Luke 16
16Jesus told this story to his disciples: "There was a certain rich man who had a manager handling his affairs. One day a report came that the manager was wasting his employer's money.G1161G3004G2532G4314G846G3101G2258G5100G4145G444G3739G2192G3623G2532G3778G1225G846G5613G1287G846G52242So the employer called him in and said, 'What's this I hear about you? Get your report in order, because you are going to be fired.'G2532G5455G846G2036G846G5101G191G5124G4012G4675G591G3056G4675G3622G1063G1410G3756G2089G36213"The manager thought to himself, 'Now what? My boss has fired me. I don't have the strength to dig ditches, and I'm too proud to beg.G1161G3623G2036G1722G1438G5101G4160G3754G3450G2962G851G575G1700G3622G3756G2480G4626G1871G1534Ah, I know how to ensure that I'll have plenty of friends who will give me a home when I am fired.'G1097G5101G4160G2443G3752G3179G3622G1209G3165G1519G846G36245"So he invited each person who owed money to his employer to come and discuss the situation. He asked the first one, 'How much do you owe him?'G2532G4341G1538G1520G1438G2962G5533G3004G4413G4214G3784G3450G29626The man replied, 'I owe him 800 gallons of olive oil.' So the manager told him, 'Take the bill and quickly change it to 400 gallons.'G1161G2036G1540G943G1637G2532G2036G846G1209G4675G1121G2532G2523G5030G1125G40047"'And how much do you owe my employer?' he asked the next man. 'I owe him 1,000 bushels of wheat,' was the reply. 'Here,' the manager said, 'take the bill and change it to 800 bushels.'G1899G2036G2087G1161G4214G3784G4771G1161G2036G1540G2884G4621G2532G3004G846G1209G4675G1121G2532G1125G35898"The rich man had to admire the dishonest rascal for being so shrewd. And it is true that the children of this world are more shrewd in dealing with the world around them than are the children of the light.G2532G2962G1867G93G3623G3754G4160G5430G3754G5207G5127G165G1526G1519G1438G1074G5429G5228G5207G54579Here's the lesson: Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then, when your earthly possessions are gone, they will welcome you to an eternal home.G2504G3004G5213G4160G1438G5384G1537G3126G93G2443G3752G1587G1209G5209G1519G166G463310"If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won't be honest with greater responsibilities.G4103G1722G1646G2076G4103G2532G1722G4183G2532G94G1722G1646G2076G94G2532G1722G418311And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven?G1487G3767G1096G3756G1096G4103G1722G94G3126G5101G4100G5213G4100G22812And if you are not faithful with other people's things, why should you be trusted with things of your own?G2532G1487G1096G3756G1096G4103G1722G245G5101G1325G5213G521213"No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."G3762G3610G1410G1398G1417G2962G1063G2228G3404G1520G2532G25G2087G2228G472G1520G2532G2706G2087G3756G1410G1398G2316G2532G312614The Pharisees, who dearly loved their money, heard all this and scoffed at him.G1161G5330G2532G5225G5366G191G3956G5023G2532G1592G84615Then he said to them, "You like to appear righteous in public, but God knows your hearts. What this world honors is detestable in the sight of God.G2532G2036G846G5210G2075G1344G1438G1799G444G1161G2316G1097G5216G2588G3754G5308G1722G444G2076G946G1799G231616"Until John the Baptist, the law of Moses and the messages of the prophets were your guides. But now the Good News of the Kingdom of God is preached, and everyone is eager to get in.G3551G2532G4396G2193G2491G575G5119G932G2316G2097G2532G3956G971G1519G84617But that doesn't mean that the law has lost its force. It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the smallest point of God's law to be overturned.G1161G2076G2123G3772G2532G1093G3928G2228G3391G2762G3551G409818"For example, a man who divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery. And anyone who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery."G3956G630G846G1135G2532G1060G2087G3431G2532G3956G1060G630G575G435G343119Jesus said, "There was a certain rich man who was splendidly clothed in purple and fine linen and who lived each day in luxury.G1161G2258G5100G4145G444G2532G1737G4209G2532G1040G2165G2988G2596G225020At his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus who was covered with sores.G1161G2258G5100G4434G3686G2976G3739G906G4314G846G4440G166921As Lazarus lay there longing for scraps from the rich man's table, the dogs would come and lick his open sores.G2532G1937G5526G575G5589G3588G4098G575G4145G5132G235G2532G2965G2064G621G846G166822"Finally, the poor man died and was carried by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried,G1161G1096G4434G599G2532G667G5259G32G1519G11G2859G4145G1161G2532G599G2532G229023and his soul went to the place of the dead. There, in torment, he saw Abraham in the far distance with Lazarus at his side.G2532G1722G86G1869G846G3788G5225G1722G931G3708G11G3113G575G2532G2976G1722G846G285924"The rich man shouted, 'Father Abraham, have some pity! Send Lazarus over here to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am in anguish in these flames.'G2532G846G5455G2036G3962G11G1653G3165G2532G3992G2976G2443G911G206G846G1147G5204G2532G2711G3450G1100G3754G3600G1722G5026G539525"But Abraham said to him, 'Son, remember that during your lifetime you had everything you wanted, and Lazarus had nothing. So now he is here being comforted, and you are in anguish.G1161G11G2036G5043G3415G3754G4771G1722G4675G2222G618G4675G18G2532G3668G2976G2556G1161G3568G3592G3870G1161G4771G360026And besides, there is a great chasm separating us. No one can cross over to you from here, and no one can cross over to us from there.'G2532G1909G3956G5125G3342G2257G2532G5216G4741G3173G5490G4741G3704G2309G1224G1782G4314G5209G3361G1410G3366G1276G4314G2248G156427"Then the rich man said, 'Please, Father Abraham, at least send him to my father's home.G1161G2036G2065G4571G3767G3962G2443G3992G846G1519G3450G3962G362428For I have five brothers, and I want him to warn them so they don't end up in this place of torment.'G1063G2192G4002G80G3704G1263G846G3363G846G2532G2064G1519G5126G5117G93129"But Abraham said, 'Moses and the prophets have warned them. Your brothers can read what they wrote.'G11G3004G846G2192G3475G2532G4396G191G84630"The rich man replied, 'No, Father Abraham! But if someone is sent to them from the dead, then they will repent of their sins and turn to God.'G1161G2036G3780G3962G11G235G1437G5100G4198G4314G846G575G3498G334031"But Abraham said, 'If they won't listen to Moses and the prophets, they won't listen even if someone rises from the dead.'"G1161G2036G846G1487G191G3756G3475G2532G4396G3761G3982G1437G5100G450G1537G3498
Luke 17
17One day Jesus said to his disciples, "There will always be temptations to sin, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting!G1161G2036G4314G3101G2076G418G3361G4625G2064G1161G3759G1223G3739G20642It would be better to be thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around your neck than to cause one of these little ones to fall into sin.G3081G846G1487G3458G3684G4029G4012G846G5137G2532G4496G1519G2281G2228G2443G4624G1520G5130G33983So watch yourselves! "If another believer sins, rebuke that person; then if there is repentance, forgive.G4337G1438G1161G1437G4675G80G264G1519G4571G2008G846G2532G1437G3340G863G8464Even if that person wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness, you must forgive."G2532G1437G264G1519G4571G2034G2250G2532G2034G2250G1994G1909G4571G3004G3340G863G8465The apostles said to the Lord, "Show us how to increase our faith."G2532G652G2036G2962G4369G2254G41026The Lord answered, "If you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, 'May you be uprooted and thrown into the sea,' and it would obey you!G1161G2962G2036G1487G2192G4102G5613G2848G4615G302G3004G5026G4807G1610G2532G5452G1722G2281G2532G302G5219G52137"When a servant comes in from plowing or taking care of sheep, does his master say, 'Come in and eat with me'?G1161G5101G1537G5216G2192G1401G722G2228G4165G2046G3739G2112G1525G1537G68G3928G3778No, he says, 'Prepare my meal, put on your apron, and serve me while I eat. Then you can eat later.'G235G3780G2046G846G2090G5101G1172G2532G4024G1247G3427G2193G5315G2532G4095G2532G3326G5023G4771G5315G2532G40959And does the master thank the servant for doing what he was told to do? Of course not.G3361G2192G5485G1565G1401G3754G4160G1299G846G1380G375610In the same way, when you obey me you should say, 'We are unworthy servants who have simply done our duty.'"G3779G2532G5210G3752G4160G3956G1299G5213G3004G3754G2070G888G1401G3754G4160G3739G3784G416011As Jesus continued on toward Jerusalem, he reached the border between Galilee and Samaria.G2532G1096G1722G846G4198G1519G2419G2532G846G1330G1223G3319G4540G2532G105612As he entered a village there, ten lepers stood at a distance,G2532G846G1525G1519G5100G2968G528G846G1176G435G3015G3739G2476G420713crying out, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!"G2532G846G142G5456G3004G2424G1988G1653G224814He looked at them and said, "Go show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy.G2532G1492G2036G846G4198G1925G1438G2409G2532G1096G846G5217G1722G251115One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, "Praise God!"G1161G1520G1537G846G1492G3754G2390G5290G3326G3173G5456G1392G231616He fell to the ground at Jesus' feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan.G2532G4098G1909G4383G3844G846G4228G2168G846G2168G2532G846G2258G454117Jesus asked, "Didn't I heal ten men? Where are the other nine?G1161G2424G611G2036G2511G3780G1176G2511G1161G4226G176718Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?"G2147G3756G2147G5290G1325G1391G2316G1508G3778G24119And Jesus said to the man, "Stand up and go. Your faith has healed you."G2532G2036G846G450G4198G4675G4102G4982G4571G498220One day the Pharisees asked Jesus, "When will the Kingdom of God come?" Jesus replied, "The Kingdom of God can't be detected by visible signs.G1161G1905G5259G5330G4219G932G2316G2064G611G846G2532G2036G932G2316G2064G3756G3326G390721You won't be able to say, 'Here it is!' or 'It's over there!' For the Kingdom of God is already among you."G3761G2046G2400G5602G2228G2400G1563G1063G2400G932G2316G2076G1787G521622Then he said to his disciples, "The time is coming when you will long to see the day when the Son of Man returns, but you won't see it.G1161G2036G4314G3101G2250G2064G3753G1937G1492G3391G2250G5207G444G2532G3700G3756G370023People will tell you, 'Look, there is the Son of Man,' or 'Here he is,' but don't go out and follow them.G2532G2046G5213G2400G5602G2228G2400G1563G565G3361G565G3366G137724For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other, so it will be on the day when the Son of Man comes.G1063G5618G796G797G1537G5259G3772G2989G1519G5259G3772G3779G2532G5207G444G2071G1722G846G225025But first the Son of Man must suffer terribly and be rejected by this generation.G1161G4412G1163G846G3958G4183G2532G593G575G5026G107426"When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah's day.G2532G2531G1096G1722G2250G3575G3779G2071G2532G1722G2250G5207G44427In those days, the people enjoyed banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat and the flood came and destroyed them all.G2068G4095G1060G1547G891G2250G3739G3575G1525G1519G2787G2532G2627G2064G2532G622G53728"And the world will be as it was in the days of Lot. People went about their daily business—eating and drinking, buying and selling, farming and building—G3668G2532G5613G1096G1722G2250G3091G2068G4095G59G4453G5452G361829until the morning Lot left Sodom. Then fire and burning sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.G3739G1161G2250G3091G1831G575G4670G1026G4442G2532G2303G575G3772G2532G622G53730Yes, it will be 'business as usual' right up to the day when the Son of Man is revealed.G2596G5024G2071G3739G2250G5207G444G60131On that day a person out on the deck of a roof must not go down into the house to pack. A person out in the field must not return home.G1722G1565G2250G3739G2071G1909G1430G2532G846G4632G1722G3614G2597G3361G2597G142G846G142G2532G1722G68G1994G3668G3361G1994G1519G369432Remember what happened to Lot's wife!G3421G3091G113533If you cling to your life, you will lose it, and if you let your life go, you will save it.G3739G1437G2212G4982G846G5590G622G846G2532G3739G1437G622G846G2225G84634That night two people will be asleep in one bed; one will be taken, the other left.G3004G5213G5026G3571G2071G1417G1909G3391G2825G1520G3880G2532G2087G86335Two women will be grinding flour together at the mill; one will be taken, the other left."G1417G2071G229G846G1909G3391G3880G2532G2087G86336G1417G2071G1722G68G1520G3880G2532G2087G86337"Where will this happen, Lord?" the disciples asked. Jesus replied, "Just as the gathering of vultures shows there is a carcass nearby, so these signs indicate that the end is near."G2532G611G3004G846G4226G2962G1161G2036G846G3699G4983G1563G4863G105G4863
Luke 18
18One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.G1161G3004G2532G3850G846G4314G1163G3842G4336G2532G3361G15732"There was a judge in a certain city," he said, "who neither feared God nor cared about people.G3004G2258G1722G5100G4172G5100G2923G5399G3361G2316G2532G3361G1788G4443A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, 'Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.'G1161G2258G5503G1722G1565G4172G2532G2064G4314G846G3004G1556G3165G575G3450G4764The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, 'I don't fear God or care about people,G2532G2309G3756G1909G5550G1161G5023G3326G2036G1722G1438G1499G5399G3756G2316G2532G3756G1788G4445but this woman is driving me crazy. I'm going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!'"G1065G1223G5026G5503G3930G2873G3427G1556G846G3363G1519G5056G2064G5299G31656Then the Lord said, "Learn a lesson from this unjust judge.G1161G2962G2036G191G5101G93G2923G30047Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don't you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?G1161G1557G3364G2316G4160G1557G846G1588G3588G994G2250G2532G3571G4314G846G2532G3114G1909G8468I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?"G3004G5213G3754G4160G1557G846G5034G1722G4133G687G5207G444G2064G2147G4102G1909G10939Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else.G1161G2036G2532G5026G3850G4314G5100G3588G3982G1909G1438G3754G1526G1342G2532G1848G306210"Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector.G1417G444G305G1519G2411G4336G1520G5330G2532G2087G505711The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: 'I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don't cheat, I don't sin, and I don't commit adultery. I'm certainly not like that tax collector!G5330G2476G4336G5023G4314G1438G2316G2168G4671G3754G1510G3756G5618G3062G444G727G94G3432G2228G2532G5613G3778G505712I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.'G3522G1364G4521G586G3956G3745G293213"But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, 'O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.'G2532G5057G2476G3113G2309G3756G1869G3761G3788G1519G3772G235G5180G1519G846G4738G3004G2316G2433G3427G26814I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."G3004G5213G3778G2597G1519G846G3624G1344G2228G1565G3754G3956G5312G1438G5013G1161G5013G1438G531215One day some parents brought their little children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But when the disciples saw this, they scolded the parents for bothering him.G1161G4374G846G2532G1025G2443G680G846G1161G3101G1492G2008G84616Then Jesus called for the children and said to the disciples, "Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children.G1161G2424G4341G846G2036G863G3813G2064G4314G3165G2532G2967G846G3361G1063G5108G2076G932G231617I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn't receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it."G281G3004G5213G3739G1209G3362G1209G932G2316G5613G3813G1525G3364G1525G1519G84618Once a religious leader asked Jesus this question: "Good Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?"G2532G5100G758G1905G846G3004G18G1320G5101G4160G2816G166G222219"Why do you call me good?" Jesus asked him. "Only God is truly good.G1161G2424G2036G846G5101G3004G3165G18G3762G18G1508G1520G231620But to answer your question, you know the commandments: 'You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. Honor your father and mother.'"G1492G1785G3431G3361G3431G5407G3361G5407G2813G3361G2813G5576G3361G5576G5091G4675G3962G2532G4675G338421The man replied, "I've obeyed all these commandments since I was young."G1161G2036G3956G5023G5442G1537G3450G350322When Jesus heard his answer, he said, "There is still one thing you haven't done. Sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."G1161G2424G191G5023G2036G846G2089G3007G4671G1520G4453G3956G3745G2192G2532G1239G4434G2532G2192G2344G1722G3772G2532G1204G190G342723But when the man heard this he became very sad, for he was very rich.G1161G191G5023G1096G4036G1063G2258G4970G414524When Jesus saw this, he said, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!G1161G2424G1492G846G1096G4036G2036G4459G1423G1525G2192G5536G1525G1519G932G231625In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!"G1063G2076G2123G2574G1525G1223G4476G5168G2228G4145G1525G1519G932G231626Those who heard this said, "Then who in the world can be saved?"G1161G191G2036G5101G2532G1410G498227He replied, "What is impossible for people is possible with God."G1161G2036G102G3844G444G2076G1415G3844G231628Peter said, "We've left our homes to follow you."G1161G4074G2036G2400G2249G863G3956G2532G190G467129"Yes," Jesus replied, "and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the Kingdom of God,G1161G2036G846G281G3004G5213G3754G2076G3762G3739G863G3614G2228G1118G2228G80G2228G1135G2228G5043G1752G932G2316G175230will be repaid many times over in this life, and will have eternal life in the world to come."G3739G618G3364G618G4179G1722G5129G2540G2532G1722G165G2064G2222G16631Taking the twelve disciples aside, Jesus said, "Listen, we're going up to Jerusalem, where all the predictions of the prophets concerning the Son of Man will come true.G1161G3880G1427G2036G4314G846G2400G305G1519G2414G2532G3956G1125G1223G4396G5207G444G505532He will be handed over to the Romans, and he will be mocked, treated shamefully, and spit upon.G1063G3860G1484G2532G1702G2532G5195G2532G171633They will flog him with a whip and kill him, but on the third day he will rise again."G2532G3146G615G846G615G2532G5154G2250G45034But they didn't understand any of this. The significance of his words was hidden from them, and they failed to grasp what he was talking about.G2532G846G4920G3762G5130G2532G5124G4487G2258G2928G575G846G2532G3756G1097G300435As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind beggar was sitting beside the road.G1161G1096G1722G846G1448G1519G2410G5100G5185G2521G3844G3598G431936When he heard the noise of a crowd going past, he asked what was happening.G1161G191G3793G1279G4441G5101G5124G149837They told him that Jesus the Nazarene was going by.G1161G518G846G3754G2424G3480G392838So he began shouting, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"G2532G994G3004G2424G5207G1138G1653G316539"Be quiet!" the people in front yelled at him. But he only shouted louder, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"G2532G4254G2008G846G2443G4623G1161G846G2896G4183G3123G5207G1138G1653G316540When Jesus heard him, he stopped and ordered that the man be brought to him. As the man came near, Jesus asked him,G1161G2424G2476G2753G846G71G4314G846G1161G846G1448G1905G84641"What do you want me to do for you?" "Lord," he said, "I want to see!"G3004G5101G2309G4160G4671G1161G2036G2962G2443G30842And Jesus said, "All right, receive your sight! Your faith has healed you."G2532G2424G2036G846G308G4675G4102G4982G457143Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus, praising God. And all who saw it praised God, too.G2532G3916G308G2532G190G846G1392G2316G2532G3956G2992G1492G1325G136G2316
Dublin, OH
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