Luke 13
1 And there were present certain at that time, telling him about the Galileans, whose blood Pilate did mingle with their sacrifices;
Some people who were [listening to Jesus] at that time told him about some people from Galilee [district who had gone to Jerusalem]. Pilate, [the Roman governor], had [ordered soldiers to] kill them [MTY] while they were offering sacrifices [in the Temple there].
2 and Jesus answering said to them, 'Think ye that these Galileans became sinners beyond all the Galileans, because they have suffered such things?
Jesus replied to them, “Do you think [that this happened to those] people from Galilee [because] they were more sinful than all the other people from Galilee?
3 No — I say to you, but, if ye may not reform, all ye even so shall perish.
I assure you, [that was] not [so]! But instead of [being concerned about them, you need to remember that God] will similarly punish you [eternally] if you do not turn away from your sinful behavior.
4 'Or those eighteen, on whom the tower in Siloam fell, and killed them; think ye that these became debtors beyond all men who are dwelling in Jerusalem?
Or, [consider] the 18 people who died when the tower at Siloam [outside Jerusalem] fell on them. Do you think [that this happened to them because] they were more sinful than all the other people who lived in Jerusalem?
5 No — I say to you, but, if ye may not reform, all ye in like manner shall perish.'
I assure you, [that was] not so! But instead, you [need to realize that God] will similarly punish you [eternally] if you do not stop your sinful behavior!”
6 And he spake this simile: 'A certain one had a fig-tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit in it, and he did not find;
Then Jesus told them this illustration [to show what God would do to the Jews, whom he continually blessed, but who did not do things that please him]: “A man planted a fig tree on his farmland. ([Each year/Many times]) he came to it looking for figs, but there were no figs.
7 and he said unto the vine-dresser, Lo, three years I come seeking fruit in this fig-tree, and do not find, cut it off, why also the ground doth it render useless?
Then he said to the gardener, ‘Look [here]! I have been looking for fruit on this fig tree every year for the past three years, but there have been no figs. Cut it down! (It is just using up the nutrients in the soil for nothing!/Why should it continue using up the [nutrients in] the soil [for nothing]?) [RHQ]’
8 'And he answering saith to him, Sir, suffer it also this year, till that I may dig about it, and cast in dung;
But the gardener replied to the owner, ‘Sir, leave it here for another year. I will dig around it and put manure around it.
9 and if indeed it may bear fruit —; and if not so, thereafter thou shalt cut it off.'
If it bears fruit next year, we [(inc)] will allow it to keep growing. If it does not bear fruit next year, you [(sg)] can cut it down.’”
10 And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath,
One (Sabbath/Jewish day of rest), [Jesus] was teaching people in one of the Jewish meeting places.
11 and lo, there was a woman having a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and she was bowed together, and not able to bend back at all,
There was a woman there whom an evil spirit [MTY] had crippled for 18 years. She was always bent over; she could not stand up straight.
12 and Jesus having seen her, did call [her] near, and said to her, 'Woman, thou hast been loosed from thy infirmity;'
When Jesus saw her, he called her over to him. He said to her, “Woman, [I am] freeing you [(sg)] from your illness!”
13 and he laid on her [his] hands, and presently she was set upright, and was glorifying God.
He put his hands on her. Immediately she stood up straight, and she praised God!
14 And the chief of the synagogue answering — much displeased that on the sabbath Jesus healed — said to the multitude, 'Six days there are in which it behoveth [us] to be working; in these, then, coming, be healed, and not on the sabbath-day.'
But the man in charge (of the synagogue/of the meeting place) was angry because Jesus had healed her (on the Sabbath/on the Jewish rest day). [He considered that healing was doing work]. So he said to the people, “There are six days [each week] in which [our Jewish] laws permit people to work. [If you need healing], those are the days to come ([to the synagogue/to the meeting place]) and be healed. Do not come on our Jewish day of rest!”
15 Then the Lord answered him and said, 'Hypocrite, doth not each of you on the sabbath loose his ox or ass from the stall, and having led away, doth water [it]?
Then the Lord replied to him, “You [(sg) and your fellow religious leaders are] hypocrites! (On the Sabbath/On our Jewish day of rest), [just like on every other day], (each of you unties his ox or donkey, and then leads it from the food trough to where it can drink water./does not each of you untie his ox or donkey, and then lead it from the food trough to where it can drink water?) [RHQ] [That is work, too]!
16 and this one, being a daughter of Abraham, whom the Adversary bound, lo, eighteen years, did it not behove to be loosed from this bond on the sabbath-day?'
This woman [is more important than an animal; she is a Jew], descended from Abraham! But Satan has [kept her] [MET] [crippled] for 18 years, [as though] he had tied her up [and not let her escape]! So (it is certainly right that she be freed {that [I] free her}, [even if this] is a Sabbath day!/was it not right that she be freed {that [I] free her}, [even if this] is a Jewish rest day?) [RHQ]”
17 And he saying these things, all who were opposed to him were being ashamed, and all the multitude were rejoicing over all the glorious things that are being done by him.
After Jesus said that, all the people [there] who opposed him were ashamed. But all the [other] people [there] were happy about all the wonderful things he was doing.
18 And he said, 'To what is the reign of God like? and to what shall I liken it?
Then Jesus said, “(I will tell you how [the number of people who let] God rule [MET] [their lives will increase]./Do you know how [the number of people who let] God rule [MET] [their lives will increase]?) [RHQ] I will tell you what I can compare it to.
19 It is like to a grain of mustard, which a man having taken, did cast into his garden, and it increased, and came to a great tree, and the fowls of the heavens did rest in its branches.'
It is like a [tiny] mustard seed that a man planted in his field. It grew until it became [big, like] a tree. It was [so big that] birds built nests in its branches.”
20 And again he said, 'To what shall I liken the reign of God?
Then he said, “I will tell [RHQ] you something else, to illustrate how the people who let God rule [MET] [their lives can influence their society more and more].
21 It is like leaven, which a woman, having taken, did hide in three measures of meal, till that all was leavened.'
It is like [a little bit of] yeast that a woman mixed with about 50 pounds of flour. [That small amount of yeast made] the whole batch of dough swell up.”
22 And he was going through cities and villages, teaching, and making progress toward Jerusalem;
[Jesus] continued traveling, along [with his disciples], through various towns and villages on the way to Jerusalem. As they went, he was teaching [the people].
23 and a certain one said to him, 'Sir, are those saved few?' and he said unto them,
Someone asked him, “Lord, will there be only a few people who are saved {whom [God] saves}?” He replied to them, “[There will not be many, because] the way [to heaven] [MET] is [like] a narrow door.
24 'Be striving to go in through the straight gate, because many, I say to you, will seek to go in, and shall not be able;
[Therefore, try hard] to enter that narrow doorway, because I tell you that many people will try to enter [heaven by some other way], but they will not be able to get in.
25 from the time the master of the house may have risen up, and may have shut the door, and ye may begin without to stand, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, lord, open to us, and he answering shall say to you, I have not known you whence ye are,
[God is like] the owner of a house. [Some day] he will lock his door. Then [some of] you will begin to stand outside that door and knock. You will say, ‘Lord, open the door for us!’ But he will reply, ‘[No, I will not open it, because] I do not know you, and I do not know where you are from!’
26 then ye may begin to say, We did eat before thee, and did drink, and in our broad places thou didst teach;
Then you will say, ‘([You must have forgotten!/Surely you know us, because]) [RHQ] we [(exc)] ate [meals] with you [(sg)], and you taught [people] in the streets of our [towns]’!
27 and he shall say, I say to you, I have not known you whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of the unrighteousness.
But he will say, ‘[I tell you again], I do not know you, and I do not know where you are from. You [are] wicked people! Get away from here!’”
28 'There shall be there the weeping and the gnashing of the teeth, when ye may see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the reign of God, and yourselves being cast out without;
Then Jesus continued, saying, “[From where God will send you], you will see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the distance. All the prophets [who lived long ago will also be there], in the kingdom where God [is ruling]. But you will be outside, crying and grinding your teeth [because you will have severe pain]!
29 and they shall come from east and west, and from north and south, and shall recline in the reign of God,
Furthermore, many [non-Jewish] people will [be inside]. There will be ones who have come from [lands to] the north, east, south, and west. They will be feasting in (that place where God is ruling/God’s kingdom).
30 and lo, there are last who shall be first, and there are first who shall be last.'
Think about this: Some people whom others do not [consider] important [now, God will make] them very important [then], and some people whom [others consider] very important [now, God will make] to be not important [then].”
31 On that day there came near certain Pharisees, saying to him, 'Go forth, and be going on hence, for Herod doth wish to kill thee;'
At that very time, some Pharisees came and said to Jesus, “Leave this area, because [the ruler] Herod [Antipas] wants to kill you [(sg)]!”
32 and he said to them, 'Having gone, say to this fox, Lo, I cast forth demons, and perfect cures to-day and to-morrow, and the third [day] I am being perfected;
He replied to them, “Herod is [MET] [as cruel as] a fox, [but also as insignificant as a fox]. [So I do not worry about him]. But [to show him that no one can harm me until it is the time and place God has determined], go tell him this [message from me]: ‘Listen! I am expelling demons and performing miracles today, and [I will continue doing] it for a short time. After that, I will finish my work.
33 but it behoveth me to-day, and to-morrow, and the [day] following, to go on, because it is not possible for a prophet to perish out of Jerusalem.
But I must continue my trip [to Jerusalem] during the coming days, because [they killed many other] prophets there, and [since I am also a prophet], no other place is appropriate for people to kill [me].’”
34 'Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that is killing the prophets, and stoning those sent unto her, how often did I will to gather together thy children, as a hen her brood under the wings, and ye did not will.
[Then Jesus said], “O [people of] [MTY] Jerusalem [APO]! You killed the prophets [who lived long ago, and you killed others], whom [God] sent to you, [by throwing] stones [at them]. Many times I wanted to gather you together [to protect you] [SIM] like a hen gathers her young chicks under her wings. But you did not want [me to do that].
35 'Lo, your house is being left to you desolate, and verily I say to you — ye may not see me, till it may come, when ye may say, Blessed [is] he who is coming in the name of the Lord.'
So listen to this: Your city [MTY] (OR, your temple) is going to be abandoned (OR, God will no longer protect it). I will [MTY] also tell you this: I [will enter your city only once more. After that], you will not see me until the time when [I return and] you say [about me], ‘God is truly pleased with this man who comes with God’s authority [MTY]!’”
