The MacArthur Study Bible, NKJV
Page 497
8“But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it.
93‘And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can bcut it down.’ ”
A Spirit of Infirmity
10Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath.
11And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way 4raise herself up.
12But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, “Woman, you are loosed from your cinfirmity.”
13dAnd He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.
14But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had ehealed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, f“There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and gnot on the Sabbath day.”
15The Lord then answered him and said, 5“Hypocrite! hDoes not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it?
16“So ought not this woman, ibeing a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound—think of it—for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?”
17And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were jdone by Him.
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
(Matt. 13:31, 32; Mark 4:30–32)
18kThen He said, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it?
19“It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a 6large tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches.”
The Parable of the Leaven
(Matt. 13:33)
20And again He said, “To what shall I liken the kingdom of God?
21“It is like 7leaven, which a woman took and hid in three lmeasures8 of meal till it was all leavened.”
The Narrow Way
(Matt. 7:13, 14)
22mAnd He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem.
23Then one said to Him, “Lord, are there nfew who are saved?” And He said to them,
24o“Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for pmany, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.
25q“When once the Master of the house has risen up and rshut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, s‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, t‘I do not know you, where you are from,’
26“then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’
27u“But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. vDepart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’
28w“There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, xwhen you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out.
29“They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God.
30y“And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last.”
319On that very day some Pharisees came, saying to Him, “Get out and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill You.”
32And He said to them, “Go, tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day zI shall be 10perfected.’
33“Nevertheless I must journey today, tomorrow, and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem.
Jesus Laments over Jerusalem
(Matt. 23:37–39)
34a“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!
35“See! bYour house is left to you desolate; and 11assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, c‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ ”
Luke 14
A Man with Dropsy Healed on the Sabbath
1Now it happened, as He went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath, that they watched Him closely.
2And behold, there was a certain man before Him who had dropsy.
3And Jesus, answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, a“Is it lawful to heal on the 1Sabbath?”
4But they kept silent. And He took him and healed him, and let him go.
5Then He answered them, saying, b“Which of you, having a 2donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?”
6And they could not answer Him regarding these things.
Take the Lowly Place
7So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the best places, saying to them:
8“When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him;
9“and he who invited you and him come and say to you, ‘Give place to this man,’ and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place.
10c“But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher.’ Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you.
11d“For whoever exalts himself will be 3humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
12Then He also said to him who invited Him, “When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid.
13“But when you give a feast, invite ethe poor, the 4maimed, the lame, the blind.
14“And you will be fblessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”
The Parable of the Great Supper
(Matt. 22:1–14)
15Now when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, g“Blessed is he who shall eat 5bread in the kingdom of God!”
16hThen He said to him, “A certain man gave a great supper and invited many,
17“and isent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’
18“But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’
19“And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.’
20“Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’
21“So that servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the 6maimed and the lame and the blind.’
22“And the servant said, ‘Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.’
23“Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.
24‘For I say to you jthat none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.’ ”
Leaving All to Follow Christ
(Matt. 10:34–39)
25Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them,
26k“If anyone comes to Me land does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, myes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.
27“And nwhoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.
28“For owhich of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—
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29“lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him,
30“saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’
31“Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?
32“Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace.
33“So likewise, whoever of you pdoes not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.
Tasteless Salt Is Worthless
(Matt. 5:13; Mark 9:50)
34q“Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?
35“It is neither fit for the land nor for the 7dunghill, but men throw it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
Luke 15
The Parable of the Lost Sheep
(Matt. 18:10–14)
1Then aall the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him.
2And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man 1receives sinners band eats with them.”
3So He spoke this parable to them, saying:
4c“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?
5“And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
6“And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, d‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep ewhich was lost!’
7“I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents fthan over ninety-nine 2just persons who gneed no repentance.
The Parable of the Lost Coin
8“Or what woman, having ten silver 3coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it?
9“And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!’
10“Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
The Parable of the Lost Son
11Then He said: “A certain man had two sons.
12“And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them hhis livelihood.
13“And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with 4prodigal living.
14“But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want.
15“Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16“And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the 5pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.
17“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
18‘I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, iI have sinned against heaven and before you,
19“and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ’
20“And he arose and came to his father. But jwhen he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.
21“And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven kand in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22“But the father said to his servants, 6‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.
23‘And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry;
24l‘for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.
25“Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.
26“So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant.
27“And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’
28“But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him.
29“So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.
30‘But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’
31“And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.
32‘It was right that we should make merry and be glad, mfor your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’ ”
Luke 16
The Parable of the Unjust Steward
1He also said to His disciples: “There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was 1wasting his goods.
2“So he called him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an aaccount of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.’
3“Then the steward said within himself, ‘What shall I do? For my master is taking the stewardship away from me. I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg.
4‘I have resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.’
5“So he called every one of his master’s debtors to him, and said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’
6“And he said, ‘A hundred 2measures of oil.’ So he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’
7“Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ So he said, ‘A hundred 3measures of wheat.’ And he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’
8“So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than bthe sons of light.
9“And I say to you, cmake friends for yourselves by unrighteous 4mammon, that when 5you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home.
10d“He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.
11“Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
12“And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your eown?
13f“No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”
The Law, the Prophets, and the Kingdom
14Now the Pharisees, gwho were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they 6derided Him.
15And He said to them, “You are those who hjustify yourselves ibefore men, but jGod knows your hearts. For kwhat is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.
16l“The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.
17m“And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one 7tittle of the law to fail.
18n“Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced from her husband commits adultery.
The Rich Man and Lazarus
19“There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and 8fared sumptuously every day.
20“But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate,
21“desiring to be fed with 9the crumbs wh
ich fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
22“So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to oAbraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried.
23“And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24“Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and pcool my tongue; for I qam tormented in this flame.’
25“But Abraham said, ‘Son, rremember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.
26‘And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’
27“Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house,
28‘for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’
29“Abraham said to him, s‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’
30“And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’
31“But he said to him, t‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, uneither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’ ”
Luke 17
Jesus Warns of Offenses
(Matt. 18:6, 7; Mark 9:42)
1Then He said to the disciples, a“It is impossible that no 1offenses should come, but bwoe to him through whom they do come!
2“It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should 2offend one of these little ones.
3“Take heed to yourselves. cIf your brother sins 3against you, drebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.
4“And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns 4to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”
Faith and Duty
(Matt. 17:19–21; Mark 9:28, 29)
5And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”