Luke 9

Ministry of the Twelve

1 1And He called the twelve together, and gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases.
2 And He sent them out to 2proclaim the kingdom of God and to perform healing.
3 And He said to them, "3Take nothing for your journey, 4neither a staff, nor a bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not even have two tunics apiece.
4 "Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that city.
5 "And as for those who do not receive you, as you go out from that city, 5shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them."
6 Departing, they began going throughout the villages, 6preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.
7 7Now 8Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was happening; and he was greatly perplexed, because it was said by some that 9John had risen from the dead,
8 and by some that 10Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the prophets of old had risen again.
9 Herod said, "I myself had John beheaded; but who is this man about whom I hear such things?" And 11he kept trying to see Him.
10 12When the apostles returned, they gave an account to Him of all that they had done. 13Taking them with Him, He withdrew by Himself to a city called 14Bethsaida.
11 But the crowds were aware of this and followed Him; and welcoming them, He began speaking to them about the kingdom of God and curing those who had need of healing.

Five Thousand Fed

12 Now the day was ending, and the twelve came and said to Him, "Send the crowd away, that they may go into the surrounding villages and countryside and find lodging and get something to eat; for here we are in a desolate place."
13 But He said to them, "You give them something to eat!" And they said, "We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless * perhaps we go and buy food for all these people."
14 (For there were about five thousand men.) And He said to His disciples, "Have them sit down to eat 15in groups of about fifty each."
15 They did so, and had them all sit down.
16 Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed them, and broke them, and kept giving them to the disciples to set before the people.
17 And they all ate and were satisfied; and the broken pieces which they had left over were picked up, twelve 16baskets full.
18 17And it happened that while He was 18praying alone, the disciples were with Him, and He questioned them, saying, "Who do the people say that I am?"
19 They answered and said, "John the Baptist, and others say Elijah; but others, that one of the prophets of old has risen again."
20 And He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" And Peter answered and said, "19The Christ of God."
21 But He 20warned them and instructed them not to tell this to anyone,
22 21saying, "22The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed and be raised up on the third day."
23 And He was saying to them all, "23If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily * and follow Me.
24 "For 24whoever * wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever * loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.
25 "For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and 25loses or forfeits himself?
26 "26For whoever * is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
27 "But I say to you truthfully, 27there are some of those standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God."

The Transfiguration

28 28Some eight days after these sayings, He took along 29Peter and John and James, and 30went up on the mountain 31to pray.
29 And while He was 32praying, the appearance of His face 33became different, and His clothing became white and gleaming.
30 And behold, two men were talking with Him; and they were Moses and Elijah,
31 who, appearing in glory, were speaking of His 34departure which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.
32 Now Peter and his companions * 35had been overcome with sleep; but when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men standing with Him.
33 And as these were leaving Him, Peter said to Jesus, "36Master, it is good for us to be here; 37let us make three tabernacles: one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah "-38not realizing what he was saying.
34 While he was saying this, a cloud formed and began to overshadow them; and they were afraid as they entered the cloud.
35 Then 39a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "40This is My Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him!"
36 And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And 41they kept silent, and reported to no one in those days any of the things which they had seen.
37 42On 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 only 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 slammed 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 43greatness of God. 44But while everyone was marveling at all that He was doing, He said to His disciples,
44 "Let these words sink into your ears; 45for the Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men."
45 But 46they did 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 47An argument started among them as to which of them might be the greatest.
47 But Jesus, 48knowing what they were thinking in their heart, took a child and stood him by His side,
48 and said to them, "49Whoever * receives this child in My name receives Me, and whoever * receives Me receives Him who sent Me; 50for the one who is least among all of you, this is the one who is great."
49 51John answered and said, "52Master, 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; 53for he who is not against you is for you."
51 When the days were approaching for 54His ascension, He was determined 55to go to Jerusalem;
52 and He sent messengers on ahead * of Him, and they went and entered a village of the 56Samaritans to make arrangements for Him.
53 But they did not receive Him, 57because He was traveling toward Jerusalem.
54 When His disciples 58James and John saw this, they said, "Lord, do You want us to 59command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?"
55 But He turned and rebuked them, [and 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 60As they were going along the road, 61someone 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 air have nests, but 62the Son of Man has nowhere * to lay His head."
59 And He said to another, "63Follow 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 64proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God."
61 Another also said, "I will follow You, Lord; but 65first permit me to say good-bye to those at home."
62 But Jesus said to him, "66No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."

Cross References 66

  • 1. Matthew 10:5; Mark 6:7
  • 2. Matthew 10:7
  • 3. Luke 9:3-5: {Matthew 10:9-15; Mark 6:8-11;} Luke 10:4-12; Luke 22:35
  • 4. Matthew 10:10; Mark 6:8; Luke 22:35
  • 5. Luke 10:11; Acts 13:51
  • 6. Mark 6:12; Luke 8:1
  • 7. Luke 9:7-9: {Matthew 14:1, 2;} Mark 6:14
  • 8. Matthew 14:1; Luke 3:1; Luke 13:31; Luke 23:7
  • 9. Matthew 14:2
  • 10. Matthew 16:14
  • 11. Luke 23:8
  • 12. Mark 6:30
  • 13. Luke 9:10-17: {Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:32-44; John 6:5-13}
  • 14. Matthew 11:21
  • 15. Mark 6:39
  • 16. Matthew 14:20
  • 17. Luke 9:18-20: {Matthew 16:13-16; Mark 8:27-29}
  • 18. Matthew 14:23; Luke 6:12; Luke 9:28
  • 19. John 6:68
  • 20. Matthew 8:4; Matthew 16:20; Mark 8:30
  • 21. Luke 9:22-27: {Matthew 16:21-28; Mark 8:31-9:1}
  • 22. Matthew 16:21; Luke 9:44
  • 23. Matthew 10:38; Luke 14:27
  • 24. Matthew 10:39; Luke 17:33; John 12:25
  • 25. Hebrews 10:34
  • 26. Matthew 10:33; Luke 12:9
  • 27. Matthew 16:28
  • 28. Luke 9:28-36: {Matthew 17:1-8; Mark 9:2-8}
  • 29. Matthew 17:1
  • 30. Matthew 5:1
  • 31. Luke 3:21; Luke 5:16; Luke 6:12; Luke 9:18
  • 32. Luke 3:21; Luke 5:16; Luke 6:12; Luke 9:18
  • 33. Mark 16:12
  • 34. 2 Peter 1:15
  • 35. Matthew 26:43; Mark 14:40
  • 36. Luke 5:5; Luke 9:49
  • 37. Matthew 17:4; Mark 9:5
  • 38. Mark 9:6
  • 39. 2 Peter 1:17
  • 40. Isaiah 42:1; Matthew 3:17; Matthew 12:18; Mark 1:11; Luke 3:22
  • 41. Matthew 17:9; Mark 9:9
  • 42. Luke 9:37-42: {Matthew 17:14-18; Mark 9:14-27}
  • 43. 2 Peter 1:16
  • 44. Luke 9:43-45: {Matthew 17:22; Mark 9:30-32}
  • 45. Luke 9:22
  • 46. Mark 9:32
  • 47. Luke 9:46-48: {Matthew 18:1-5; Mark 9:33-37;} Luke 22:24
  • 48. Matthew 9:4
  • 49. Matthew 10:40; Luke 10:16; John 13:20
  • 50. Luke 22:26
  • 51. Luke 9:49, 50: {Mark 9:38-40}
  • 52. Luke 5:5; Luke 9:33
  • 53. Matthew 12:30; Luke 11:23
  • 54. Mark 16:19
  • 55. Luke 13:22; Luke 17:11; Luke 18:31; Luke 19:11, 28
  • 56. Matthew 10:5; Luke 10:33; Luke 17:16; John 4:4
  • 57. John 4:9
  • 58. Mark 3:17
  • 59. 2 Kings 1:9-16
  • 60. Luke 9:51
  • 61. Luke 9:57-60: {Matthew 8:19-22}
  • 62. Matthew 8:20
  • 63. Matthew 8:22
  • 64. Matthew 4:23
  • 65. 1 Kings 19:20
  • 66. Philippians 3:13

Footnotes 36

Luke 9 Commentaries

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