Luke 13 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

Right around that time, some people told Jesus about Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.

Jesus answered them, "Do you think those Galileans were worse failures than everyone else in Galilee, just because they suffered like that?"

"Absolutely not! But I'm telling you, unless you all rethink everything and completely change direction, every one of you will die the same way."

"Or those eighteen people who were killed when the tower at Siloam collapsed on them — do you think they were more guilty than everyone else living in Jerusalem?"

"Absolutely not! But I'm telling you, unless you rethink everything and completely change direction, every one of you will die the same way."

Then he told them this analogy: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard. He went looking for fruit on it but didn't find any."

"So he told the gardener, 'Look, I've been coming to check on this fig tree for three years now and haven't found a single fig. Cut it down. Why should it keep using up the soil?'"

"The gardener replied, 'Sir, leave it alone for one more year. Let me dig around it and put down fertilizer.'"

"'If it produces fruit next year, great. If not, then cut it down.'"

One Sabbath, Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues.

A woman was there who had been crippled by an evil spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and couldn't straighten up at all.

When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, "Woman, you are set free from your sickness."

He placed his hands on her, and instantly she straightened up and began praising God.

But the synagogue leader was furious that Jesus had healed on the Sabbath. He told the crowd, "There are six days for getting work done. Come and be healed on those days — not on the Sabbath day."

Jesus fired back, "You hypocrites! Doesn't every one of you untie your ox or donkey from the feeding trough on the Sabbath and lead it out to give it water?"

"Then shouldn't this woman — a daughter of Abraham who Satan has kept tied up for eighteen long years — shouldn't she be untied from this chain on the Sabbath day?"

When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated. But the whole crowd was overjoyed at all the incredible things he was doing.

Then Jesus said, "What is God's kingdom like? What can I compare it to?"

"It's like a mustard seed that someone took and planted in their garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds made nests in its branches."

"And again he said, "What can I compare God's kingdom to?"

"It's like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a huge batch of flour — about sixty pounds — until it worked all the way through the dough."

Jesus traveled through towns and villages, teaching as he made his way toward Jerusalem.

Someone asked him, "Master, will only a few people be rescued?" He said to them,

"Fight to get in through the narrow door, because I'm telling you — many people will try to get in and won't be able to."

"Once the owner of the house gets up and locks the door, you'll be left standing outside knocking, saying, 'Sir, open up for us!' And he'll answer, 'I don't know you or where you're from.'"

"Then you'll start saying, 'We ate and drank with you! You taught in our streets!'"

"But he'll say, 'I'm telling you, I don't know where you're from. Get away from me, all of you who do what's wrong.'"

"That's where the crying and teeth-grinding will be — when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets inside God's kingdom, but you yourselves thrown out."

"People will come from east and west, from north and south, and take their places at the feast in God's kingdom."

"And pay attention: some who are last will be first, and some who are first will be last."

Right then, some Pharisees came and told Jesus, "Get out of here — Herod wants to kill you."

Jesus replied, "Go tell that fox: 'Look, I'm driving out evil spirits and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I reach my goal.'"

"But I need to keep going today, tomorrow, and the next day — because it's unthinkable for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem!"

"Jerusalem, Jerusalem — the city that kills the prophets and stones the messengers sent to you! How many times I wanted to gather your children together the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you refused!"

"Look — your house is abandoned. And I'm telling you, you won't see me again until the time comes when you say, 'What a gift — the one who comes carrying Yahweh's authority!'"