Luke 9:51-19:27
New Catholic Bible
The Journey to Jerusalem[a]
The Departure
51 Passing through Samaria.[b] As the time drew near for him to be taken up, Jesus resolutely set his sights on Jerusalem, 52 and he sent messengers ahead of him. They entered a Samaritan village to make arrangements for his arrival, 53 but the people there would not receive him because his destination was Jerusalem. 54 When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?”[c] 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them. 56 Then they journeyed forth to another village.
57 The Cost of Following Jesus.[d] As they traveled along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 Jesus told him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”
59 To another he said, “Follow me.” The man replied, “Lord, allow me to go first and bury my father.” 60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead. You are to go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
61 Another man said, “I will follow you, Lord, but allow me first to say farewell to my family at home.” 62 Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and then looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
The Mission of All the Disciples
Chapter 10
The Mission of the Seventy-Two[e] 1 After this, the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit. 2 He said to them: “The harvest is abundant, but the laborers are few. Therefore, ask the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers for his harvest.
3 “Go on your way. Behold, I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4 Carry no money bag or sack and wear no sandals. Greet no one on the road. 5 Whatever house you enter, let your first words be, ‘Peace to this house!’ 6 If a man of peace lives there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you.
7 “Remain in the same house, and eat and drink whatever is offered to you, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house. 8 Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat whatever is set before you. 9 Cure the sick who are there, and say, ‘The kingdom of God has come unto you.’
10 “But whenever you enter a town and the people do not welcome you, go out into the streets and say, 11 ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to us we wipe off our feet as a sign against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God is at hand.’ 12 I tell you, on that day[f] it will be more bearable for Sodom than for that town.
13 Woe to the Cities of Galilee.[g]“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the mighty deeds performed in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have come to repentance long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But at the judgment it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon than for you. 15 And as for you, Capernaum:
Will you be exalted to heaven?
You will be brought down to the netherworld.[h]
16 “Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”
17 Joy of the Missionaries.[i] The seventy-two returned rejoicing, and they said, “Lord, in your name even the demons are subject to us.” 18 He said to them, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like lightning. 19 Behold, I have given you the power to tread upon snakes and scorpions and all the forces of the enemy, and nothing will ever harm you. 20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice in the knowledge that the spirits are subject to you. Rejoice rather that your names are inscribed in heaven.”
21 Joy of Jesus.[j]At that very hour, Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned and have revealed them to children. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.
22 “All things have been entrusted to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”
23 The Privilege of Discipleship. Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. 24 I tell you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”
25 The Greatest Commandment.[k]And behold, a lawyer came forward to test Jesus by asking, “Teacher, what must I do to gain eternal life?” 26 Jesus said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” 27 He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 Jesus then said to him, “You have answered correctly. Do this and you will live.”
29 The Parable of the Good Samaritan. But because the man wished to justify himself, he asked, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down[l] from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him and beat him, and then went off leaving him half-dead. 31 A priest happened to be traveling along that same road, but when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 32 A Levite[m] likewise came to that spot and saw him, but he too passed by on the other side.
33 “But a Samaritan who was traveling along that road came upon him, and when he saw him he was moved with compassion. 34 He went up to him and bandaged his wounds after having poured oil and wine on them. Then he brought him upon his own animal to an inn and looked after him.
35 “The next day, he took out two denarii[n] and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Look after him, and when I return I will repay you for anything more you might spend.’
36 “Which of those three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” 37 He answered, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”[o]
38 Martha and Mary.[p] In the course of their journey, he came to a village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39 She had a sister named Mary who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying.
40 But Martha was distracted by her many tasks. So she came to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her to come and help me.” 41 The Lord answered her: “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and upset about many things, 42 when only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the better part, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Chapter 11
Prayer
The Lord’s Prayer.[q] 1 One day, Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” 2 He said to them, “When you pray, say:
Father,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
3 Give us each day our daily bread.
4 And forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves forgive everyone who is in debt to us.
And do not lead us into temptation.”
The Parable of the Persistent Friend.[r] 5 He also said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says: ‘My friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6 for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey, and I have nothing to offer him,’ 7 and the friend answers from inside: ‘Do not bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up now to give you anything.’ 8 I tell you: even though he will not get up and give it to him because of their friendship, he will get up and give him whatever he needs because of his persistence.
Ask, Seek, Knock. 9 “Therefore, I say to you: ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks will receive, and those who seek will find, and to those who knock the door will be opened.
11 The Parable of the Good Father.“Is there any father among you who would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish, 12 or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg? 13 If you, then, despite your evil nature, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
For or against Jesus[s]
14 Jesus and Beelzebul.[t] Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute, and when the demon had gone out, the man who was mute spoke, and the crowd was amazed. 15 But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons.” 16 Others, to test him, demanded a sign from heaven.
17 However, he knew what they were thinking, and he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a house divided against itself will collapse. 18 If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand?
“For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. 19 Now, if it is by Beelzebul that I cast out demons, by whom do your own children cast them out? Therefore, they will be your judges. 20 But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you.
21 “When a strong man is fully armed and guards his palace, his possessions are safe. 22 But when someone who is stronger than he is attacks and overpowers him, he carries off all the weapons upon which the owner relied and distributes the plunder.
23 No Compromise.“Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
24 New Offensive from the Evil Spirit.“When an unclean spirit goes out of a person, it wanders through waterless regions seeking a place to rest, and if it finds none it says, ‘I will return to the home from which I departed.’ 25 However, when it returns, it finds that home swept and put in order. 26 Then it goes off and brings back seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they enter and settle there. As a result, the plight of that person is worse than before.”
27 True Blessedness.[u] While he was speaking, a woman in the crowd called out to him and said, “Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts that nursed you!” 28 Jesus replied, “Blessed, rather, are those who hear the word of God and obey it!”
29 The Sign of Jonah.[v] As the crowd continued to increase in number, Jesus said to them, “This is an evil generation. It asks for a sign, but the only sign it will be given is the sign of Jonah. 30 For just as Jonah became a sign to the inhabitants of Nineveh, so will the Son of Man be to this generation.
31 “On the day of judgment the queen of the south will rise up with the men of this generation and condemn them, because she came from the farthest reaches of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and now one greater than Solomon is here. 32 On the day of judgment, the men of Nineveh will rise up with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here.
33 The Parable of the Lighted Lamp.[w]“No one lights a lamp and then puts it in a cellar or under a basket; rather, he places it upon a lampstand so that people may see the light when they come in.
34 The Lamp of the Body.“Your eyes are the lamp of your body. If your eyes are sound, your whole body will be filled with light. However, if your eyes are diseased, your whole body will be in darkness. 35 See to it then that the light inside you is not darkness. 36 Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, with no part of it in darkness, it will be as full of light as when a lamp illuminates you with its rays.”
37 Woe to the Scribes and Pharisees.[x] When he had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to dine at his house. He went in and took his place at table. 38 The Pharisee was surprised to see that he had not first washed[y] before the meal. 39 But the Lord said to him, “You Pharisees cleanse the outside of a cup and dish, but you leave the inside full of greed and wickedness. 40 You fools! Did not the one who made the outside also make the inside? 41 Let what is inside be given as alms to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.
42 “Woe to you Pharisees! You pay tithes[z] of mint and rue and every garden herb, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced these without neglecting the others.
43 “Woe to you Pharisees! You love to have the best seats in synagogues and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces.
44 “Woe to you! For you are like unmarked graves[aa] upon which people tread without realizing it.”
45 On hearing this, one of the lawyers said, “Teacher when you say such things you are insulting us too.” 46 He replied, “Woe also to you lawyers! For you impose burdens on people that are difficult to bear, but you yourselves do not lift a finger to be of assistance.
47 “Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the Prophets whom your ancestors murdered. 48 By acting in this way you bear witness to and approve of what your ancestors did. They killed the Prophets, and you build their tombs.
49 “That is why the Wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them Prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,’ 50 so that this generation may be charged with the responsibility for the blood of all the Prophets shed since the foundation of the world, 51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah[ab] who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will have to answer for it all.
52 “Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You yourselves did not enter, and you blocked those from entering who were trying to go in.”
53 When he left the house, the scribes and the Pharisees were extremely hostile and they began to interrogate him about many things, 54 hoping to trap him in something he might say in reply.
Chapter 12
The Yeast of the Pharisees.[ac] 1 Meanwhile a crowd of many thousands of people had gathered, and they were so tightly packed together that they were trampling on each other. Then Jesus began to speak, saying first to his disciples: “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees—which is their hypocrisy. 2 There is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing secret that will not become known. 3 Therefore, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be shouted from the housetops.
Courage in Time of Persecution. 4 “I tell you, my friends, have no fear of those who kill the body and after that can do nothing further. 5 But I will tell you whom to fear. Be afraid of the one who, after he has killed, has the authority to cast into Gehenna. I tell you, fear him!
6 “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And yet not one of them is forgotten in God’s sight. 7 Even the hairs on your head have all been counted. Do not be afraid. You are worth far more than any number of sparrows.
8 “I tell you this: whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God. 9 But whoever denies me before men, he will be denied before the angels of God.
10 Sayings about the Holy Spirit.“Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the person who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.[ad] 11 When you are brought before synagogues and rulers and authorities, do not be concerned about how or what you are to answer or what you are to say. 12 When the time comes, the Holy Spirit will teach you what you are to say.”
Be Poor in Order To Be Free
13 A Saying about Greed.[ae]Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to share the family inheritance with me.” 14 Jesus answered him, “Friend, who appointed me to be a judge and arbitrator in your regard?”
15 [af]After this, he said to the crowd, “Take care to be on your guard against all kinds of greed. Life does not depend upon an abundance of one’s possessions.”
16 The Parable of the Rich Fool. Then he told them a parable: “There was a wealthy man whose land yielded an abundant harvest. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I do not have sufficient space to store my crops?’ 18 Then he said, ‘This is what I will do. I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, where I will store my grain and other produce, 19 and I shall say to myself, “Now you have an abundance of goods stored up for many years to come. Relax, eat, drink, and be merry.” ’
20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be required of you. And who then will get to enjoy the fruit of your labors?’ 21 That is how it will be for the one who stores up treasure for himself yet fails to become rich in the sight of God.”
22 Trust in God.[ag] Then he said to his disciples, “Therefore, heed my words. Do not be concerned about your life and what you will have to eat, or about your body and what you will wear. 23 For life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.
24 “Consider the ravens. They do not sow or reap, they have no storehouse or barn, and yet God feeds them. You are of far greater importance than birds. 25 Can any of you through worrying add a single moment to your span of life? 26 If then such a small thing is beyond your power, why should you be concerned about the rest?
27 “Consider the lilies and how they grow. They neither labor nor spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his royal splendor was clothed like one of these. 28 If God so clothes the grass that grows today in the field and is thrown into the furnace tomorrow, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith!
29 “Hence, do not be greatly concerned about what you are to eat and what you are to drink. Do not worry. 30 The nations of the world are concerned for all these things. Your Father is aware of your needs. 31 Rather, seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
32 Treasure in Heaven.[ah]“Fear not, little flock, for your Father has chosen to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to those in need. Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven that no thief can come near and no moth can destroy. 34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart also be.
Parables about Watchfulness[ai]
35 The Parable of the Vigilant Steward.[aj]“Fasten your belts for service and have your lamps lit. 36 Be like servants who are waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that they may open the door as soon as he comes and knocks. 37 Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he arrives. Amen, I say to you, he will fasten his belt, have them recline to eat, and proceed to wait on them himself. 38 If he comes in the second watch[ak] or in the third and finds them still awake, blessed are those servants.
39 The Hour of the Son of Man.[al]“But keep this in mind: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. 40 So you must also be prepared, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”
41 The Parable of the Faithful Servant.[am] Then Peter asked, “Lord, are you directing this parable to us or do you mean it for everyone?” 42 The Lord replied, “Who then is the faithful and wise steward whom his master will put in charge of his household to give its members their allotment of food at the proper time? 43 Blessed is that servant if his master finds him doing so when he arrives home. 44 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his property.
45 “But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is detained in arriving,’ and he proceeds to beat the menservants and the maids, and to eat and drink and get drunk, 46 the master of that servant will return on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know. He will punish him and assign him a place with the unfaithful.
47 “The servant who knew his master’s wishes but did not get ready or do what his master wanted will receive a severe beating. 48 But the one who did not know those wishes, and who acted in such a manner as to deserve a beating, will be beaten less severely. Much will be demanded of a person to whom much has been given, and even more will be asked of a person to whom more has been entrusted.
The Urgency of Making the Decision
49 Jesus and His Passion.[an]“I have come to spread fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already blazing! 50 I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it has been completed!
51 Jesus, Cause of Dissensions.[ao]“Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.
52 “From now on a household of five will be divided, three against two and two against three; 53 they will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
54 Discerning the Signs of the Times.[ap] He also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, ‘It is going to rain,’ and so it happens. 55 And when you see the wind blowing from the south, you say, ‘It is going to be hot,’ and so it happens. 56 You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky. Why then do you not know how to interpret the present time?
57 Reconciling with Others before the Judgment.[aq]“And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? 58 Thus, when you are going to court with your opponent, make an effort to settle the matter with him on the way. If you fail to do so, he may drag you before the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the officer, and the officer will throw you into prison. 59 I tell you, you will not be given your freedom until you have paid your debt down to the very last penny.”
Chapter 13
Jesus Calls for Repentance.[ar] 1 At that time, some people who were present told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices. 2 He asked them, “Do you think that because the Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? 3 No, I tell you. But unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. 4 Or those eighteen people who were killed when the tower fell on them at Siloam—do you think that they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you—but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did.”
The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree.[as] 6 Then he told them this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, but whenever he came looking for fruit on it, he found none. 7 Therefore, he said to his vinedresser, ‘For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree and have never found any. Cut it down! Why should it continue to use up the soil?’ 8 But the vinedresser replied, ‘Sir, let it alone for one more year while I dig around it and fertilize it. 9 Perhaps it will bear fruit next year. If so, well and good. If not, then you can cut it down.’ ”
10 Jesus Heals a Woman on the Sabbath.[at] On one Sabbath as Jesus was teaching in the synagogue, 11 a woman was present, possessed by a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years. She was bent over and completely unable to stand up straight. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said, “Woman, you are freed from your infirmity.” 13 Then he laid his hands on her, and immediately she stood up straight and began praising God.
14 But the leader of the synagogue was indignant because Jesus had effected a cure on the Sabbath, and he said to the assembled people, “There are six days when work is permitted. Come on those days and be cured, and not on the Sabbath.” 15 The Lord said to him in reply, “You hypocrites! Is there a single one of you who does not untie his ox or his donkey and lead it from its stall to give it water on the Sabbath? 16 Should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has held bound for eighteen long years, be set free from this bondage on the Sabbath?” 17 At these words, all his adversaries were put to shame, and the people rejoiced at all the wonderful things he was doing.
18 The Parable of the Mustard Seed.[au]He went on to say, “What is the kingdom of God like? To what shall I compare it? 19 It is like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.”
20 The Parable of the Yeast. Again he said, “To what shall I compare the kingdom of God? 21 It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of flour until it was completely leavened.”
The Destiny of Israel
22 Who Will Enter into the Kingdom of God?[av] Jesus continued journeying through towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. 23 Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few be saved?” He answered, 24 “Strive to enter through the narrow door, for many, I tell you, will try to enter but will not succeed in doing so.
25 “When once the master of the house has gotten up and shut the door, you may find yourself standing outside knocking on the door and begging, ‘Lord, open the door for us.’ He will say in reply, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ 26 Then you will protest, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 But he will say, ‘I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you evildoers!’
28 “There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the Prophets in the kingdom of God as you yourselves are being thrown out. 29 Then from the east and the west, and from the north and the south, people will come and take their places at the banquet in the kingdom of God. 30 Indeed some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”
31 Herod’s Desire To Kill Jesus.[aw] At that time, some Pharisees came and said to him, “Leave this place and go somewhere else, for Herod wants to kill you.” 32 He answered them, “Go and tell that fox: ‘Behold, today and tomorrow I will be casting out demons and healing people, and on the third day I will finish my work. 33 Yet I must continue to go on today and tomorrow and the next day, since it would not be right for a prophet to be killed outside Jerusalem.
34 The Lament over Jerusalem.[ax]“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you murder the Prophets and stone the messengers sent to you! How often have I longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you would not allow it! 35 Behold, your house has been abandoned. I tell you, you will not see me until you say: ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’ ”
A Dinner Given by a Pharisee[ay]
Chapter 14
Jesus Heals a Man with Dropsy on the Sabbath.[az] 1 On one Sabbath, Jesus went to dine at the home of a prominent Pharisee, and the people were watching him closely. 2 In front of him there was a man suffering from dropsy, 3 and Jesus asked the lawyers and the Pharisees, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?” 4 When they offered no reply, he took the man, healed him, and sent him on his way. 5 Then he said to them, “If one of you has a son or an ox that has fallen into a well, will you not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?” 6 And they were unable to give him any answer.
The Parable of the Ambitious Guest.[ba] 7 When he noticed how the guests were securing places of honor, he told them a parable: 8 “When you have been invited by someone to attend a wedding banquet, do not sit down in the place of honor in case someone who is more distinguished than you may have been invited, 9 and then the host who invited both of you may approach you and say, ‘Give this man your place.’ Then you will be embarrassed as you proceed to sit in the lowest place.
10 “Rather, when you are invited, proceed to sit in the lowest place, so that when your host arrives, he will say to you, ‘My friend, move up to a higher place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all your fellow guests. 11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
12 Invite the Needy.[bb] Then he said to the one who had invited him, “When you host a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors, lest they invite you back and thus repay you. 13 Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. 14 Then indeed will you be blessed because they have no way to repay you. But you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
15 The Parable of the Great Supper.[bc] On hearing this, one of the dinner guests said to him, “Blessed is the man who will dine in the kingdom of God.” 16 Jesus said in reply, “A man gave a sumptuous banquet, to which he invited many. 17 When the hour for the banquet drew near, he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited: ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’
18 “But one after another they all began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have bought a parcel of land, and I must go out to inspect it. Please accept my apologies.’ 19 Another said, ‘I have purchased five yoke of oxen, and I am on my way to try them out. Please accept my regrets.’ 20 Still another said, ‘I have just gotten married, and therefore I am unable to come.’
21 “When the servant returned, he reported all this to his master. Then the owner of the house became enraged, and he said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in here the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’ 22 Shortly afterward, the servant told him, ‘Sir, your orders have been carried out, and some room is still available.’ 23 Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the open roads and along the hedgerows and compel people to come,[bd] so that my house may be filled. 24 For I tell you, not one of those who were invited shall taste my banquet.’ ”
Conditions To Be a Disciple[be]
25 Renunciation of Everything for Jesus.[bf] Great crowds were accompanying Jesus on his journey, and he turned to them and said, 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother,[bg] wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not carry his own cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
28 [bh]“Which one of you, intending to build a tower, would not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has sufficient funds for its completion? 29 Otherwise, if he has laid the foundation and then finds himself unable to finish the work, all who see it will ridicule him, saying, 30 ‘There goes the man who started to build but was unable to complete the work.’
31 “Or what king marching into battle against another king will not first sit down and consider whether with ten thousand soldiers he can defeat the enemy coming to oppose him with twenty thousand? 32 If he cannot, then, while the enemy is still a long distance away, he will send a delegation to ask for terms of peace. 33 In the same way, any one of you who does not renounce all of his possessions cannot be my disciple.
34 The Simile of Salt.[bi]“Salt is good. But if salt loses its taste, what can be done to make it salty once again? 35 It is fit neither for the soil nor for the dungheap. Thus, it can only be thrown away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
Salvation—Joy and Torment of God[bj]
Chapter 15
This Man Receives Sinners.[bk] 1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all crowding around to listen to Jesus, 2 and the Pharisees and the scribes began to complain, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
The Parable of the Lost Sheep.[bl] 3 Therefore, he told them this parable: 4 “Which one of you, if you have a hundred sheep and lose one of them, will not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? 5 And when he does find it, he lays it on his shoulders joyfully. 6 Then, when he returns home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost.’ 7 In the same way, I tell you, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.
The Parable of the Lost Coin.[bm] 8 “Or again, what woman who has ten silver coins[bn] and loses one will not light a lamp and sweep the house, searching thoroughly until she finds it? 9 And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I lost.’ 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
11 The Parable of the Lost (or Prodigal) Son.[bo] Then he said: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of your estate that I will inherit.’ And so the father divided the property between them.
13 “A few days later the younger son gathered together everything he had and traveled to a distant country, where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissolute living. 14 When he had spent it all, a severe famine afflicted that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the local inhabitants who sent him to his farm to feed the pigs.[bp] 16 He would have willingly filled his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
17 “Then he came to his senses and said, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more food than they can consume, while here I am, dying of hunger. 18 I will depart from this place and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me like one of your hired workers.” ’
20 “So he set out for his father’s house. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to him, threw his arms around him, and kissed him. 21 Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quickly bring out the finest robe we have and put it on him. Place a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Then bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us celebrate with a feast. 24 For this son of mine was dead and has come back to life. He was lost, and now he has been found.’ And they began to celebrate.
25 “Now the elder son had been out in the fields, and as he returned and drew near the house, he could hear the sounds of music and dancing. 26 He summoned one of the servants and inquired what all this meant. 27 The servant replied, ‘Your brother has come home, and your father has killed the fatted calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ 28 The elder son then became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him, 29 but he said to his father in reply, ‘All these years I have worked like a slave for you, and I never once disobeyed your orders. Even so, you have never even given me a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours returns after wasting his inheritance from you on prostitutes, you kill the fatted calf for him.’
31 “Then the father said to him, ‘Son, you are with me always, and everything I have is yours. 32 But it was only right that we should celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and now he has been found.’ ”
Chapter 16
Riches and Poverty[bq]
The Parable of the Crafty Steward.[br] 1 Jesus also said to his disciples: “There was a rich man who had a steward, and he was informed that this steward was squandering his property. 2 Therefore, he summoned him and said, ‘What are these reports that I hear about you? Give me an accounting of your stewardship, because you can no longer be my steward.’
3 “Then the steward said to himself, ‘What am I going to do, now that my master is dismissing me from being steward? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am too ashamed to beg. 4 What I must do is to make sure that people will welcome me into their homes once I am removed from being steward.’
5 “Then he summoned his master’s debtors one by one. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6 When he was told, ‘One hundred jars of olive oil,’ he said to the man, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and change the number to fifty.’ 7 Then he asked another, ‘And you, how much do you owe?’ When he was told, ‘One hundred measures of wheat,’ he said to him, ‘Take your bill and make it eighty.’ 8 The master commended the crafty steward because he had acted shrewdly. For the children of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the children of light.[bs]
Application of the Parable.[bt] 9 “And I tell you: use your worldly wealth to make friends for yourselves so that, when it has been exhausted, they will welcome you into eternal dwellings.
10 “Whoever can be trusted in small matters can also be trusted in great ones, but whoever is dishonest in small matters will also be dishonest in great ones. 11 Therefore, if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will entrust you with true riches? 12 And if you have not shown yourself to be trustworthy with what belongs to another, who will give you anything of your own?
13 “No servant can serve two masters. For you will either hate the one and love the other or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
Teachings concerning Justice and the Judaic Law
14 A Saying against the Pharisees.[bu] The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and they ridiculed him. 15 He said to them, “You people pretend to be upright when you wish to impress others, but God knows what is in your hearts. That which is highly esteemed in the eyes of men is detestable in the sight of God.
16 Sayings about the Law.“The Law and the Prophets were in effect until John. From that time the kingdom of God has been proclaimed, and everyone is trying to force his way in.[bv] 17 It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one letter of the Law to be discarded.[bw]
18 Sayings about Divorce.[bx]“Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and anyone who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.
The Rich Man and Lazarus: A Warning
19 The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus.[by]“There was a rich man who used to dress in purple garments and the finest linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, 21 who would have been grateful to be fed with the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs would come and lick his sores.
22 “Now the poor man died, and he was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In the netherworld,[bz] where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham, far off, and Lazarus by his side. 24 And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in agony in these flames.’
25 “But Abraham replied, ‘My child, remember that during your lifetime you received many good things, while Lazarus suffered greatly. Now he is being comforted while you are in agony. 26 Moreover, between us and you a great chasm has been established, so that no one who wishes to do so can pass from our side to yours, nor can anyone pass from your side to ours.’
27 “ ‘Then I beg you, father,’ he said, ‘to send him to my father’s house, 28 to warn my five brothers, lest they too end up in this place of torment.’ 29 But Abraham responded, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets. Let them listen to them.’
30 “He said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ 31 Abraham answered, ‘If they will not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone should rise from the dead.’ ”
Various Episodes and Instructions
Chapter 17
Warning against Giving Scandal.[ca] 1 Jesus said to his disciples, “Scandals are bound to occur, but woe to the man through whom they come! 2 It would be better for him if a millstone were fastened around his neck and he were thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. 3 Be on your guard!
The Need To Forgive.[cb] “If your brother should sin, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. 4 Even if he wrongs you seven times a day, and comes back to you seven times to say, ‘I am sorry,’ you must forgive him.”
Faith Knows How To Make Miracles.[cc] 5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” 6 The Lord replied, “If you had faith as tiny as a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.
Unprofitable Servants.[cd] 7 “Which of you, when your servant returns from plowing or tending sheep in the fields, would say to him, ‘Come right away and sit down to eat’? 8 Would you not rather say, ‘Prepare my dinner, put on your apron, and wait on me while I eat and drink, and then afterward you yourself may eat and drink’? 9 Would you be grateful to that servant for doing what he was commanded? 10 So should it be with you. When you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants; we have only done our duty.’ ”
11 Jesus Heals Ten Men with Leprosy.[ce] As he continued on his journey to Jerusalem, he traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 When he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Standing some distance away, 13 they called out to him, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us.” 14 When he saw them, he said, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.
15 One of them, when he realized that he had been cured, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He prostrated himself at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. This man was a Samaritan.
17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten made clean? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one except this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?” 19 Then he said to him, “Stand up and go on your way. Your faith has made you well.”
20 The Coming of the Kingdom of God.[cf] Once, the Pharisees asked him when the kingdom of God was coming. He answered, “The coming of the kingdom of God will not occur with signs that can be observed. 21 Nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is.’ For the kingdom of God is in your midst.”
22 The Day of the Son of Man.[cg] Then he said to his disciples, “The time will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. 23 People will say to you, ‘Look, there he is,’ or ‘Look, here he is.’ Do not go running after them. 24 For just as lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. 25 But first he must endure great suffering and be rejected by this generation.
26 “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it also be in the days of the Son of Man. 27 People were eating and drinking, marrying and being given in marriage, up to the day that Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed all of them. 28 “The same thing happened in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. 29 But on the day that Lot left Sodom, fire and brimstone rained down from heaven and destroyed all of them.
30 “It will be like that on the day that the Son of Man is revealed. 31 On that day, the one who is standing on the roof, with his possessions inside, must not come down to collect them, and someone who is in the field must not turn back. 32 Remember Lot’s wife. 33 Whoever tries to preserve his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will save it.
34 “I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed. One will be taken and the other will be left. 35 And there will be two women grinding grain together. One will be taken and the other will be left. [ 36 Two men will be out in the field. One will be taken and the other will be left.]”[ch]
37 They asked him, “Where, Lord?” He said in reply, “Where the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.”
Chapter 18
The Parable of the Importunate Widow.[ci] 1 Then Jesus told them a parable about the need for them to pray always and never to lose heart. 2 He said, “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor had any respect for people. 3 In that same town there was a widow who kept coming to him and pleading, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’
4 “For a long time he refused her request, but finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I neither fear God nor have any respect for people, 5 yet because this widow keeps pestering me, I will see to it that she gets justice. Otherwise, she will keep coming and wear me out.’ ”
6 Then the Lord said, “You have heard what the unjust judge says. 7 Will not God, therefore, grant justice to his elect who cry out to him day and night? Will he delay in answering their pleas? 8 I tell you, he will grant them justice quickly. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector.[cj] 9 He also told the following parable to some people who prided themselves about their own righteousness and regarded others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood up and said this prayer to himself: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—greedy, dishonest, adulterous—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and pay tithes on all my income.’
13 “The tax collector, however, stood some distance away and would not even raise his eyes to heaven. Rather, he kept beating his breast as he said, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner.’ 14 This man, I tell you, returned to his home justified, whereas the other did not. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
15 Jesus Blesses the Children.[ck] People were bringing even infants to Jesus so that he might touch them. When the disciples observed this, they rebuked them. 16 However, Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them. For it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. 17 Amen, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”
18 The Rich Young Man.[cl]A certain ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery. Do not kill. Do not steal. Do not bear false witness. Honor your father and your mother.’ ”
21 The man replied, “I have kept all these since I was a child.” 22 On hearing this, Jesus said to him, “You need to do one further thing. Sell everything you own and distribute the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 23 But when he heard this, he became sad, because he was very rich.
24 Danger of Riches. Jesus looked at him and said, “How difficult it is for those who are rich to enter the kingdom of God! 25 Indeed, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 Those who heard this asked, “Then who can be saved?” 27 He replied, “What is impossible for men is possible for God.”
28 The Reward of Renunciation. Peter said to him, “We have given up our homes to follow you.” 29 Jesus replied, “Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God 30 who will not receive many times as much in this age, and eternal life in the age to come.”
31 Jesus Predicts His Passion a Third Time.[cm] Then Jesus took the Twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, we are now going up to Jerusalem, and everything that has been written by the Prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. 32 He will be handed over to the Gentiles, and he will be mocked and insulted and spat upon. 33 After they have scourged him, they will put him to death, and on the third day he will rise again.”
34 But they understood nothing of this. Its meaning remained obscure to them, and they failed to comprehend what he was telling them.
35 Jesus Heals a Blind Man.[cn] As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. 36 When he heard the crowd going past, he inquired what was happening. 37 They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” 38 He shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!” 39 The people in front rebuked him and ordered him to be silent, but he only shouted all the louder, “Son of David, have pity on me!”
40 Jesus stopped and ordered that the man be brought to him. And when he had come near, Jesus asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?” He answered, “Lord, let me receive my sight.” 42 Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight. Your faith has made you well.” 43 Immediately, he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. And all the people who witnessed this also gave praise to God.
Chapter 19
Jesus and Zacchaeus, the Rich Tax Collector.[co] 1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through it. 2 A man there, named Zacchaeus, was a chief tax collector and a rich man. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but since he was short in stature, he could not see him because of the crowd. 4 Therefore, he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to catch a glimpse of him for he was going to pass that way.
5 When he reached that spot, Jesus looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” 6 Zacchaeus came down quickly and welcomed him joyfully.
7 When the people observed this, they began to complain, saying, “He has gone to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” 8 But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, I intend to give half of everything I possess to the poor, and if I have defrauded someone of anything, I will repay that amount four times over.”
9 Then Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man has come to seek out and to save what was lost.”
11 The Parable of the Ten Gold Coins.[cp] While the people were listening to him speak, Jesus went on to tell them a parable, because now he was near Jerusalem and because they thought that the kingdom of God might appear immediately. 12 He said, “A man of noble birth was preparing to go to a distant country to receive a kingdom and then return. 13 So he summoned ten of his servants and gave them ten gold coins,[cq] instructing them, ‘Trade with the money I have given you until I return.’ 14 But the citizens of his country hated him and sent a delegation after him to give this message, ‘We do not want this man to be our king.’
15 “When he returned after having been made king, he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money to ascertain what profit they had made through their trading. 16 The first came forward and said, ‘Sir, your money has increased tenfold in value.’ 17 He said to him, ‘Well done, my good servant. Because you have proved trustworthy in this very small matter, you shall be in charge of ten cities.’
18 “Next, the second servant came forward and said, ‘Sir, your money has increased fivefold in value.’ 19 He said to him, ‘You shall be in charge of five cities.’
20 “Then the third one came forward, saying, ‘Sir, here is your money. I kept it wrapped up in a handkerchief. 21 For I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put down, and you reap what you did not sow.’
22 “The master said to him, ‘I will condemn you by your own words, you wicked servant. You knew I was a hard man, taking out what I did not put down, and reaping what I did not sow. 23 Why then did you not deposit my money into a bank so that on my return I could have drawn it out with interest?’
24 “Then he said to those standing by, ‘Take the money from him and give it to the one with the ten gold coins.’ 25 They said to him, ‘But sir, he already has ten gold coins.’ 26 He replied, ‘I tell you, to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he does have will be taken away. 27 But as for those enemies of mine who did not want me for their king, bring them here and put them to death in my presence.’ ”
Footnotes
- Luke 9:51 We are at a crossroads in the life of Christ: Jesus begins to go to Jerusalem where his mystery is to be accomplished. This journey will take him from Galilee to the Holy City. In this section, Luke brings together a part of the teaching of Jesus that the other evangelists do not have or that they give in very different contexts. In these ten chapters, we find some of the most moving words of Christ about the mercy of God.
- Luke 9:51 The Samaritans refused passage to Jewish pilgrims on their way to the temple in Jerusalem, because they did not give recognition to that sanctuary. The critical text says simply that Jesus “rebuked” the disciples (v. 55); some manuscripts have: “And he said, ‘You do not know what kind of spirit you are of, for the Son of Man did not come to destroy lives, but to save them.’ ”
- Luke 9:54 An allusion to 2 Ki 1:10-12.
- Luke 9:57 Jesus demands an unconditional commitment from those who hesitate. The preaching of the kingdom is of primary urgency. On its account, we are to renounce every possession and free ourselves from even the most sacred human attachments.
- Luke 10:1 The number of those sent suggests universality, since the ancient leaders of Israel traditionally numbered seventy-two (see Num 11:24-29), and seventy-two pagan nations were listed (see Gen 10). In this passage, Luke brings together various recommendations of Jesus in order to draw up a program for the missionaries.
- Luke 10:12 That day: the day of judgment.
- Luke 10:13 See note on Mt 11:20-24.
- Luke 10:15 The netherworld: the place of the dead, i.e., the underworld (as in Acts 2:27, 31).
- Luke 10:17 In the joy of the disciples, Jesus sees the beginning of the defeat of the forces of evil inflamed against human beings, and of their leader Satan (see Lk 11:20). Jesus shares their joy; but he invites them to rejoice most of all that they are the elect of the Father, a happiness that radically surpasses all missionary success.
- Luke 10:21 In this inspired prayer, Jesus lays bare the profound movement of his heart and the very mystery of his person. He is gripped by the revelation made to the poor (i.e., children); he lives, in an inexpressible fashion, in unity with the Father in the Spirit. The expectation of kings and prophets, i.e., of the Old Testament, is now accomplished, for Jesus is here and shares with human beings God’s mysterious presence. The Church knows that by herself she is nothing in this world, but she is astounded to bring forth for all people this great revelation of God. This text constantly brings her back home to the heart of the Gospel.
- Luke 10:25 Jesus gives pride of place in his teaching to the commandment of love, which sums up the entire Law (see Mt 22:40); but love of God and love of neighbor are henceforth joined inseparably.
- Luke 10:30 Going down: Jericho lies in the deepest depression on earth, at 800 feet below sea level.
- Luke 10:32 Levite: a minister of the temple.
- Luke 10:35 Denarii: plural for denarius, a laborer’s daily wage.
- Luke 10:37 The scribe had asked who was his neighbor. Jesus responds with the example of the Samaritan who, without regard for national rancors and religious disputes, recognizes the neighbor in an unknown person who is in need of help. Hence, the person who loves will know immediately how to individualize who his neighbor is. It is not necessarily—as the Jews thought—a person of the same nation, race, or religion.
- Luke 10:38 The incident is intended to teach that the disciples of Jesus must not allow secondary things to take precedence over essentials, namely, the hearing of the Word of God in order to feed on it and put it into practice (see Lk 6:47; 8:21; 11:28; Acts 6:2). The village in which the two sisters lived was Bethany. Like the preceding parable, this thoughtful incident is told only in Luke.
- Luke 11:1 In the eyes of Luke, the prayer of the disciples is connected to the prayer of Jesus himself. It is a profession of faith in which the community says the essence of what it requests: the kingdom of God, daily sustenance, forgiveness, and strength in time of trial. The form of the Our Father given here is shorter than the one handed down in the Gospel of Matthew.
- Luke 11:5 In the Palestine of that time, people went to bed early; moreover, the entire family slept in a single room, and the door was secured from inside with a heavy bar. Thus, awakening a neighbor caused a great deal of inconvenience, but the latter would be ashamed to remain insensitive. And since God is mercy itself, could he refuse the request of believers when it concerns essentials (see Lk 18:1-8; 22:44)?
- Luke 11:14 The suspicion with which his adversaries regard Jesus becomes accusation and snare; they treat him as an agent of Satan and demand signs of him. In this confrontation that is more and more manifest, Jesus does not soften his message in any way; rather he demands that one choose for or against him. The time of waiting is over; the time of decision is at hand.
- Luke 11:14 There are groups who claim to cast out demons—the word “children” designates the members or disciples of a group. Why then should his opponents be suspicious of Jesus, especially since he actually heals sicknesses? The miracles that he works manifest the power of God, for in order to conquer Satan who is reputedly at work in sicknesses one must be stronger than he is.
- Luke 11:27 The happiness of the kingdom of God is open to those who accept the Word of Jesus. This is a warning to adversaries who reject it. Thus, the true grandeur of Mary is not in having given Jesus his body but in having welcomed the message (see Lk 1:38; 8:21).
- Luke 11:29 Many long for prodigies that would forcibly remove the need for faith. Their desire is vain. The true sign that attests the mission of Jesus is the totality of his work and the force of his person as well as his call to conversion. Thus, past generations had seen messages for them in the wisdom of Solomon (see 1 Ki 10:1-11) and the word of Jonah (Jon 3).
- Luke 11:33 Luke here brings together two sentences that have a theme of the lamp. It is a call to throw off blindness and be open to the light that is Jesus (see Lk 8:16). The light of faith transforms one’s life.
- Luke 11:37 In Luke these strong rebukes seem to have been given by Jesus in private conversations with Pharisees and scribes, whereas in Matthew (23:13ff) the charges are uttered publicly in the presence of outsiders. This is a further aspect of the “gentleness of Christ,” which Luke means to communicate.
- Luke 11:38 Had not first washed: this referred to the ceremonial washing, which was part of the “oral” traditions of the Pharisees, i.e., practices and regulations meant to fill out the written Law of Moses (see Mt 15:9; Mk 7:3, and note on Mk 7:4).
- Luke 11:42 Tithes: see note on Mt 23:23-24.
- Luke 11:44 Like unmarked graves: as Passover drew near, Jews used to whitewash tombs in order to avoid touching them inadvertently, which would have caused a legal uncleanness (see Num 19:16).
- Luke 11:51 Abel . . . Zechariah: these two names recall the first and the last slayings recounted in the Hebrew Bible (see Gen 4:1-16; 2 Chr 24:17-22). What is being recalled is therefore the entire history of murders committed against men of God in the course of the Old Testament.
- Luke 12:1 True disciples do not let the message become altered and are not afraid to bear clear witness to the Gospel, to confess their faith in Jesus. Persecutions should not intimidate them; indeed, it is better to be condemned by opinion than to lose God. Believers are certain that the Lord will never abandon them; they rely on the help of the Spirit to proclaim simply and without alteration the essence of the message (see Acts 4:8; 5:12; 7:55).
- Luke 12:10 Everyone who speaks . . . against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven: the meaning of this verse is obscure. Perhaps the meaning is that when Jesus was alive, people could be excused from failing to recognize him as the Savior, but such an excuse will no longer be possible once his mission has been confirmed by the power of the Spirit at Pentecost.
- Luke 12:13 The Law of Moses dealt with temporal questions (see Ex 2:14; Acts 7:27), and the rabbis willingly offered their opinions. Jesus has not come to sustain us in our personal interests but to save us. The Gospel does not foster greed in any form; it demands detachment from earthly goods. This episode serves as an introduction to a series of teachings concerning money, an important theme for the Gospel of Luke.
- Luke 12:15 The desire for and the satisfaction in accumulating riches closes one to God and deprives one of lucidity. The goods of earth do not have a vocation for eternity. The spiritual future of human beings is more important. The Word and Life of Jesus are sustained by this conviction.
- Luke 12:22 When the concern for earthly goods rules one’s whole life, and even one’s prayer, we have become enslaved to them. Christ’s disciples remain free: they trust in God. Jesus does not preach unconcern but concern for what is essential: to accept the kingdom and to live the Gospel.
- Luke 12:32 This recommendation to be detached from one’s goods and to give them to those in need is more pressing in Luke. The true treasure of the kingdom is to be detached from money.
- Luke 12:35 The Jews were wont to ask: “When will the kingdom come?” Christians asked: “When will the Lord return?” When forced to be vigilant, attention inevitably wanes. But the Lord is near, and our life is with him; we must not be sleeping when he returns.
- Luke 12:35 Vigilant servants are bound to work and to be ready even into the night. The disciples are to be focused on meeting their Lord, who will be their joy.
- Luke 12:38 Second watch: i.e., between 9:00 P.M. and midnight. Third: i.e., between midnight and 3:00 A.M. See note on Mt 14:25.
- Luke 12:39 See note on Mt 24:45-51.
- Luke 12:41 When Peter poses this question, he is answered by a parable summoning all leaders of the community to faithful vigilance.
- Luke 12:49 The allusion is to the baptism in fire and the Spirit that begins on Pentecost (see Lk 3:16; Acts 2:3, 19) and also to the Passion that is to cleanse the people of their sins (see Mk 10:38).
- Luke 12:51 The Gospel brings not security but the division (see Lk 2:34-35) that, according to Micah (7:6), is a prelude to the last times.
- Luke 12:54 Understanding the signs of the times means recognizing the time of salvation, the time of Jesus. No concern is more important than this, for one’s very salvation is in question.
- Luke 12:57 One must put one’s life in order before the judgment, for afterward it will be too late. We are urged to settle disputes quickly in accord with Gospel values. Matthew will turn this text into an inducement to fraternal charity (Mt 5:25-26).
- Luke 13:1 Jesus is told of a bloody repression that had just occurred in Galilee. He indicates that it is useless to fix the blame upon its victims (see Jn 9:3). Such events remind us that the judgment is only suspended and that death can surprise us at any time. Hence, they are a call to repent.
- Luke 13:6 In the other Synoptic Gospels (Mt 21:18-22; Mk 11:12-14, 20-25) the incident of the barren fig tree stresses the strictness of the judgment. In Luke’s parable, the threat of judgment is replaced by a lesson on God’s patience.
- Luke 13:10 The cure of a crippled woman on the Sabbath is in the eyes of the ancients a direct victory over Satan; it is an act of God who sets human beings free. The religious leaders are prevented by their conformist attitude from recognizing the cure as an obvious sign from God. In the face of such absurd legalism Jesus calls for simple common sense.
- Luke 13:18 The work of Jesus will have a future of infinite proportions although it had such seemingly insignificant beginnings. See notes on Mt 13:31-32; 13:32; and 13:33.
- Luke 13:22 This passage brings together scattered quotations of Jesus. After recalling that salvation demands effort and is not given by acquired privilege, the words open up frightful perspectives on the refusal of Israel while showing the Gentiles abounding in the kingdom. The religious conception is reversed here. People must not presume upon the certainty of their salvation. Salvation is a grace that needs their cooperation.
- Luke 13:31 Some Pharisees who are friends of Jesus alert him to the danger, but he does not fear the ruler of Galilee. In his eyes, Herod is nothing more than a sly fox, and no longer the lion, symbol of mortal danger. Despite any threats, Christ is resolved to pursue his mission till the very end with its tragic result in Jerusalem.
- Luke 13:34 Like the Prophets, Jesus foretells the destruction of the Holy City, but he also evokes a day when all peoples will acknowledge the Lord (see Lk 21:24; Rom 11:25-27). See also note on Mt 23:37-39.
- Luke 14:1 Luke is an artful composer of Gospel scenes. Here he brings together different themes in the unfolding of a repast. The Jews thought of the kingdom of God as a gathering of people at a banquet in heaven. And, for Luke, this repast doubtless has the value of an announcement and a symbol. Jesus has the honor of being invited on the Sabbath to dine with a group of Pharisees, the representatives of Jewish thought. His hosts follow solid principles of thought and congratulate themselves on their good education. They closely watch Jesus’ behavior out of curiosity mingled with apprehension. And one might say that Jesus goes out of his way to shock them.
- Luke 14:1 Jesus does not lose himself in compliments and conversation but posits an act, a sign of the salvation that he brings to human beings. This is a new miracle, again performed on a Sabbath. Religion is for the liberation of persons, not their enslavement. To keep the Sabbath is to bear witness to it (see Lk 6:6-11; 13:10-17). See note on Mt 12:9-14.
- Luke 14:7 These reflections on the choice of places at a banquet could be nothing more than simple counsels of worldly wisdom. But Jesus wishes to stress that humility holds first place in the values of the kingdom, contrary to the values of the world (see Lk 1:51-52; 18:14).
- Luke 14:12 A repast should not be a worldly affair. Luke calls for humility (see Lk 1:53; 6:20; 7:22) and disinterest.
- Luke 14:15 The kingdom of God is portrayed as a banquet in which God gathers together the Elect. People can refuse the call, but one day the gathering of joy will take place—this is one of Jesus’ principal certitudes. The parable goes farther; the officials, the habitués of religion, cheat themselves. Their affairs come before the joy of the kingdom, which opens itself to those who are regarded as ordinary and are often excluded: the marginalized of society or of religion. This proposal is shocking for official Judaism. And it should also be for any society that is closed in upon itself, and especially if it calls itself the Church of Jesus. See note on Mt 22:1-14.
- Luke 14:23 Compel people to come: they must be emphatic on the need to enter, but the Gospel excludes any coercion.
- Luke 14:25 This section is tantamount to a short catechism on discipleship. The phrase “cannot be my disciple” runs through it like a refrain (vv. 26, 27, 33).
- Luke 14:25 This passage indicates that one must renounce everything to follow Jesus, even the most legitimate values and attachments, for the Gospel relegates all other considerations to a secondary level. That is the point of the word “hate” in the Old Testament (see Lk 16:13; Gen 29:31, 33; Deut 21:15-16; Isa 60:15). This renunciation is not some passing fancy but a radical demand: the two parables of the builder and the warrior could have been nothing more than simple invitations to reflect before deciding anything; Luke turns them into a call to make a serious commitment.
- Luke 14:26 Hate his father and mother: Jesus does not intend to abolish the fourth commandment about honoring and taking care of one’s parents. He simply sets forth the supreme conditions to be his disciple. In order to follow him, one must be disposed to sacrifice the most tender affections and even to renounce one’s life (see Jn 12:25). The expression is softened and explained in Mt 10:37.
- Luke 14:28 Whoever wishes to follow Jesus must weigh his own strengths so as not to launch out into a spiritual adventure thoughtlessly and rashly. Jesus illustrates this thought with two comparisons.
- Luke 14:34 If the energy and conviction of disciples who have made a commitment begin to weaken, they become like salt that has lost its taste or its value.
- Luke 15:1 These three joyous parables of Luke’s Gospel disclose the sentiments that the Father and Jesus have toward human beings. God is untiringly concerned for those who are far off, the sinners or unbelievers. His joy is to seek out and find those who are lost. This desire and this joy of God are revealed to us in the comportment of Christ himself toward sinners. In turn, the Church must trust in the mercy of God and must seek out and welcome those who seem far away. May she always bear witness to the value that human beings have in the eyes of God.
- Luke 15:1 In the name of God’s love for sinners, Jesus overthrows several customs of his day. He refuses to accept the attitudes held by well-regarded religious figures: scorn toward others and smugness in their own self-sufficiency.
- Luke 15:3 The parable of the lost sheep pushes antithesis to the extreme so that persons may never doubt God’s tenderness for them.
- Luke 15:8 The parable of the lost coin demonstrates what a great contrast there is between the joy of heaven and the disdain of the Pharisees and the so-called clean!
- Luke 15:8 Coins: literally, “drachmas,” a drachma being the Greek coin corresponding to the Roman denarius, a laborer’s daily wage.
- Luke 15:11 The parable of the prodigal son, one of the most enchanting stories of Jesus, completes the two preceding parables. It is God who awaits sinners, and it is humanity that is encouraged to seek God. We recognize in it all the misery of sin: abandonment, solitude, and distress. The parable describes the path to conversion and finally the great certitude of the believer: beyond all human hope, God harbors for every person the unfailing affection of a father for his child. He awaits the child and welcomes it joyously. It is easy to see in the discontent of the elder son the anger of the Pharisees at the welcome Jesus gives to sinners.
- Luke 15:15 Pigs: unclean animals for the Jews.
- Luke 16:1 From the very origins of the Gospel tradition, the parable of the crafty steward has created difficulty. People could evolve abusive applications from it: e.g., does it promote fraud? In order to avoid any false interpretation, different sentences of Jesus concerning money have been joined to the parable.
- Luke 16:1 It is a fact that people bring a great deal of initiative and intelligence to their affairs even when these are worthy of criticism or unjust. Alas, believers put forth little effort for the kingdom! This is the lesson to be retained from the parable. It is a call for lucidity and creative intelligence. Jesus is suggesting the skill of a swindler, not fraud or theft.
- Luke 16:8 Children of light: a Hebrew expression signifying those enlightened by a superterrestrial faith as opposed to the children of this world, who are focused solely on their earthly interests.
- Luke 16:9 Money dominates all of life and society. The attitude toward money is a test of the fidelity of Christians. Those who seek imperishable goods are detached from perishable ones. They know how to give alms (v. 9), and they earn and manage their goods with honesty (vv. 10-11). Yet money means little in reality; the true good is the gift of God (v. 12). Hence, the quest for gain and fortune must not be first in the life of Christians, for then money would become a false god for them (v. 13).
- Luke 16:14 More than once Jesus denounces the pretense of those who pass themselves off as religious people (see Lk 11:39-40; 18:9; 20:47).
- Luke 16:16 The Law and the Prophets designates the Old Testament as it was read in the synagogues. We must make an effort in order to enter the kingdom of God.
- Luke 16:17 The Law will not pass away, for it includes the whole revelation given to the chosen people, with its prophetic character (see Lk 24:27, 44).
- Luke 16:18 Divorce was allowed and regulated by Old Testament law (see Deut 24:1-4). The position of Jesus is a radical one, as numerous New Testament passages attest (see Mt 5:31-32; 19:1-12; Mk 10:1-12; 1 Cor 7:10-11).
- Luke 16:19 The rich man cannot avoid the message of this passage; indeed, this is for him a sufficient sign and a more persuasive one than the most amazing miracle. Abraham’s side: literally, “Abraham’s bosom”; in the language of the day this suggested the post of honor at the heavenly banquet (see Mt 8:11).
- Luke 16:23 Netherworld: see note on Lk 10:15.
- Luke 17:1 Scandal is the snare that one extends to others in order to lead them into evil. It is especially grave when it is placed along the way of the “little ones.”
- Luke 17:3 Fraternal pardon is one of the best signs of the presence of the Gospel. Faults among brothers and sisters are continual; hence, openness to reconciliation must be constant.
- Luke 17:5 See note on Mt 21:18-22.
- Luke 17:7 The Pharisees and many religious people are more concerned about their reward than about what they can do for God. The disciple is subservient to his master in a work that is far greater than himself. That is his happiness and his recompense even here below.
- Luke 17:11 The episode of the ten people afflicted with leprosy illustrates first of all the ingratitude of Israel—which believes that the gifts of God are owed to it—and the faith of the Gentiles. For a Jewish author, it is odious to give an example containing a Samaritan, a heretic regarded as more disgraceful than a pagan. However, a stranger more open to the Lord’s call than the average believer would provide an example capable of inculcating admiration forever.
- Luke 17:20 As for when the kingdom will come, it is useless to wait for mysterious signs. The kingdom is already at work in the personal action of Jesus.
- Luke 17:22 This description of events must be read in light of the particular literary genre being used, but this does not lessen its urgency. The other two Synoptic Gospels place these exhortations in the “eschatological discourse.”
- Luke 17:36 Some manuscripts add this verse, probably taken from Mt 24:40.
- Luke 18:1 We might ask whether prayer is useless or whether it is unfitting to remain insistent in God’s presence. This parable recommends a tenacious persistence. If the Lord is tardy in coming or in responding, it is to allow time for conversion and for faith. But the prayer of believers is not a cry in the wind. It is especially necessary during the end times, which will be a great trial for the faith and for trust in the Lord.
- Luke 18:9 What Jesus criticizes is not the Pharisee’s ascetical effort but his sense of self-sufficiency before God, himself, and other human beings, and his harshness toward others. On the other hand, Jesus does not approve of the everyday behavior of the tax collector, but offers his sincerity, humility, and repentance as an example. God’s goodness bewilders us: from it sinners can expect compassion and grace; salvation is an unmerited and unexpected gift.
- Luke 18:15 One must receive the kingdom as a little child, that is, as a poor person who is regarded as insignificant in society and who awaits everything from its father. One can never stop being struck by this insistence of Jesus concerning the spirit of childhood. It is a reversal of the daily norms of our lives (see Lk 9:46-48).
- Luke 18:18 A rich young man is animated by the desire for a more personal commitment, going beyond the simple observance of the ten commandments. However, he cannot resolve himself to the first radical gesture—giving up his possessions. The Christian community retained this example as a warning. Riches, as Luke often stresses, are an obstacle to salvation. In a life encumbered by riches, there is no place for the Lord. Yet the Lord fills to the brim whoever has the courage to prefer him to everything else. Such courage is the gift of God (see Lk 12:33).
- Luke 18:31 Six times in Luke’s Gospel Jesus refers to his tragic end, so deeply does this affect his entire work. The Prophets had borne witness to it beforehand.
- Luke 18:35 The community retains this episode as an example of faith and witness to Jesus, Son of David, that is, the people’s Messiah and Savior.
- Luke 19:1 The lesson is obvious: it is God who saves the rich (see Lk 18:27), because he alone can change the human heart. Zacchaeus’s generosity in atoning for the wrongs he has done goes beyond anything the Jewish or the Roman law could require of a judged and condemned thief.
- Luke 19:11 This parable is unusual in that its chief personage is an aspirant to the throne, for it seems to be inspired by the story of Archelaus, who went to Rome in 4 B.C. to obtain the succession to Herod the Great in Judea, and whose return was marked by a slaughter not yet forgotten in the memory of the people.
- Luke 19:13 Gold coins: literally, minas; a mina, was a Greek coin equal to a hundred drachmas or Roman denarii, that is, a hundred times the daily wage of a laborer. In the time of Jesus, it weighed about 350 grams of silver.
