A Call to Repentance (Joel 1:13–20; Amos 5:4–15; Zephaniah 2:1–3)
2 UST Jesus replied to them,“Do you think that this happened to those people from Galilee because they were more sinful than all the other Galileans? BSB BSB: To this He replied, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered this way?
3 UST I assure you, that was not the reason! Instead, God will similarly punish all of you if you do not turn from your sinful behavior. BSB BSB: No, I tell you. But unless you repent, you too will all perish.
4 UST Or what about those 18 people who died when the tower in{ the neighborhood of} Siloam fell on them? Do you think that this happened to them because they were worse sinners than everyone else in Jerusalem? BSB BSB: Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam collapsed on them: Do you think that they were more sinful than all the others living in Jerusalem?
5 UST I assure you, that was not the reason! But instead, you need to realize that God will similarly punish all of you if you do not turn from your sinful behavior!” BSB BSB: No, I tell you. But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”
The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree (Isaiah 5:1–7)
7 UST Then he said to the gardener,‘Look at this tree! I have been looking for fruit on it every year for the past three years, but there have been no figs. Cut it down! It is just using up the nutrients in the soil for nothing!’ BSB BSB: So he said to the keeper of the vineyard, ‘Look, for the past three years I have come to search for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Therefore cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’
8 UST But the gardener replied,‘Sir, leave it here for another year. I will dig around it and fertilize it. BSB BSB: ‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone again this year, until I dig around it and fertilize it.
9 UST If it has figs on it next year, we can allow it to keep growing! But if it does not bear any fruit by then, you can cut it down.’” BSB BSB: If it bears fruit next year, fine. But if not, you can cut it down.’”
Jesus Heals a Disabled Woman 10 UST On one Jewish day of rest, Jesus was teaching people in one of the synagogues. BSB BSB: One Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues,
11 UST There was a woman there whom an evil spirit had crippled for 18 years. She was always bent over. She could not stand up straight. BSB BSB: and a woman there had been disabled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was hunched over and could not stand up straight.
12 UST When Jesus saw her, he called her over to him. He said to her,“Woman, I have healed you of this illness!” BSB BSB: When Jesus saw her, He called her over and said, “Woman, you are set free from your disability.”
13 UST He put his hands on her. Immediately she stood up straight and began praising God! BSB BSB: Then He placed His hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and began to glorify God.
14 UST But the leader of the synagogue was angry because Jesus had healed her on the Jewish rest day. So he said to the people,“There are six days each week on which our laws permit people to work. If you need healing, those are the days to come to the synagogue for someone to heal you. Do not come on our day of rest!” BSB BSB: But the synagogue leader was indignant that Jesus had healed on the Sabbath. “There are six days for work,” he told the crowd. “So come and be healed on those days and not on the Sabbath.”
15 UST Then Jesus replied to him,“You and your fellow religious leaders are hypocrites! Each of you{ also works on the day of rest sometimes! For example, you} untie your ox or donkey to lead it from the stall to a place where it can drink water. BSB BSB: “You hypocrites!” the Lord replied. “Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it to water?
16 UST This woman is a Jew, descended from Abraham! But Satan has kept her crippled for 18 years, as though he had tied her up! Certainly you would agree that it is right that I free her from this disabling disease, even if I do it on a day of rest!” BSB BSB: Then should not this daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be released from her bondage on the Sabbath day?”
17 UST After he said that, his enemies were ashamed of themselves. But all the other people were happy about all the wonderful things he was doing. BSB BSB: When Jesus said this, all His adversaries were humiliated. And the whole crowd rejoiced at all the glorious things He was doing.
The Parable of the Mustard Seed (Matthew 13:31–32; Mark 4:30–34)
18 UST Then he said,“I want to explain what it is like when God rules as king. I will give you a picture to help you understand. BSB BSB: Then Jesus asked, “What is the kingdom of God like? To what can I compare it?
19 UST It is like a tiny mustard seed that a man planted in his field. It grew until it became big, like a tree. It was so big that birds built nests in its branches.” BSB BSB: It is like a mustard seed that a man tossed into his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches.”
The Parable of the Leaven (Matthew 13:33)
20 UST Then again he said,“I will tell you in another(way what) it is like when God rules. BSB BSB: Again He asked, “To what can I compare the kingdom of God?
21 UST It is like a little bit of yeast that a woman mixed with about 25 kilograms of flour. That small amount of yeast made the whole batch of dough swell up.” BSB BSB: It is like leaven that a woman took and mixed into three measures of flour, until all of it was leavened.”
The Narrow Door (Matthew 7:13–14)
22 UST Jesus continued traveling toward Jerusalem. He stopped in all the towns and villages along the way and taught the people. BSB BSB: Then Jesus traveled throughout the towns and villages, teaching as He made His way toward Jerusalem.
23 UST Someone asked him,“Lord, will God only save a few people?” Jesus replied so that everyone there could hear, BSB BSB: “Lord,” someone asked Him, “will only a few people be saved?” Jesus answered,
24 UST “You need to try hard to enter, because it is very difficult. I tell you that many people will try to get in, but they will not be able to. BSB BSB: “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able.
25 UST After the owner of the house gets up and locks the door, you will stand outside and you will knock on the door. And you will beg the owner and say to him,‘Lord, open the door for us!’ But he will reply,‘No, I will not open it, because I do not know you, and I do not know where you are from!’ BSB BSB: After the master of the house gets up and shuts the door, you will stand outside knocking and saying, ‘Lord, open the door for us.’ But he will reply, ‘I do not know where you are from.’
26 UST Then you will say,‘{ You must have forgotten that} we ate meals with you, and you taught us in the streets of our towns!’ BSB BSB: Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’
27 UST But he will say,‘I tell you again, I do not know where you are from. You are all wicked people! Get away from here!’” BSB BSB: And he will answer, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers.’
28 UST { Then Jesus continued by saying,}“You will see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob{ in the distance}. All the prophets who lived long ago will also be there where God rules everything as king. But you will be outside, crying and grinding your teeth in sorrow! BSB BSB: There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves are thrown out.
29 UST But inside there will be people from every part of the world{, including many non- Jewish people}. They will all celebrate together where God rules everything as king. BSB BSB: People will come from east and west and north and south, and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God.
30 UST Think about this: Some people who seem the least important now will be the most important then, and others who seem important now will be the least important then.” BSB BSB: And indeed, some who are last will be first, and some who are first will be last.”
Lament over Jerusalem (Matthew 23:37–39)
31 UST That same day, some Pharisees came and said to Jesus,“Leave this area, because the ruler Herod Antipas wants to kill you!” BSB BSB: At that very hour, some Pharisees came to Jesus and told Him, “Leave this place and get away, because Herod wants to kill You.”
32 UST He replied to them,“Go and tell that cunning man{, who thinks he can hurt me but who really cannot,} this message from me:‘Listen! I am expelling demons and performing miracles now, and I will continue doing so for a short time. After that, I will finish my work.’ BSB BSB: But Jesus replied, “Go tell that fox, ‘Look, I will keep driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach My goal.’
33 UST But I must also continue my trip to Jerusalem during the coming days, since{ the Jewish leaders have always acted as if} it is not appropriate to kill a prophet in a place other than Jerusalem. BSB BSB: Nevertheless, I must keep going today and tomorrow and the next day, for it is not admissible for a prophet to perish outside of Jerusalem.
34 UST Oh, people of Jerusalem! You killed the prophets who lived long ago. Then you killed others whom God sent to you. You killed them by throwing stones at them. Many times I have wanted to gather you together to protect you, as a hen gathers her young chicks under her wings. But you did not want me to do that. BSB BSB: O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling!
35 UST Now look! God will no longer protect you, people of Jerusalem. I will also tell you this: I will enter your city only once more. After that, you will not see me until the time when I return, and then you will say about me,‘May God bless this man who comes with God’ s authority!’” BSB BSB: Look, your house is left to you desolate. And I tell you that you will not see Me again until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.’”