Luke 9:30-62 ▼

30 Suddenly, two men were talking with him. They were Moses and Elijah.

31 They had a glorified appearance, and were discussing Jesus' departure that he would shortly bring about in Jerusalem.

32 Now Peter and the men with him had been overcome by sleep. When they woke up, they saw Jesus' glory and the two men standing with him.

33 Just as Moses and Elijah were leaving, Peter told Jesus, |Master, it's good that we're here! Let's set up three shelters —one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.| (Peter didn't know what he was saying.)

34 But while he was saying this, a cloud appeared and surrounded them, and they became terrified as they were being overshadowed by the cloud.

35 Then a voice came out of the cloud and said, |This is my Son, whom I have chosen. Keep listening to him!|

36 After the voice had spoken, Jesus was alone. The disciples kept silent and at that time told no one about what they had seen.

37 The next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a large crowd met Jesus.

38 Suddenly, a man in the crowd shouted, |Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, because he is my only child.

39 Without warning a spirit takes control of him, and he suddenly screams, goes into convulsions, and foams at the mouth. The spirit mauls him and refuses to leave him.

40 I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they couldn't.|

41 Jesus answered, |You unbelieving and perverted generation! How much longer must I be with you and put up with you? Bring your son here!|

42 Even while the boy was coming, the demon knocked him to the ground and threw him into convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father.

43 All the people continued to be amazed at the greatness of God. Indeed, everyone was astonished at all the things Jesus was doing. So he told his disciples,

44 |Listen carefully to these words. The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into human hands.|

45 But they didn't know what this meant. Indeed, the meaning was hidden from them so that they didn't understand it; and they were afraid to ask him about this statement.

46 Later, an argument started among the disciples as to which of them might be the greatest.

47 But Jesus, knowing their inner thoughts, took a little child and had him stand beside him.

48 Then he told them, |Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me, because the one who is least among all of you is the one who is greatest.|

49 John said, |Master, we saw someone driving out demons in your name. We tried to stop him, because he wasn't a follower like us.|

50 Jesus told him, |Don't stop him! Because whoever is not against you is for you.|

51 When the days grew closer for Jesus to be taken up to heaven, he was determined to continue his journey to Jerusalem.

52 So he sent messengers on ahead of him. On their way they went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him.

53 But the people would not welcome him, because he was determined to go to Jerusalem.

54 When his disciples James and John observed this rejection, they asked, |Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?|

55 But he turned and rebuked them,

56 and they all went on to another village.

57 While they were walking along the road, a man told him, |I will follow you wherever you go.|

58 Jesus told him, |Foxes have holes and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to rest.|

59 He told another man, |Follow me.| But he said, |Lord, first let me go and bury my father.|

60 But he told him, |Let the dead bury their own dead. But you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.|

61 Still another man said, |I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say goodbye to those at home.|

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