5
No, I tell you. But unless you change your hearts and lives, you will all be destroyed too!"
6
Jesus told this story: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard. He came looking for some fruit on the tree, but he found none.
7
So the man said to his gardener, 'I have been looking for fruit on this tree for three years, but I never find any. Cut it down. Why should it waste the ground?'
8
But the servant answered, 'Master, let the tree have one more year to produce fruit. Let me dig up the dirt around it and put on some fertilizer.
9
If the tree produces fruit next year, good. But if not, you can cut it down.'"
10
Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath day.
11
A woman was there who, for eighteen years, had an evil spirit in her that made her crippled. Her back was always bent; she could not stand up straight.
12
When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, "Woman, you are free from your sickness."
13
Jesus put his hands on her, and immediately she was able to stand up straight and began praising God.
14
The synagogue leader was angry because Jesus healed on the Sabbath day. He said to the people, "There are six days when one has to work. So come to be healed on one of those days, and not on the Sabbath day."
15
The Lord answered, "You hypocrites! Doesn't each of you untie your work animals and lead them to drink water every day -- even on the Sabbath day?