Luke 9:37-62 (New American Standard)

37 ¹On the next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met Him. 38 And a man from the crowd shouted, saying, "Teacher, I beg You to look at my son, for he is my ^aonly boy, 39 and a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly screams, and it throws him into a convulsion with foaming at the mouth; and only with difficulty does it leave him, mauling him as it leaves. 40 "I begged Your disciples to cast it out, and they could not." 41 And Jesus answered and said, "You unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you and put up with you? Bring your son here." 42 While he was still approaching, the demon ^bslammed him to the ground and threw him into a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the boy and gave him back to his father. 43 And they were all amazed at the ^c2greatness of God. ³But while everyone was marveling at all that He was doing, He said to His disciples, 44 "Let these words sink into your ears ; ⁴for the Son of Man is going to be ^ddelivered into the hands of men." 45 But ⁵they ^edid not understand this statement, and it was concealed from them so that they would not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this statement.

The Test of Greatness

46 ⁶An argument ^fstarted among them as to which of them might be the greatest. 47 But Jesus, ⁷knowing ^gwhat they were thinking in their heart, took a child and stood him by His side, 48 and said to them, "⁸Whoever receives this child in My name receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me; ⁹for the one who is least among all of you, this is the one who is great." 49 ¹⁰John answered and said, "¹¹Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name ; and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow along with us." 50 But Jesus said to him, "Do not hinder him; ¹²for he who is not against you is ^hfor you." 51 When the days were approaching for ¹³His ⁱascension, He ^jwas determined ¹⁴to go to Jerusalem ; 52 and He sent messengers on ahead of Him, and they went and entered a village of the ¹⁵Samaritans to ^kmake arrangements for Him. 53 But they did not receive Him, ¹⁶because ^lHe was traveling toward Jerusalem. 54 When His disciples ¹⁷James and John saw this, they said, "Lord, do You want us to ¹⁸command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?" 55 But He turned and rebuked them, [^mand said, "You do not know what kind of spirit you are of; 56 for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them."] And they went on to another village.

Exacting Discipleship

57 ¹⁹As they were going along the road, ²⁰someone said to Him, "I will follow You wherever You go." 58 And Jesus said to him, "The foxes have holes and the birds of the ⁿair have ^onests, but ²¹the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head." 59 And He said to another, "²²Follow Me." But he said, "Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father." 60 But He said to him, "Allow the dead to bury their own dead ; but as for you, go and ²³proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God." 61 Another also said, "I will follow You, Lord ; but ²⁴first permit me to say good-bye to those at home." 62 But Jesus said to him, "²⁵No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."