Luke 13

Call to Repent

1Now on that very occasion there were some present who reported to Him about the Galileans whose blood 1Pilate had 2mixed with their sacrifices. 2And Jesus responded and said to them, “3Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans just because they have suffered this fate? 3No, I tell you, but unless you 4repent, you will all likewise perish. 4Or do you think that those eighteen on whom the tower in 5Siloam fell and killed them were worse 67offenders than all the other people who live in Jerusalem? 5No, I tell you, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

6And He began telling this parable: “A man had 8a fig tree which had been planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and did not find any. 7And he said to the vineyard-keeper, ‘Look! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree 9without finding any. 10Cut it down! Why does it even use up the ground?’ 8But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, leave it alone for this year too, until I dig around it and put in fertilizer; 9and if it bears fruit next year, fine; but if not, cut it down.’”

Healing on the Sabbath

10Now Jesus was 11teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11And 12there was a woman who for eighteen years had had 13a 14sickness caused by a spirit; and she was bent over double, and could not straighten up at all. 12When Jesus saw her, He called her over and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your sickness.” 13And He 15laid His hands on her; and immediately she stood up straight again, and began 16glorifying God. 14But 17the synagogue leader, indignant because Jesus 18had healed on the Sabbath, began saying to the crowd in response, “19There are six days during which work should be done; so come during them and get healed, and not on the Sabbath day.” 15But 20the Lord answered him and said, “You hypocrites, 21does each of you on the Sabbath not untie his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it away to water it? 16And this woman, 22a daughter of Abraham as she is, whom 23Satan has bound for 24eighteen long years, should she not have been released from this restraint on the Sabbath day?” 17And as He said this, all His opponents were being 25humiliated; and 26the entire crowd was rejoicing over all the glorious things being done by Him.

Parables of Mustard Seed and Leaven

18So 27He was saying, “28What is the kingdom of God like, and to what shall I compare it? 19It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and threw into his own garden; and it grew and became a tree, and 29the birds of the sky nested in its branches.”

20And again He said, “30To what shall I compare the kingdom of God? 2131It is like 32leaven, which a woman took and hid in 33three 34sata of flour until it was all leavened.”

Teaching in the Villages

22And He was passing through one city and village after another, teaching, and 35proceeding on His way to Jerusalem. 23And someone said to Him, “Lord, are there just a few who are being saved?” And He said to them, 24“36Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25Once the head of the house gets up and 37shuts the door, and you begin standing outside and knocking on the door, saying, ‘38Lord, open up to us!’ and He then will answer and say to you, ‘39I do not know where you are from.’ 26Then you will 40begin saying, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets!’ 27And yet He will 41say, ‘42I do not know where you are from; 43leave Me, all you 44evildoers.’ 2845In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves being thrown out. 29And they 46will come from east and west, and from north and south, and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God. 30And behold, 47some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

31At that very time some Pharisees approached, saying to Him, “Go away and leave this place, because 48Herod wants to kill You.” 32And He said to them, “Go and tell that 49fox, ‘Behold, I am casting out demons and performing healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day I 5051reach My goal.’ 33Nevertheless 52I must go on My journey today and tomorrow and the next day; for it cannot be that a 53prophet would perish outside Jerusalem. 3454Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who have been sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, 55just as a hen gathers her 56young under her wings, and you were unwilling! 35Behold, your house is left to you desolate; and I say to you, you will not see Me until you say, ‘57Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord!’”