Lucas 13

¹ AT that time some were present telling him about the Galilaeans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.

² He answered them, "Do you think that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans because they suffered this?

³ No, I tell you, but unless you have a change of heart, you will all perish in the same way.

⁴ Or those eighteen upon whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were deserving of punishment beyond all the people that dwell at Jerusalem?

⁵ No, I tell you, but unless you have a change of heart, you will all perish just the same."

⁶ He gave this illustration: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard and came looking for fruit on it and found none.

⁷ He said to the gardener, 'See, three years I have been coming, looking for fruit on this fig tree, and I do not find any. Gut it down. Why should we waste land for it?'

⁸ But he answered him, 'Leave it this year too, Sir, until I dig around it and throw on manure.

⁹ Then, if it yields fruit in the future, all right. But if not, then you shall cut it down.'

¹⁰ He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath.

¹¹ And a woman was there who had had a spirit of weakness eighteen years, and was bent together and could not stand up straight.

¹² When Jesus saw her he called to her and said, "Woman, you have been freed from your weakness,"

¹³ and he laid his hands on her. Immediately she was straightened and gave glory to God.

¹⁴ But the synagogue Director, angry because Jesus was healing on the Sabbath, said to the crowd, "There are six days in which work should be done. On those days come and be healed, but not on the Sabbath day."

¹⁵ The Master answered him, "Hypocrite, does not each of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the manger and lead him away and water him?

¹⁶ And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan had bound for eighteen years, to have been freed from this bond on the Sabbath day?"

¹⁷ As he said this, all his opposers were ashamed, and all the crowd rejoiced at all the glorious things that he did.

¹⁸ He said, "To what is the kingdom of God like? To what shall I compare it?

¹⁹ It is like a mustard seed which a man took and cast into his garden. It grew and became a tree and the birds of heaven lodged in its branches."

²⁰ Again he said, "To what shall I compare the kingdom of God?

²¹ It is like yeast which a woman took and hid in three pecks of flour until the whole was leavened."

²² He was journeying through the cities and villages teaching and making his way toward Jerusalem.

²³ A man said to him, "Master, are there few that are saved?" He said to them,

²⁴ "Try hard to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able.

²⁵ After the house-holder has arisen and has shut the door, then you will begin to stand outside and knock at the door, and say, 'Master, open to us.' And he will answer you, 'I do not know you or where you come from.'

²⁶ Then you will begin and say, 'We have eaten and drunk before you and you have taught in our streets.'

²⁷ And he will say to you, 'I do not know where you come from. Go away from me, all you workers of wickedness.'

²⁸ There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and yourselves thrust outside.

²⁹ People will come from the east and the west and from the north and the south and recline at the table in the kingdom of God.

³⁰ Indeed, there are last who will be first and there are first who will be last."

³¹ At that time there came to him some Pharisees, saying, "Go out and leave this place, for Herod purposes to kill you."

³² He said to them, "Go tell that fox, 'See, I am casting out demons and performing cures to-day and to-morrow, and on the third day I will finish.'

³³ But I must journey to-day, and to-morrow and the next day, for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem.

³⁴ Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you, how often would I have gathered your children as a bird gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not have it!

³⁵ See, your house is left to you! I tell you, you will not see me until the day when you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!' "