Open English Translation LUKE Chapter 9

9 Then Yeshua called together his twelve trainees and gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases, 2 and then sent them out to preach about God’s kingdom and to heal those who were sick. 3 “Don’t take anything for the journey,” he told them. “Don’t take a walking stick or a backpack or food or money or spare clothes. 4 When someone invites you into their home, stay in that one house until you leave that place, 5 [ref]but when the people don’t want to hear from you, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony to them that they’re now responsible to God for their own actions.”

6 So they headed off, preaching the good message and healing the people as they walked from village to village.

7 [ref]Herod the ruler of the Galilean quarter heard about everything that was going on and was completely puzzled, because some people said that Yohan the immerser had come back to life, 8 while others said that Eliyah had been spotted, and others that one of the other ancient prophets had come back to life. 9 “I beheaded Yohan,” King Herod said, “so who is this man that I’m hearing so much about?” So he tried to find a way to see him.

10 When the twelve apprentices returned back to Yeshua, they reported back to him everything they’d done. Then he took them to the town of Bethsaida for some private time, 11 but the crowds saw where he went and followed after them, so he welcomed them and taught them about God’s kingdom as well as healing those who needed it.

12 As the day was coming to an end, the twelve approached him and said, “Send the crowd away so that they can go into the nearby towns and countryside to find somewhere to stay and something to eat, because this place is very isolated.”

13 But Yeshua told them, “You all give them something to eat.”

“We don’t have anything more than just five breadrolls and two fish, unless we go and buy some food for all these people.” 14 There were about 5,000 men (not counting women and children).

Then he told his apprentices, “Sit them down in rows of about fifty each.” 15 So they did that and everyone sat down. 16 Then Yeshua took the five breadrolls and the two fish and looking up to the sky, he blessed them and broke them into pieces to give to the apprentices to distribute to the crowd. 17 Everyone ate until they were satisfied, and then twelve baskets of leftover pieces were collected up afterwards.

18 Later when it was the time to pray and Yeshua and the twelve moved away from the crowd, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”

19 [ref]“Some say Yohan-the-Immerser,” they answered, “while others say Eliyah, and others say that some other ancient prophet came back to life.”

20 [ref]“And so who do you guys say I am?” he asked.

“You’re God’s messiah,” Peter answered.

21 Then Yeshua warned them—instructing them not to tell this to anyone else, 22 saying, “Humanity’s child needs to suffer many things and to be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the religious teachers, and then to be executed and to be brought back to life on the third day.”

23 [ref]Yeshua said, “If anyone wants to become my follower, then that person needs to renounce their own desires and follow me, even in suffering and death, 24 [ref]because anyone who wants to save their own life will lose it, but anyone who is prepared to lose their live on account of me, they’ll be saving their life. 25 How would it benefit a person if they gained the wealth of the whole world, but then ended up lost or destroyed? 26 Because anyone who’s ashamed of me and my teachings, humanity’s child will be ashamed of that person when he comes in his splendour and with the splendour of the father and of God’s messengers. 27 But I can certainly tell you that some of those who’re standing here won’t die until they see God’s kingdom.

28 It was about eight days later that Yeshua took Peter and Yohan and Yacob, and climbed a hill to pray. 29 While he was praying, the appearance of his face changed and his clothes turned brilliant white. 30 Then, look, there were two men talking with him—Moses and Eliyah! 31 Those two who’d been in heaven were talking about the end of his time here which was about to actioned in Yerusalem. 32 Peter and the others had been exhausted and fallen asleep, but when they woke up they saw the radiance of Yeshua and the other two standing there with him, 33 but when it was time for the two to leave, Peter said to Yeshua, “Master, it’s good that we’re here. We could make three shelters: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Eliyah.” (But he didn’t really know what he was saying.)

34 While he was still speaking, a cloud appeared and enveloped them and they were afraid as they entered the fog. 35 [ref]Then a voice came out of the cloud that said, “This is my son, the one that has been chosen. Listen to him.”

36 By the time that the voice had spoken, they could only see Yeshua in front of them. After this event, they kept what had happened to themselves and didn’t tell anyone else about what they had seen.

37 When they came back down the hill the next day, a big crowd was waiting for them. 38 Then, look, a man in the crowd shouted out, “Teacher, I implore you to come and look at my son, because he’s my only child. 39 A spirit takes control of him and suddenly he cries out and it makes him convulse and foam at the mouth, and only leaves him after a long time when he’s bruised and battered. 40 I tried to get your apprentices to drive it out, but they couldn’t.”

41 “Oh you unbelieving and perverted generation,” Yeshua answered, “how much longer do I have to be with you and put up with all of you? Bring your son here.”

42 While they were still approaching, the demon attacked the boy and threw him in a convulsion, but Yeshua rebuked the evil spirit and healed the boy and led him back to his father. 43 Everyone there was astounded at God’s power.

While all the people were still amazed at what he’d done, Yeshua turned and said to his apprentices, 44 “Remember everything that’s been said, because humanity’s child is going to be turned in and placed into the hands of these people.” 45 But the apprentices didn’t know what he meant as it was hidden from them so they couldn’t comprehend it, plus they were afraid to ask him to explain further.

46 [ref]Then the apprentices got themselves into a discussion about who was the greatest among them. 47 But Yeshua knew what was going on, so he took a young child and stood the child there alone 48 [ref]and told them, “Anyone who accepts a young child in my name is accepting me, and anyone who accepts me is accepted the one who sent me here. Because it’s the person who is the least among you that is great.”

49 “Master,” Yohan answered, “we saw someone driving out demons using your name, and we told him to stop because he’s not one of us.”

50 “Don’t forbid people like him,” Yeshua replied, “because anyone who’s not against you all, is for you.”

51 It was now coming to the time when the events leading to his ascension would start happening, so Yeshua firmed his resolve to head towards Yerusalem 52 and he sent his apprentices ahead of him.

So they started off and arrived at a Samaritan village and went to get ready for his arrival, 53 but the people there didn’t welcome them because Yeshua’s resolve was to get to Yerusalem. 54 [ref]Seeing this, his apprentices Yacob and Yohan asked, “Master, will you let us call fire down from the sky to burn them up?”

55 However, Yeshua turned around and told them off, 56 so they headed off to another village.

57 As they headed down the road, someone told Yeshua, “I’ll follow you wherever you go to.”

58 “Foxes have their burrows,” he responded, “and the birds have their nests, but humanity’s child has no home where he can lie down and relax.”

59 Later he told a different person, “Follow me.”

But the man replied, “Master, just let me first go and bury my father.”

60 “Leave those who’re dead to bury the dead by themselves,” Yeshua said, “but you go and tell people about God’s kingdom.”

61 [ref]Also, another person said, “I’ll follow after you, master, but first let me go back and say goodbye to everyone at home.”

62 But Yeshua responded, “No one who starts ploughing a field and then starts looking backwards is suitable for God’s kingdom.”