Category: Scripture

About this time, Jesus was informed that Pilate had murdered some people from Galilee as they were offering sacrifices at the Temple. “Do you think that those Galileans were worse sinners than all the other people from Galilee?” Jesus asked. “Is that why they suffered? Not at all! And you will perish, too, unless you repent of our sins and turn to God. And what about the eighteen people who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them? Were they the worst sinners in Jerusalem? Nom and I tell you again, unless you repent, you will perish, too.” (vv. 1-5, NLT)

Meanwhile, the crowd grew until thousands were milling about and stepping on each other. Jesus turned first to His disciples and warned them, “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees – their hypocrisy. The time is coming when everything that is covered up will be revealed, and al that is secret will be made know to all. Whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be shouted from the rooftops for all to hear!”

“Dear friends, don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot do anything more to you after that. But I’ll tell you whom to fear. Fear God, who has the power to kill you and throw you into hell. Yes, He is the one to fear.”

“What is the price of five sparrows – two copper coins? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.”

“I tell you the truth, everyone who acknowledges Me publicly her on earth, the Son of Man will also acknowledge in the presence of God’s angels. But anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.:”

“And when you are brought into trial in the synagogues and before rulers and authorities, don’t worry about how to defend yourself or what to say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what needs to be said.” (vv 1-12, NLT)

One day Jesus cast out a demon from a man who couldn’t speak, and when the demon was gone, the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed, but some of them said, “No wonder He casts out demons. He gets His power from Satan, the prince of demons.” Others, trying to test Jesus, demanded that He show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove His authority.

He knew their thoughts, so He said, “Any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A family splintered by feuding will fall apart. You say that I am empowered by Satan. But if Satan is divided and fighting against himself, how can his kingdom survive? And if I am empowered by Satan, what about your own exorcists? They cast out demons, too, so they will condemn you for what you have said. But if I am casting out demons by the power of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you. For when a strong man like Satan is fully armed and guards his palace, he possessions are safe – until someone even stronger attacks and overpowers him, strips him of his weapons, and carries off his belongings.”

“Anyone who isn’t with Me opposes Me, and anyone who isn’t working with Me is actually working against me.”

“When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, searching for rest. But when it finds none, it says, ‘I will return to the person I cam from.’ So it returns and finds that its former home is all swept and in order. Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they will all enter the person who lives there. And so that person is worse off than before.”

As he was speaking, a woman in the crown called out. “God bless Your mother – the womb from which You came, and the breasts that nursed You!””

Jesus replied,”But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.” (vv. 14-28, NLT)

At that same time, Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, and he said, “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank You for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the child-like. Yes, Father, it pleased You to do it this way. “

“My Father has entrusted everything to Me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.”

Then when they were alone, He turned to the disciples and said, “Blessed are the eyes that that see what you have seen. I tell you, many prophets and kings longed to see what you see, but they didn’t see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn’t hear it.” (vv. 21-24, NLT)

One day Jesus called together His twelve disciples and gave them the power and authority to cast out all demons and to heal all diseases. Then He sent them out to tell everyone about the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick. “Take nothing for your journey”, He instructed them. “Don’t take a walking stick, a traveler’s bag, food, money, or even a change of clothes. Wherever you go, stay in the same house until you leave town. And if a town refuses to welcome you, shake the dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned these people to their fate.”

So they began their circuit of the villages and preaching the Good News and healing the sick. (vv. 1-6, NLT)

Soon afterward, Jesus began a tour of the villages, preaching and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom of God. He took His twelve disciples with Him, along with some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases. Among them were Mary Magdalene, from whom He had cast out seven demons; Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s business manager; Susanna; and many others who were contributing from their own resources to support Jesus and His disciples. (vv. 1-3, NLT)

When Jesus had finished saying all this to the people, he returned to Capernaum. At that time the highly valued slave of a Roman officer was sick and near death. When the officer heard about Jesus, he sent someone respected Jewish elders to ask Him to come and heal his slave. So they earnestly begged Jesus to help the man. “If anyone deserves Your help, he does,”they said, “for he loves the Jewish people and even built a synagogue for us.”

So Jesus went with them. But just before they arrived at his house, the officer sent some friends to say, “Lord don’t trouble yourself by coming to my home, for I am not worthy of such an honor. I am not even worth to come and meet You. Just say the word from where You are, and my servant will be healed.” I know that because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come, and they come. An d if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this’, they do it.”

When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to the crowd that was following him, he said, “I tell you, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel!” And when the officer’s friends returned to his house, they found the slave completely healed. (vv, 1-10, NLT)

“But you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. Do to others as you would like them to do to you. “

“If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them! And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much! And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to others sinners for a full return.”

“Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for He is kind to those who are unfaithful and wicked. You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.” (vv. 27-36, NLT)

Later, as Jesus left the town, He was a tax collector named Levi sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow Me and be My disciples, “Jesus said to him. So Levi got up, left everything and followed Him.

Later, Levi held a banquet in his home with Jesus as the guest of honor. Many of Levi’s fellow tax collectors and other guests also ate with them. But the Pharisees and their teachers of religious law complained bitterly to Jesus’ disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with such scum?”

Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor – sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.” (vv. 27-32, NLT)

Then Jesus returned to Galilee, filled with the Holy Spirit’s power. Reports about Him spread quickly through the whole region. He taught regularly in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.

When He came to the village3 of Nazareth, His b0yhood home, He went as usually to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures. The scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to him and found the place where this was written:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for He has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, and the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.”

He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down. All eyes in the synagogue looked at Him intently. Then He began to speak to them, ” The Scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!”

Everyone spoke well of Him and was amazed by the gracious words that came for His lips. “How can this be?” they asked. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?”

Then He said, “You will undoubtedly quote me this proverb: ‘Physician, heal yourself – meaning, ‘Do miracles here in your hometown like those you did in Capernaum.’ But I tell you the truth, no prophet is accepted in his own hometown.

Certainly thre were many needy widos in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the heavens were closed for three and a half years, and a severe famine devastated the land. Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them. He was sent instead to a foreigner – a widow of Zarephath in the land of Sidon. And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, but the only one healed was Naaman, a Syrian.”

When they heard this, the people in the synagogue were furious. Jumping up, they mobbed Him and forced Him to the edge of the hill on which the town was built. They intended to push Him over a cliff, but He passed right through the crowd and went on His way. (vv. 14-30, NLT)