About getting rid of sin

1At that time some people told Jesus what Pilate had done. They said, “Pilate told his soldiers to kill some Galilean people. They had gone from Galilee to the temple in Jerusalem to sacrifice animals for God. The soldiers killed them because Pilate told them to do it, and their blood was mixed with the blood of the animals.”

2Jesus said to them, “What sort of people were they? They died because they were wicked, did they? They were more wicked than any of the other Galileans, were they?

3Of course not! You must all stop doing wrong today and obey God. If you don't, you too will die. You will be like the Galileans and that will be the end of you.

4Just think about those other people at Siloam in Jerusalem. Eighteen people died when a tall building fell and killed them. So what were they like? They were more wicked than all the other people in Jerusalem, were they?

5Of course not! You must get rid of your sins today and obey God. If you don't, then you too will die. You will be like those people in Jerusalem and that will be the end of you.”

About a sand fig tree without fruit

6Then Jesus told the people this story about a tree. A man grew a sand fig in the same place where he grew grapes. One day he went looking for figs but he couldn't find any.

7So he said to his worker, “Look, I came looking for figs last hot season. For three years I have been looking for fruit on this tree, but there hasn't been any. It is taking up the ground, so cut it down for me.”

8His servant said, “Leave it for one more year. First let me dig the ground, and then I will put in some bullock's manure to make it better. Let it stay here until next hot season.

9Then if it has any fruit, that will be good. But if it doesn't have any, then I will chop your tree down for you.”

About Jesus healing a crippled woman on the Sabbath

10There was a woman who had an evil spirit that had made her sick. She had been sick for a long time and couldn't walk upright. She was bent over all the time. She had been bending over like that for 18 years. Then one Sabbath day she went to the synagogue. Jesus was teaching the people there in the synagogue.

12When Jesus saw her, he called her to come to him. “You poor woman,” he said, “I am setting you free from your sickness.”

13Then Jesus put his hands on the woman and she straightened up at once and praised God.

14But the ruler of the synagogue was angry, because Jesus had healed the woman on the Sabbath. So he spoke to the people. “We can work for six days,” he said, “but we mustn't do any work today because it is the Sabbath. If you want people to heal you, then don't look for anyone to heal you on the Sabbath but come here during those other days.”

15The Lord Jesus said to him, “You bad leaders, you want people to say, ‘These leaders are good,’ but you are tricking yourselves. Any one of you will untie your bullock or your donkey on the Sabbath day and take it to water.

16This woman is a descendant of Abraham, but Satan has had her tied up for a long time. She hasn't stood up straight for eighteen years until today. That was a good thing for me to set her free on the Sabbath, wasn't it?”

17When Jesus said that, the men who hated him were ashamed of themselves, because Jesus had spoken strongly to them. But many people rejoiced over all the wonderful things that he did.

About God becoming ruler

18Then Jesus went on talking to the people who were in the synagogue. “What will it be like when God becomes ruler?” he said. “What can I tell you so that you will understand about God ruling? Look, first of all he will rule over a few people. Then later on he will become ruler over many people.

19“I will tell you two stories, one about a tree and one about a damper.” A man took a tiny seed and planted it. It grew until it became a big tree and then the birds came and sat in its branches and made their nests there. And a woman took some rising and flour and water for a damper. She just took a tiny bit of rising. But that little bit of rising worked in the flour until her whole damper rose. “Now I will tell you about God becoming ruler. It will be like the tiny seed when it grew in the ground until it became a big tree. And it will be like the little bit of rising that made the whole damper rise. First of all God will rule over a few people and then later on he will rule over many people.”

About getting into God's kingdom through a little door

22Jesus and his disciples were following the road that went to Jerusalem. They went on and on, and as they went they stopped in many places, in both towns and villages. Jesus taught the people and his disciples.

23Someone said to Jesus, “Master, will God save just a few of us?” Jesus answered him, speaking also to the rest of the people, and said,

24“You must try and go into God's kingdom as though you are going into a house through a tiny door. You must search hard today, because many other people will also be looking for a way to get inside, but they won't be able to get in. So try very hard today.”

25Jesus also said, “The master of the house will get up and close the door. You will be standing outside calling to him. ‘Master,’ you will say, ‘let us in!’ But the owner of the house will say to you, ‘I don't know you. Where do you come from?’

26“You will answer him, ‘We ate and drank with you. And you taught us in our town.’

27“But he will still say, ‘I don't know you, you are strangers. Go away! Get away from me, you wicked people!’

28“And you will all be outside crying, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all God's prophets in his kingdom. But you won't be able to go in and you will be left outside. You will cry loudly because the people who are already inside won't let you in.

29But other people will go in from the east and the west. They will come from all different places and go into God's kingdom. And those people will sit down and eat together, but not you!”

30Then Jesus said, “Some people are last today, but at that time they will be first. And some people are first today, but then they will be last.”

About Jesus loving Jerusalem

31At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus. They said, “Don't stay here in this place any longer. Go away from here, because King Herod wants to kill you.”

32Jesus said to them, “Go to Herod and tell that troublemaker that I am busy today, and I will still be busy tomorrow. I will be working, making evil spirits come out of people and healing people who are sick today and tomorrow. And on the third day I will finish my work.

33But I am going to Jerusalem. I will follow the road to Jerusalem today, and tomorrow and the next day. I am going there because all God's prophets must die in Jerusalem and nowhere else.

34“Oh, you people of Jerusalem! When God sent his prophets to you, you stoned them. You threw stones at their bodies until they died. And you are still doing the same today. “Oh dear!” said Jesus. “I wanted to gather you all to me, just as a mother hen gathers her chickens so that they will be safe under her wings. But you wouldn't let me.

35“So God will leave the temple. He won't look after it any longer. And I will leave you too. None of you will see me until you say, ‘May God bless the man he has sent to save his people!’”