Holman Christian Standard Bible (310 page)

God and Caesar

20
 They watched closely and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, so they could catch Him in what He said, to hand Him over to the governor's rule and authority.
21
 They questioned Him, “Teacher, we know that You speak and teach correctly, and You don't show partiality, but teach truthfully the way of God. 
22
 Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not? ”

23
 But detecting their craftiness, He said to them, 
24
 “Show Me a
•denarius
. Whose image and inscription does it have? ”

“Caesar's,” they said.

25
 “Well then,”
He told them,
“give back to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's.”

26
 They were not able to catch Him in what He said in public, and being amazed at His answer, they became silent. 

The Sadducees and the Resurrection

27
 Some of the
•Sadducees
, who say there is no resurrection, came up and questioned Him:
28
 “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that
if a man's brother
has a wife, and
dies childless, his brother should take the wife and produce
•offspring
for his brother.
29
 Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife and died without children.
30
 Also the second 
31
 and the third took her. In the same way, all seven died and left no children.
32
 Finally, the woman died too.
33
 In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For all seven had married her.” 

34
 Jesus told them,
“The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage.
 
35
 But those who are counted worthy to take part in that age and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage.
36
 For they cannot die anymore, because they are like angels and are sons of God, since they are sons of the resurrection.
37
 Moses even indicated in the passage about the burning bush that the dead are raised, where he calls the Lord
the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.
38
 He is not God of the dead but of the living, because all are living to
 
Him.”
 

39
 Some of the scribes answered, “Teacher, You have spoken well.”
40
 And they no longer dared to ask Him anything.

The Question about the Messiah

41
 Then He said to them,
“How can they say that the
•Messiah
is the Son of David?
 
42
 For David himself says in the Book of Psalms:
 

44
 David calls Him ‘Lord'; how then can the Messiah be his Son? ”
 

Warning against the Scribes

45
 While all the people were listening, He said to His disciples,
46
 “Beware of the scribes, who want to go around in long robes and who love greetings in the marketplaces, the front seats in the
•synagogues
, and the places of honor at banquets.
 
47
 They devour widows' houses and say long prayers just for show. These will receive greater punishment.”
 

Luke

The Widow's Gift

21
He looked up and saw the rich dropping their offerings into the temple treasury. 
2
 He also saw a poor widow dropping in two tiny coins.
3
 “I tell you the truth,”
He said.
“This poor widow has put in more than all of them.
 
4
 For all these people have put in gifts out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on.”

Destruction of the Temple Predicted

5
 As some were talking about the
•temple
complex, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, He said,
6
 “These things that you see — the days will come when not one stone will be left on another that will not be thrown down! ”
 

Signs of the End of the Age

7
 “Teacher,” they asked Him, “so when will these things be? And what will be the sign when these things are about to take place? ” 

8
 Then He said,
“Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,' and, ‘The time is near.' Don't follow them.
 
9
 When you hear of wars and rebellions,
 
don't be alarmed. Indeed, these things must take place first, but the end won't come right away.”

10
 Then He told them:
“Nation will be raised up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
 
11
 There will be violent earthquakes, and famines and plagues in various places, and there will be terrifying sights and great signs from heaven.
 
12
 But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you. They will hand you over to the
•synagogues
 and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of My name.
13
 It will lead to an opportunity for you to witness.
14
 Therefore make up your minds
 
not to prepare your defense ahead of time,
 
15
 for I will give you such words
and a wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.
 
16
 You will even be betrayed by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends. They will kill some of you.
17
 You will be hated by everyone because of My name,
 
18
 but not a hair of your head will be lost.
 
19
 By your endurance gain
 
your
•lives
.
 

The Destruction of Jerusalem

20
 “When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that its desolation has come near.
21
 Then those in Judea must flee to the mountains! Those inside the city
 
must leave it, and those who are in the country must not enter it,
22
 because these are days of vengeance to fulfill all the things that are written.
23
 Woe to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days, for there will be great distress in the land
 
and wrath against this people.
24
 They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive into all the nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled by the Gentiles
until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

The Coming of the Son of Man

25
 “Then there will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars; and there will be anguish on the earth among nations bewildered by the roaring sea and waves.
 
26
 People will faint from fear and expectation of the things that are coming on the world, because the celestial powers will be shaken.
 
27
 Then they will see the
•Son
of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
 
28
 But when these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your
•redemption
is near! ”
 

The Parable of the Fig Tree

29
 Then He told them a parable:
“Look at the fig tree, and all the trees.
30
 As soon as they put out leaves you can see for yourselves and recognize that summer is already near.
31
 In the same way, when you see these things happening, recognize
 
that the kingdom of God is near.
32
 
•I assure you
: This generation will certainly not pass away until all things take place.
 
33
 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.
 

The Need for Watchfulness

34
 “Be on your guard, so that your minds are not dulled
 
from carousing,
 
drunkenness, and worries of life, or that day will come on you unexpectedly 
35
 like a trap. For it will come on all who live on the face of the whole earth.
36
 But be alert at all times, praying that you may have strength
 
to escape all these things that are going to take place and to stand before the Son of Man.”

37
 During the day, He was teaching in the temple complex, but in the evening He would go out and spend the night on what is called the
•Mount
of Olives. 
38
 Then all the people would come early in the morning to hear Him in the temple complex. 

Luke

The Plot to Kill Jesus

22
The Festival of
•Unleavened
Bread, which is called
•Passover
, was drawing near.
2
 The
•chief
priests and the
•scribes
were looking for a way to put Him to death, because they were afraid of the people. 

3
 Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, who was numbered among the Twelve.
4
 He went away and discussed with the chief priests and temple police how he could hand Him over to them.
5
 They were glad and agreed to give him silver. 
6
 So he accepted the offer and started looking for a good opportunity to betray Him to them when the crowd was not present.

Preparation for Passover

7
 Then the Day of Unleavened Bread came when the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. 
8
 Jesus sent Peter and John, saying,
“Go and prepare the Passover meal for us, so we can eat it.”

9
 “Where do You want us to prepare it? ” they asked Him.

10
 “Listen,”
He said to them,
“when you've entered the city, a man carrying a water jug will meet you. Follow him into the house he enters.
11
 Tell the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks you, “Where is the guest room where I can eat the Passover with My disciples? ” '
12
 Then he will show you a large, furnished room upstairs. Make the preparations there.”

13
 So they went and found it just as He had told them, and they prepared the Passover.

The First Lord's Supper

14
 When the hour came, He reclined at the table, and the apostles with Him.
15
 Then He said to them,
“I have fervently desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.
16
 For I tell you, I will not eat it again
 
until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”
 
17
 Then He took a cup, and after giving thanks, He said,
“Take this and share it among yourselves.
18
 For I tell you, from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

19
 And He took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them, and said,
“This is My body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.”

20
 In the same way He also took the cup after supper and said,
“This cup is the new covenant established by My blood; it is shed for you.
 
21
 But look, the hand of the one betraying Me is at the table with Me!
 
22
 For the
•Son
of Man will go away as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed! ”

23
 So they began to argue among themselves which of them it could be who was going to do this thing.

The Dispute over Greatness

24
 Then a dispute also arose among them about who should be considered the greatest. 
25
 But He said to them, 
“The kings of the Gentiles dominate them, and those who have authority over them are called
 
‘Benefactors.'
 
26
 But it must not be like that among you. On the contrary, whoever is greatest among you must become like the youngest, and whoever leads, like the one serving.
27
 For who is greater, the one at the table or the one serving? Isn't it the one at the table? But I am among you as the One who serves.
 
28
 You are the ones who stood by Me in My trials.
 
29
 I bestow on you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one on Me,
30
 so that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom. And you will sit on thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel.
 

Peter's Denial Predicted

31
 “Simon, Simon,
 
look out! Satan has asked to sift you
 
like wheat.
 
32
 But I have prayed for you
 
that your faith may not fail. And you, when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

33
 “Lord,” he told Him, “I'm ready to go with You both to prison and to death! ”