Luke 13
1 At that same time, some who were present told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.
2 He answered, “Do you think these Galileans were greater sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered these things?
3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish in the same way.
4 Or those eighteen people on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think they were more guilty than all the people living in Jerusalem?
5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish in the same way.”
6 And he told this parable: “Someone had a fig tree planted in his vineyard. He came looking for fruit on it and found none.
7 So he said to the gardener, ‘Look, for three years I have been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree, and I have found none. Cut it down! Why should it keep using up the ground?’
8 But he answered, ‘Sir, leave it for this year too, until I dig around it and put manure on it.
9 Perhaps it will bear fruit in the future; if not, you can cut it down.’”
10 Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath.
11 And there was a woman there who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all.
12 When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, “Woman, you are freed from your disability.”
13 He laid his hands on her, and at once she straightened up and glorified God.
14 But the synagogue leader, indignant that Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the crowd, “There are six days when work should be done. Come on those days to be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.”
15 The Lord answered him, “Hypocrites! Doesn’t each of you untie his ox or donkey from the manger on the Sabbath and lead it away to give it water?
16 And shouldn’t this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan had bound for eighteen years, be released from this bond on the Sabbath day?”
17 As he said these things, all his opponents were put to shame, and the whole crowd rejoiced over all the glorious things he was doing.
18 Then he said, “What is the Kingdom of God like, and what shall I compare it to?
19 It is like a mustard seed that someone took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds of the sky nested in its branches.”
20 And again he said, “What shall I compare the Kingdom of God to?
21 It is like yeast that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until the whole batch was leavened.”
22 He traveled through cities and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem.
23 Someone said to him, “Lord, are only a few people being saved?” He said to them:
24 “Strive to enter through the narrow door, because I tell you, many will try to enter and will not be able.
25 When the owner of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin standing outside and knocking, saying, ‘Sir, open the door for us,’ he will answer you, ‘I don’t know where you are from.’
26 Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’
27 But he will say to you, ‘I don’t know where you are from. Get away from me, all you who practice injustice.’
28 There will be weeping and grinding of teeth there, when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God, while you yourselves are thrown out.
29 People will come from east and west, from north and south, and take their places at the table in the Kingdom of God.
30 And look, there are some who are last who will be first, and some who are first who will be last.”
31 At that same time, some Pharisees came up and said to him, “Leave and go away from here, because Herod wants to kill you.”
32 He said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Look, I am driving out demons and performing healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day I reach my goal.’
33 Still, I must continue on my way today, tomorrow, and the next day, because it is not possible for a prophet to die outside Jerusalem.
34 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you! How often I wanted to gather your children, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were unwilling!
35 Look, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’”
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