Luke 9:1-62, NLT
Luke 9
Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Disciples
1One day Jesus called together his twelve disciples*9:1 Greek the Twelve; other manuscripts read the twelve apostles. and gave them power and authority to cast out all demons and to heal all diseases.
6So they began their circuit of the villages, preaching the Good News and healing the sick.
Herod’s Confusion
7When Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee,*9:7 Greek Herod the tetrarch. Herod Antipas was a son of King Herod and was ruler over Galilee. heard about everything Jesus was doing, he was puzzled. Some were saying that John the Baptist had been raised from the dead.
9“I beheaded John,” Herod said, “so who is this man about whom I hear such stories?” And he kept trying to see him.
Jesus Feeds Five Thousand
10When the apostles returned, they told Jesus everything they had done. Then he slipped quietly away with them toward the town of Bethsaida.
12Late in the afternoon the twelve disciples came to him and said, “Send the crowds away to the nearby villages and farms, so they can find food and lodging for the night. There is nothing to eat here in this remote place.”
13But Jesus said, “You feed them.”
“But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. “Or are you expecting us to go and buy enough food for this whole crowd?”
Jesus replied, “Tell them to sit down in groups of about fifty each.”
Peter’s Declaration about Jesus
18One day Jesus left the crowds to pray alone. Only his disciples were with him, and he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”
19“Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are one of the other ancient prophets risen from the dead.”
20Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”
Peter replied, “You are the Messiah*9:20 Or the Christ. Messiah (a Hebrew term) and Christ (a Greek term) both mean “anointed one.” sent from God!”
Jesus Predicts His Death
21Jesus warned his disciples not to tell anyone who he was.
23Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me.
The Transfiguration
28About eight days later Jesus took Peter, John, and James up on a mountain to pray.
32Peter and the others had fallen asleep. When they woke up, they saw Jesus’ glory and the two men standing with him.
35Then a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, my Chosen One.*9:35 Some manuscripts read This is my dearly loved Son. Listen to him.”
Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Boy
37The next day, after they had come down the mountain, a large crowd met Jesus.
41Jesus said, “You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you and put up with you?” Then he said to the man, “Bring your son here.”
42As the boy came forward, the demon knocked him to the ground and threw him into a violent convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the evil*9:42 Greek unclean. spirit and healed the boy. Then he gave him back to his father.
Jesus Again Predicts His Death
While everyone was marveling at everything he was doing, Jesus said to his disciples,
The Greatest in the Kingdom
46Then his disciples began arguing about which of them was the greatest.
Using the Name of Jesus
49John said to Jesus, “Master, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he isn’t in our group.”
50But Jesus said, “Don’t stop him! Anyone who is not against you is for you.”
Opposition from Samaritans
51As the time drew near for him to ascend to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.
The Cost of Following Jesus
57As they were walking along, someone said to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go.”
58But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.”
59He said to another person, “Come, follow me.”
The man agreed, but he said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.”
60But Jesus told him, “Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead!*9:60 Greek Let the dead bury their own dead. Your duty is to go and preach about the Kingdom of God.”
61Another said, “Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me say good-bye to my family.”
62But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.”