Luke 9:37-62

New International Version

Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Boy^(A)

³⁷ The next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met him. ³⁸ A man in the crowd called out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. ³⁹ A spirit seizes him and he suddenly screams; it throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It scarcely ever leaves him and is destroying him. ⁴⁰ I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not.”

⁴¹ “You unbelieving and perverse generation,”^(B) Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.”

⁴² Even while the boy was coming, the demon threw him to the ground in a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the impure spirit, healed the boy and gave him back to his father. ⁴³ And they were all amazed at the greatness of God.

Jesus Predicts His Death a Second Time

While everyone was marveling at all that Jesus did, he said to his disciples, ⁴⁴ “Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.”^{(C) 45} But they did not understand what this meant. It was hidden from them, so that they did not grasp it,^(D) and they were afraid to ask him about it.

⁴⁶ An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest.^{(E) 47} Jesus, knowing their thoughts,^(F) took a little child and had him stand beside him. ⁴⁸ Then he said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.^(G) For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.”^(H)

⁴⁹ “Master,”^(I) said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us.”

⁵⁰ “Do not stop him,” Jesus said, “for whoever is not against you is for you.”^(J)

Samaritan Opposition

⁵¹ As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven,^(K) Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.^{(L) 52} And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan^(M) village to get things ready for him; ⁵³ but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. ⁵⁴ When the disciples James and John^(N) saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them^[a]?”^{(O) 55} But Jesus turned and rebuked them. ⁵⁶ Then he and his disciples went to another village.

The Cost of Following Jesus^(P)

⁵⁷ As they were walking along the road,^(Q) a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”

⁵⁸ Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man^(R) has no place to lay his head.”

⁵⁹ He said to another man, “Follow me.”^(S)

But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”

⁶⁰ Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”^(T)

⁶¹ Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”^(U)

⁶² Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”