Jesus Sends out the Twelve

The twelve are sent out, five loaves feed thousands, and Peter names him Christ, at which Jesus immediately says he must be killed. On the mountain the Father calls him Chosen. Coming down, he heals a boy the disciples could not. Then he turns toward Jerusalem.

Chapter 9.

Jesus called the twelve together, gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases. And he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of our Father and to heal the sick.

He said to them, "Take nothing for the road: no staff, bag, bread, or money, and don't take two tunics each. Whatever house you enter, stay there, and leave from there. Wherever they won't welcome you, shake the dust off your feet as you leave that town, as a testimony against them."

So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing everywhere.

Herod the tetrarch heard all that was happening, and was puzzled, because some said John had been raised from the dead, others that Elijah had appeared, and still others that one of the prophets of old had risen. Herod said, "I beheaded John—so who is this I hear such things about?" He kept seeking to see him.

Five Loaves Feed Five Thousand

When the apostles returned, they told Jesus all they had done. He took them and withdrew privately to a town called Bethsaida. But the crowds found out and followed him. He welcomed them, spoke to them of our Father's kingdom, and healed those who needed it. As the day was ending, the Twelve came and said to him, "Send the crowd away to find lodging and food in the villages and countryside around us—we're in a remote place here."

He said, "You give them something to eat." They said, "We have only five loaves and two fish—unless we go and buy food for this whole crowd."

For there were about 5,000 men. He told his disciples, "Seat them in groups of about fifty each."

They did so, and had everyone sit down. He took the five loaves and two fish, looked up to heaven, blessed and broke them, then kept giving them to the disciples to serve the crowd. All ate and were satisfied; the leftover pieces filled twelve baskets.

Who Do You Say I Am?

Once, while praying alone with his disciples nearby, Jesus asked them, "Who do the crowds say I am?"

They answered, "John the Baptist. Others say Elijah. Still others, that an ancient prophet has risen."

"But who do you say that I am?" he asked. Peter answered, "The Christ of our Father." ^a

The Son of Man Must Suffer

Jesus strictly warned them, ordering them to tell no one this,

saying, "The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised."

Then he told them all, "Whoever wants to come after me must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever intends to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will save it. For what use is it if someone gains the whole world, yet loses or forfeits himself? Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his own glory and the glory of the Father and the holy angels. But I tell you truly, some standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of our Father."

The Father Glorifies His Son

About eight days after these words, Jesus took Peter, John, and James up a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothing became dazzling white. And there were two men talking with him—Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory, speaking of his departure, which he was about to fulfill in Jerusalem.

Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it's good we're here. Let's make three shelters—one for you, one for Moses, one for Elijah." He didn't know what he was saying.

As he spoke, a cloud came and covered them in shadow; entering it, they were afraid.

A voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, my Chosen One—listen to him!" ^b

When the voice ended, Jesus was found alone. They stayed silent, telling no one in those days what they had seen.

A Father's Son Freed From Darkness

The next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met him. A man from the crowd shouted, "Teacher, please look at my son, because he's my only child. A spirit seizes him, and suddenly he cries out; it convulses him until he foams, scarcely leaving him, battering him. I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not."

Jesus answered, "Distrustful, twisted generation, how long must I stay with you and endure you? Bring your son here."

As the boy was coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and returned him to his father.

The Son of Man Will Be Delivered

All were astonished at our Father's majesty. While everyone was amazed at everything Jesus did, he said to his disciples,

"Store these words in your ears: the Son of Man will soon be delivered into human hands."

But they didn't understand this word—hidden from them so they couldn't grasp it—and they were afraid to ask him about it.

Now an argument arose among them as to which of them was the greatest. But Jesus, knowing their hearts' thoughts, took a child and stood him beside himself,

and told them, "Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. For the least among you all—that one is great."

John said, "Master, we saw someone driving out demons in your name and tried to stop him, because he doesn't follow with us."

"Do not stop him," Jesus said to him, "for whoever is not against you is for you."

Jesus Sets His Face to Jerusalem

When the days neared for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set his face to go to Jerusalem. He sent messengers ahead of him. They went and entered a Samaritan village to prepare for him, but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. Seeing this, the disciples James and John said, "Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?"

But he turned and rebuked them. And they went on to another village.

The Cost of Following Jesus

As they walked the road, someone said to him, "I'll follow you wherever you go."

Jesus said, "Foxes have dens, birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head."

To another he said, "Follow me." He replied, "Lord, first let me go bury my father."

But Jesus told him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go proclaim the kingdom of our Father."

Another also said, "I'll follow you, Lord, but first let me say goodbye to those at my house."

Jesus replied, "No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for our Father's kingdom."

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Luke 9