The Gospel of LUKE

THE GOOD NEWS ACCORDING TO LUKE

(Paul's Gospel)

INTRODUCTION:

THE writer of this Gospel is universally allowed to have been Lucas (an abbreviated form of Lucanus, as Silas of Silvanus), though he is not expressly named either in the Gospel or in the Acts. From Colossians 4:14 we learn that he was a "physician"; and by comparing that verse with Colossians 4:10 Colossians 4:11 circumcision who were then with him, but does not mention Luke, though he immediately afterwards sends a salutation from him--we gather that Luke was not a born Jew. Some have thought he was a freed-man (libertinus), as the Romans devolved the healing art on persons of this class and on their slaves, as an occupation beneath themselves. His intimate acquaintance with Jewish customs, and his facility in Hebraic Greek, seem to show that he was an early convert to the Jewish faith; and this is curiously confirmed by Acts 21:27-29 the Jews enraged at Paul's supposed introduction of Greeks into the Temple, because they had seen "Trophimus the Ephesian" with him; and as we know that Luke was with Paul on that occasion, it would seem that they had taken him for a Jew, as they made no mention of him. On the other hand, his fluency in classical Greek confirms his Gentile origin. The time when he joined Paul's company is clearly indicated in the Acts by his changing (at Acts 16:10 to the first person plural ("we"). From that time he hardly ever left the apostle till near the period of his martyrdom ( 2 Timothy 4:11 EUSEBIUS makes him a native of Antioch. If so, he would have every advantage for cultivating the literature of Greece and such medical knowledge as was then possessed. That he died a natural death is generally agreed among the ancients; GREGORY NAZIANZEN alone affirming that he died a martyr.
The time and place of the publication of his Gospel are alike uncertain. But we can approximate to it. It must at any rate have been issued before the Acts, for there the 'Gospel' is expressly referred to as the same author's "former treatise" ( Acts 1:1 Acts was not published for two whole years after Paul's arrival as a prisoner at Rome, for it concludes with a reference to this period; but probably it was published soon after that, which would appear to have been early in the year 63. Before that time, then, we have reason to believe that the Gospel of Luke was in circulation, though the majority of critics make it later. If we date it somewhere between A.D. 50 and 60, we shall probably be near the truth; but nearer it we cannot with any certainty come. Conjectures as to the place of publication are too uncertain to be mentioned here. (Jamieson).


Luke is similar more to that of Matthew and Mark, than the Book of John. The greatest aspect of Luke is that because he was a physician, he is preoccupied with the medical aspects of Jesus' miracles as well as the infirmities of the people Christ healed. At times, it's almost comical.
The date of this book is probably around 60 AD, or about 25-30 years after the crucifixion of Christ. Unlike the other Gospels, Luke tells the reader why he was writing his gospel. It was to set the record straight, as many false gospels and false Christ's were being preached, as Paul himself mentions. Many, including myself feel that Luke's Gospel, is really PAUL'S GOSPEL! Mark is believed to be PETER'S GOSPEL. This is the Gospel to the Gentiles.

Luke 1:

THE REASON FOR THE GOSPEL:

1 Many people have written accounts about the events that took place among us.

2 They used as their source material the reports circulating among us from the early disciples and other eyewitnesses of what God has done in fulfillment of his promises.

3 Having carefully investigated all of these accounts from the beginning, I have decided to write a careful summary for you, the most honorable Theophilus.

4 In this way you will know that what you've been told is true.

5 When Herod was king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the division of priests named after Abijah. Zachariah’s wife Elizabeth was a descendant of Aaron.

6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and regulations of the LORD perfectly.

ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE PROPHET JOHN:

7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both now very old.

So with Abraham and Sarah

8 So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God {in the Temple}, for his order was on duty that week.

9 As was the custom of the priests, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary and burn incense to the LORD.

10 All the church was praying outside while he was burning incense.

11 Then an angel of the LORD appeared to him {inside the sanctuary of the Temple}, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

12 And when Zachariah saw him, he was troubled, and overwhelmed with fear.

13 The angel said to him, "Don't be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife Elizabeth will have a son, and you will name him John.

the same as "Johanan," so frequent in the Old Testament, meaning "Jehovah's gracious gift."

14 You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice with you at his birth,

15 for he will be great in the eyes of the LORD. He must never drink wine or hard liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth.

that is, shall be a Nazarite, or "a separated one" ( Numbers 6:2 , &c.).

16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the LORD their God.

17 He will also go before Him in the spirit and power that Elijah had, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and he will change disobedient people so that they will accept the wisdom of those who have God's approval. In this way he will prepare the people for the LORD.

-before "the Lord their God" ( Luke 1:16 ). By comparing this with Malachi 3:1 and Isaiah 40:3 , it is plainly "Jehovah" in the flesh of Messiah [CALVIN and OLSHAUSEN] before whom John was to go as a herald to announce His approach, and a pioneer o prepare His way.
in the spirit--after the model.

not his miraculous power, for John did no miracle" ( John 10:41 ), but his power "turning the heart," or with like success in his ministry. Both fell on degenerate times; both witnessed fearlessly for God; neither appeared much save in the direct exercise of their ministry; both were at the head of schools of disciples; the success of both was similar. (Jamieson)

18 Zechariah said to the angel, "How can I know this will happen? I'm an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years."

19 And the angel answered and said to him, "I'm Gabriel! I stand before the presence of Almighty God! God sent me to tell you this good news (gospel).

Gabriel--signifying "man of God," the same who appeared to Daniel at the time of incense ( Daniel 9:21 ) and to Mary ( Luke 1:26 ).

20 But because you didn't believe what I said, you will be unable to talk until the day this happens. Everything will come true at the right time."

21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah. They were amazed that he was staying in the Temple so long.

22 When he finally did come out, he couldn't speak to them. Then they realized from his gestures that he must have seen a vision in the Temple sanctuary.

23 When the days of his service were over, he went home.

24 Now after those days his wife Elizabeth Elizabeth became pregnant and didn't go out in public for five months. She said,

25 "Thus the LORD has done this for me now. He has removed my public disgrace."

THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE BIRTH OF CHRIST:

26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,

27 to a virgin engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. The virgin's name was Mary.

28 When the angel entered her home, he greeted her and said, "You are favored by the LORD! The LORD is with you."

29 But when she saw him, she was confused at his saying, and wondered just what he meant.

30 Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus (Joshua). ( Isaiah 7:14 )

The hebrew name (Yeshua) is the same for Joshua, who followed Moses. Jesus too, was following Moses, but was really BEFORE him! Jesus is the Yahweh of the Old Testament! Since the gospels were written in Greek, the Greek form of the name is used. The Greek however did not have the letter J, and neither did english until the 15^th century, hence today we have Jesus.

32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the LORD God will give Him the throne of His father David.

33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end."

He will reign over JACOB, NOT JUDAH! Notice this here!

34 Then Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?"

35 And the angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.

Notice that the Holy Spirit is what impregnates Mary! If the Holy Spirit were God (The TRINITY) then this would be the FATHER of Jesus! Instead we see that the Father's own Spirit (Not the LORD's- Jesus' Spirit)

36 Now indeed, Elizabeth, your relative, is six months pregnant with a son in her old age. People said she couldn't have a child.

37 For with God nothing will be impossible."

38 Then Mary said, "I am the LORD's servant. Let everything you've said happen to me." Then the angel left her.

39 Now Mary Mary hurried to a city in the mountain region of Judah.

40 She entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth.

41 And it happened, at the sound of Mary's greeting, Elizabeth's child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

42 She said in a loud voice, "You are the most blessed of all women, and blessed is the Child that you will have.

43 I feel blessed that the mother of my LORD is visiting me.

44 For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the baby leaped in my womb with joy.

45 You are blessed for believing that the LORD would keep his promise to you."

46 Mary responded, "Oh, how I praise the LORD,

47 How I rejoice in God my Savior.

48 For He has looked favorably on me, His humble servant. "From now on, all people will call me blessed

49 because the Almighty has done great things to me. His name is Holy.

50 And His mercy is on those who fear Him From generation to generation.

51 He has shown strength with His arm; He scattered those who think too highly of themselves.

52 He pulled strong rulers from their thrones. He honored humble people.

53 He fed hungry people with good food. He sent rich people away with nothing.

54 He has helped His servant Israel, He has not forgotten His promise to be merciful.

55 As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and to his children forever."

56 And Mary remained with her about three months, and then returned to her home.

BIRTH AND CIRCUMCISION OF JOHN

57 When the time came for Elizabeth to have her child, she gave birth to a son.

The law ( Genesis 17:12 ) was observed, even though the eighth day after birth should be a sabbath ( John 7:23 ; and see Philippians 3:5 ).

58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the LORD had been very kind to her, and they shared her joy.

59 When the child was eight days old, they went {to the Temple} to circumcise him. They were going to name him Zechariah after his father.

60 His mother answered and said, "No; he is to be named John."

61 But they said to her, "There is no one among your relatives with this name."

62 So they made signs to his father--what he wanted the baby named.

63 And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, "His name is John." So they all marveled.

64 Instantly he could speak again, and he began praising God.

65 All their neighbors were filled with awe. Throughout the mountain region of Judea, people talked about everything that had happened.

66 Everyone who heard about it seriously thought it over and asked, "What does the future hold for this child?" It was clear that the LORD was with him.

67 Now his father Zachariah was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying:

68 "Blessed is the LORD God of Israel, For He has visited and redeemed His people,

69 And has raised up a mighty Savior for us in the family of his servant David.

70 As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, Who have been since the world began,

since the world began--or, "from the earliest period."

71 That we will be saved from our enemies and from all who hate us.

72 He has shown his mercy to our ancestors and remembered his Holy Covenant,

73 The oath which He swore to our father Abraham:

The whole work and kingdom of Messiah is represented as a mercy pledged on oath to Abraham and his seed, to be realized at an appointed period; and at length, in "the fulness of the time," gloriously made good. Hence, not only "grace," or the thing promised; but "truth," or fidelity to the promise, are said to "come by Jesus Christ" ( John 1:17 ). (Jamieson)

74 To to rescue us from our enemies' power so that we could serve Him without fear

75 In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.

76 And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High. You will go ahead of the LORD to prepare his way.

77 You will make his people know that they can be saved through the forgiveness of their sins.

78 A new day will dawn on us from above because our God is loving and merciful.

79 To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace."

80 So the child grew and became strong in spirit. He lived in the desert until the day he appeared to the people of Israel.

Luke 2:

BIRTH OF CHRIST:

1 At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire.

2 This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria.

3 So all went to register in the cities where their ancestors came from.

4 So Joseph went from Nazareth, a city in Galilee, to a Judean city called Bethlehem. Joseph, a descendant of King David, went to Bethlehem because David had been born there.

5 He took with him Mary, his fiance, who was obviously pregnant by this time.

6 So it was, that while they were there, the time came for Mary to have her child.

Mary had up to this time been living at the wrong place for Messiah's birth. A little longer stay at Nazareth, and the prophecy would have failed. But lo! with no intention certainly on her part, much less of Cæsar Augustus, to fulfil the prophecy, she is brought from Nazareth to Bethlehem, and at that nick of time her period arrives, and her Babe is born ( Psalms 118:23 ). "Every creature walks blindfold; only He that dwells in light knows whether they go" [BISHOP HALL].

7 She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger because there wasn't any room for them in the inn.

FIRSTBORN: Implies her first child. We know she had more children!

8 Now there were in the same area shepherds living out in the fields, were keeping watch over their flock each night.

9 And behold, an angel of the LORD stood before them, and the glory of the LORD shone around them, and they were terrified.

10 The angel said to them, "Don't be afraid! I have good news for you, a message that will fill everyone with joy.

11 Today your Savior, Christ the LORD, was born in the city of David!

12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find an infant wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger."

13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others angels -- the armies of heaven -- praising God:

14 "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"

15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, "Come on, let's go to Bethlehem! Let's see this wonderful thing that has happened, which the LORD has told us about."

16 They went quickly and found Mary and Joseph with the baby, who was lying in a manger.

17 When they saw the child, they repeated what they had been told about him.

18 Everyone who heard the shepherds' story was amazed.

19 But Mary kept all these things in her heart and always thought about them.

20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as was told them.

21 And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called Jesus. This was the name the angel had given him before his mother became pregnant.

22 Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the LORD

23 (as it is written in the Law (Torah) of the LORD, "If a woman's first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the LORD"),

24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is proscribed in the Law (Torah) of the LORD, "A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons."

25 Now there was a man named Simeon who lived in Jerusalem. He was a righteous man and very devout. He was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he eagerly expected the Messiah to come and rescue Israel.

26 The Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the LORD's Messiah (Christ).

27 So he came by the Spirit into the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the LORD as the Law (Torah) required,

28 he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:

29 "LORD, now You are letting Your servant die in peace, as you promised.

30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation

31 Which You have prepared for all people to see.

32 {He} is a light to reveal God to the nations, and He is the glory of Your people Israel!"

33 Jesus' father and mother were amazed at what was said about Him.

34 Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, "This Child will be rejected by many in Israel, and it will be their undoing. But He will be the greatest joy to many others.

35 Thus, the thoughts of those who reject him. And a sword will pierce your heart."

36 Anna, a prophet, was also there. She was a descendant of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher. She was now very old. Her husband had died seven years after they were married,

A remnant of lost Israel!

37 and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the Temple, but served God with fasting and prayers night and day.

38 And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the LORD, and spoke of Him to all who were waiting for Jerusalem to be set free.

39 So when they had performed all things according to the Law (Torah) of the LORD, they returned to Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth.

40 And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.

41 His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover.

42 And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to their custom of the Feast.

43 When the festival was over, they left for home. The boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents didn't know it.

44 They thought that He was with the others who were traveling with them. After traveling for a day, they started to look for Him among their relatives and friends.

Must have been a large family group!

45 So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, looking for Him.

46Three days later they finally discovered Him. He was in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, discussing deep questions with them.

47 And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers.

48 When his parents saw Him, they were shocked. His mother asked Him, "Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been worried sick looking for You!"

49 And He said to them, "Why did you look for Me for so long? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's House?"

50 But they didn't understand what He meant.

51 Then He returned with them to Nazareth and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart.

52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

Luke 3:

PREACHING, BAPTISM, AND IMPRISONMENT OF JOHN:

1 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea. Herod ruled Galilee, and his brother Philip ruled Iturea and Trachonitis. Lysanias was the ruler of Abilene.

Pilate's proper title was Procurator, but with more than the usual powers of that office. After holding it about ten years he was ordered to Rome, to answer to charges brought against him, but ere he arrived Tiberius died (A.D. 35), and soon after Pilate committed suicide.

2 When Annas and Caiaphas were the high priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.

Here the curtain of the New Testament is, as it were, drawn up, and the greatest of all epochs of the Church commences. Even our Lord's own age ( Luke 3:23 ) is determined by it [BENGEL]. No such elaborate chronological precision is to be found elsewhere in the New Testament, and it comes fitly from him who claims it as the peculiar recommendation of his Gospel, that he had "accurately traced down all things from the first" ( Luke 1:3 ). Here, evidently, commences his proper narrative.

Annas and Caiaphas . . . high priests--the former, though deposed, retained much of his influence, and, probably, as sagan or deputy, exercised much of the power of the high priesthood along with Caiaphas ( John 18:13 , Acts 4:6 ). Both Zadok and Abiathar acted as high priests in David's time ( 2 Samuel 15:35 ), and it seems to have become the fixed practice to have two ( 2 Kings 25:18 ).

the fifteenth year of Tiberius--reckoning from the period when he was admitted, three years before Augustus' death, to a share of the empire [WEBSTER and WILKINSON], about the end of the year of Rome 779, or about four years before the usual reckoning. (Jamieson)

3 He traveled throughout the region around the Jordan River, preaching the baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,

4 as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the LORD (Jesus); Make His roads straight.

5 Every valley shall be filled. Every mountain and hill will be leveled flat. The crooked roads shall be straitened, and the rough roads made smooth;

6 All people will see the salvation of God.' "

7 Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, "You poisonous vipers! Who warned you to flee from God's coming judgment?

8 Therefore, do those things that show that you have returned to God and that you have changed the way you think and do. Don't say, 'Abraham is our father.' I guarantee that God can raise up descendants for Abraham from these stones.

9 Even now the ax of God's judgment is ready to cut off your roots. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."

10 So the people asked him, saying, "What shall we do?"

11 He answered and said to them, "has two coats should share with the person who doesn't have any. If you have extra food, share it with those who are hungry."

12 Then tax collectors came to be baptized, and said to him, "Teacher, what shall we do?"

13 And he said to them, "Collect no more than you are ordered to collect."

14 Likewise soldiers asked him, "And what should we do?" And he told them, "Be happy with your pay, and never use threats or blackmail to extort money from anyone."

15 Now hopes were rising as the people all wondered whether John was the Messiah-The Christ.

16 John answered, saying to everyone there, "I baptize you with water. But the One who is coming is more powerful than me. I am not worthy to untie his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

People who don't know better think that it is desirable to be baptised by fire. IT IS NOT. This simply means when the evil people who didn't obey God will be burned up in a hellfire! See the verse below!

17 His winnowing fork is in his hand to clean up his threshing floor. He will gather the wheat into His barn, and He will burn the chaff in a fire that can never be put out."

18 With many other encouraging words, he preached to the people.

19 But Herod the tetrarch, being criticized by him about Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, and for many other wrongs which Herod had done,

20 So he put John in prison, adding this sin to his many others.

21 When all the people were baptized, in time Jesus, was also baptized {by John}. While He was praying, heaven opened up,

22 And the Holy Spirit Holy Spirit came down to Him in the form of a dove. A voice from heaven came down said, about Him, "You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased."

Not in red because this was an angel giving the words of the FATHER, because in John, Jesus is clear that no man has ever heard God (the Father's) voice at any time!

23 Now Jesus began His ministry when He was about 30 years old. It was thought that He was the son of Joseph, the son of Eli,

-Have we in this genealogy, as well as in Matthew's, the line of Joseph? or is this the line of Mary?--a point on which there has been great difference of opinion and much acute discussion. Those who take the former opinion contend that it is the natural sense of this verse, and that no other would have been thought of but for its supposed improbability and the uncertainty which it seems to throw over our Lord's real descent. But it is liable to another difficulty; namely, that in this case Matthew makes Jacob, while Luke makes "Heli," to be Joseph's father; and though the same man had often more than one name, we ought not to resort to that supposition, in such a case as this, without necessity. And then, though the descent of Mary from David would be liable to no real doubt, even though we had no table of her line preserved to us (see, for example, Luke 1:2-32 , and incredible--that two genealogies of our Lord should be preserved to us, neither of which gives his real descent. Those who take the latter opinion, that we have here the line of Mary, as in Matthew that of Joseph--here His real, there His reputed line--explain the statement about Joseph, that he was "the son of Hell," to mean that he was his son-in-law, as the husband of his daughter Mary (as in Ruth 1:11 Ruth 1:12 ), and believe that Joseph's name is only introduced instead of Mary's, in conformity with the Jewish custom in such tables. Perhaps this view is attended with fewest difficulties, as it certainly is the best supported. However we decide, it is a satisfaction to know that not a doubt was thrown out by the bitterest of the early enemies of Christianity as to our Lord's real descent from David. On comparing the two genealogies, it will be found that Matthew, writing more immediately for Jews, deemed it enough to show that the Saviour was sprung from Abraham and David; whereas Luke, writing more immediately for Gentiles, traces the descent back to Adam, the parent stock of the whole human family, thus showing Him to be the promised "Seed of the woman." "The possibility of constructing such a table, comprising a period of thousands of years, in an uninterrupted line from father to son, of a family that dwelt for a long time in the utmost retirement, would be inexplicable, had not the members of this line been endowed with a thread by which they could extricate themselves from the many families into which every tribe and branch was again subdivided, and thus hold fast and know the member that was destined to continue the lineage. This thread was the hope that Messiah would be born of the race of Abraham and David. The ardent desire to behold Him and be partakers of His mercy and glory suffered not the attention to be exhausted through a period embracing thousands of years. Thus the member destined to continue the lineage, whenever doubtful, became easily distinguishable, awakening the hope of a final fulfilment, and keeping it alive until it was consummated" [OLSHAUSEN].

24 Eli was the son of Matthat. Matthat was the son of Levi. Levi was the son of Melki. Melki was the son of Jannai. Jannai was the son of Joseph.

25 {Joseph) was the son of Mattathiah, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai,

26 the son of Maath, the son of Mattathiah, the son of Semei, the son of Joseph, the son of Judah,

27 the son of Joannas, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri,

28 the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmodam, the son of Er,

29 the son of Jose, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi,

30 the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonan, the son of Eliakim,

31 the son of Melea, the son of Menan, the son of Mattathah, the son of Nathan, the son of David,

32 the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon,

33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah,

34 the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor,

35 the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah,

36 the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,

37 the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, the son of Cainan,

38 the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, who was the son of God {The Elohim}.

God is Theos here, but represents the Elohim family of BOTH JESUS and the FATHER! Adam was the son of both! 

Luke 4:

JESUS' PUBLIC MINISTRY:

1 Then Jesus, became filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan. The Spirit led Him while He was in the wilderness,

2 being tempted for forty days by the Devil. And during those days Jesus ate nothing, so when they were over, He was starved.

3 And the Devil said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread."

4 But Jesus answered him, saying, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.' "

5 Then the Devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.

6 And the Devil said to Him, "I will give you the power and glory over of these kingdoms You see -- because they have been given to me and I can give them to anyone I please.

7 So, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours."

8 And Jesus answered and said, "Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the LORD (Yahweh-Jesus) your God, and Him only you shall serve.' "

Since Jesus is LORD, he is talking about Himself!

9 Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, and had Him stand on the highest part of the Temple. He said to Him (Jesus), "If you are the Son of God, jump from here!

10 For it is written: 'He shall give His angels to watch over You, to protect You,'

11 And they will hold You with their hands to keep You from striking Your foot on a stone.' "

12 And Jesus said to him, "It has been said, 'You shall not tempt the Lord your God.' "

Meaning, DON'T TEMPT ME!

13 Now when the Devil had finished tempting, he departed from Him until another time.

14 Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went traveled throughout all the surrounding region.

Note.--A large gap here occurs, embracing the important transactions in Galilee and Jerusalem which are recorded in John 1:29-4:54', and which occurred before John's imprisonment ( John 3:24 ); whereas the transactions here recorded occurred (as appears from Matthew 4:12 Matthew 4:13 ) after that event. The visit to Nazareth recorded in Matthew 13:54-58 (and Mark 6:1-6 ) we take to be not a later visit, but the same with this first one; because we cannot think that the Nazarenes, after being so enraged at His first display of wisdom as to attempt His destruction, should, on a second display of the same, wonder at it and ask how He came by it, as if they had never witnessed it before. (Jamieson)

15 And He taught in the churches, and everyone praised him.

16 So when He came to Nazareth, where He grew up; As usual, He went into the church on the Sabbath. He stood up to read. {from scripture}

17 He was handed the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened it, He found the place where it was written:

18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the good news to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed;

19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord."

an allusion to the jubilee year ( Leviticus 25:10 ), a year of universal release for person and property. (See also Isaiah 49:8 , 2 Corinthians 6:2 .)

20 Then He closed the scroll, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the church were fixed on Him.

21 And He said to them, "Today this Scripture became fulfilled in your hearing."

22 All the people spoke well of him and were amazed to hear the gracious words flowing from his lips. They said, "Isn't this Joseph's son?"

23 He said to them, "You will say this proverb to Me, 'Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in Your hometown!' "

his proverb--like our "Charity begins at home."

24 Then He said, "Surely, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his hometown.

25 But I can guarantee this truth: There were many widows in Israel in Elijah's time. It had not rained for three-and-a-half years, and the famine was severe everywhere in the country,

26 but Elijah was not sent to any of them. Instead, He he was sent to a widow from Zarephath – an alien in the land of Sidon.

27 And there were many lepers were in Israel in the prophet Elisha's time. But God cured no one except Naaman from Syria."

28 So all those in church, when they heard these things, were filled with anger,

29 and jumping up, they attacked Him and took him to the edge of the hill on which the city was built. They intended to push Him over the cliff,

30 but He slipped away through the crowd and left them.

31 Then He went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and was teaching them on the Sabbaths.

32 And they were amazed at His teachings because He spoke with great authority.

33 Now in the church there was a man possessed by a spirit of an unclean demon. And he cried out with a loud voice,

34 saying, "Leave us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are--the Holy One of God!"

35 Jesus rebuked him and said, "Be silent! Come out of the man!" The demon threw the man to the floor as the crowd watched; then it left him without hurting him further.

36 Then they were all stunned. They said to one another, "What authority and power His words possess! He gives orders to evil spirits, and they come out."

37 So news about Him spread to every place in the surrounding region.

PETER'S MOTHER-IN-LAW AND MANY OTHERS, HEALED:

38 Now He arose and left the synagogue (church) and came to Simon's house. Simon's wife's mother was very sick with a high fever, and they all asked Jesus to help her.

Peter WAS NOT celibate!

39 So He stood over her and ordered the fever to leave-- and it left her immediately. The she got up and served them.

40 When the sun was setting, everyone who had friends suffering from various diseases brought them to Him. He placed his hands on each of them and healed them.

41 And the demons came out at His command, shouting "You are the Christ, the Son of God!" And He, rebuked them, and would not let them speak, for they knew that He was the Christ.

42 In the morning He went to a place where he could be alone. But the crowd sought Him and came to Him, and tried to keep Him from leaving them;

43 but He said to them, "I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because this is why I have been sent {to earth}."

44 And He was preaching in the synagogues (churches) of Galilee. 

Luke 5:

CALL OF PETER, JAMES, AND JOHN:

1 One day as Jesus was standing on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, great crowds pressed in on Him to listen to the word of God.

2 He saw two empty boats at the water's edge, for the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets.

3 Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him push off a little from the shore, and He sat down and taught the crowd from the boat.

4 When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, "Take the boat into deep water and let down your nets to catch {some fish}."

5 Simon answered and said to Him, "Sir, we have worked hard all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net."

6 And when they did this, they caught a huge number of fish, and their net was breaking.

7 So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. Their partners came and filled both boats until the boats nearly sank.

8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me LORD! For I am a sinful man, "

9 For he was awestruck by the size of their catch, as were the others with him.

10 James and John, who were Zebedee's sons and Simon's partners, were also amazed. Jesus told Simon, "Don't be afraid. From now on you'll be fishing for people!"

11 So when they had sailed their boats to land, they left everything, and followed Him.

12 One day while He was in a city where there was a man covered with an advanced case of leprosy. When the man saw Jesus, he bowed with his face to the ground. He begged Jesus, "Sir, if you want to, you can make me clean."

13 Then He put out His hand and touched him, saying, "I want to-- be cleansed." Immediately the leprosy left him.

14 And He ordered him, "Don't tell anyone. Instead, show yourself to the priest. Then offer the sacrifice required in the Law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy, so everyone will have proof of your healing."

15 Yet despite His instructions, the report of His power spread even faster, and huge crowds came to hear Him preach and to be healed of their illnesses.

16 So He Himself often withdrew to the wilderness and prayed.

17 One day when Jesus was teaching, some Pharisees and experts in Mosaic Law were present. They had come from every town in Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the LORD was [present] to heal them.

18 Some men brought a paralyzed man on a stretcher. They tried to bring him into the house and put him in front of Him.

19 But when they couldn't reach Him, they went up to the roof, took off some tiles, and lowered the sick man down into the crowd, still on his mat, right in front of Jesus.

20 When He saw their faith, He said to him, "Man, your sins are forgiven you."

21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, "Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?"

22 Jesus knew what they were thinking. So He said to them, "What are you thinking? Why do you think this is blasphemy?

23 Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Rise up and walk'?

24 But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins"--He said to the man who was paralyzed, "I say to you, get up, take up your bed, and go home."

25 Immediately he rose up before them, took his mat, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.

26 Everyone was amazed and praised God. They were filled with awe and said, "We've seen things today we can hardly believe!"

27 After these things He went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, "Follow Me."

28 So he got up, leaving the crowd, and followed Him.

29 Then Levi held a banquet in his home with Jesus as the guest of honor. Many of Levi's fellow tax collectors and other guests were there.

30 The Pharisees and their scribes complained to Jesus' disciples. They asked, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?"

31 Jesus answered and said to them, "Healthy people don't need a doctor; those who are sick do.

32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."

33 They said to Him, "John's disciples frequently fast and pray. So do the disciples of the Pharisees. But your disciples wine and dine!"

34 And He said to them, "Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them?

35 But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them; At that time they will fast."

36 He also used this parable: "No one tears a piece of cloth from a new coat to patch an old coat. Otherwise, the new cloth will tear the old. Besides, the patch from the new will not match the old.

37 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the wineskins and be spilled, and the wineskins will be ruined.

38 But new wine must be put into new wineskins, and both are preserved.

39 No one who has been drinking old wine wants new wine. He says, 'The old wine is better!'"

 

Luke 6:

HARVESTING ON THE SABBATH

1 On the second Sabbath (after the first) when He went through the grainfields. His disciples broke off heads of wheat, rubbed off the husks in their hands, and ate the grains.

second sabbath after the first--an obscure expression, occurring here only, generally understood to mean, the first sabbath after the second day of unleavened bread. The reasons cannot be stated here, nor is the opinion itself quite free from difficulty.

2 And some of the Pharisees said to them, "Why are you breaking the Law working on the on the Sabbath?"

3 But Jesus answering them said, "Haven't you read what David did when he and his men were hungry?

4 went into the house of God, ate the special bread (Showbread) reserved for the priests alone, and then gave some to his friends. That was breaking the Law, as well."

5 And He said to them, "The Son of Man is also LORD of the Sabbath."

Yet another plain claim that he is Yahweh!

6 Now it happened on another Sabbath, He went into a church to teach. A man whose right hand was paralyzed was there.

7 So the scribes and Pharisees were watching Him closely, to see whether He would heal the man on the Sabbath, because they were eager to find some legal charge to bring against Him.

8 But He knew what they were thinking. So He told the man with the paralyzed hand, "Get up, and stand in the center [of the church]!" The man got up and stood there.

9 Then Jesus said, "I will ask you one thing: Is it Lawful to do good or evil, to give a person his health or to destroy it on the Sabbath?"

By this novel way of putting His case, our Lord teaches the great ethical principle, that to neglect any opportunity of doing good is to incur the guilt of doing evil; and by this law He bound His own spirit. (See Mark 3:4 .) (Jamieson)

10 And He looked around at them one by one and then said to the man, "Reach out your hand." The man reached out his hand, and it became normal again!

11 This filled with them all with rage, and they began to discuss what to do with Jesus.

12 On day, Jesus went to a mountain to pray. He spent the whole night in prayer to God.

The work with which the next day began shows what had been the burden of this night's devotions. As He directed His disciples to pray for "laborers" just before sending themselves forth we find the Lord Himself in prolonged communion with His Father in preparation for the solemn appointment of those men who were to give birth to His Church, and from whom the world in all time was to take a new mould. How instructive is this!

THE 12 CHOSEN out of 70 (see 10:1)

13 And when the next day dawned, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He named apostles:

14 They were Simon (whom He re-named Peter) and Simon's brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew,

15 Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon (called the Zealot);

16 Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot (who became a traitor).

The Sermon on the Mount:

17 And He came down {from the mountain} with them and stood on level ground. A large crowd of his disciples and many other people were there. They had come from all over Judea, Jerusalem, and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon.

18 They had come to hear Him and to be healed, and He cast out many unclean spirits.

19 The entire crowd was trying to touch Him because power was coming from Him and curing all of them.

20 Then He looked at his disciples and said, "Blessed are those who are poor. The kingdom of God is given to you.

21 Blessed are those who are hungry, for they will be satisfied. Blessed are those who are crying now, for they will laugh.

22 Blessed are you when people hate you, exclude you, insult you, and slander you because you are identified with Me, the Son of Man.

23 Rejoice! Yes, leap for joy! For great is the reward that awaits you in heaven. And remember, the prophets were also treated the same way by your fathers.

24 But woe to you who are rich, For you have received your comfort.

25 Woe to you who are well-fed, for you shall go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, For you shall mourn and weep.

26 Woe to you when all men speak well of you, For so did their fathers about the false prophets.

27 "But I say to everyone who is listening: Love your enemies. Be kind to those who hate you.

28 Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who use you.

29 If someone strikes you on one cheek, offer the other cheek as well. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt too.

30 Give to everyone who asks. And from him asks - don't insist on getting it your loan back.

31 Do for others as you would like them to do for you.

32 But if you love those who love you, do you deserve any thanks for that? Even sinners love those who love them.

33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.

34 And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to get back what they lend.

35 But love your enemies, do good, and lend to them, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for He is kind to the unthankful and to those who are wicked.

36 Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.

37 "Don't judge, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

38 Give, and you shall receive. {You will receive} A large quantity, pressed together, shaken down, and running over to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use in giving -- large or small -- it will be used to measure what is given back to you."

39 And He spoke a parable to them: "Can one blind man lead another? Won't both fall into the same pit?

40 A disciple is not greater than his teacher, but everyone who is well-trained will be like his teacher.

41 And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye when you have a log in your own?

42 Or how can you think of saying, 'Friend, let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,' when you can't see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log from your own eye; then perhaps you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend's eye.

43 For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.

44 For every tree is known by its fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorny bushes or grapes on thorny branches.

45 A good man produces good deeds from a good heart, and an evil person produces evil deeds from an evil heart. The things people say come from inside them.

46 "So why do you call Me 'LORD,LORD,' and do not do the things which I command?

47 Whoever comes to Me, and hears My Commandments and obeys them, I will show you what they are like:

48 He is like someone building a house on a strong foundation laid upon the underlying rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against the house, it stands firm because it is well built.

49 But anyone who listens and doesn't obey is like a man who builds a house without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse and be destroyed."

Luke 7: 
CENTURION'S SERVANT HEALED

1 When He had finished everything saying all of this, He went back to Capernaum.

2 There a Roman army officer had a slave who was sick and near death.

A Roman Officer: Called in KJV a CENTURION, because they ruled over 100 troops

3 So, when the officer heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish leaders to ask him to come and heal his slave.

4 And when they came to Jesus, they begged Him earnestly, saying that the man was worthy to be saved.

5 They said, "for he loves our nation, and has built us a church building."

6 Then Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the officer sent friends to tell Jesus, "Sir (Lord), don't bother. I don't deserve to have You come into my house.

7 That's why I didn't come to You. If you just give the order, my servant will be cured.

8 For I am in a man under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, 'Go,' and they go, or 'Come,' and they come. And if I say to my slaves, 'Do this or that,' they do it."

9 When Jesus heard this, He marveled at his faith, and turned around and said to the crowd that followed Him, "I say to you all, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!"

10 And those who returned to home, found the slave was completely healed.

WIDOW OF NAIN'S SON RAISED TO LIFE. (In Luke only)

11 Soon afterward, {Jesus} went to a city called Nain. His disciples and a huge crowd went with Him.

Nain--a small village not elsewhere mentioned in Scripture

12 As He came near the entrance to the city, He met a funeral procession. The dead man was a widow's only child. A large crowd from the city was with her.

Dead bodies, being ceremonially unclean, were not allowed to be buried within the cities (though the kings of David's house were buried m the city of David), and the funeral was usually on the same day as the death. (Jamieson)

13 When the LORD saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, "Do not cry."

14 Then He came and touched the open coffin, and the bearers stopped. "Young man," He said, "get up."

15 So the dead man sat up and began to talk, and {Jesus} gave him back to his mother.

16 Then great fear swept through the crowd, and they praised God, saying, "A mighty prophet has risen among us," and "We have seen the hand of God at work today."

17 This news about Him went throughout all Judea and all the surrounding area.

18 Then John's disciples told him about all these things. So John called two of his disciples

JOHN QUESTIONS JESUS:

19 and sent them to ask the LORD, "Are You the one who is coming, or should we look for someone else?"

20 The men came to Jesus and said, "John the Baptizer sent us to ask You, 'Are You the one who is coming, or should we look for someone else?'"

21 At that very time, he cured many people of their various illnesses. He also cast out evil demons and restored sight to the blind.

22 Jesus answered John's disciples, "Go back, and tell John what you have seen and heard: Blind people see again, lame people walk, those with skin diseases are made clean, deaf people hear, dead people are raised to life, and poor hear the Good News.

23 And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me."

24 When John's messengers left, Jesus spoke to everyone about John. "What did you go into the desert to see? Tall grass swaying in the wind?

25 But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in fine clothes? Indeed those who wear splendid clothes and live in luxury reside in mansions.

26 So what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and even more than a prophet.

27 This is the one about whom Scripture says: 'Behold, I send My messenger before You, Who will prepare Your way.'

28 For I say to you, among those born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptizer; Yet, the least important person in the kingdom of God is greater than John.”

29 When all the people heard this, including the tax collectors, they agreed that God's plan was right, for they had been baptized by John.

30 But the Pharisees and the experts in the Law rejected God's plan for them. They refused to be baptized.

31 And the LORD said, "To what then shall I describe this generation?, and what are they like?

32 They are like children who sit in the marketplace and argue with one another, 'We played music for you, but you didn't dance. We sang funeral songs, but you didn't cry.'

33 For John the Baptist didn't drink wine and fasted, and you say, 'He's demon possessed.'

34 {I} The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Look at him! He's a glutton and a drunk, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!'

35 But wisdom is proved right by all its results."

CHRIST'S FEET WASHED WITH TEARS

36 Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee's house, and sat down to eat.

37 A sinful woman who lived in that city found out that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house. So she took a bottle of perfume

38 and stood at His feet behind Him crying; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant olive oil.

39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he thought to himself, "If this man really were a prophet, he would know what sort of woman is touching him. She's a sinner."

40 And Jesus knew what he thought and said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." So he said, "Teacher, say it."

41 "There was a certain creditor. Two men owed him money. One owed him five hundred silver dollars, and the other owed him fifty.

42 When both couldn't pay him back, he was kind enough to forgive their debts. Now, who do you think will love him the most?"

43 Simon answered and said, "I suppose the one whom he forgave that owed him more." And He said to him, "You have answered correctly."

44 Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You didn't wash my feet. But she has washed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair.

45 You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in.

46 You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil.

47 Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she has shown great love. But whoever receives little, loves very little."

48 Then He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."

49 And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, "Who is this man who even forgives sins?"

50 Then He said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you. Go in peace."

 

Luke 8: 
Ministry Financed:

1 Now afterward, that He began a tour of the nearby cities and villages to announce the Good News concerning the Kingdom of God. He took his twelve disciples with Him,

2 and certain women who had been healed of evil demons and illnesses--Mary called Magdalene, from whom was cast out seven demons;

probably, of Magdala (on which see Matthew 15:39)

3 and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided financial support for Him .

If the steward of such a godless, cruel, and licentious wretch as Herod Antipas post would be no easy or enviable one. That he was a disciple of Christ is very improbable, though he might be favorably disposed towards Him. But what we know not of him, and may fear he lacked, we are sure his wife possessed. Healed either of "evil spirits" or of some one of the "infirmities" here referred to--the ordinary diseases of humanity-- she joins in the Saviour's train of grateful, clinging followers. Of "Susanna," next mentioned, we know nothing but the name, and that here only. But her services on this memorable occasion have immortalized her name. "Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done," in ministering to the Lord of her substance on His Galilean tour, "shall be spoken of as a memorial of her" ( Mark 14:9 ). (Jamieson)

4 And when a great crowd gathered, and people had come to Him from every city, He taught by this parable:

that is, many other healed women. (Jamieson)

FULFILMENT OF ISAIAH 6:9

5 "A farmer went to plant his seeds. Some seeds were planted along the road and they soon were trampled. Others were devoured by birds,

6 while some fell on on rocky soil. When the plants came up, they withered because they had no moisture

7 Some were planted among thorny bushes. The thorny bushes grew up with them and choked them.

8 But were planted on good ground. When they came up, they produced a hundred times as much as was planted." After He had said this, He called out, "Let everyone who has ears listen!"

9 Then His disciples asked Him, saying, "What does this parable mean?"

10 And He said, "To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that 'Seeing they may not see, And hearing they may not understand.' Isaiah 6:9

God is hiding His Gospel from the masses! Only the “elect” know the meaning

11 "Now this is what the parable means: The seed is the word of God.

12 The seed that fell on the hard ground represents those who hear the message, but then the Devil comes and steals it away and prevents them from believing and being saved.

13 The rocky soil represents those who hear the message with joy. But like young plants in such soil, their roots don't go very deep. They believe for a while, but when their faith is tested, they abandon it.

14 Now the ones that were planted among thorny bushes are people who hear the word, but as life goes on the worries, riches, and pleasures of life choke them. So they don't produce anything good.

15 But the ones that were planted on good ground are people who also hear the word. But they keep it in their good and honest hearts and produce what is good despite what life may bring.

16 "No one lights a lamp, then hides it under a bowl - or puts it under a bed. Instead, anyone who lights a lamp puts it on a stand so that those who come in will see the light.

17 There is nothing hidden that will not be revealed. There is nothing kept secret that will not come to light.

18 "So pay attention to what you hear! Those who understand {these mysteries} will be given more {knowledge}. However, some people don't understand; Even what they think they have will be taken away from them."

JESUS' MOTHER and BROTHERS!

19 Then His mother and brothers came to see Him. But they couldn't meet with Him because of the crowd.

20 And it was told Him, "Your mother and your brothers are outside. They want to see you."

21 But He answered and said to them, "My mother and my brothers are those who hear and do what God's word says."

22 One day He got into a boat with His disciples. And He said to them, "Let's cross over to the other side of the lake." And they crossed over.

23 On the way across, He laid down for a nap, and while he was sleeping the wind began to rise. A fierce storm developed that threatened to sink them, and they were in danger.

24 They went to Him, woke Him up, and said, "Master! Master! We're going to die!" Then He got up and ordered the wind and the waves to stop. The wind stopped, and the sea became instantly calm.

25 But He said to them, "Where is your faith?" Frightened and amazed, they asked each other, "Who is this Man? He gives orders to the wind and the water, and they obey Him!"

26 Then they sailed to the country of the Gadarenes, across from Galilee.

27 When He stepped out on the shore, a certain man from the city met him. The man was possessed by demons and had not worn clothes for a long time. He would not stay in a house but lived in the graveyards.

28 When he saw Jesus, he shouted, fell in front of Him, and said in a loud voice, "Why are you bothering me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you - don't torture me!"

29 For He had commanded the unclean demon to come out of the man. (The evil spirit had controlled the man for a long time. People had kept him under guard. He was chained hand and foot. But he would break the chains. Then the demon would force him to go into the desert.)

30 Jesus asked him, saying, "What is your name?" And he said, "Legion," because he had many demons in him.

31 The demons kept begging Jesus not to send them into the Bottomless Pit.

32 Now a large herd of pigs was feeding on the hillside nearby, and the demons pleaded with Him to let them enter into the pigs. He gave them permission.

33 So then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the whole herd plunged down the steep hillside into the lake, and drowned.

34 When those who had fed them {the pigs} saw what had happened, they ran away. They reported everything in the city and countryside.

35 Then {the town} they went to see what had happened. They came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone out. Dressed and in his right mind, he was sitting at Jesus' feet. The people were frightened.

36 The people who had seen this told everyone how Jesus had restored the demon-possessed man to health.

37 Then all the people from the surrounding region of the Gerasenes asked Him to leave because they were terrified. So He got into a boat and started back.

38 Now the man from whom the demons had left begged Him to go with Him. But Jesus sent him away, saying,

39 "Return to your home, and tell them how much God has done for you." So the man left. He went through the whole city and told people how much Jesus had done for him.

40 So when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed Him because everyone was expecting Him.

41 And now a man named Jairus, a leader of the local church, came and fell down at Jesus' feet, begging Him to come home with him.

42 His only child was dying, a little girl twelve years old. As Jesus followed him home, He was surrounded by the crowds.

43 Now a woman, who had been suffering from chronic bleeding for twelve years was in the crowd. No one could cure her.

44 She came up behind Jesus, touched the edge of His clothes, and her bleeding stopped immediately.

45 And Jesus said, "Who touched Me?" After everyone denied touching him, Peter said, "Teacher, the people are crowding you and pressing against you."

46 But Jesus said, "No, someone deliberately touched me, for I felt healing power go out from me."

47 Now when the woman saw that she couldn't hide from Him, she quickly bowed in front of him trembling. There, in front of all the people, she told why she touched him and how she was cured at once.

48 And He said to her, "Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace."

49 While He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the church's house. He said, "Your daughter is dead. Don't bother the teacher (rabbi) any longer."

50 But when Jesus heard it, He said: "Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well."

51 When He came into the house, He allowed no one to go with Him except Peter, John, James, and the child's parents.

52 Now everyone was crying and showing how sad they were. Jesus said, "Don't cry! She's not dead. She's just sleeping."

53 And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead.

54 But He put them all outside, took the little girl by the hand and said, "Little girl, get up!"

55 Then her life (pneuma) returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given something to eat.

56 And her parents were astonished, but He ordered them to tell no one what had happened.

 

Luke 9:

MISSION OF THE TWELVE APOSTLES

1 Then {Jesus} called the twelve apostles together and gave them power and authority over every demon and power and authority to cure diseases.

2 He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

3 And He said to them, "Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have two tunics apiece.

4 When you go into a home, stay there until you're ready to leave.

5 If people don't welcome you, leave that city, and shake its dust off your feet as a warning to them.”

6 So they departed and went from town to town preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.

7 Herod the ruler heard about everything that was happening. He didn't know what to make of it. Some people were saying that John had come back to life.

8 Others were saying, "It is Elijah or some other ancient prophet risen from the dead."

9 Herod said, "I had John's head cut off. Who is this person I'm hearing so much about?" So Herod wanted to see Him.

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

10 And the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all that they accomplished. Then He took them with him to a city called Bethsaida so that they could be alone.

11 But the crowds found out about this and followed Him. He welcomed them, talked to them about the kingdom of God, and cured those who were sick.

12 Toward the end of the daytime, the twelve apostles came to Him. They said to Him, "Send the crowd to the closest villages and farms so that they can find some food and a place to stay. No one lives around here."

13 But He said to them, "You give them something to eat." And they said, "We only have five loaves of bread and two fish, unless we go to buy food for all these people, that's all we have."

14 For there were about 5000 people. Then He said to His disciples, "Make them sit down in groups of fifty."

15 So they did this.

16 Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, looked to heaven, blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd.

17 So they all ate as much as they wanted. When they picked up the leftover pieces, they filled twelve baskets.

JESUS ASKS ABOUT HIS “PRESS”

18 One day when He was alone, praying, He came over to his disciples and asked them, "Who do people say I am?"

19 So they answered, "Some say you are John the Baptist, others Elijah, and still others say that one of the prophets from long ago has come back to life."

20 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered and said, "The Christ of God."

21 And He strictly warned them not to tell anyone about this,

22 saying, "The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day."

23 Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his stake every day, and follow Me.

24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.

25 For what good is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?

26 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of those people when He comes in the glory that He shares with the Father and the Holy angels.

27 "But I can guarantee this truth: Some people who are standing here will not die until they see the kingdom of God."

The Transfiguration

28 About eight days after he had said this, Jesus took Peter, John, and James with him and went up a mountain to pray.

29 As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became dazzling white.

30 Suddenly, both Moses and Elijah were talking with Him.

Moses represented "the law," Elijah "the prophets," and both together the whole testimony of the Old Testament Scriptures, and the Old Testament saints, to Christ; now not borne in a book, but by living men, not to a coming, but a come Messiah, visibly, for they "appeared," and audibly, for they "spake." (Jamieson)

31 They appeared in heavenly glory and were discussing Jesus' approaching death and what he was about to fulfill in Jerusalem.

32 Peter and the men with him were sleeping soundly. When they woke up, they saw Jesus' glory and the two men standing with Him.

33 Then it happened, as they were parting from Him, that Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah"--not knowing what he said.

This was obviously during the Feast of Tabernacles.

34 While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were afraid as they entered the cloud.

35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son. Listen to Him!"

36 When the voice had ceased, Jesus was alone. The disciples said nothing, and for some time they told no one about what they had seen.

37 On the next day, when they came down from the mountain, a huge crowd met Him.

38 Suddenly a man from the multitude cried out, saying, "Teacher, I beg You, look on my son, for he is my only child.

39 Whenever a spirit takes control of him, he shrieks, goes into convulsions, and foams at the mouth. After a struggle, the spirit goes away, leaving the child worn out.

40 So I begged Your disciples to cast it out, but they could not."

41 Jesus answered, “You unbelieving and corrupt generation! How long must I be with you and put up with you? Bring your son here!”

42 As the boy came forward, the demon knocked him to the ground and threw him into a violent convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the evil spirit and healed the boy. Then he gave him back to his father.

43 And awe gripped the people as they saw this display of God's power. While everyone was marveling over all the wonderful things he was doing, Jesus said to his disciples,

44 "Listen carefully to what I say. The Son of Man will be betrayed and handed over to people."

45 But they did not understand what He meant. The meaning was hidden from them so that they didn't understand it. Besides, they were afraid to ask Him about what He had said.

Who Will Be the Greatest?

46 Then a dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest.

47 And Jesus knew what they were thinking. So he took a little child and had him stand beside Him.

48 Then He said to them, "Whoever welcomes this little child in My name welcomes Me. Whoever welcomes Me welcomes the One who sent Me. The One who is least among all of you is the One who is greatest."

49 John replied, "Master, we saw someone forcing demons out of a person by using the power and authority of Your Name. We tried to stop him because he was not one of us."

50 But Jesus said to him, "Do not stop him, for he who is not against us is with us."

51 Now when the time had come for Him to be received up {taken to Heaven}, He became determined to go to Jerusalem.

52 He sent messengers ahead to a Samaritan village to prepare for His arrival.

53 But the people didn't welcome Him, because He was on His way to Jerusalem.

The Galileans, in going to the festivals at Jerusalem, usually took the Samaritan route [JOSEPHUS, Antiquities, 20.6.1], and yet seem to have met with no such inhospitality. But if they were asked to prepare quarters for the Messiah, in the person of one whose "face was as though He would go to Jerusalem," their national prejudices would be raised at so marked a slight upon their claims. (Jamieson)

54 And when His disciples James and John saw this, they asked, "LORD, do you want us to call down fire from Heaven to burn them up?"

James and John--not Peter, as we should have expected, but those "sons of thunder" ( Mark 3:17 ), who afterwards wanted to have all the highest honors of the Kingdom to themselves, and the younger of whom had been rebuked already for his exclusiveness ( Luke 9:49 Luke 9:50 ). Yet this was "the disciple whom Jesus loved," while the other willingly drank of His Lord's bitter cup. form, in the beloved disciple, we find in 2 John 1:5:10 , 3 John 1:10 . (Jamieson)

55 But He turned and rebuked them,

Some versions have: “and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.”

56 And they went to another village.

The Cost of Following Jesus

57 As they were walking along the road, a man said to Him, "I'll follow you wherever you go."

58 And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay down and sleep."

59 Then He said to another, "Follow Me." But he said, "Sir, let me first go and bury my father."

60 Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God."

61 And another also said, "LORD, I will follow You, but first let me tell my family goodbye."

62 But Jesus said to him, "Whoever starts to plow and looks back is not fit for the kingdom of God."

Luke 10:

Jesus Sends Out the 70

1 After this the LORD appointed 70 disciples and sent them on ahead in pairs to all the towns and villages he planned to visit.

Yes 72, not 12!!!!!!

the Lord--a becoming title here, as this appointment was an act truly lordly [BENGEL].

seventy"; probably with allusion to the seventy elders of Israel on whom the Spirit descended in the wilderness ( Numbers 11:24 Numbers 11:25 ).

2 He told them, "The harvest is large, but the workers are few. So ask the Lord who gives this harvest to send workers to harvest his crops.

3 Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.

4 Don't carry a wallet, a traveling bag, or sandals, and don't stop to greet anyone on the way.

5 "When you enter a house, first say, 'May there be peace in this house.'

6 If a peaceful person lives there, your greeting will be accepted. But if that's not the case, your greeting will be rejected.

7 Stay in that house, with the family that accepts you. Eat and drink whatever they offer you. After all, the worker deserves his pay. Do not move around from one house to another.

8 Whenever you go into a city and the people welcome you, eat whatever they serve you.

9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.'

10 But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say,

11 'We wipe the dust of your town from our feet as a public announcement of your doom. And don't forget the Kingdom of God is near!'

12 I tell you, it will be better on that day for Sodom than for that town.

13 "Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.

14 But it will be better for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you.

15 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to heaven? No, you will go to the grave!

16 "He who listens to you listens to Me; he who rejects you rejects Me; but he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me."

17 And the 70 returned again with joy, saying, LORD, even the demons obey us when we use the power and authority of Your Name!"

18 He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from Heaven. (See John 12:31 ; and compare Isaiah 14:12 ).

19 "Behold, I have given you the authority to trample snakes and scorpions and to destroy the enemy's power. Nothing will hurt you.

20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in Heaven."

21 At that time Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, "I thank You, Father, LORD of Heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babies. Even so, Father, it pleased you to do it this way.

22 "All things have been given to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, And no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son is willing to reveal Him."

23 Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.

24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it."

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

25 And then, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to gain eternal life?"

26 He said to him, "What is written in the Law? How do you read it?"

27 So he answered and said, "'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind,' and 'your neighbor as yourself.'"

28 And He said to him, "You have answered correctly. Do this and you will live."

29 But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"

30 Then Jesus answered and said: ""A man went from Jerusalem to Jericho. On the way robbers stripped him, beat him, and left him for dead.

31 By chance, a priest was traveling along that road. When he saw the man, he went around him and continued on his way.

32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.

33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.

34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him.

35 The next day he took out two silver dollars and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'

36 "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"

37 And he said, "The one who was kind enough to help him." Then Jesus said to him, "Go and do the same."

At the Home of Martha and Mary

38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him.

39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Jesus' feet listening to what he said.

40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "LORD, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself ? Tell her to help me!"

41 "Martha, Martha," the Jesus answered, "you are worried and upset about many things,

42 but there's only one thing you need. Mary has made the right choice, and that one thing will not be taken away from her."

Luke 11:

Jesus on Prayer:

1 Now it came to pass, as He was praying, one of his disciples said to him, "LORD, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples."

2 He said to them, "This is how you should pray: 'Father, Holy be Your Name, Your kingdom comes.

3 Give us each day our daily bread.

4 Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation. ' "

5 Then he said to them, "Suppose you have a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,

6 because a friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.'

7 "Then the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.'

8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the food because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs.

9 "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you shall find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

10 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

11 "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead?

12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?

13 If you then, though you are sinful, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

Jesus and Beelzebub:

14 One day He cast a demon out of a man who couldn't speak, and the man's voice returned to him. The crowd was amazed,

15 But some of them said, "By Beelzebub, the prince of demons, he is driving out demons."

16 Others tested him by asking for a sign from heaven.

17 But He, knowing their thoughts, said to them: "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls.

18 If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive out demons by Beelzebub.

19 Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges.

20 But if I drive out demons by the finger {Spirit} of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.

21 "When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own home, his possessions are safe.

22 But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up the spoils.

23 "He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters.

The Evil Demon:

24 "When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, 'I will return to the house I left.'

25 When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order.

26 Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first."

27 As He was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, "Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you."

28 He replied, "Rather it should be said, blessed are those who hear the word of God and obey it."

The Sign of Jonah-The proof of 72 hours in the tomb:

29 As the crowds increased, Jesus said, "These are evil times, and this evil generation keeps asking me to show them a miraculous sign. But the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah.

30 For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be a sign to you!

31 "The queen of Sheba will rise up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, because she came from a distant land to hear the wisdom of Solomon. And now someone greater than Solomon is here -- and you refuse to listen to him.

32 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here.

33 "No one lights a lamp and then hides it or puts it under a basket. Instead, it is put on a lampstand to give light to all who enter the room.

34 Your eye is a lamp for your body. A pure eye lets sunshine into your soul. But an evil eye shuts out the light and plunges you into darkness.

35 See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness.

36 Therefore, if your eye is a lamp for your body. A pure eye lets sunshine into your soul. But an evil eye shuts out the light and plunges you into darkness.

Six Woes:

37 And while He was speaking, a certain Pharisee asked Him to dine with him. So He went in and sat down to eat.

38 But the Pharisee, noticing that Jesus did not first wash before the meal, was surprised.

39 Then the LORD said to him, "You Pharisees are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are still filthy -- full of greed and wickedness!

40 You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also?

41 So give to the needy what you greedily possess, and you will be clean all over.

42 "But woe to you Pharisees! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest part of your income, but you completely forget about justice and the love of God. You should tithe, yes, but you should not leave undone the more important things.

43 "Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the churches and greetings in the marketplaces.

44 "Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which men walk over without knowing it."

45 One of the lawyers answered him, "Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us also."

46 Jesus replied, "And you lawyers, experts in the law, woe to you! For you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.

47 "Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your forefathers who killed them.

48 So you testify that you approve of what your forefathers did; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs.

49 Because of this, God in his wisdom said, 'I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.'

50 Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world,

51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible for it all.

blood of Zachariah--Probably the allusion is not to any recent murder, but to 2 Chronicles 24:20- 22 , as the last recorded and most suitable case for illustration. And as Zacharias' last words were, "The Lord require it," so they are warned that "of that generation it should be required." (Jamieson)

52 "Woe to you lawyers, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering."

key of knowledge--not the key to open knowledge, but knowledge, the only key to open heaven. In Matthew 23:13 , they are accused of shutting heaven; here of taking away the key, which was worse. A right knowledge of God's Word is eternal life ( John 17:3 ); but this they took away from the people, substituting for it their wretched traditions. (Jamieson)

53 When Jesus left there, the Pharisees and the lawyers began to oppose him fiercely and to besiege him with questions,

54 waiting to catch him in something he might say.

Luke 12:

WARNING AGAINST HYPOCRISY:

1 Meanwhile, the crowd grew by many thousands and gathered together, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: "Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees -- beware of their hypocrisy.

2 For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be made known.

3 Whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the sunshine of the day, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the rooftops.

4 "I tell you, friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and can't do no more to you.

5 But I'll tell you whom to fear. Fear The ONE, who has the power to kill you and then throw you into the Gehenna hellfire.

KJV renders Hell, but this is NOT the grave or Hades or Sheol. This word is the place of the future punishment call "Gehenna" or "Gehenna of fire". This was originally the valley of Hinnom, south of Jerusalem, where the filth and dead animals of the city were cast out and burned; a fit symbol of the wicked and their future destruction. The Bible does not say that we go to a place of torment when we die, we go to the grave (Hell or Sheol or Hades). At the end of time, when judgement comes, those that are not found in the Book of Life, are thrown into this fire and DESTROYED! (Revelation 20:15)

6 The price of five sparrows is only couple of pennies, right? Yet God does not forget a single one of them.

7 Indeed, every hair on your head are numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth a great deal more than flocks of sparrows.

8 "I tell you, whoever acknowledges Me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God.

9 But he who disowns Me before men will be disowned before the angels of God.

10 And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

11 "When you are brought before assemblies, along with their rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say,

12 for the Holy Spirit will impart you with what you are to say at that time."

The Parable of the Rich Fool:

13 Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, please tell my brother to split our father's estate with me."

14 Jesus replied, "Friend, who made me a judge over you to decide these things?"

15 Then He said to them, "Beware! Don't be greedy for what you don't have. Life is not about having a bunch of material possessions."

16 And He taught them this parable: "A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops.

17 He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.'

18 So he said, 'I know what I'll do! I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I'll have room enough to store everything.

19 And I'll sit back and say to myself, My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!'

20 "But God said to him, 'You fool! Tonight your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself ?'

21 "This is how it will be with anyone who stores up valuables for themselves but not have a rich friendship with God."

DON'T WORRY:

22 Then Jesus said to his disciples: "So I tell you now, don't worry about everyday life -- whether you have enough food to eat or clothes to wear.

23 For life consists of far more than just food and clothing.

24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!

25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life ?

26 Since you cannot do this small thing, why do you worry about the rest?

27 "Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don't work or make their own clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are.

28 And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, won't he more surely care for you? O you of little faith!

29 And don't worry about food-- what to eat and drink; Don't worry, God will provide it for you.

30 For the pagan world runs after all these things, and your Father knows that you need them.

31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

32 "Do not be afraid, little flock, for it pleases your Father to give you the kingdom.

33 "Sell whatever you have and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in Heaven! And the wallets in Heaven don't have holes in them. Your treasure will be safe -- no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it.

34 For where your treasure is, your heart will be there as well.

35 "Stay dressed and prepared for service and keep your lights on,

36 like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him.

37 There will be a special reward for those who are ready and waiting for His return. I tell you, He Himself will seat them, put on an apron, and serve them as they sit and eat!

38 Their Master may come in the middle of the night or just before dawn. But whenever he comes, there will be special favor for his servants who are ready!

39 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into.

40 You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him."

41 Peter asked, "LORD, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?"

42 And the LORD said to him, "I'm talking to all faithful, sensible servants to whom the Master gives the responsibility of managing His household and feeding His family.

43 There will be a reward for those servants whom the master finds doing so when He returns.

44 I tell you the truth, He will put them in charge of all His possessions.

45 But suppose a servant thinks, 'My master won't be back for a while,' and begins oppressing the other servants, partying, and getting drunk --

46 The Master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect Him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.

47 The servant will be severely punished, for though he knew his duty, he refused to do it.

48 But people who are not aware that they are doing wrong will be punished only lightly. Much is required from those to whom much is given, and much more is required from those to whom much more is given.

JESUS COMING WITH A SWORD TO DIVIDE!

49 "I have come to bring fire to the earth, and I wish that My task was already finished!

50 But I have a baptism to undergo, and I am under a heavy burden until it is accomplished.

51 Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division.

52 From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three.

53 There will be a division between fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, mother-in-laws and daughter-in-laws."

THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES:

54 He said to the crowd: "When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, 'It's going to rain,' and so it does.

55 Also when the south wind blows, you say, 'It's going to be hot today,' and it is.

56 Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the weather by the signs of the earth and the sky. How is it then, that you can't see the signs of the times today?

57 "Why can't you decide for yourselves what is right?

58 If you are on the way to court and you meet your accuser, try to settle the matter out of court before the matter reaches the judge, or you may be sentenced and handed over to an officer and thrown in jail.

59 I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny. "

Luke 13:

REPENT OR PERISH!

1 Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.

Galileans--possibly the followers of Judas of Galilee, who, some twenty years before this, taught that Jews should not pay tribute to the Romans, and of whom we learn, from Acts 5:37 , that he drew after him a multitude of followers, who on his being slain were all dispersed. About this time that party would be at its height, and if Pilate caused this detachment of them to be waylaid and put to death as they were offering their sacrifices at one of the festivals, that would be "mingling their blood with their sacrifices" [GROTIUS, WEBSTER and WILKINSON, but doubted by DE WETTE, MEYER, ALFORD, &c.].

2 Jesus answered, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way?

3 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.

PERISH MEANS PERISH!- perish: To pass away; to come to nought; to waste away; to decay and disappear; To die; to cease to live

4 Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them--do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem?

tower in Siloam--probably one of the towers of the city wall, near the pool of Siloam. Of its fall nothing is known.

5 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all in the same way perish."

6 Then he told this parable: "A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but each time, he was disappointed.

7 So he said to his gardener, 'I've waited three years, and there hasn't been a single fig! Cut it down. It's taking up space we can use for something else.'

8 " 'Sir,' the man replied, 'leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it.

9 If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.' {and burn it up} "

The perfect illusion to the Judgement of God in Revelation 20! Those who don't make the cut, so to speak, are killed and BURNED UP-not forever tormented!

fig tree--Israel, as the visible witness of God in the world, but generally all within the pale of the visible Church of God; a familiar figure (compare Isaiah 5:1-7 John 15:1-8 , &c.).

vineyard--a spot selected for its fertility, separated from the surrounding fields, and cultivated with special care, with a view solely to fruit.

came and sought fruit--a heart turned to God; the fruits of righteousness; compare Matthew 21:33 Matthew 21:34 , and Isaiah 5:2 , "He looked that it should bring forth fruit"; He has a right to it, and will require it. (Jamieson)

The Crippled Woman Healed on the Sabbath:

10 One Sabbath day as Jesus was teaching in the local church (the synagogue),

11 a woman who had been crippled by a demon for eighteen years was there. She was hunched over and could not straighten up at all.

12 When Jesus saw her, He called her to the front and said, "Woman, you are set free from your illness."

13 Then He put His hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.

14 Mad because Jesus healed her on the Sabbath, the church ruler said to the people, "There are six days for people to work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath Day."

15 The LORD answered him, "You hypocrites! Doesn't each of you untie their ox or donkey on the Sabbath, take it from the stall and lead it out to give it water?

16 Then shouldn't this woman, a descendant of Abraham, whom Satan has held her for these 18 years?"

17 When He said this, all his opponents were humiliated, while the people were delighted at the wonderful things He was doing.

The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast:

18 Then Jesus asked, "What is the Kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to?

19 It is like a tiny mustard seed planted in a garden; it grows and becomes a hardy tree, and the birds come and find shelter among its branches."

20 Again He asked, "What shall I compare the kingdom of God to?

21 It is like yeast used by a woman making bread. Even though she used a large amount of flour, the yeast permeated every part of the dough."

THE NARROW WAY:

22 Then He went through the towns and villages, teaching as He made His way to Jerusalem.

23 Someone asked him, "LORD, are only a few people going to be saved?" He said to them,

24 "Make every effort to enter through the narrow doorway, because many, I tell you, many, will try to enter and will not be able to.

25 When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open for us,' and He will answer and say to you, 'I do not know you, or where you came from,'

26 "Then you will say, 'We ate and drank with You, and You taught in our streets.'

27 "But He will reply, 'I don't know you or where you come from. Depart from Me, all you workers of lawlessness.'

Compare to Matthew 7:23 – Christ will not recognize the so-called members of the church who practiced lawlessness! For sin is the transgression of the Law, and the Law id the Torah! Those in the church teaching that Paul, Jesus and the Church did away with the Law, need to read this!

28 "There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, for you will see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets within the Kingdom of God, but you will be thrown out. {into the hellfire}

29 People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God.

30 Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last."

MESSAGE TO HEROD:

31 At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to Him, "Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you."

32 He replied, "Go tell that fox, 'I will drive out demons and heal people today and tomorrow, and on the third day and the third day I will accomplish my purpose.'

33 In any case, I must keep going today and tomorrow and the next day--for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem!

34 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you would not let me!

35 Look, your house is left in ruin. I tell you, you will not see Me again until you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD.' "

 

Luke 14:

1 Now it happened on one Sabbath Day Jesus went to the home of a leading Pharisee. The people watched him closely {to see if He would break some Law},

2 And behold, there was a certain man before Him who had dropsy.

3 Jesus spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, asking, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"

4 But they kept silent. So He took hold of the man, healed him, and sent him away.

5 Then He said, "Which of you, having a donkey or an ox that has fallen into a hole, would not pull him out instantly {without hesitation} on the Sabbath Day?"

6 They couldn't argue with Him about this.

7 So He told a parable to the invited guest, and He noted how they chose the places of honor, saying to them:

8 "When you are invited to a wedding, don't take the place of honor. Maybe someone more important than you was invited.

9 The host may say, 'Let this person sit here instead.' Then you will be embarrassed and will have to take whatever seat is left at the foot of the table.

10 But Do this instead -- sit at the foot of the table. Then when your host sees you, he will come and say, 'Friend, we have a better place than this for you!' Then you will be honored in front of all the other guests.

11 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

12 Then He also said to him who invited Him, "When you put on a luncheon or a dinner," he said, "don't invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors. For they will repay you by inviting you back.

13 But instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind.

The Parable of the Great Banquet:

14 Then you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just."

15 Now when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, "What a privilege it would be to have a share in the Kingdom of God!"

16 Then He said to him, "A certain man gave a great dinner and invited many,

17 and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, 'Come! Supper is ready.'

18 But they all began making excuses. One said he had just bought a field and wanted to inspect it, so he asked to be excused.

19 Another said he had just bought five pair of oxen and wanted to try them out.

20 Still another said, 'I have married a wife, and so I can't come.'

21 So the servant returned and told his master what they had said. His master was angry and said, 'Go quickly into the streets and alleys of the city and invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind.'

22 "The servant said, 'Sir, I've done what you ordered. There is still room for more people.'

23 So his master said, 'Go out into the countryside and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full.

24 For none that I first invited will get even the smallest taste of what I had prepared for them.'"

The Cost of Being a Disciple:

25 Now great crowds followed Him. And He turned and said to them,

26 "If people come to Me and are not ready to abandon their fathers, mothers, wives, children, brothers, and sisters, as well as their own lives, they cannot be My disciples.

27 And whoever does not bear his pole (cross) and come after Me can't be My disciple.

28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, doesn't begin until they count the cost, and see if they have enough to finish it--

29 For the fear is that they might complete only the foundation before running out of funds. And then everyone would laugh at them!

30 They'll say, 'This person started to build but couldn't finish the job.'

31 "Or what king would ever dream of going to war without first sitting down with his counselors and discussing whether his army of ten thousand is strong enough to defeat the twenty thousand soldiers who are marching against him?

32 If he can't, he'll send ambassadors to ask for peace terms while the other king is still far away.

33 So no one can become My disciple without giving up everything for Me.

34 "Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it become salty again?

35 It's not any good for the ground or for the manure pile. People throw it away. Anyone who is willing to hear should listen and understand!"

Luke 15:

The parable of the Lost Sheep:

1 Then all the tax collectors and the sinners came to hear Him.

2 But the Pharisees and Lawyers complained, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."

3 So He spoke this parable to them, saying:

4 "If you had one hundred sheep, and one of them strayed away and was lost in the wilderness, wouldn't you leave the ninety-nine others to go and search for the lost one until you found it?

5 And then you would joyfully carry it home on your shoulders.

6 When you arrived, you would call all your friends and neighbors to celebrate with you because your lost sheep was found.

7 I guarantee that there'll be more joy in heaven over that one person who turns to God and changes the way he thinks and acts than over 99 people who already have turned to God and have his approval."

Occurring again ( Matthew 18:12-14 )

The Lost Coin:

8 "Or suppose a woman has ten valuable silver coins and loses one. Won't she light a lamp and look in every corner of the house and sweep every nook and cranny until she finds it?

9 And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, 'Celebrate with me, for I have found the coin I lost!'

10 In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God's angels when even one sinner repents."

The Lost Son:

11 Then He said: "A man had two sons.

12 The younger son told his father, 'I want my share of your estate now, instead of waiting until you die.' So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons.

13 "A few days later the younger son packed all his belongings and took a faraway trip, and there he wasted all his money on wild living.

14 About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve.

15 He persuaded a local farmer to hire him to feed his {unclean} pigs.

16 The boy became so hungry that even the food he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him a thing to eat.

17 "When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, 'At home even the hired men have food enough to spare, and here I am, dying of hunger!

18 I will get up and go to my father, and will tell him, "Father, I have sinned against Heaven and before you,

19 and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your workers." '

20 "So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long distance away, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.

21 And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against Heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.'

22 But the father said to his workers, 'Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.

23 And kill the calf we have been fattening up. We must celebrate with a feast,

24 for my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' And they began to be merry.

25 His older son was working, and as he drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.

26 So he called one of the workers and asked what these things meant.

27 The man said, 'Your brother has returned, and your father has killed the calf we were fattening and has prepared a great feast for him. We are celebrating because of his safe return.'

28 But he was angry and would not go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him.

29 So he replied, 'All these years I've worked hard for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to do. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends.

30 But as soon as this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the finest calf we have.'

31 "His father replied, 'Look, dear son, you and I are very close, and everything I have is yours.

32 But we have something to celebrate, something to be happy about. This brother of yours was dead but has come back to life. He was lost but has been found.'"

Luke 16:

MORE PARABLES:

1 Jesus also said to His disciples: "A rich man had a business manager. The manager was accused of wasting the rich man's property.

2 So the rich man called for his manager and said to him, 'What's this I hear about you? Let me examine your books. It's obvious that you can't manage my property any longer.'

3 "The manager thought, 'What should I do? My master is taking my job away from me. I'm not strong enough to dig, and I'm ashamed to beg.

4 I know just the thing! And then I'll have plenty of friends to take care of me when I leave!'

5 "So the manager called for each one of his master's debtors. He said to the first, 'How much do you owe my master?'

6 The man replied, 'I owe him eight hundred gallons of olive oil.' So the manager told him, 'Tear up that bill and write another one for four hundred gallons. '

7 "Then he asked another debtor, 'How much do you owe?' "The debtor replied, 'A thousand bushels of wheat.' "The manager told him, 'Take the ledger, and write "eight hundred!"'

8 "The master praised the dishonest manager for being so clever. Worldly people are more clever than spiritually-minded people when it comes to dealing with others."

9 I tell you, use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. In this way, your generosity stores up a reward for you in Heaven.

10 Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with a lot. Whoever is dishonest with very little is dishonest with a lot.

11 Therefore, if you can't be trusted with wealth that is often used dishonestly, who will trust you with wealth that is real?

12 And if you are not faithful with other people's money, why should you be trusted with money of your own?

13 No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money."

14 The Pharisees, who dearly loved money, scoffed at all this.

15 Then he said to them, "You like to look good in public, but God knows your evil hearts. What this world honors is an abomination in the sight of God.

16 "Until John {the Baptist} began to preach, the Law and the Prophets were your guides. But now the Good News of the Kingdom of God is preached, and eager multitudes are forcing their way in. See Matthew 11:13

This does not mean the Law was abolished when John arrived, it means that until John came (and really Jesus) the church only had the Old Testament as a guideline on how to live their life. Now with the New Testament, God is adding a spiritual and as Paul would argue, an easier way to live within the Law, by Jesus' life, death and resurrection. See verse 17....

17 For it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one comma be dropped from the Law.

18 "Any man who divorces his wife to marry another woman is committing adultery. The man who marries a woman divorced in this way is committing adultery.

THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS:

19 "There was a certain rich man who was lavishly clothed in royal (purple) clothing and who lived each day in luxury.

20 Also, a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, laid at his front gate,

21 while he was looking to be fed some crumbs which fell from the rich man's table, the dogs came and licked his oozing sores.

22 Finally, the beggar died and was carried to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried,

Abraham's bosom--as if seen reclining next to Him at the millennial feast ( Matthew 8:11 ).

23 And awakening in his grave, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.

We must remember, that Lazarus has been resurrected now for 1,000 years! The rich man is wakening to his final judgement, which is to be burned up!

HELL IN TH KJV: The New Testament was written in the Greek language. Your Bible is a translation in the English language. In the English language your Bible probably reads "And in hell he lifted up his eyes." However, in the original Greek in which the New Testament was written there are three different Greek words, each having a totally different meaning, but all three of which were translated into the "King James" and Catholic translations by the English word "hell." One of the Greek words is "tartaros," which refers only to the present condition of darkness, or perversion, and of restraint, of the fallen angels, or demons. Another is "gehenna," a place at the bottom of a high ledge at the south end of Jerusalem, where garbage, refuse, and bodies of dead animals and the worst criminals were dumped over the ledge to be burned up. Down below, the fires were kept continually burning. They burned up, or consumed--totally destroyed the bodies and refuse dumped there. This is the word Jesus used when He spoke of being finally DESTROYED in "HELL FIRE." But this rich man was not buried in that "hell." He was not in "gehenna." The third, and most commonly used Greek word was written here by Luke-- "hades." And "hades" means THE GRAVE--a place of BURIAL in the ground! When the King James translation of the Bible was made, Englishmen spoke commonly of "putting their potatoes in hell for the winter." They buried them in the ground!

This is the "hell" Jesus was buried in--the "hell" His soul was not left in-- the grave, or tomb, from which He was RESURRECTED! And this, hades, was also the "hell" in which the rich man was BURIED! (Herbert W Armstrong)

24 Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.'

25 But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you enjoyed your riches, while Lazarus' life was filled with misery. Now he has peace here, while you suffer.

26 Besides, a wide area separates us. People couldn't cross it in either direction even if they wanted to.'

The wide area mentioned by Abraham which prevents the wicked from escaping death by hell-fire, and which also keeps the righteous from being burned, is immortality. Those who are immortal shall never die because they are born of God. (Rev. 20:6). But human beings who have not been begotten and born by the Spirit of God are still flesh, subject to corruption and death. They can be burned by fire.

27 Then he said, 'I beg you my father, to send Lazarus back to my father's home.

28 I have five brothers. He can warn them so that they won't end up in this place of torture.'

29 Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.'

Meaning, they have the Old Testament Law, which they were supposed to obey!

30 And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'

31 Abraham replied, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.' "

Abraham replied, "If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one ROSE from the dead." (verse 31).

THERE IT IS! In plain language! The experience of Lazarus and the rich man shows the RESURRECTION from the dead--not an instantaneous going to "heaven" or "hell." It is a resurrection from THE DEAD--not from life. It shows MORTALITY which dies, and is DEAD not immortality which never loses consciousness and lives forever in an eternal punishing of the imaginary "hell." Jesus was showing a RESURRECTION--or bringing back to life of one who was DEAD--of one who had no consciousness whatever of the lapse of centuries and millenniums since his death.
Far from illustrating immortality of the soul and the lurid eternally burning torture of Dante's fabled "hell," Jesus illustrates DEATH--total UNCONSCIOUSNESS thru the centuries,--RESURRECTION from death and restoration of consciousness,--and, finally, the SECOND DEATH in the lake of fire that shall totally destroy the wicked in which they PERISH and become ashes under the soles of the feet of the saved--the eternal punishment of DEATH--eternal DEATH--the SECOND death! (Herbert W. Armstrong)

 

Luke 17:

1 Then He said to the disciples, "There will always be temptations to sin, but how terrible it will be for the person who does the tempting.

2 It would be better to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around the neck than to face the punishment in store for harming one of these little ones.

3 So I warn you: watch yourselves! "If a believer sins, correct him. If he changes the way he thinks and acts, forgive him.

4 And if he sins against you seven times in one day and comes back to you seven times and says that he is sorry, forgive him."

only he ask forgiveness in sincerity.

5 And the apostles said to the LORD, "Increase our faith."

6 So the LORD said, "Even if you had faith as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, 'May God uproot you and throw you into the sea,' and it would obey you!

7 And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come at once and sit down to eat'?

8 But will he not say to him instead, 'Get dinner ready for me! After you serve me my dinner, you can eat yours.'

9 He doesn't thank the servant for following orders.

10 That's the way it is with you. When you've done everything you're ordered to do, say, 'We're worthless servants. We've only done our duty.'"

TEN LEPERS CLEANSED:

11 As He continued on toward Jerusalem, he reached the border between Galilee and Samaria.

12 Then as He entered a village, there He met 10 men who were lepers, who stood afar off.

13 And they cried out, "Jesus, LORD, have mercy on us!"

14 When He saw them, He told them, "Show yourselves to the priests." As they went, they were made clean.

15 One of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God,

16 and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. He was a Samaritan.

17 So Jesus said, "Were there not ten cleansed? Where are the nine?

18 Does only this foreigner return to give glory to God?"

19 And He said to him, "Get up, go your way. Your faith has made you well."

20 The Pharisees asked Jesus when the kingdom of God would come. He answered them, "People can't always see the coming of the kingdom of God.

21 They can't say, 'Here it is!' or 'There it is!' You see, the kingdom of God is within you."

22 Then He said to the disciples, "The days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.

23 And they will say to you, 'Look here!' or 'Look there!' Do not go after them or follow them.

24 For as the sunlight that flashes out from the east to the west, so the coming of the Son of Man will be also, in His day.

25 But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.

26 And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man:

27 They ate, drank, married wives, and they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.

28 Just like that time, in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built;

29 but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from Heaven and destroyed them all.

30 Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man returns.

31 "On that day those who are on the roof shouldn't come down to get their belongings out of their homes, and those who are in the field shouldn't turn back.

32 Remember Lot's wife.

33 Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.

34 I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed: One will be taken - the other will be left.

35 Two women will be grinding {grain} together: One will be taken - the other left.

36 Two men will be in the field: the one will be taken and the other left."

37 They asked him, "Where, Lord?" Jesus told them, "Vultures will gather wherever there is a dead body."

It is important to understand here that the one “taken” is KILLED, not raptured. The one “left” will remain alive!

 

Luke 18:
 The Parable of the Persistent Widow:

1 One day Jesus told his disciples a story to illustrate their need for constant prayer and to show them that they must never give up.

2 He said, "There was a judge who didn't fear God or respect anyone.

3 Now there was a widow in the city; and she came to him, saying, 'Get justice for me from my enemy.'

4 The judge ignored her for a while, but eventually she wore him out. 'I fear neither God nor man,' he said to himself,

5 'this woman is driving me crazy. I'm going to see that she gets justice, only because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!'"

6 Then the LORD said, "Understand what the unjust judge said.

7 Won't God give his chosen people justice when they cry out to him for help day and night? Is he slow to help them?

8 I tell you that He will avenge them swiftly. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"

9 He also spoke this parable to some who {mistakenly} were sure that God approved of them while they looked down on everyone else.

10 "Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.

11 The Pharisee stood and prayed like this: 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men--crooks, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.

12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I earn.'

13 "But the tax collector was standing at a distance. He wouldn't even look up to heaven. Instead, he became very upset, and he said, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!'

14 "I can guarantee that this tax collector went home with God's approval, but the Pharisee didn't. Everyone who honors himself will be humbled, but the person who humbles himself will be honored."

15 Some people brought infants to Him to have Him hold them. When the disciples saw this, they told the people not to do that.

16 But Jesus called them to Him and said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them to come; Children like these are a symbol of the kingdom of God.

17 Truly, I say to you, Whoever doesn't receive the kingdom of God as a little child receives it will never enter it."

WHAT MUST I DO TO EARN ETERNAL LIFE?

18 An official asked Jesus, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

19 So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God.

20 You know the Commandments: 'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Honor your father and your mother.' "

Notice Jesus didn't say, 'man you already have eternal life in your immortal soul- it's now a question whether you are going to live it out in heaven or hell!' That is what churches teach, but NOT CHRIST! He said, “IF” See Matthew 19:21 for this same story with some added light! Also, look at verse 30 below just when CHRIST tells us when we receive eternal life.

21 And he said, "I've obeyed all these Commandments since I was a boy."

22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still need one thing. Sell everything you have. Distribute the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then follow me!"

23 But when he heard this, he became very sad, because he was so rich.

24 And when Jesus saw that he became very sad, He said, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!

CAMEL HAIR THRU THE EYE OF A NEEDLE

25 For it is easier for a camel thread to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

According to Lamsa, and I believe him, the meaning here is not a camel, but thick camel hair that is very hard to get through the eye of a needle – but it can be done! It was an idiom of the day, and not a literal camel going through an eye of a needle.

26 And those who heard it said, "Who then can be saved?"

27 But He said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."

What a statement: NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE TO GOD!

28 Then Peter said, "See, we have left everything we had and followed You."

29 So He said to them, "I can guarantee this truth: Anyone who gave up his home, wife, brothers, parents, or children because of the kingdom of God

30 will certainly receive many times as much in this life and will receive eternal life in the world to come."

31 Jesus took the twelve apostles aside and said to them, "We're going to Jerusalem. Everything that the prophets wrote about the Son of Man will come true.

32 For He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon.

33 They will whip Him and kill Him, but on the third day He will rise again."

34 But they didn't understand any of this. What he said was a mystery to them, and they didn't know what he meant.

THE BLIND MAN SEES AGAIN:

35 As they approached Jericho, a blind beggar was sitting beside the road.

36 When he heard the noise of a crowd going past, he asked what was going on.

37 So they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by.

38 And he cried out, saying, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"

39 The people at the front of the crowd told the blind man to be quiet. But he shouted even louder, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"

40 So Jesus stopped and ordered them to bring the man to him. When the man came near, Jesus asked him,

41 saying, "What do you want Me to do for you?" He said, "LORD, I want to see again!"

42 Then Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has made you well."

43 And immediately he could see again. He followed Jesus and praised God. All the people saw this, and they, too, praised God.

 

Luke 19:

ZACCHEUS THE TAX COLLECTOR:

1 Then Jesus passed through Jericho.

2 A man named Zaccheus lived there. He was a chief tax collector, and was very rich.

3 He tried to get a glimpse of Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowds.

4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore fig tree to see Jesus.

sycamore--the Egyptian fig, with leaves like the mulberry.

5 When Jesus came to the tree, he looked up and said, "Zaccheus, come down from up there! I must stay at your house today."

(Compare John 1:39 ), probably He stayed over night.

6 Zaccheus came down and was glad to welcome Him into his home.

7 But the people who saw this were displeased. "He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner," they grumbled.

8 Then, Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, "I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have overcharged people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!"

Pay Back 4 times: The Roman law required this; the Jewish law, but the principal and a fifth more ( Numbers 5:7 ). There was no demand made for either; but, as if to revenge himself on his hitherto reigning sin experienced, besides surrendering the half of his fair gains to the poor, he voluntarily determines to give up all that was ill-gotten, quadrupled. He gratefully addressed this to the "Lord," to whom he owed the wonderful change. (Jamieson)

9 Jesus said to him, "You and your family have been saved today. You've shown that you, too, are one of Abraham's descendants.

10 Indeed, the Son of Man came to seek and to save people who are lost."

11 While they were listening to this, He went on to tell them a parable, because He was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at that time.

THE PARABLE OF THE SERVANTS WHO INVESTED:

12 He said, "A nobleman was called away to a distant empire to be crowned king and then return.

13 Before he left, he called together ten servants and gave them ten pounds of silver to invest for him while he was gone.

14 "The his citizens hated him and sent representatives to follow him and say 'We don't want this man to be our king.'

15 "After he was made king, he came back. Then he said, 'Call those servants to whom I gave money. I want to know how much each one has made by investing.'

16 "The first servant said, 'Sir, the coin you gave me has earned ten times as much.'

17 "The king said to him, 'Good job! You're a good servant. You proved that you could be trusted with a little money. Take charge of ten cities.'

18 "The second servant said, 'The coin you gave me, sir, has made five times as much.'

19 Likewise he said to him, 'You also be over five cities.'

20 "Then the other servant said, 'Sir, look! Here's your coin. I've kept it in a cloth for safekeeping because

21 I was afraid because you are a hard man to deal with, taking what isn't yours and harvesting crops you didn't plant.'

22 'You wicked servant!' the king roared. 'Hard, am I? If you knew so much about me and how tough I am,

23 Then why didn't you deposit the money in the bank so I could at least get some interest on it?'

24 The king told his men, 'Take his coin away, and give it to the man who has ten.'

Notice the capitalism here! He didn't give to the servant who did well, but earned less to “socialize” the system, instead he gave the money to the one who earned the most! God is looking for the best people, he is NOT A SOCIALIST!

25 "They replied, 'Sir, he already has ten coins.'

26 "'I can guarantee that everyone who has something will be given more. But everything will be taken away from those who don't have much.

27 Bring my enemies, who didn't want me to be their king. Kill them in front of me.'"

Notice Jesus is not being a pacifist here either!

28 After He had given this parable, he continued on his way to Jerusalem.

THE ENTRY TO JERUSALEM AND THE DONKEY COLT:

29 When He came near the towns of Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives (as it was called), Jesus sent two of his disciples ahead of Him.

30 He said to them, "Go into the village ahead of you. As you enter, you will find a young donkey tied there. No one has ever sat on it. Untie it, and bring it.

31 If anyone asks you why you are taking it, say that the LORD needs it."

32 So they went and found {the colt}, just as Jesus had said.

33 While they were untying it, the owners of the colt asked them, "Why are you untying the donkey?"

34 The disciples answered, "The LORD needs it."

35 They brought the donkey to Jesus, put their coats on it, and helped Him onto it.

36 As He was riding along, the crowds spread their coats on the road {before Him}.

37 As they reached the place where the road started down from the Mount of Olives, all of His followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen.

38 They shouted joyfully, "Blessed (Hosanna) is the king who comes in the name of the LORD! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven."

39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, tell your disciples to be quiet."

40 He replied, "If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would themselves burst into cheers!"

41 When He came closer and saw the city, He began to cry.

42 He said, "I wish that even today you would find the way of peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from you.

43 The time will come when your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you.

44 They will level you to the ground and kill your people. One stone will not be left on top of another, because you didn't recognize the time of your visitation {By The LORD Yahweh}."

SECOND CLEANSING OF THE TEMPLE AND SUBSEQUENT TEACHING:

45 Jesus went to the Temple and began to drive out the merchants from their tables.

As the first cleansing was on His first visit to Jerusalem ( John 2:13-22 ), so this second cleansing was on His last.

46 He said to them, "Scripture says, 'My House will be a House of prayer,' but you have turned it into a gathering place for thieves."

47 After that, He taught daily in the Temple, but the leading priests, the teachers of the Law, and the other leaders of the people began planning how to kill Him.

48 But they could not find a way to do it, because all the people were eager to hear Him.

 

Luke 20:

THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS QUESTIONED:

1 One day Jesus was teaching the people in the Temple, proclaiming to them the Good News. The chief priests, lawyers, and leaders came up to Him,

2 asking, "Tell us, what right do you have to do these things? Who told you that you could do this?"

3 But He answered and said to them, "I also will ask you one thing, and answer Me:

4 The baptism of John--was it from heaven or from men?"

5 They talked about this among themselves. They said, "If we say, 'from heaven,' He will ask, 'Why didn't you believe John?'

6 But if we say, 'from humans,' the crowd will stone us to death. They're convinced that John was a prophet."

7 So they answered that they did not know where it was from.

8 And Jesus said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."

The parable of the tenants:

9 Then He began to tell the people this parable: "A certain man planted a vineyard, leased it to tenant farmers, and went into a far country for a long time.

The Far Country symbolizes Heaven – The man is jesus, the story is about His going to Heaven after His death, and the promise to return to earth!

10 At grape-picking time, he sent one of his servants to collect his share of the crop. But the farmers attacked the servant, beat him up, and sent him back empty-handed.

Servants = prophets

11 So he sent a different servant. The workers beat him, treated him shamefully, and sent him back with nothing.

What the Jews did to the prophets!

12 Then he sent a third servant. But they injured this one and threw him out.

Probably John

13 "Then the owner of the vineyard said, 'What should I do? I'll send my son, whom I love. They'll probably respect him.'

The son, of course is Jesus

14 "When the workers saw him, they talked it over among themselves. They said, 'This is the heir. Let's kill him so that the inheritance will be ours.'

What the Jewish leaders were plotting to do to Jesus

15 So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. "What will the owner of the vineyard do to them?

16 He will destroy these workers and give the vineyard to others." And when they heard it they said, "Certainly not!"

17 Then Jesus looked straight at them and proclaimed, "What, then, does this Scripture mean: 'The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone' {the capstone}?

Jesus is the capstone over the Great Pyramid!

18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken. If that stone falls on anyone, it will crush him to dust."

19 The lawyers and the chief priests heard this story, they wanted to arrest Jesus immediately because they realized He was talking about them -- They were the farmers in the story. But they were afraid there would be a riot if they arrested Him.

PAYING TAXES:

20 So watching for their opportunity, the leaders sent secret agents pretending to be honest men. They tried to get Him to say something that could report to the Roman governor so he would arrest Him.

21 They asked Him, "Teacher, we know that You're right in what You say and teach. Besides, You don't play favorites. Rather, You sincerely teach the ways of God.

22 Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"

23 He saw through their plot and said,

24 "Show me a coin. Whose face and name is this?" They answered, "Caesar's!"

25 And He said, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."

26 So they failed to trap Him in the presence of the people. Instead, they were amazed by His answer, and they kept silent.

MARRIAGE AFTER THE RESURRECTION:

27 Some Sadducees, who say that there isn't a resurrection of the dead, came to Jesus asking,

28 "Teacher, Moses wrote, 'If a married man dies and has no children, his brother should marry his widow and have children for his brother.'

29 Now there were seven brothers. The first got married and died without having children.

30 Then the second brother married the widow,

31 and so did the third. In the same way all seven brothers married the widow, died, and left no children.

32 Finally, the woman died.

33 Now, when the dead come back to life after the resurrection, whose wife will she be? The seven brothers had married her and had sex with her."

34 Jesus said to them, "Only in this world do people marry.

35 But that is not the way it will be in the age to come. For those worthy of being raised from the dead by the resurrection won't be married in the world to come,

36 nor will they die anymore. They are like the angels and become sons of God, being sons through the resurrection.

37 But now, as to whether the dead will be raised or not -- even Moses proved this when he wrote about the burning bush. Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, he referred to the LORD as 'the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.'

The promise of the dead is not Heaven, but the resurrection to immortal life as GOD- the actual literal sons of the Godhead!

38 So he is the God of the living, not the dead. They are all alive to Him."

39 Some scribes responded, "Teacher, that was well said."

40 From that time on, no one dared to ask Him another question.

WHOSE IS DAVID'S “LORD”????

41 Jesus said to them, "How can people say that the Messiah is David's son?

42 David says in the book of Psalms, 'The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit in honor at my right hand

43 until I make your enemies your footstool."'

44 If David calls Him Lord. So how can He be his son?"

45 While all the people were listening, Jesus said to the disciples,

46 "Beware of the lawyers! They like to walk around in long robes and love to be greeted in the supermarkets, and to have the front seats in church and the places of honor at dinners.

47 They rob widows by taking their homes and then say long prayers to make themselves look righteous. These lawyers will receive greater condemnation {than others}."

 

Luke 21:

POOR WIDOW”S GIFT:

1 And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the collection Box {in the Temple},

2 He noticed a poor widow drop in two pennies.

3 He said, "Truly I say to you that this poor widow has given more than all the others.

4 for all of these people have given what they could spare. But she, in her poverty, has given everything she had."

THE END TIME- MATTHEW 24:

5 Some of His disciples began talking about the beautiful stonework of the Temple and the memorial decorations on the walls. But Jesus said,

6 "The time is coming when all of this will be so completely demolished and not one stone will be left on top of another."

7 The disciples asked Him, "Teacher, when will this be? And will there be any sign ahead of time?"

8 Jesus said, "Be careful that you are not deceived. Many will come in My name, saying, 'I {Jesus} am The Christ!' They will also say, 'The time is near.' Don't follow them!

People will not be calling themselves the Christ, but false Christians will say that Jesus is Christ, but they will pervert His message and His true identity! The “Christ” is a false one!

9 "When you hear of wars and revolutions, don't be terrified! These things must happen first, but the end isn't near."

10 Then He continued, "Nation will fight against nation and kingdom against kingdom.

11 There will be terrible earthquakes, famines, and dreadful diseases in cities and other inhabited places-and there will be terrifying things and great miraculous signs in the heavens.

12 "But before all this happens, there will be a time of great persecution {of the Church}. You will be dragged into churches and thrown into prisons, and you will be accused before kings and governors because of My Name.

13 It will be your opportunity to them about Me.

14 So make up your minds not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves.

15 I will give you the words and wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to reply to!

16 "Even parents, brothers, relatives, and friends will betray you and kill some of you.

17 Everyone will hate you because you from Me.

18 But not a hair on your head will be lost.

19 By standing firm, you will save your life.

20 "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its destruction is near.

21 Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. Let those in Jerusalem escape, and those outside the city should not enter it for shelter.

22 For these are the days of {God's} vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.

23 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people.

24 They will be brutally killed by the sword or sent away as prisoners to the nations of the world. Jerusalem will be conquered and trampled down by the Gentiles until the age of the Gentiles comes to the end.

Implying (1) that one day Jerusalem shall cease to be "trodden down by the Gentiles" ( Revelation 11:2 ), as then by pagan so now by Mohammedan unbelievers; (2) that this shall be at the "completion" of "the times of the Gentiles," which from Romans 11:25 (taken from this) we conclude to mean till the Gentiles have had their full time of that place in the Church which the Jews in their time had before them--after which, the Jews being again "grafted into their own olive tree," one Church of Jew and Gentile together shall fill the earth ( Romans 11:1-36 ).

25"And there will be strange signs in the skies -- events in the sun, moon, and stars. And down here on earth the nations will be in turmoil, perplexed by the roaring seas and strange tides.

26 People will faint as they wait in terror for what will happen to the world. Indeed, the powers of the universe will be shaken to the core.

27 "Then everyone will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

28 "When these things begin to start, Be confident! The time of your redemption is near."

29 Then Jesus used this parable. "Look at any tree, especially the fig tree.

30 As soon as leaves grow on them, you know without being told that summer is approaching.

31 In the same way, when you see these things happen, know that the kingdom of God is near.

32 I assure you, this generation {or age} will not pass from the scene until all these events have taken place.

33 Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.

34 "Make sure that you don't become drunk, hung over, and worried about life. Then that day could suddenly catch you by surprise

35 like a trap that catches a bird. That day will surprise all people who live on the earth.

36 Be alert at all times. Pray so that you have the power to escape everything that is about to happen and to stand in front of the Son of Man."

37 Every day Jesus went to the Temple to teach, and each evening he returned to spend the night on the Mount of Olives.

38 All of the people would get up early to hear him speak at the Temple.

Luke 22:

JESUS' LAST PASSOVER:

1 The Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called called Passover.

2 The chief priests and the lawyers were looking for some way to kill Jesus, but they were afraid of the people.

3 Then Satan entered Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve.

4 So he went to the chief priests and the Temple guards and discussed with them how he could betray Jesus to them.

5 They were delighted that he was ready to help them, and agreed to give him some money.

6 So he promised to do it. He kept looking for an opportunity to betray Him to them when there was no crowd.

7 The day came during the Feast of Unleavened Bread when the Passover lamb had to be killed.

Notice that this is the day of the Passover. It is not EARLIER as many, includiing the Armstrong's maintain. Jesus was following the real Passover on the correct date – a date that was different then the Temple was following!

8 Jesus sent Peter and John and told them, "Go, prepare the Passover lamb for us to eat."

9 They asked Him, "Where do You want us to prepare it?"

10 He told them, "Go into the city, and you will meet a man carrying a jug of water. Follow him into the house he enters.

11 Tell the owner of the house that the teacher asks, 'Where is the room where I can eat the Passover meal with My disciples?'

12 He will take you upstairs to a large room that is already set up. That is the place. Go ahead and prepare our supper there."

13 They went off to the city and found everything just as Jesus had said, and they prepared the Passover supper there.

14 When it was time to eat the Passover meal, Jesus and the twelve apostles were at the table.

15 Jesus said to them, "I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.

"Christ our Passover sacrificed for us" ( 1 Corinthians 5:7 )

16 For I tell you now that I won't eat it again until it comes to fulfillment in the Kingdom of God."

17 Then He took a cup of wine, and when He had given thanks for it, He said, "Take this and divide it among yourselves,

18 for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes."

19 Then He took a loaf of bread; and when He had thanked God for it, He broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, "This is my body, given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me."

20 He also took the wine cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the New Covenant in My blood, which is given for you.

21 "But here at this table, sitting among us as a friend, is the man who will betray me.

22 For I, the Son of Man, must die since it is part of God's plan. But how terrible it will be for my betrayer!"

23 So they began to discuss with each other who could do such a thing.

24 Then a quarrel broke out among the disciples. They argued about who should be considered the greatest.

25 Jesus said to them, "In this world the kings and great men order their people around, and yet they are called 'friends of the people.'

26 But among you, those who are the greatest should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant.

27 Who's the greatest, the person who sits at the table or the servant? Isn't it really the person who sits at the table? But I'm among you as a servant.

28 "You have stood by Me in the troubles that have tested Me.

29 So as my Father has given Me a kingdom, I'm giving it to you.

30 You will eat and drink at My table in My kingdom. You will also sit on thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel."

31 Then the LORD said, "Simon, Simon, listen! Satan has demanded to have you apostles for himself. He wants to separate you from me as a farmer separates wheat from husks.

Satan asked for Peter!

32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith will not fail. So when you recover, strengthen the other disciples."

33 But Peter said to Him, "LORD, I'm ready to go to prison with you and to die with you."

34 Jesus replied, "Peter, let me tell you something. The rooster will not crow tomorrow morning until you have denied three times that you even know me."

35 Then Jesus asked them, "When I sent you out to preach the Good News and you did not have money, a traveler's bag, or extra clothing, did you lack anything?" "No," they replied.

36 Then He said to them, "But now, take your money and a traveler's bag. And if you don't have a sword, sell your clothes and buy one!

37 For the time has come for this prophecy about me to be fulfilled: 'He was counted among those who were rebels.' Yes, everything written about Me by the prophets will come true."

38 The disciples said, "LORD, look! Here are two swords!" Then Jesus said to them, "That's enough!"

JESUS PRAYER:

39 Jesus went out to the Mount of Olives as He usually did. His disciples followed Him.

40 When he arrived, He said to them, "Pray that you won't be tempted."

41 Then He withdrew from them about a stone's throw, knelt down, and prayed,

42 "Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from Me. Yet I want Your will, not Mine."

43 Then an angel from Heaven appeared to Him and gave Him strength.

44 Again, He prayed more fervently, and He was in such agony of spirit that His sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood.

We know from Matthew that this is actually the third time He prayed this prayer

45 When Jesus ended His prayer, He got up and went to the disciples. He found them asleep and overcome with sadness.

46 He said to them, "Why are you sleeping? Get up, and pray that you won't be tempted."

JESUS ARRESTED:

47 While He was still speaking to the disciples, a crowd arrived. The man called Judas, one of the twelve apostles, was leading them. He came close to Jesus to kiss Him.

48 Jesus said to him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?"

49 The men who were with Jesus saw what was going to happen. So they asked him, "LORD, should we use our swords to fight?"

50 One of the disciples {we know is Peter} cut off the right ear of the chief priest's servant.

51 But Jesus answered, "No more of this!" And He touched the man's ear and healed him.

52 Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the Temple, and the elders, who had come for him, "Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come with swords and clubs?

53 I was with you in the Temple every day and you didn't try to arrest Me. But this is your time, when darkness rules."

Evil rules the night! The day represents GOD, goodness and the new day

PETER'S BETRAYAL:

54 So they arrested Him, taking Him away to the chief priest's home. Peter followed at a distance.

55 Some men had lit a fire in the the courtyard. As they sat together, Peter sat among them.

56 A servant girl noticed him in the firelight and began staring at him. Finally she said, "This man was one of Jesus' followers!"

57 But Peter denied it by saying, "I don't know Him, woman."

58 Later someone else saw Peter and said, "You are one of them." But Peter said, "No I am not!"

59 An hour later another person insisted, "It's obvious that he was with Him. He's a Galilean!"

60 But Peter said, "I don't know what you're talking about!" Just then, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed.

61 Then the LORD turned and looked directly at Peter. Peter remembered what the LORD had said: "Before a rooster crows today, you will say three times that you don't know me."

62 Then Peter went outside and cried bitterly.

63 The men who were guarding Jesus mocked Him as they beat Him.

64 They blindfolded Him and said to Him, "Tell us who hit You."

65 They also insulted Him in many other ways.

66 At daybreak-dawn of the new day- all the leaders of the people assembled, including the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. Jesus was led before this high council,

67 "Tell us, are you the Messiah?" Jesus said to them, "If I tell you, you won't believe Me.

68 And if I ask you a question, you won't answer.

69 But from now on, the Son of Man, will be sitting at God's right hand in the place of power."

70 They all shouted at Him, "Then You claim you are the Son of God?" And He replied, "You are right in saying that I Am."

71 Then they said, "Why do we need any more testimony? We've heard Him say it Himself with His own lips."

The Garden of Gethsemane, on the west or city side of the mount. Comparing all the accounts of this mysterious scene, the facts appear to be these: (1) He bade nine of the Twelve remain "here" while He went and prayed "yonder." (2) He "took the other three, Peter, James, and John, and began to be sore amazed [appalled], sorrowful, and very heavy [oppressed], and said, My soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death"--"I feel as if nature would sink under this load, as if life were ebbing out, and death coming before its time"--"tarry ye here, and watch with Me"; not, "Witness for Me," but, "Bear Me company." It did Him good, it seems, to have them beside Him. (3) But soon even they were too much for Him: He must be alone. "He was withdrawn from them about a stone's-cast"--though near enough for them to be competent witnesses and kneeled down, uttering that most affecting prayer ( Mark 14:36 ), that if possible "the cup," of His approaching death, "might pass from Him, but if not, His Father's will be done": implying that in itself it was so purely revolting that only its being the Father's will would induce Him to taste it, but that in that view of it He was perfectly prepared to drink it. It is no struggle between a reluctant and a compliant will, but between two views of one event--an abstract and a relative view of it, in the one of which it was revolting, in the other welcome. By signifying how it felt in the one view, He shows His beautiful oneness with ourselves in nature and feeling; by expressing how He regarded it in the other light, He reveals His absolute obediential subjection to His Father. (4) On this, having a momentary relief, for it came upon Him, we imagine, by surges, He returns to the three, and finding them sleeping, He addresses them affectingly, particularly Peter, as in mark 14:37 mark 14:38 . He then (5) goes back, not now to kneel, but fell on His face on the ground, saying the same words, but with this turn, "If this cup may not pass," &c. ( Matthew 26:42 )--that is, 'Yes, I understand this mysterious silence ( Psalms 22:1-6 ); it may not pass; I am to drink it, and I will'--"Thy will be done!" (6) Again, for a moment relieved, He returns and finds them "sleeping for sorrow," warns them as before, but puts a loving construction upon it, separating between the "willing spirit" and the "weak flesh." (7) Once more, returning to His solitary spot, the surges rise higher, beat more tempestuously, and seem ready to overwhelm Him. To fortify Him for this, "there appeared an angel unto Him from heaven strengthening Him"--not to minister light or comfort (He was to have none of that, and they were not needed nor fitted to convey it), but purely to sustain and brace up sinking nature for a yet hotter and fiercer struggle. And now, He is "in an agony, and prays more earnestly"--even Christ's prayer, it seems, admitted of and now demanded such increase--"and His sweat was as it were great drops [literally, 'clots'] of blood falling down to the ground." What was this? Not His proper sacrificial offering, though essential to it. It was just the internal struggle, apparently hushing itself before, but now swelling up again, convulsing His whole inner man, and this so affecting His animal nature that the sweat oozed out from every pore in thick drops of blood, falling to the ground. It was just shuddering nature and indomitable will struggling together. But again the cry, If it must be, Thy will be done, issues from His lips, and all is over. "The bitterness of death is past." He has anticipated and rehearsed His final conflict, and won the victory--now on the theater of an invincible will, as then on the arena of the Cross. "I will suffer," is the grand result of Gethsemane: "It is finished" is the shout that bursts from the Cross. The Will without the Deed had been all in vain; but His work was consummated when He carried the now manifested Will into the palpable Deed, "by the which WILL we are sanctified THROUGH THE OFFERING OF THE BODY OF JESUS CHRIST ONCE FOR ALL" ( Hebrews 10:10 ). (8) At the close of the whole scene, finding them still sleeping (worn out with continued sorrow and racking anxiety), He bids them, with an irony of deep emotion, "sleep on now and take their rest, the hour is come, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners, rise, let us be going, the traitor is at hand." And while He spoke, Judas approached with his armed band. Thus they proved "miserable comforters," broken reeds; and thus in His whole work He was alone, and "of the people there was none with Him." (Jamieson)

Luke 23:

BEFORE PILOT:

1 Then the entire council took Him to Pilate.

2 They began to accuse Him saying, "We found that he stirs up trouble among the people: He keeps them from paying taxes to Caesar, saying that He Himself is Christ, a King."

3 Then Pilate asked Him, saying, "Are You the King of the Jews?" He answered him and said, "It is as you say."

4 Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowd, "I find nothing wrong with this man!"

5 Then they became desperate. "But he is causing riots everywhere he goes, all over Judea, from Galilee to Jerusalem!"

6 “Is He a Galilean?" Pilate asked.

7 When Pilate found out that He was, he sent Jesus to Herod. Herod ruled Galilee and was in Jerusalem at that time.

8 Herod was happy to see Jesus. For a long time he had wanted to see Him. He had heard about Him and hoped to see Him perform some kind of miracle.

9 Herod asked Him many questions, but He wouldn't answer him.

10 And the chief priests and lawyers stood and vehemently accused Him.

11 Herod and his soldiers treated Him with contempt and made fun of Him. They put a colorful robe on Him and sent Him back to Pilate.

12 So on that day Herod and Pilate became friends—before this they had been enemies.

13 Then Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people.

14 He told them, "You brought me this man as someone who turns the people against the government. I've questioned Him in front of you and haven't found this man guilty of the crimes of which you accuse Him.

15 Neither could Herod. So he sent this man back to us. This man hasn't done anything to deserve the death penalty.

16 So I'm going to have Him whipped and set free."

17 (for it was necessary for him to release one to them at the feast).

18 The whole crowd then shouted, "Take Him away! Free Barabbas for us."

19 (Barabbas was in prison for murder and for taking part in an insurrection in Jerusalem against the government.)

20 But because Pilate wanted to free Jesus, he spoke to the people again.

21 They began yelling, "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!"

22 A third time Pilate spoke to them. He asked, "Why? What has he done wrong? I haven't found this man deserving of the death penalty. So I'm going to have him whipped and set free."

23 But the crowd shouted louder and louder for Jesus' death, and their voices prevailed.

24 Pilate decided to give in to their demand.

25 He freed Barabbas, who had been put in prison for rioting and murdering, because that's what they wanted. But he let them do what they wanted to Jesus.

26 As they led Jesus away, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country just then, was forced to follow Jesus and carry His cross.

Cyrene, in Libya, on the north coast of Africa, where were many Jews who had a synagogue at Jerusalem ( Acts 6:9 , and see Acts 2:10 ). He was "the father of ALEXANDER and Rufus" ( Mark 15:21 ), probably better known afterwards than himself, as disciples. (See Romans 16:13 ).

27 Great crowds trailed along behind Him, including many grief-stricken women.

28 Jesus turned to them and said, "You women of Jerusalem, don't cry for me! Rather, cry for yourselves and your children!

29 For the days are coming when they will say, 'Fortunate indeed are the women who are childless, the wombs that have not borne a child and the breasts that have never nursed.'

30 Then people will say to the mountains, 'Fall on us!' and to the hills, 'Cover us!'

31 For if these things are done when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry? "

32 Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be executed with him.

CRUCIFIXION AND DEATH OF THE LORD JESUS:

33 When they came to the place called The Skull, they crucified (staked) Him. The criminals were also crucified, one on His right and the other on His left.

Crucify from the Greek: stauroō 1) to stake, drive down stakes

2) to fortify with driven stakes, to palisade
3) to crucify

34 Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." Then the soldiers divided His clothes among themselves by throwing dice.

35 The crowd watched, and the leaders laughed and scoffed. "He saved others," they said, "let Him save Himself if he is really God's Chosen One, the Messiah."

36 The soldiers also made fun of Him. They would go up to Him, offer Him some wine vinegar,

37 and say, "If you're the king of the Jews, save yourself!"

38 A signboard was nailed above Him. It said, "This is the King of the Jews."

39 One of the criminals hanging beside Him scoffed, "So you're the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself -- and us, too, while you're at it!"

40 But the other criminal protested, "Don't you fear God even when you are dying?

41 Our punishment is fair. We're getting what we deserve. But this man hasn't done anything wrong."

42 Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when You enter Your kingdom."

43 And Jesus replied, "I assure you today, that you will be with Me in paradise."

This is the proper order of this verse that is often punctuated wrongly. It is obvious in anyone's view of this situation that they would not be in “heaven” that same day, so it is very clear that the comma belongs as I placed it. Jesus was promising him on that day, that in the future, the man would be with Him in paradise (The Kingdom)

44 Around noontime darkness came over the entire land and lasted until three o'clock.

45 Suddenly, the light from the sun was gone, and the thick veil hanging in the Temple was torn in two.

46 Then Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit." After he said this, he died.

47 When an army officer saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, "Certainly this was a righteous Man!"

48 Crowds had gathered to see the sight. But when all of them saw what had happened, they cried and returned to the city.

49 All His friends, including the women who had followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance and watched everything.

50 Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph. He was a member of the Jewish high council,

51 but he had not agreed with the decision and actions of the other religious leaders. He was from the town of Arimathea in Judea, and he had been waiting for the Kingdom of God to come.

52 He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.

53 After he took Him down from the cross, he wrapped Him in linen. Then he laid the body in a tomb cut in rock, a tomb in which no one had ever been buried.

54 That day was the Preparation {for the Jewish Passover}, and the Sabbath drew near.

This was not the Saturday Sabbath here, we read in John that this was a HIGH DAY, or a special FEAST SABBATH. We know that the Jews were following the wrong calendar, and their Passover feel one day after Jesus'. This was not a Friday death and burial!!!

55 The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed closely behind Joseph. They observed the tomb and how his body was laid in it.

56 Then they returned and prepared spices and fragrant oils. And they rested on the {High} Sabbath according to the Commandment.

 

Luke 24:

THE EMPTY TOMB:

1. Towards the first day of the week, very early in the morning as the Sabbath was ending, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb.

Look in the concordance of the Greek words of this oft mistranslated line! The Greek word for Sabbath is used, yet most translations do not mention the Sabbath day was ending – in the morning! The women were going to the tomb very early, before sunrise on what was the end of the Sabbath, but at the time of the “dawn” of the new day, which starts in the morning – at first light!

2 They found that the stone covering the entrance had been rolled aside.

3 So they went in, but they couldn't find the body of the Lord Jesus.

4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them.

5 The women were terrified and bowed low before them. Then the men asked, "Why do you seek the living among the dead?

6 He's not here. He has risen! Remember what he told you while he was still in Galilee.

7 He said, 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.' "

8 Then the women remembered what Jesus had told them.

9 The women left the tomb and went back to the city. They told everything to the eleven apostles and all the others.

10 The women were Mary from Magdala, Joanna, and Mary (the mother of James). There were also other women with them. They told the apostles everything.

11 But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.

12 But Peter got up and ran to the tomb. He bent down to look inside and saw only the strips of linen. Then he went away, wondering what had happened.

Notice this was not a shroud!

13 On the same day, two of Jesus' disciples were going to a village called Emmaus. It was about seven miles from Jerusalem.

14 They were talking to one another about everything that had happened.

15 While they were talking, Jesus approached them and began walking with them.

16 Although they saw Him, they didn't recognize Him.

17 He asked them, "What are you talking about?" They stopped and looked very sad.

18 One of them, Cleopas, replied, "Are you the only person in Jerusalem who doesn't know what has happened in the last few days?"

19 "What things?" Jesus asked. "The things that happened to Jesus, the man from Nazareth," they said. "He was a prophet who did wonderful miracles. He was a mighty teacher, highly regarded by both God and all the people.

20 Our chief priests and rulers had Him condemned to death and crucified.

21 We had thought He was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. That all happened three days ago.

22 Some of the women from our group startled us. They went to the tomb early this morning

23 and didn't find His body. They told us that they had seen angels who said that He's alive.

24 Some of our men went to the tomb and found it empty, as the women had said, but they didn't find Him."

25 Then Jesus said to them, "How foolish you are! You're so slow to believe everything the prophets said!

26 Didn't the Messiah have to suffer these things and enter into his glory?"

27 Then he began with Moses' Torah and the Prophets to explain to them what was said about Him throughout the Scriptures.

28 When they came near the village, Jesus acted as if He were going farther.

29 They urged Him, "Stay with us! It's getting late, and the daytime is almost over." So He went to stay with them.

30 While He was at the table, He took bread and blessed it, and broke it and gave it to them.

31 Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized Him. And at that moment he disappeared!

32 They said to each other, "Didn't our hearts feel strangely warm as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us, explaining the true meaning of the words?"

33 That same hour they went back to Jerusalem. They found the eleven apostles and those who were with them gathered together.

34 They were saying, "The Lord has really come back to life and has appeared to Simon."

35 Then the two disciples told what had happened on the road and how they had recognized Jesus when he broke the bread.

36And just as they were talking about it, Jesus Himself was suddenly standing there among them. He said, "Peace be with you."

37 They were terrified, and thought they were seeing a Spiritual Being.

38 He asked them, "Why are you afraid? Why do you have doubts?

39 Look at My hands and My feet, and see that it's really Me! Touch Me, and see for yourselves. Spirits don't have flesh and bones, but you can see that I do."

40 As He said this, He showed them His hands and feet.

41 Still they stood there doubting, filled with joy and wonder. Then He asked them, "Do you have anything here to eat?"

42 They gave Him a piece of broiled fish.

43 He took it and ate it while they watched Him.

44 Then He said, "When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about Me in Moses' Torah and the Prophets and in the Psalms must all come true."

These are the three parts that make up the entire Old Testament! He is saying here that all of the Bible is about Him!

45 Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.

46 He said to them, "Scripture says that the Messiah would suffer and that He would come back to life after three days.

47 With my authority, take this message of repentance to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: 'There is forgiveness of sins for all who turn to me.'

48 You are witnesses to these things.

49 "And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from Heaven."

50 Then Jesus led them to Bethany, and lifting His hands to Heaven, He blessed them.

51 While He was blessing them, He left them and was taken to Heaven.

52 They worshiped Him and then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy.

53 And they spent all of their time in the Temple, praising God.

END