Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Disciples

9 Jesus called the Twelve together. He gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to heal sicknesses. 2Then he sent them out to preach about God’s kingdom and to heal those who were sick.

3He told them, “Don’t take anything for the journey. Do not take a walking stick or a bag. Do not take any bread, money or extra clothes. 4When you are invited into a house, stay there until you leave town. 5Some people may not welcome you. If they don’t, shake the dust off your feet when you leave their town. This will be a witness against the people living there.”

6So the Twelve left. They went from village to village. They preached the good news and healed people everywhere.

7Now Herod, the ruler of Galilee, heard about everything that was going on. He was bewildered, because some were saying that John the Baptist had been raised from the dead. 8Others were saying that Elijah had appeared. Still others were saying that a prophet of long ago had come back to life. 9But Herod said, “I had John’s head cut off. So who is it that I hear such things about?” And he tried to see Jesus.

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

10The apostles returned. They told Jesus what they had done. Then he took them with him. They went off by themselves to a town called Bethsaida. 11But the crowds learned about it and followed Jesus. He welcomed them and spoke to them about God’s kingdom. He also healed those who needed to be healed.

12Late in the afternoon the Twelve came to him. They said, “Send the crowd away. They can go to the nearby villages and countryside. There they can find food and a place to stay. There is nothing here.”

13Jesus replied, “You give them something to eat.”

The disciples answered, “We have only five loaves of bread and two fish. We would have to go and buy food for all this crowd.” 14About 5,000 men were there.

But Jesus said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about 50 each.” 15The disciples did so, and everyone sat down.

16Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish. He looked up to heaven and gave thanks. He broke them into pieces. Then he gave them to the disciples to set in front of the people. 17All of them ate and were satisfied. The disciples picked up 12 baskets of leftover pieces.

Peter Says That Jesus Is the Christ

18One day Jesus was praying alone. Only his disciples were with him. He asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?”

19They replied, “Some say John the Baptist. Others say Elijah. Still others say that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.”

20“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

Peter answered, “The Christ of God.”

21Jesus strongly warned them not to tell this to anyone. 22He said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things. The elders will not accept him. The chief priests and teachers of the law will not accept him either. He must be killed and on the third day rise from the dead.”

23Then he said to all of them, “If anyone wants to follow me, he must say no to himself. He must pick up his cross every day and follow me. 24If he wants to save his life, he will lose it. But if he loses his life for me, he will save it. 25What good is it if someone gains the whole world but loses or gives up his very self?

26“Suppose you are ashamed of me and my words. The Son of Man will come in his glory and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels. Then he will be ashamed of you.

27“What I’m about to tell you is true. Some who are standing here will not die before they see God’s kingdom.”

Jesus’ Appearance Is Changed

28About eight days after Jesus said this, he went up on a mountain to pray. He took Peter, John and James with him.

29As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed. His clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. 30Two men, Moses and Elijah, 31appeared in shining glory. Jesus and the two of them talked together. They spoke about his coming death. He was going to die soon in Jerusalem.

32Peter and his companions had been very sleepy. But then they became completely awake. They saw Jesus’ glory and the two men standing with him.

33As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter spoke up. “Master,” he said to him, “it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters. One will be for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He didn’t really know what he was saying.

34While Jesus was speaking, a cloud appeared. It surrounded them. The disciples were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35A voice came from the cloud. It said, “This is my Son, and I have chosen him. Listen to him.” 36When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone.

The disciples kept quiet about this. They didn’t tell anyone at that time what they had seen.

Jesus Heals a Boy Who Had an Evil Spirit

37The next day Jesus and those who were with him came down from the mountain. A large crowd met Jesus.

38A man in the crowd called out. “Teacher,” he said, “I beg you to look at my son. He is my only child. 39A spirit takes hold of him, and he suddenly screams. It throws him into fits so that he foams at the mouth. It hardly ever leaves him. It is destroying him. 40I begged your disciples to drive it out. But they couldn’t do it.”

41“You unbelieving and evil people!” Jesus replied. “How long do I have to stay with you? How long do I have to put up with you?”

Then he said to the man, “Bring your son here.”

42Even while the boy was coming, the demon threw him into a fit. The boy fell to the ground. But Jesus ordered the evil spirit to leave the boy. Then Jesus healed him and gave him back to his father. 43They were all amazed at God’s greatness.

Everyone was wondering about all that Jesus did. Then Jesus said to his disciples, 44“Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you. The Son of Man is going to be handed over to men.” 45But they didn’t understand what this meant. That was because it was hidden from them. And they were afraid to ask Jesus about it.

Who Is the Most Important Person?

46The disciples began to argue about which one of them would be the most important person. 47Jesus knew what they were thinking. So he took a little child and had the child stand beside him.

48Then he spoke to them. “Anyone who welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me,” he said. “And anyone who welcomes me welcomes the One who sent me. The least important person among all of you is the most important.”

49“Master,” said John, “we saw a man driving out demons in your name. We tried to stop him, because he is not one of us.”

50“Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “Anyone who is not against you is for you.”

The Samaritans Do Not Welcome Jesus

51The time grew near for Jesus to be taken up to heaven. So he made up his mind to go to Jerusalem. 52He sent messengers on ahead. They went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him. 53But the people there did not welcome Jesus. That was because he was heading for Jerusalem.

54The disciples James and John saw this. They asked, “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to destroy them?”

55But Jesus turned and commanded them not to do it. 56They went on to another village.

It Costs to Follow Jesus

57Once Jesus and those who were with him were walking along the road. A man said to Jesus, “I will follow you no matter where you go.”

58Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes. Birds of the air have nests. But the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”

59He said to another man, “Follow me.”

But the man replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”

60Jesus said to him, “Let dead people bury their own dead. You go and tell others about God’s kingdom.”

61Still another man said, “I will follow you, Lord. But first let me go back and say good-by to my family.”

62Jesus replied, “Suppose you start to plow and then look back. If you do, you are not fit for service in God’s kingdom.”

Jesus Sends Out the Seventy-two

10 After this the Lord appointed 72 others. He sent them out two by two ahead of him. They went to every town and place where he was about to go.

2He told them, “The harvest is huge, but the workers are few. So ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest field.

3“Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4Do not take a purse or bag or sandals. And don’t greet anyone on the road.

5“When you enter a house, first say, ‘May this house be blessed with peace.’ 6If someone there loves peace, your blessing of peace will rest on him. If not, it will return to you. 7Stay in that house. Eat and drink anything they give you. Workers are worthy of their pay. Do not move around from house to house.

8“When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set down in front of you. 9Heal the sick people who are there. Tell them, ‘God’s kingdom is near you.’

10“But what if you enter a town and are not welcomed? Then go into its streets and say, 11‘We wipe off even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet. We do it to show that God isn’t pleased with you. But here is what you can be sure of. God’s kingdom is near.’

12“I tell you this. On judgment day it will be easier for Sodom than for that town.

13“How terrible it will be for you, Korazin! How terrible for you, Bethsaida! Suppose the miracles done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon. They would have turned away from their sins long ago. They would have put on black clothes. They would have sat down in ashes. 14On judgment day it will be easier for Tyre and Sidon than for you.

15“And what about you, Capernaum? Will you be lifted up to heaven? No! You will go down to the place of the dead.

16“Anyone who listens to you listens to me. Anyone who does not accept you does not accept me. And anyone who does not accept me does not accept the One who sent me.”

17The 72 returned with joy. They said, “Lord, even the demons obey us when we speak in your name.”

18Jesus replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19I have given you authority to walk all over snakes and scorpions. You will be able to destroy all the power of the enemy. Nothing will harm you. 20But do not be glad when the evil spirits obey you. Instead, be glad that your names are written in heaven.”

21At that time Jesus was full of joy through the Holy Spirit. He said, “I praise you, Father. You are Lord of heaven and earth. You have hidden these things from the wise and educated. But you have shown them to little children. Yes, Father. This is what you wanted.

22“My Father has given all things to me. The Father is the only one who knows who the Son is. And the only ones who know the Father are the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to make the Father known.”

23Then Jesus turned to his disciples. He said to them in private, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. 24I tell you, many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see. But they didn’t see it. They wanted to hear what you hear. But they didn’t hear it.”

The Story of the Good Samaritan

25One day an authority on the law stood up to put Jesus to the test. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to receive eternal life?”

26“What is written in the Law?” Jesus replied. “How do you understand it?”

27He answered, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Love him with all your strength and with all your mind.’ (Deuteronomy 6:5) And, ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’ ” (Leviticus 19:18)

28“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do that, and you will live.”

29But the man wanted to make himself look good. So he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

30Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho. Robbers attacked him. They stripped off his clothes and beat him. Then they went away, leaving him almost dead. 31A priest happened to be going down that same road. When he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32A Levite also came by. When he saw the man, he passed by on the other side too.

33But a Samaritan came to the place where the man was. When he saw the man, he felt sorry for him. 34He went to him, poured olive oil and wine on his wounds and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey. He took him to an inn and took care of him. 35The next day he took out two silver coins. He gave them to the owner of the inn. ‘Take care of him,’ he said. ‘When I return, I will pay you back for any extra expense you may have.’

36“Which of the three do you think was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by robbers?”

37The authority on the law replied, “The one who felt sorry for him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do as he did.”

Jesus at the Home of Martha and Mary

38Jesus and his disciples went on their way. Jesus came to a village where a woman named Martha lived. She welcomed him into her home. 39She had a sister named Mary.

Mary sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40But Martha was busy with all the things that had to be done. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, my sister has left me to do the work by myself. Don’t you care? Tell her to help me!”

41“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered. “You are worried and upset about many things. 42But only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better. And it will not be taken away from her.”

Jesus Teaches About Prayer

11 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples spoke to him. “Lord,” he said, “teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”

2Jesus said to them, “When you pray, this is what you should say.

“ ‘Father,

may your name be honored.

May your kingdom come.

3 Give us each day our daily bread.

4 Forgive us our sins,

as we also forgive everyone who sins against us.

Keep us from falling into sin when we are tempted.’ ”

5Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose someone has a friend. He goes to him at midnight. He says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread. 6A friend of mine on a journey has come to stay with me. I have nothing for him to eat.’

7“Then the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked. My children are with me in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’

8“I tell you, that person will not get up. And he won’t give the man bread just because he is his friend. But because the man keeps on asking, he will get up. He will give him as much as he needs.

9“So here is what I say to you. Ask, and it will be given to you. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you. 10Everyone who asks will receive. He who searches will find. And the door will be opened to the one who knocks.

11“Fathers, suppose your son asks for a fish. Which of you will give him a snake instead? 12Or suppose he asks for an egg. Which of you will give him a scorpion? 13Even though you are evil, you know how to give good gifts to your children. How much more will your Father who is in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Jesus and Beelzebub

14Jesus was driving out a demon. The man who had the demon could not speak. When the demon left, the man began to speak. The crowd was amazed.

15But some of them said, “Jesus is driving out demons by the power of Beelzebub, the prince of demons.” 16Others put Jesus to the test by asking for a miraculous sign from heaven.

17Jesus knew what they were thinking. So he said to them, “Any kingdom that fights against itself will be destroyed. A family that is divided against itself will fall. 18If Satan fights against himself, how can his kingdom stand?

“I say this because of what you claim. You say I drive out demons by the power of Beelzebub. 19Suppose I do drive out demons with Beelzebub’s help. With whose help do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 20But suppose I drive out demons with the help of God’s powerful finger. Then God’s kingdom has come to you.

21“When a strong man is completely armed and guards his house, what he owns is safe. 22But when someone stronger attacks, he is overpowered. The attacker takes away the armor the man had trusted in. Then he divides up what he has stolen.

23“Anyone who is not with me is against me. Anyone who does not gather sheep with me scatters them.

24“What happens when an evil spirit comes out of a man? It goes through dry areas looking for a place to rest. But it doesn’t find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ 25When it arrives there, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. 26Then the evil spirit goes and takes seven other spirits more evil than itself. They go in and live there. That man is worse off than before.”

27As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out. She shouted, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.”

28He replied, “Instead, blessed are those who hear God’s word and obey it.”

The Miraculous Sign of Jonah

29As the crowds grew larger, Jesus spoke to them. “The people of today are evil,” he said. “They ask for a miraculous sign from God. But none will be given except the sign of Jonah. 30He was a sign from God to the people of Nineveh. In the same way, the Son of Man will be a sign from God to the people of today.

31“The Queen of the South will stand up on judgment day with the men now living. And she will prove that they are guilty. She came from very far away to listen to Solomon’s wisdom. And now one who is more important than Solomon is here.

32“The men of Nineveh will stand up on judgment day with the people now living. And the Ninevites will prove that those people are guilty. The men of Nineveh turned away from their sins when Jonah preached to them. And now one who is more important than Jonah is here.

The Eye Is the Lamp of the Body

33“No one lights a lamp and hides it. No one puts it under a bowl. Instead, people put a lamp on its stand. Then those who come in can see the light.

34“Your eye is like a lamp for your body. Suppose your eyes are good. Then your whole body also is full of light. But suppose your eyes are bad. Then your body also is full of darkness. 35So make sure that the light inside you is not darkness.

36“Suppose your whole body is full of light. And suppose no part of it is dark. Then your body will be completely lit up. It will be as when the light of a lamp shines on you.”

Six Warnings

37Jesus finished speaking. Then a Pharisee invited him to eat with him. So Jesus went in and took his place at the table. 38But the Pharisee noticed that Jesus did not wash before the meal. He was surprised.

39Then the Lord spoke to him. “You Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish,” he said. “But inside you are full of greed and evil. 40You foolish people! Didn’t the one who made the outside make the inside also? 41Give to poor people what is inside the dish. Then everything will be clean for you.

42“How terrible it will be for you Pharisees! You give God a tenth of your garden plants, such as mint and rue. But you have forgotten to be fair and to love God. You should have practiced the last things without failing to do the first.

43“How terrible for you Pharisees! You love the most important seats in the synagogues. You love having people greet you in the market places.

44“How terrible for you! You are like graves that are not marked. People walk over them without knowing it.”

45An authority on the law spoke to Jesus. He said, “Teacher, when you say things like that, you say bad things about us too.”

46Jesus replied, “How terrible for you authorities on the law! You put such heavy loads on people that they can hardly carry them. But you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.

47“How terrible for you! You build tombs for the prophets. It was your people of long ago who killed them. 48So you give witness that you agree with what your people did long ago. They killed the prophets, and now you build the prophets’ tombs.

49“So God in his wisdom said, ‘I will send prophets and apostles to them. They will kill some. And they will try to hurt others.’ 50So the people of today will be punished. They will pay for all the prophets’ blood spilled since the world began. 51I mean from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the temple. Yes, I tell you, the people of today will be punished for all these things.

52“How terrible for you authorities on the law! You have taken away the key to the door of knowledge. You yourselves have not entered. And you have stood in the way of those who were entering.”

53When Jesus left there, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law strongly opposed him. They threw a lot of questions at him. 54They set traps for him. They wanted to catch him in something he might say.