time of your visitation.”

The Cleansing of the Temple

45 And he entered into the temple courts* and* began to drive out those who were selling, 46 saying to them, “It is written, ‘And my house will be a house of prayer,’m but you have made it a cave of robbers!”

47 And he was teaching every day in the temple courts,* and the chief priests and the scribes and the most prominent men of the people were seeking to destroy him. 48 And they did not find anything they could do, because all the people were paying close attention to what they were hearing from him.