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Luke 9:51-62
Contemporary English Version
Luke 9:51-62
Contemporary English Version
A Samaritan Village Refuses To Receive Jesus
51 Not long before it was time for Jesus to be taken up to heaven, he made up his mind to go to Jerusalem. 52 He sent some messengers on ahead to a Samaritan village to get things ready for him. 53 But he was on his way to Jerusalem, so the people there refused to welcome him. 54 (A) When the disciples James and John saw what was happening, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to destroy these people?”[a]
55 But Jesus turned and corrected them for what they had said.[b] 56 Then they all went on to another village.
Three People Who Wanted To Be Followers
(Matthew 8.19-22)
57 Along the way someone said to Jesus, “I'll follow you anywhere!”
58 Jesus said, “Foxes have dens, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man doesn't have a place to call his own.”
59 Jesus told someone else to come with him. But the man said, “Lord, let me wait until I bury my father.”[c]
60 Jesus answered, “Let the dead take care of the dead, while you go and tell about God's kingdom.”
61 (B) Then someone said to Jesus, “I want to follow you, Lord, but first let me go back and take care of things at home.”
62 Jesus answered, “Anyone who starts plowing and keeps looking back isn't worth a thing to God's kingdom!”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 9.54 to destroy these people: Some manuscripts add “as Elijah did.”
- 9.55 what they had said: Some manuscripts add, “and said, ‘Don't you know what spirit you belong to? The Son of Man did not come to destroy people's lives, but to save them.’ ”
- 9.59 bury my father: The Jewish people taught that giving someone a proper burial was even more important than helping the poor.
Luke 9:51-62
New International Version
Luke 9:51-62
New International Version
Samaritan Opposition
51 As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven,(A) Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.(B) 52 And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan(C) village to get things ready for him; 53 but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. 54 When the disciples James and John(D) saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them[a]?”(E) 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them. 56 Then he and his disciples went to another village.
The Cost of Following Jesus(F)
57 As they were walking along the road,(G) a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”
58 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man(H) has no place to lay his head.”
59 He said to another man, “Follow me.”(I)
But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”
60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”(J)
61 Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”(K)
62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”
Footnotes
- Luke 9:54 Some manuscripts them, just as Elijah did
Contemporary English Version (CEV) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.