Luke 13

13 ¹ Now there were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. ² And he answered them, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered this way? ³ No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as well. ⁴ Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them—do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? ⁵ No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish in the same way."

⁶ And he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. ⁷ So he said to the gardener, 'Look, for three years now I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree and found none. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?' ⁸ But he answered him, 'Sir, leave it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put manure on it. ⁹ Then if it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.'"

A Daughter Set Free on the Sabbath

¹⁰ Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. ¹¹ Just then there was a woman who had had a spirit of disability for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. ¹² When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, "Woman, you are set free from your disability." ¹³ Then he laid his hands on her, and immediately she stood up straight and began glorifying our Father.

¹⁴ But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the crowd, "There are six days on which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day."

¹⁵ Then the Lord answered him, "You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water it? ¹⁶ And this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan has bound for eighteen long years, should she not be set free from this bond on the Sabbath day?"

¹⁷ As he said these things, all his adversaries were put to shame, and all the crowd rejoiced at all the glorious things he was doing.

The Kingdom Grows Like a Seed

¹⁸ He said therefore, "What is the kingdom of our Father like? What shall I compare it to? ¹⁹ It is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches."

²⁰ And again he said, "What shall I compare the kingdom of our Father to? ²¹ It is like yeast that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all yeasted."

Enter Through the Narrow Door

²² He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. ²³ And someone said to him, "Lord, will those who are saved be few?" And he said to them,

²⁴ "Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. ²⁵ Once the master of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, 'Lord, open to us,' he will answer you, 'I do not know where you come from.' ²⁶ Then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.' ²⁷ But he will say, 'I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Get away from me, all you workers of evil!' ²⁸ There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of our Father while you yourselves are thrown out. ²⁹ And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of our Father. ³⁰ And indeed, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last."

Jesus Weeps Over Jerusalem

³¹ At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, "Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you."

³² And he said to them, "Go and tell that fox, 'Look, I cast out demons and heal people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my course. ³³ Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the next day, for no prophet can die outside Jerusalem.'

³⁴ Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! ³⁵ Look, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, 'Blessed is the one who comes in the name of our Father!'"