Luke 9:46-62

New American Standard Bible

The Test of Greatness

^46 (A)Now an argument ^[a]started among them as to which of them might be the greatest. ⁴⁷ But Jesus, ^(B)knowing ^[b]what they were thinking in their hearts, took a child and had him stand by His side, ⁴⁸ and He said to them, “^(C)Whoever receives this child in My name receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me; ^(D)for the one who is least among all of you, this is the one who is great.”

^49 (E)John answered and said, “^(F)Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name; and we tried to prevent him, because he does not follow along with us.” ⁵⁰ But Jesus said to him, “Do not hinder him; ^(G)for the one who is not against you is ^[c]for you.”

⁵¹ When the days were approaching for ^(H)His ^[d]ascension, He ^[e]was determined ^(I)to go to Jerusalem; ⁵² and He sent messengers on ahead of Him, and they went and entered a village of the ^(J)Samaritans to ^[f]make arrangements for Him. ⁵³ And they did not receive Him, ^(K)because ^[g]He was traveling toward Jerusalem. ⁵⁴ When His disciples ^(L)James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to ^(M)command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” ⁵⁵ But He turned and rebuked them.^{[h] 56} And they went on to another village.

Exacting Discipleship

^57 (N)As they were going on the road, ^(O)someone said to Him, “I will follow You wherever You go.” ⁵⁸ And Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the sky have nests, but ^(P)the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” ⁵⁹ And He said to another, “^(Q)Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.” ⁶⁰ But He said to him, “Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and ^(R)proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.” ⁶¹ Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord; but ^(S)first permit me to say goodbye to those at my home.” ⁶² But Jesus said to him, “^(T)No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”