Bible / Luke

Luke 13

World English Bible, Catholic edition, in plain modern English. About the translations

1 Now there were some present at the same time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.

2 Jesus answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered such things?

3 I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all perish in the same way.

4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them – do you think that they were worse offenders than all the men who dwell in Jerusalem?

5 I tell you, no, but, unless you repent, you will all perish in the same way.”

6 He spoke this parable. “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. Fathers

7 He said to the vine dresser, ‘Behold, these three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and found none. Cut it down! Why does it waste the soil?’

8 He answered, ‘Lord, leave it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it.

9 If it bears fruit, fine; but if not, after that, you can cut it down.’”

10 He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath day.

11 Behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years. She was bent over and could in no way straighten herself up.

12 When Jesus saw her, he called her and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your infirmity.”

13 He laid his hands on her, and immediately she stood up straight and glorified God.

14 The ruler of the synagogue, being indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the multitude, “There are six days in which men ought to work. Therefore come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day!”

15 Therefore the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Doesn’t each one of you free his ox or his donkey from the stall on the Sabbath and lead him away to water? CCC · Fathers

16 Ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham whom Satan had bound eighteen long years, be freed from this bondage on the Sabbath day?” CCC · Fathers

17 As he said these things, all his adversaries were disappointed; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.

18 He said, “What is God’s Kingdom like? To what shall I compare it?

19 It is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and put in his own garden. It grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the sky live in its branches.”

20 Again he said, “To what shall I compare God’s Kingdom? CCC

21 It is like yeast, which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened.” CCC

22 He went on his way through cities and villages, teaching, and traveling on to Jerusalem.

23 One said to him, “Lord, are they few who are saved?” He said to them,

24 “Strive to enter in by the narrow door, for many, I tell you, will seek to enter in and will not be able.

25 When once the master of the house has risen up and has shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ then he will answer and tell you, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’

26 Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ Fathers

27 He will say, ‘I tell you, I don’t know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity.’

28 There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in God’s Kingdom, and yourselves being thrown outside. Fathers

29 They will come from the east, west, north, and south, and will sit down in God’s Kingdom.

30 Behold, there are some who are last who will be first, and there are some who are first who will be last.”

31 On that same day, some Pharisees came, saying to him, “Get out of here and go away, for Herod wants to kill you.” CCC

32 He said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I complete my mission.

33 Nevertheless I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the next day, for it can’t be that a prophet would perish outside of Jerusalem.’ CCC

34 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, like a hen gathers her own brood under her wings, and you refused! Fathers

35 Behold, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’” CCC

This chapter in the Catechism and the early Church

Where the Catechism of the Catholic Church cites these verses (from its footnotes on vatican.va), and where the earliest Church Fathers quote them (Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1, public domain). Short quotes only; follow the links for the full text.

  1. Read the Fathers
    • “Then, again, this truth was clearly shown forth by the parable of the fig-tree, of which the Lord says, "Behold, now these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig-tree, but I find none”

      Quoted in Against Heresies, Book IV, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter XXXVI. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1

  2. Read the Catechism and Fathers
    • CCC 582 “Going even further, Jesus perfects the dietary law, so important in Jewish daily life, by revealing its pedagogical meaning through a divine…”
    • “And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath-days?”

      Quoted in Against Heresies, Book IV, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter VIII. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1

  3. Read the Catechism and Fathers
    • CCC 582 “Going even further, Jesus perfects the dietary law, so important in Jewish daily life, by revealing its pedagogical meaning through a divine…”
    • “And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath-days?”

      Quoted in Against Heresies, Book IV, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter VIII. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1

  4. Read the Catechism
    • CCC 2660 “Prayer in the events of each day and each moment is one of the secrets of the kingdom revealed to "little children,"…”
  5. Read the Catechism
    • CCC 2660 “Prayer in the events of each day and each moment is one of the secrets of the kingdom revealed to "little children,"…”
  6. Read the Fathers
    • “And every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down and cast into the fire.”

      Quoted in First Apology, St. Justin Martyr (c. AD 155), Chapter XVI. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1

  7. Read the Fathers
    • “… and shall recline with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven;" and then again by saying to the Jews, "When ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of heaven, but you yourselves cast out.”

      Quoted in Against Heresies, Book IV, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter VIII. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1

  8. Read the Catechism
    • CCC 575 “Many of Jesus' deeds and words constituted a "sign of contradiction", but more so for the religious authorities in Jerusalem, whom the…”
  9. Read the Catechism
    • CCC 557 “When the days drew near for him to be taken up [Jesus] set his face to go to Jerusalem." By this decision…”
  10. Read the Fathers
    • “Behold, your house shall be left unto you desolate.”

      Quoted in Against Heresies, Book IV, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter XXXVI. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1

  11. Read the Catechism
    • CCC 585 “On the threshold of his Passion Jesus announced the coming destruction of this splendid building, of which there would not remain "one…”