Luke 9:37-56

New American Standard Bible

^37 (A)On the next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met Him. ³⁸ And a man from the crowd shouted, saying, “Teacher, I beg You to look at my son, because he is my only son, ³⁹ and a spirit seizes him and he suddenly screams, and it throws him into a convulsion with foaming at the mouth; and only with difficulty does it leave him, mauling him as it leaves. ⁴⁰ And I begged Your disciples to cast it out, and they could not.” ⁴¹ And Jesus answered and said, “You unbelieving and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.” ⁴² Now while he was still approaching, the demon slammed him to the ground and threw him into a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the boy and gave him back to his father. ⁴³ And they were all amazed at the ^[a](B)greatness of God.

^(C)But while everyone was astonished at all that He was doing, He said to His disciples, ⁴⁴ “As for you, let these words sink into your ears: ^(D)for the Son of Man is going to be ^[b]handed over to men.” ⁴⁵ But ^(E)they ^[c]did not understand this statement, and it was concealed from them so that they would not comprehend it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this statement.

The Test of Greatness

^46 (F)Now an argument ^[d]started among them as to which of them might be the greatest. ⁴⁷ But Jesus, ^(G)knowing ^[e]what they were thinking in their hearts, took a child and had him stand by His side, ⁴⁸ and He said to them, “^(H)Whoever receives this child in My name receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me; ^(I)for the one who is least among all of you, this is the one who is great.”

^49 (J)John answered and said, “^(K)Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name; and we tried to prevent him, because he does not follow along with us.” ⁵⁰ But Jesus said to him, “Do not hinder him; ^(L)for the one who is not against you is ^[f]for you.”

⁵¹ When the days were approaching for ^(M)His ^[g]ascension, He ^[h]was determined ^(N)to go to Jerusalem; ⁵² and He sent messengers on ahead of Him, and they went and entered a village of the ^(O)Samaritans to ^[i]make arrangements for Him. ⁵³ And they did not receive Him, ^(P)because ^[j]He was traveling toward Jerusalem. ⁵⁴ When His disciples ^(Q)James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to ^(R)command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” ⁵⁵ But He turned and rebuked them.^{[k] 56} And they went on to another village.