Luke 9

Jesus called the Twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to heal diseases. He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey: no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, and do not have two tunics each. Whatever house you enter, stay there, and leave from there. Wherever people do not welcome you, shake the dust from your feet as you leave that town, as a testimony against them.” They set out and went through the villages, proclaiming the good news and healing everywhere. Herod the tetrarch heard about everything that was happening and was perplexed, because some were saying that John had been raised from the dead, others that Elijah had appeared, and still others that one of the ancient prophets had risen. Herod said, “I beheaded John. Who then is this about whom I hear such things?” And he kept trying to see him. When the apostles returned, they told Jesus all they had done. He took them with him and withdrew privately to a town called Bethsaida. But the crowds learned of it and followed him. He welcomed them, spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing. The day began to draw to a close. The Twelve came to him and said, “Send the crowd away so that they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside to find lodging and food, because we are in a deserted place here.” He said to them, “You give them something to eat.” They said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we go and buy food for all these people.” For there were about five thousand men. He said to his disciples, “Have them recline in groups of about fifty.” They did so and had everyone recline. He took the five loaves and the two fish, looked up to heaven, blessed them, and broke them. Then he kept giving them to the disciples to set before the crowd. They all ate and were satisfied, and twelve baskets of leftover pieces were gathered up. While he was praying in private, his disciples were with him. He asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?” They answered, “John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and others say that one of the ancient prophets has risen.” He said to them, “But who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “The Christ of God.” He sternly commanded them to tell this to no one, saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things, be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, be killed, and on the third day be raised.” He said to all, “If anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. What does a person gain by winning the whole world but destroying or forfeiting himself? For whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and the holy angels. But truly I tell you, some standing here will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.” About eight days after these words, he took Peter, John, and James with him and went up the mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothing became dazzling white. Two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke about his departure, which he was about to accomplish in Jerusalem. Peter and those with him were heavy with sleep, but when they were fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As the men were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us make three shelters, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He did not know what he was saying. While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, the Chosen One. Listen to him!” When the voice came, Jesus was found alone. They kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen. The next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met him. A man from the crowd cried out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. A spirit seizes him, and he suddenly screams. It convulses him and makes him foam at the mouth, and scarcely leaves him, battering him. I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not.” Jesus answered, “Faithless and perverse generation! How long must I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.” While the boy was still coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the child, and gave him back to his father. They were all astonished at the majesty of God. While everyone was marveling at all he was doing, he said to his disciples, “Let these words sink into your ears: the Son of Man is about to be handed over into human hands.” But they did not understand this saying. It was concealed from them so that they would not grasp it, and they were afraid to ask him about it. An argument arose among them about which of them was greatest. Jesus knew the reasoning of their hearts. He took a child and had him stand at his side, and said to them, “Whoever welcomes this child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For the one who is least among you all is great.” John answered, “Master, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not follow with us.” But Jesus said to him, “Do not stop him, for whoever is not against you is for you.” As the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. He sent messengers ahead of him. They went into a Samaritan village to make preparations for him. But the people did not welcome him, because he was headed for Jerusalem. When the disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” But he turned and rebuked them. Then they went to another village. As they were traveling along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus said to him, “Foxes have dens, and the birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” He said to another, “Follow me.” But the man said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” He said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead. But you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say farewell to those in my house.” Jesus said, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

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