Bible Reading Plan

Luke 9

Chapter 9

Commissioning the Twelve

¹ Summoning the Twelve,^(a) He gave them power and authority over all the demons, and power to heal^[a] diseases.^{(b) 2} Then He sent them to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.^(c)

³ "Take nothing for the road," ^(d) He told them, "no walking stick,^(e) no traveling bag, no bread, no money; and don't take an extra shirt. ⁴ Whatever house you enter, stay there and leave from there. ⁵ If they do not welcome you, when you leave that town, shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them." ^{(f) 6} So they went out and traveled from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing everywhere.

Herod's Desire to See Jesus

⁷ Herod the tetrarch^(g) heard about everything that was going on.^(h) He was perplexed, because some said that John had been raised from the dead, ⁸ some that Elijah had appeared,⁽ⁱ⁾ and others that one of the ancient prophets had risen.^{(j) 9} "I beheaded John," Herod said, "but who is this I hear such things about?" And he wanted to see Him.^(k)

Feeding 5,000

¹⁰ When the apostles returned,^(l) they reported to Jesus all that they had done.^(m) He took them along and withdrew privately to a^[b] town called Bethsaida.^{(n) 11} When the crowds found out, they followed Him. He welcomed them,^(o) spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and cured^[c] those who needed healing.

¹² Late in the day,^[d](p) the Twelve approached and said to Him, "Send the crowd away,^(q) so they can go into the surrounding villages and countryside to find food and lodging, because we are in a deserted place here."

¹³ "You give them something to eat," He told them.

"We have no more than five loaves^(r) and two fish," they said, "unless we go and buy food for all these people." ¹⁴ (For about 5,000 men were there.)

Then He told His disciples, "Have them sit down^[e] in groups of about 50 each." ¹⁵ They did so, and had them all sit down. ¹⁶ Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven,^(s) He blessed and broke them.^(t) He kept giving them to the disciples to set before the crowd. ¹⁷ Everyone ate and was filled. Then they picked up^[f] 12 baskets of leftover pieces.

Peter's Confession of the Messiah

¹⁸ While He was praying in private^(u) and His disciples were with Him, He asked them, "Who do the crowds say that I am?"

¹⁹ They answered, "John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, that one of the ancient prophets has come back."^[g](v)

²⁰ "But you," He asked them, "who do you say that I am?"

Peter answered, "God's Messiah!"^(w)

His Death and Resurrection Predicted

²¹ But He strictly warned and instructed them to tell this to no one,^{(x) 22} saying,^(y) "The Son of Man^(z) must suffer many things^(aa) and be rejected^(ab) by the elders, chief priests, and scribes,^(ac) be killed, and be raised the third day." ^(ad)

Take Up Your Cross

²³ Then He said to them all, "If anyone wants to come with^[h] Me, he must deny himself,^(ae) take up his cross daily,^[i] and follow Me.^{(af) 24} For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of Me will save it. ^{(ag) 25} What is a man benefited if he gains the whole world, yet loses or forfeits himself?^{(ah) 26} For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words,^(ai) the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory^(aj) and that of the Father and the holy angels. ^{(ak) 27} I tell you the truth: There are some standing here who will not taste death^(al) until they see the kingdom of God." ^(am)

The Transfiguration

²⁸ About eight days after these words,^(an) He took along Peter, John, and James^(ao) and went up on the mountain to pray.^{(ap) 29} As He was praying, the appearance of His face changed,^(aq) and His clothes became dazzling white.^{(ar) 30} Suddenly, two men were talking with Him—Moses and Elijah. ³¹ They appeared in glory and were speaking of His death,^[j] which He was about to accomplish in Jerusalem.

³² Peter and those with him were in a deep sleep,^[k](as) and when they became fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men who were standing with Him. ³³ As the two men were departing from Him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master,^(at) it's good for us to be here! Let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah"—not knowing what he said.^(au)

³⁴ While he was saying this, a cloud appeared and overshadowed^(av) them. They became afraid as they entered the cloud. ³⁵ Then a voice came from the cloud,^(aw) saying:

³⁶ After the voice had spoken, only Jesus was found. They kept silent, and in those days told no one what they had seen.

The Power of Faith over a Demon

³⁷ The next day,^(ba) when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met Him. ³⁸ Just then a man from the crowd cried out, "Teacher, I beg You to look at my son, because he's my only child.^{(bb) 39} Often a spirit seizes him; suddenly he shrieks, and it throws him into convulsions until he foams at the mouth;^[m] wounding^[n] him, it hardly ever leaves him. ⁴⁰ I begged Your disciples to drive it out, but they couldn't."^(bc)

⁴¹ Jesus replied, "You unbelieving and rebellious^[o] generation!^(bd) How long will I be with you and put up with you?^(be) Bring your son here."

⁴² As the boy was still approaching, the demon knocked him down and threw him into severe convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, cured the boy,^(bf) and gave him back to his father.^{(bg) 43} And they were all astonished at the greatness of God.^(bh)

The Second Prediction of His Death

While everyone was amazed at all the things He was doing,^(bi) He told His disciples, ⁴⁴ "Let these words sink in:^[p] The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men." ^(bj)

⁴⁵ But they did not understand this statement;^(bk) it was concealed from them so that they could not grasp it,^(bl) and they were afraid to ask Him about it.^[q]

Who Is the Greatest?

⁴⁶ Then an argument started among them about who would be the greatest of them.^{(bm) 47} But Jesus, knowing the thoughts of their hearts,^(bn) took a little child and had him stand next to Him. ⁴⁸ He told them, "Whoever welcomes^[r] this little child in My name welcomes Me. And whoever welcomes Me welcomes Him who sent Me.^(bo) For whoever is least among you—this one is great." ^(bp)

In His Name

⁴⁹ John responded,^(bq) "Master, we saw someone driving out demons in Your name,^(br) and we tried to stop him because he does not follow us."^(bs)

⁵⁰ "Don't stop him," Jesus told him, "because whoever is not against you is for you." ^[s](bt)

The Journey to Jerusalem

⁵¹ When the days were coming to a close for Him to be taken up,^[t](bu) He determined^[u](bv) to journey to Jerusalem.^{(bw) 52} He sent messengers ahead of Him,^(bx) and on the way they entered a village of the Samaritans^(by) to make preparations for Him. ⁵³ But they did not welcome Him, because He determined to journey to Jerusalem.^{(bz) 54} When the disciples James and John saw this, they said, "Lord, do You want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?"^[v](ca)

⁵⁵ But He turned and rebuked them,^{[w] 56} and they went to another village.

Following Jesus

⁵⁷ As they were traveling on the road someone said to Him,^(cb) "I will follow You wherever You go!"

⁵⁸ Jesus told him, "Foxes have dens, and birds of the sky^[x] have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head." ⁵⁹ Then He said to another, "Follow Me."

"Lord," he said, "first let me go bury my father."^[y]

⁶⁰ But He told him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and spread the news of the kingdom of God." ^(cc)

⁶¹ Another also said, "I will follow You, Lord, but first let me go and say good-bye to those at my house."^(cd)

⁶² But Jesus said to him, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God."