Open English Translation LUKE Chapter 13

13 There were some people there at the time that had reported to Yeshua how that Governor Pilate had killed some Galileans when they were sacrificing. 2 Yeshua asked the people, “Do you think that these Galileans were the most disobedient to God in all Galilee that they were made to suffer so much? 3 No, I’m telling you all, but on the other hand if you don’t turn from your own disobedience and request forgiveness, you all will perish likewise. 4 What about those eighteen who were killed when the Siloam tower collapsed on them. Do you think they had bigger debts than all the people living in Yerushalem? 5 No, I’m telling you all that if you don’t turn from your own disobedience and request forgiveness, you all will perish likewise.”

6 Then Yeshua told them this parable, “There was a landowner who had planted a fig tree in his vineyard, and he went to see if it had any fruit on it, but there wasn’t any 7 so he told his manager, ‘I’ve been coming and checking for fruit on this tree for three years, but there’s none. Chop it down because it’s not good use of the land.’ 8 ‘Master,’ he answered, ‘give me one more year to dig around it and fertilise it 9 and see if it fruits. If it doesn’t, then certainly you can chop it down.’ ”

10 On the Rest Days, Yeshua was teaching in one of the meeting halls 11 and, look, a woman who’d had a spirit of sickness for eighteen years was there. She was bent over and unable to stand up straight 12 and when Yeshua saw her, he called out, “Woman, your disease has been sent away.” 13 Then he placed his hands on her and she was immediately restored and started praising God.

14 [ref]But the hall leader was angry because it was the Rest Day when Yeshua had healed her and started telling the crowd, “There’s six days when it’s fine to work, so come then to be healed—not on the Rest Day!”

15 “You hypocrites!” Yeshua responded. “Doesn’t every one of you untie his ox on the Rest Day, or untie the donkey from the feeding trough and led it away for a drink? 16 This woman is a descendant of Abraham who’s been handicapped by Satan for eighteen years, and yet you say that it’s wrong to break that bond on the Rest Day!” 17 When he said that, the people opposing him were disgraced and all the crowd was excited about the wonderful things he was doing.

18 So he told them, “What is God’s kingdom similar to? What can I use to describe it? 19 It’s like a mustard seed, which a person might take and throw into their garden and then it grows in a bush and the birds make their nests in its branches.”

20 Again he asked them, “What can I liken God’s kingdom to? 21 It’s like some yeast that a woman took and hid in a sack of flour, until eventually it affected all of it.”

22 Then Yeshua started on his journey towards Yerushalem and as he passed through each town or village, he would teach the people there 23 and one day someone asked him, “Master, will only a few people be saved?”

Yeshua replied, 24 Make an effort to get in through the narrow door, because I’m telling you that many people want to come in but they won’t be able to. 25 Once the home-owner gets up and locks the door, even if you get there now and stand outside knocking and calling out, ‘Master, open us for us,’ he’ll answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you’re from.’ 26 ‘You saw us eating and drinking,’ you’ll start saying, and, ‘You taught along our roads.’ 27 [ref]But he’ll reply to you all, ‘I’ve got no idea where you’re all from, so go away you who do evil deeds.’ 28 [ref]There’ll be crying and much anguish when you all see Abraham and Isaak and Yacob and all the prophets in God’s kingdom, but all of you will be being thrown out. 29 Others will come from the east and the west, and from the north and the south, and they will be comfortably seated in God’s kingdom, 30 [ref]so listen: the last people will be the first ones, and the first ones will end up last.”

31 At that time, some members of the Pharisee party approached Yeshua and told him, “You need to leave here because Herod wants to kill you.”

32 Yeshua responded, “Go and tell that fox: ‘I’m driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, but I’ll be finished the following day.’ 33 Yes, I need to keep moving today and tomorrow, because it wouldn’t do for a prophet to come to his end away from Yerushalem.

34 “Yerushalem, Yerushalem—the city that kills the prophets and throws rocks at those who have been sent to her. How often I wanted to gather your children together like a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you all didn’t want it. 35 [ref]So now, see, your temple will be left without a congregation. I’m telling you all that you certainly won’t see me again until you say: ‘Blessed is the person who comes in the name and authority of the master.’ ”