Luke 9
He Set His Face Toward Jerusalem
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The Sending of the Twelve
9:1Calling the Twelve together, He gave them power and authority over all demons and to heal diseases.
9:2He sent them to proclaim God’s kingdom and heal the sick.
9:3He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey: neither a staff nor a bag nor bread nor silver; neither are you to have two tunics each.
9:4Whatever house you enter, remain there and depart from there.
9:5Wherever people do not receive you, as you leave that city shake the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.”
9:6They went out and passed through the villages, announcing good news and healing everywhere.
Herod’s Perplexity
9:7Herod the tetrarch heard of everything that was happening and was perplexed, because some were saying that John had been raised from the dead,
9:8others that Elijah had appeared, and others that one of the ancient prophets had arisen.
9:9Herod said, “John I beheaded. But who is this about whom I hear such things?” And he sought to see Him.
The Feeding of the Five Thousand
9:10When the apostles returned, they recounted to Him everything they had done. Taking them with Him, He withdrew privately to a city called Bethsaida.
9:11The crowds learned of it and followed Him. He welcomed them, spoke to them about God’s kingdom, and healed those needing a cure.
9:12The day began to decline. The Twelve approached and said to Him, “Dismiss the crowd, so that they may go into the surrounding villages and countryside, find lodging and obtain provisions, because we are here in a deserted place.”
9:13He said to them, “You give them something to eat.” They said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we ourselves go and buy food for all these people.”
9:14For there were about five thousand men. He said to His disciples, “Have them recline in groups of about fifty each.”
9:15They did so and had everyone recline.
9:16Taking the five loaves and the two fish, He looked up to heaven, blessed them, broke them, and kept giving them to the disciples to set before the crowd.
9:17They all ate and were filled, and the leftover fragments were gathered up: twelve baskets.
Peter’s Confession
9:18While He was praying apart, His disciples were with Him, and He asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?”
9:19They answered, “John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and others that one of the ancient prophets has arisen.”
9:20He said to them, “But you, who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “God’s Christ.”
9:21He sternly commanded them to tell this to no one,
9:22saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things, be rejected by the elders, chief priests and scribes, be killed, and on the third day be raised.”
Taking Up the Cross Daily
9:23He said to everyone, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me.
9:24For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.
9:25For what benefit is there for a person to gain the whole world but destroy or forfeit himself?
9:26Whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His glory and that of the Father and the holy angels.
9:27But truly I tell you, some standing here will certainly not taste death until they see God’s kingdom.”
The Transfiguration
9:28About eight days after these sayings, He took Peter, John and James and went up the mountain to pray.
9:29As He prayed, the appearance of His face became different, and His clothing became white and flashing like lightning.
9:30And behold, two men were speaking with Him, who were Moses and Elijah.
9:31Appearing in glory, they spoke of His departure, which He was about to fulfill in Jerusalem.
9:32Peter and those with him were weighed down with sleep, but when fully awake they saw His glory and the two men standing with Him.
9:33As they were parting from Him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us make three tents, one for You, one for Moses and one for Elijah,” not knowing what he was saying.
9:34While he said this, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud.
9:35A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is My Son, the chosen One; listen to Him.”
9:36When the voice came, Jesus was found alone. They kept silent and in those days reported to no one anything they had seen.
The Boy with an Unclean Spirit
9:37On the following day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met Him.
9:38And behold, a man from the crowd cried out, “Teacher, I beg You to look upon my son, because he is my only child.
9:39Behold, a spirit seizes him, and suddenly he cries out. It convulses him with foaming and scarcely leaves him, bruising him.
9:40I begged Your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.”
9:41Jesus answered, “O faithless and distorted generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.”
9:42While he was still approaching, the demon dashed him down and convulsed him. Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father.
The Son of Man to Be Handed Over
9:43Everyone was overwhelmed at God’s majesty. While they all marveled at everything He was doing, He said to His disciples,
9:44“You, place these words in your ears: the Son of Man is about to be handed over into human hands.”
9:45But they did not understand this saying; it was veiled from them so that they might not perceive it, and they were afraid to ask Him about it.
Who Is the Greatest
9:46A discussion arose among them about which of them might be greatest.
9:47Jesus knew the thought of their heart. He took a child and placed him beside Himself,
9:48and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in My name receives Me; whoever receives Me receives the One who sent Me. For the one who is least among you all is great.”
9:49John answered, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name and tried to stop him, because he does not follow with us.”
9:50Jesus said to him, “Do not stop him, for whoever is not against you is for you.”
A Samaritan Village Refuses Him
9:51As the days of His being taken up were being fulfilled, He set His face firmly to go to Jerusalem.
9:52He sent messengers before His face. They went and entered a Samaritan village to prepare for Him.
9:53But they did not receive Him, because His face was set toward Jerusalem.
9:54Seeing this, the disciples James and John said, “Lord, do You wish us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?”
9:55But He turned and rebuked them.
9:56And they went to another village.
The Cost of Following
9:57As they traveled on the road, someone said to Him, “I will follow You wherever You go.”
9:58Jesus said to him, “Foxes have dens and the birds of the sky have dwelling places, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”
9:59He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.”
9:60He said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead; but you go and proclaim God’s kingdom.”
9:61Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say farewell to those in my house.”
9:62Jesus said, “No one who puts his hand to a plow and looks backward is fit for God’s kingdom.”
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Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · V1 · working draft awaiting specialist review.