Sin, faith, duty

1Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come. 2It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied round their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble. 3So watch yourselves.

‘If your brother or sister17:3 The Greek word for brother or sister (adelphos) refers here to a fellow disciple, whether man or woman. sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. 4Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying “I repent,” you must forgive them.’

5The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith!’

6He replied, ‘If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, “Be uprooted and planted in the sea,” and it will obey you.

7‘Suppose one of you has a servant ploughing or looking after the sheep. Will he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, “Come along now and sit down to eat”? 8Won’t he rather say, “Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink”? 9Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? 10So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, “We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.” ’

Jesus heals ten men with leprosy

11Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus travelled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy17:12 The Greek word traditionally translated leprosy was used for various diseases affecting the skin. met him. They stood at a distance 13and called out in a loud voice, ‘Jesus, Master, have pity on us!’

14When he saw them, he said, ‘Go, show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went, they were cleansed.

15One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him – and he was a Samaritan.

17Jesus asked, ‘Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18Has no-one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?’ 19Then he said to him, ‘Rise and go; your faith has made you well.’

The coming of the kingdom of God

20Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, ‘The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, 21nor will people say, “Here it is,” or “There it is,” because the kingdom of God is in your midst.’17:21 Or is within you

22Then he said to his disciples, ‘The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. 23People will tell you, “There he is!” or “Here he is!” Do not go running off after them. 24For the Son of Man in his day17:24 Some manuscripts do not have in his day. will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other. 25But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.

26‘Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. 27People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.

28‘It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. 29But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulphur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.

30‘It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. 31On that day no-one who is on the housetop, with possessions inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no-one in the field should go back for anything. 32Remember Lot’s wife! 33Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it. 34I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. 35Two women will be grinding corn together; one will be taken and the other left.’ 3617:36 Some manuscripts include here words similar to Matt. 24:40.

37‘Where, Lord?’ they asked.

He replied, ‘Where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather.’