Gospel according to Luke 13

¹ It was just about this time that some people arrived and told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with that of their sacrifices[*a].

² At this he said to them, ‘Do you suppose these Galileans who suffered like that were greater sinners than any other Galileans?

³ They were not, I tell you. No; but unless you repent you will all perish as they did.

⁴ Or those eighteen on whom the tower at Siloam fell and killed them? Do you suppose that they were more guilty than all the other people living in Jerusalem?

⁵ They were not, I tell you. No; but unless you repent you will all perish as they did.’

⁶ He told this parable: ‘A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it but found none.

⁷ He said to the man who looked after the vineyard, “Look here, for three years now I have been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and finding none. Cut it down: why should it be taking up the ground?”

⁸ “Sir,” the man replied “leave it one more year and give me time to dig round it and manure it:

⁹ it may bear fruit next year; if not, then you can cut it down.”‘

¹⁰ One sabbath day he was teaching in one of the synagogues,

¹¹ and a woman was there who for eighteen years had been possessed by a spirit that left her enfeebled; she was bent double and quite unable to stand upright.

¹² When Jesus saw her he called her over and said, ‘Woman, you are rid of your infirmity’

¹³ and he laid his hands on her. And at once she straightened up, and she glorified God.

¹⁴ But the synagogue official was indignant because Jesus had healed on the sabbath, and he addressed the people present. ‘There are six days’ he said ‘when work is to be done. Come and be healed on one of those days and not on the sabbath.’

¹⁵ But the Lord answered him. ‘Hypocrites!’ he said ‘Is there one of you who does not untie his ox or his donkey from the manger on the sabbath and take it out for watering?

¹⁶ And this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan has held bound these eighteen years – was it not right to untie her bonds on the sabbath day?’

¹⁷ When he said this, all his adversaries were covered with confusion, and all the people were overjoyed at all the wonders he worked.

¹⁸ He went on to say, ‘What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it with?

¹⁹ It is like a mustard seed which a man took and threw into his garden: it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air sheltered in its branches.’

²⁰ Another thing he said, ‘What shall I compare the kingdom of God with?

²¹ It is like the yeast a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour till it was leavened all through.’

²² Through towns and villages he went teaching, making his way to Jerusalem.

²³ Someone said to him, ‘Sir, will there be only a few saved?’ He said to them,

²⁴ ‘Try your best to enter by the narrow door, because, I tell you, many will try to enter and will not succeed.

²⁵ ‘Once the master of the house has got up and locked the door, you may find yourself knocking on the door, saying, “Lord, open to us” but he will answer, “I do not know where you come from”.

²⁶ Then you will find yourself saying, “We once ate and drank in your company; you taught in our streets”

²⁷ but he will reply, “I do not know where you come from. Away from me, all you wicked men !”[*b]

²⁸ ‘Then there will be weeping and grinding of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves turned outside.

²⁹ And men from east and west, from north and south, will come to take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God.

³⁰ ‘Yes, there are those now last who will be first, and those now first who will be last.’

³¹ Just at this time some Pharisees came up. ‘Go away’ they said. ‘Leave this place, because Herod means to kill you.’

³² He replied, ‘You may go and give that fox this message: Learn that today and tomorrow I cast out devils and on the third day[*c] attain my end.

³³ But for today and tomorrow and the next day I must go on, since it would not be right for a prophet to die outside Jerusalem.

³⁴ ‘Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you that kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! How often have I longed to gather your children, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you refused!

³⁵ So be it! Your house will be left to you. Yes, I promise you, you shall not see me till the time comes when you say: Blessings on him who comes in the name of the Lord!'[*d]