Luke 13 - Easy To Read Version Easy To Read Version
Luke 13

¹ At that time some people were there with Jesus. These people told Jesus about what happened to some people from Galilee. Pilate {\cf2\super [232]} killed those people while they were worshiping. Pilate mixed their blood with the blood of the animals they were sacrificing {\cf2\super [233]} \{to God\}.

² Jesus answered, “Do you think this happened to those people because they were more sinful than all other people from Galilee?

³ No, they were not! But if all of you don’t change your hearts and lives, then you will be destroyed like those people were!

⁴ What about those 18 people that died when the tower of Siloam fell on them? Do you think those people were more sinful than all the people that live in Jerusalem?

⁵ They were not! But I tell you if you don’t change your hearts and lives, then you will all be destroyed too!”

⁶ Jesus told this story: “A man had a fig tree. He planted the tree in his garden. The man came looking for some fruit on the tree, but he found none.

⁷ The man had a servant that took care of his garden. So the man said to his servant, ‘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 make fruit. Let me dig up the dirt around it and put on some plant food.

⁹ Maybe the tree will make fruit next year. If the tree still does not make fruit, then you can cut it down.’”

¹⁰ Jesus taught in one of the synagogues {\cf2\super [234]} on the Sabbath day. {\cf2\super [235]}

¹¹ In that synagogue there was a woman that had a spirit \{from the devil\} inside her. This spirit had made the woman crippled for 18 years. Her back was always bent; she could not stand up straight.

¹² When Jesus saw her, he called to her, “Woman, your sickness has gone away from you!”

¹³ Jesus put his hands on her. Then she was able to stand up straight. She praised God.

¹⁴ The synagogue {\cf2\super [236]} leader was angry because Jesus healed on the Sabbath day. {\cf2\super [237]} The leader said to the people, “There are six days for work. So come to be healed on one of those days. Don’t come for healing on the Sabbath day.”

¹⁵ The Lord (Jesus) answered, “You people are hypocrites {\cf2\super [238]} ! All of you untie your work animals and lead them to drink water every day—even on the Sabbath day {\cf2\super [239]} !

¹⁶ This woman that I healed is our Jewish sister. {\cf2\super [240]} But Satan (the devil) has held her for 18 years. Surely it is not wrong for her to be made free from her sickness on a Sabbath day!”

¹⁷ When Jesus said this, all the men that were criticizing him felt ashamed of themselves. And all the people were happy for the wonderful things Jesus was doing.

¹⁸ Then Jesus said, “What is God’s kingdom like? What can I compare it with?

¹⁹ God’s kingdom is like the seed of the mustard plant. {\cf2\super [241]} A person plants this seed in his garden. The seed grows and becomes a tree. The birds build nests on its branches.”

²⁰ Jesus said again, “What can I compare God’s kingdom with?

²¹ It is like yeast {\cf2\super [242]} that a woman mixes into a big bowl of flour to make bread. The yeast makes all the dough (bread) rise.”

²² Jesus was teaching in every town and village. He continued to travel toward Jerusalem.

²³ Someone said to Jesus, “Lord, how many people will be saved? Only a few?”

²⁴ “Try hard to enter through the narrow door \{that opens the way to heaven\}! Many people will try to enter there, but they will not be able to enter.

²⁵ If a man locks the door of his house, then you can stand outside and knock on the door, but he won’t open it. You can say, ‘Sir, open the door for us!’ But the man will answer, ‘I don’t know you! Where did you come from?’

²⁶ Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you. You taught in the streets of our town.’

²⁷ Then he will say to you, ‘I don’t know you! Where did you come from? Go away from me! You are all people that do wrong!’

²⁸ You will see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, {\cf2\super [243]} and all the prophets {\cf2\super [244]} in God’s kingdom. But you will be left outside. Then you will cry with fear and anger.

²⁹ People will come from the east, west, north, and south. They will sit down at the table in the kingdom of God.

³⁰ People that have the lowest place in life now will have the highest place in God’s kingdom. And people that have the highest place now will have the lowest place in God’s kingdom.”

³¹ At that time some Pharisees {\cf2\super [245]} came to Jesus and said, “Go away from here and hide! Herod {\cf2\super [246]} wants to kill you!”

³² Jesus said to them, “Go tell that fox {\cf2\super [247]} (Herod), ‘Today and tomorrow I am forcing demons {\cf2\super [248]} out of people and finishing my work of healing. Then, the next day, the work will be finished.’

³³ After that, I must go, because all prophets {\cf2\super [249]} should die in Jerusalem.

³⁴ “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem! You kill the prophets. {\cf2\super [250]} You kill with rocks those men that God has sent you. Many, many times I wanted to help your people. I wanted to gather your people together like a hen gathers her chicks under her wings. But you did not let me.

³⁵ Now your home will be left completely empty. I tell you, you will not see me again until that time when you will say, ‘Welcome! God bless the One that comes in the name of the Lord (God).’ {\cf2\super [251]} ”