Bible Society of South Africa

Bible Reading Plan – Day 290

Bible text(s)

The Question about the Sabbath

1Jesus was walking through some cornfields on the Sabbath. His disciples began to pick the ears of corn, rub them in their hands, and eat the grain. 2Some Pharisees asked, “Why are you doing what our Law says you cannot do on the Sabbath?”

3Jesus answered them, “Haven't you read what David did when he and his men were hungry? 4He went into the house of God, took the bread offered to God, ate it, and gave it also to his men. Yet it is against our Law for anyone except the priests to eat that bread.”

5And Jesus concluded, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

The Man with a Paralysed Hand

6On another Sabbath Jesus went into a synagogue and taught. A man was there whose right hand was paralysed. 7Some teachers of the Law and some Pharisees wanted a reason to accuse Jesus of doing wrong, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath. 8But Jesus knew their thoughts and said to the man, “Stand up and come here to the front.” The man got up and stood there. 9Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you: what does our Law allow us to do on the Sabbath? To help or to harm? To save someone's life or destroy it?” 10He looked around at them all; then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so, and his hand became well again.

11They were filled with rage and began to discuss among themselves what they could do to Jesus.

Jesus Chooses the Twelve Apostles

12At that time Jesus went up a hill to pray and spent the whole night there praying to God. 13When day came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he named apostles: 14Simon (whom he named Peter) and his brother Andrew; James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, 15Matthew and Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon (who was called the Patriot), 16Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became the traitor.

Jesus Teaches and Heals

17When Jesus had come down from the hill with the apostles, he stood on a level place with a large number of his disciples. A large crowd of people was there from all over Judea and from Jerusalem and from the coastal cities of Tyre and Sidon; 18they had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those who were troubled by evil spirits also came and were healed. 19All the people tried to touch him, for power was going out from him and healing them all.

Happiness and Sorrow

20Jesus looked at his disciples and said,

“Happy are you poor;

the Kingdom of God is yours!

21Happy are you who are hungry now;

you will be filled!

Happy are you who weep now;

you will laugh!

22“Happy are you when people hate you, reject you, insult you, and say that you are evil, all because of the Son of Man! 23Be glad when that happens, and dance for joy, because a great reward is kept for you in heaven. For their ancestors did the very same things to the prophets.

24“But how terrible for you who are rich now;

you have had your easy life!

25How terrible for you who are full now;

you will go hungry!

How terrible for you who laugh now;

you will mourn and weep!

26“How terrible when all people speak well of you; their ancestors said the very same things about the false prophets.

Love for Enemies

27“But I tell you who hear me: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28bless those who curse you, and pray for those who ill-treat you. 29If anyone hits you on one cheek, let him hit the other one too; if someone takes your coat, let him have your shirt as well. 30Give to everyone who asks you for something, and when someone takes what is yours, do not ask for it back. 31Do for others just what you want them to do for you.

32“If you love only the people who love you, why should you receive a blessing? Even sinners love those who love them! 33And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you receive a blessing? Even sinners do that! 34And if you lend only to those from whom you hope to get it back, why should you receive a blessing? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount! 35No! Love your enemies and do good to them; lend and expect nothing back. You will then have a great reward, and you will be children of the Most High God. For he is good to the ungrateful and the wicked. 36Be merciful just as your Father is merciful.

Judging Others

37“Do not judge others, and God will not judge you; do not condemn others, and God will not condemn you; forgive others, and God will forgive you. 38Give to others, and God will give to you. Indeed, you will receive a full measure, a generous helping, poured into your hands — all that you can hold. The measure you use for others is the one that God will use for you.”

39And Jesus told them this parable: “One blind man cannot lead another one; if he does, both will fall into a ditch. 40No pupil is greater than his teacher; but every pupil, when he has completed his training, will be like his teacher.

41“Why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but pay no attention to the log in your own eye? 42How can you say to your brother, ‘Please, brother, let me take that speck out of your eye,’ yet cannot even see the log in your own eye? You hypocrite! First take the log out of your own eye, and then you will be able to see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

A Tree and its Fruit

43“A healthy tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a poor tree bear good fruit. 44Every tree is known by the fruit it bears; you do not pick figs from thorn bushes or gather grapes from bramble bushes. 45A good person brings good out of the treasure of good things in his heart; a bad person brings bad out of his treasure of bad things. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

The Two House Builders

46“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and yet don't do what I tell you? 47Anyone who comes to me and listens to my words and obeys them — I will show you what he is like. 48He is like a man who, in building his house, dug deep and laid the foundation on rock. The river overflowed and hit that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49But anyone who hears my words and does not obey them is like a man who built his house without laying a foundation; when the flood hit that house it fell at once — and what a terrible crash that was!”

Jesus Heals a Roman Officer's Servant

1When Jesus had finished saying all these things to the people, he went to Capernaum. 2A Roman officer there had a servant who was very dear to him; the man was sick and about to die. 3When the officer heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to ask him to come and heal his servant. 4They came to Jesus and begged him earnestly, “This man really deserves your help. 5He loves our people and he himself built a synagogue for us.”

6So Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the officer sent friends to tell him, “Sir, don't trouble yourself. I do not deserve to have you come into my house, 7neither do I consider myself worthy to come to you in person. Just give the order, and my servant will get well. 8I, too, am a man placed under the authority of superior officers, and I have soldiers under me. I order this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes; I order that one, ‘Come!’ and he comes; and I order my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”

9Jesus was surprised when he heard this; he turned round and said to the crowd following him, “I tell you, I have never found faith like this, not even in Israel!”

10The messengers went back to the officer's house and found his servant well.

Jesus Raises a Widow's Son

11Soon afterwards Jesus went to a town called Nain, accompanied by his disciples and a large crowd. 12Just as he arrived at the gate of the town, a funeral procession was coming out. The dead man was the only son of a woman who was a widow, and a large crowd from the town was with her. 13When the Lord saw her, his heart was filled with pity for her, and he said to her, “Don't cry.” 14Then he walked over and touched the coffin, and the men carrying it stopped. Jesus said, “Young man! Get up, I tell you!” 15The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.

16They all were filled with fear and praised God. “A great prophet has appeared among us!” they said; “God has come to save his people!”

17This news about Jesus went out through all the country and the surrounding territory.

The Messengers from John the Baptist

18When John's disciples told him about all these things, he called two of them 19and sent them to the Lord to ask him, “Are you the one John said was going to come, or should we expect someone else?”

20When they came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to ask if you are the one he said was going to come, or if we should expect someone else.”

21At that very time Jesus cured many people of their sicknesses, diseases, and evil spirits, and gave sight to many blind people. 22He answered John's messengers, “Go back and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind can see, the lame can walk, those who suffer from dreaded skin diseases are made clean, the deaf can hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is preached to the poor. 23How happy are those who have no doubts about me!”

24After John's messengers had left, Jesus began to speak about him to the crowds: “When you went out to John in the desert, what did you expect to see? A blade of grass bending in the wind? 25What did you go out to see? A man dressed up in fancy clothes? People who dress like that and live in luxury are found in palaces! 26Tell me, what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes indeed, but you saw much more than a prophet. 27For John is the one of whom the scripture says: ‘God said, I will send my messenger ahead of you to open the way for you.’ 28I tell you,” Jesus added, “John is greater than anyone who has ever lived. But the one who is least in the Kingdom of God is greater than John.”

29All the people heard him; they and especially the tax collectors were the ones who had obeyed God's righteous demands and had been baptized by John. 30But the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law rejected God's purpose for themselves and refused to be baptized by John.

31Jesus continued, “Now to what can I compare the people of this day? What are they like? 32They are like children sitting in the market place. One group shouts to the other, ‘We played wedding music for you, but you wouldn't dance! We sang funeral songs, but you wouldn't cry!’ 33John the Baptist came, and he fasted and drank no wine, and you said, ‘He has a demon in him!’ 34The Son of Man came, and he ate and drank, and you said, ‘Look at this man! He is a glutton and a drinker, a friend of tax collectors and other outcasts!’ 35God's wisdom, however, is shown to be true by all who accept it.”

Luke 6:1-7:35GNBOpen in Bible reader
Bible Society of South Africav.4.17.10
Find us on