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Read (and listen!) through the amazing story of Luke and Acts!
Immerse: Luke and Acts is part of Immerse: The Reading Bible, which takes you on a new and unique journey through the books of Luke and Acts in the New Testament. This fresh arrangement of the books highlights the depth of the New Testament’s fourfold witness to Jesus the Messiah. The Son of God, who fulfills all the longings and promises of the collected Scriptures. The goal of Bible reading is to understand the sacred writings in depth so we can learn to live with them. Using the text of the New Living Translation (NLT) from Tyndale Publishing, now you can experience Luke and Acts the same way the original readers did and be fully immersed in the most amazing story of all time!
Samantha: Welcome to Immerse
Luke and Acts, Day six, Week two
.
One day, Jesus cast out a demon from
a man who couldn't speak, and when the
demon was gone, the man began to speak.
The crowds were amazed, but some of them
said, No wonder he can cast out demons.
He gets his power from
Satan, the prince of demons.
Others, trying to test Jesus, demanded
that he show them a miraculous sign
from heaven to prove his authority.
He knew their thoughts, so he said, Any
kingdom divided by civil war is doomed.
A family splintered by
feuding will fall apart.
You say, I am empowered by Satan, but
if Satan is divided and fighting against
himself, how can his kingdom survive?
And if I am empowered by Satan,
what about your own exorcists?
They cast out demons too, so they will
condemn you for what you have said.
But if I am casting out demons by
the power of God, then the kingdom
of God has arrived among you.
For when a strong man is fully
armed and guards his palace,
his possessions are safe.
Until someone even stronger
attacks and overpowers him.
Strips him of his weapons and
carries off his belongings.
Anyone who isn't with me, opposes me.
And anyone who isn't working with
me, is actually working against me.
When an evil spirit leaves a person, it
goes into the desert, searching for rest.
But when it finds none, it says, I
will return to the person I came from.
So it returns, and finds that its
former home is all swept and in order.
Then the spirit finds seven other
spirits more evil than itself, and they
all enter the person and live there.
And so that person is
worse off than before.
As he was speaking, a woman in the
crowd called out, God bless your mother,
the womb from which you came, and the
breasts that nursed you, Jesus replied.
But even more blessed are all who hear
the word of God and put it into practice.
As the crowd pressed in on Jesus,
he said, This evil generation keeps
asking me to show them a miraculous
sign, but the only sign I will
give them is the sign of Jonah.
What happened to him was a sign to the
people of Nineveh that God had sent him.
What happens to the Son of
Man will be a sign to these
people that he was sent by God.
The Queen of Sheba will stand
up against this generation on
Judgment Day and condemn it.
For she came from a distant land
to hear the wisdom of Solomon.
Now someone greater than Solomon
is here, but you refuse to listen.
The people of Nineveh will also stand
up against this generation on Judgment
Day and condemn it, for they repented
of their sins at the preaching of Jonah.
Now someone greater than Jonah is
here, but he refused to repent.
No one lights a lamp and then
hides it or puts it under a basket.
Instead, a lamp is placed on
a stand where its light can be
seen by all who enter the house.
Your eye is like a lamp that
provides light for your body.
When your eye is healthy, your
whole body is filled with light,
but when it is unhealthy, your
body is filled with darkness.
Make sure that the light you think
you have is not actually darkness.
If you are filled with light, with
no dark corners, then your whole
life will be radiant, as though a
floodlight were filling you with light.
As Jesus was speaking, one of the
Pharisees invited him home for a meal.
So he went in and took
his place at the table.
His host was amazed to see that
he sat down to eat without first
performing the hand washing
ceremony required by Jewish custom.
Then the Lord said to him, You Pharisees
are so careful to clean the outside of
the cup and the dish, but inside you are
filthy, full of greed and wickedness.
Fools!
Didn't God make the inside
as well as the outside?
So clean the inside by giving gifts to
the poor, and you will be clean all over.
What sorrow awaits you, Pharisees, for
you are careful to tithe even the tiniest
income from your herb gardens, but you
ignore justice and the love of God.
You should tithe, yes, but do not
neglect the more important things.
What sorrow awaits you, Pharisees, for
you love to sit in the seats of honor
in the synagogues and receive respectful
greetings as you walk in the marketplaces.
Yes, what sorrow awaits you, for you
are like hidden graves in a field.
People walk over them, without knowing
the corruption they are stepping on.
Teacher, said an expert in
religious law, you have insulted
us too, in what you just said.
Yes, said Jesus.
What sorrow also awaits you experts in
religious law, for you crush people with
unbearable religious demands, and you
never lift a finger to ease the burden.
What sorrow awaits you, for you
build monuments for the prophets
your own ancestors killed long ago.
But in fact, you stand as witnesses
who agree with what your ancestors did.
They killed the prophets, and you join
in their crime by building the monuments.
This is what God in His
wisdom said about you.
I will send prophets and apostles
to them, but they will kill
some and persecute the others.
As a result, this generation will be held
responsible for the murder of all God's
prophets from the creation of the world.
From the murder of Abel, to the
murder of Zechariah, who was killed
between the altar and the sanctuary.
Yes, it will certainly be
charged against this generation.
What sorrow awaits you experts in
religious law, for you remove the
key to knowledge from the people.
You don't enter the kingdom yourselves,
and you prevent others from entering.
As Jesus was leaving, the teachers
of religious law and the Pharisees
became hostile and tried to
provoke him with many questions.
They wanted to trap him into saying
something they could use against him.
Meanwhile, the crowds grew until
thousands were milling about
and stepping on each other.
Jesus turned first to his disciples
and warned them, Beware of the yeasts
of the Pharisees, their hypocrisy.
The time is coming when everything that
is covered up will be revealed, and all
that is secret will be made known to all.
Whatever you have said in the
dark will be heard in the light.
And what you have whispered behind
closed doors will be shouted from
the housetops for all to hear.
Dear friends, don't be afraid of
those who want to kill your body.
They cannot do any more to you after that.
But I'll tell you whom to fear.
Fear God, who has the power to kill
you and then throw you into hell.
Yes, He's the one to fear.
What is the price of five sparrows?
Two copper coins?
Yet God does not forget a single
one of them, and the very hairs
on your head are all numbered.
So don't be afraid.
You are more valuable to God
than a whole flock of sparrows.
I tell you the truth.
Everyone who acknowledges me
publicly here on earth, the Son
of Man will also acknowledge in
the presence of God's angels.
But anyone who denies me here on earth
will be denied before God's angels.
Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man
can be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes
the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
And when you are brought to trial in
the synagogues and before rulers and
authorities, don't worry about how
to defend yourself or what to say,
for the Holy Spirit will teach you
at that time what needs to be said.
And then someone called from the crowd.
Teacher, please tell my brother to
divide our father's estate with me.
Jesus replied, Friend, who made me a judge
over you to decide such things as that?
Then he said, Beware, guard against
every kind of greed, life is not
measured by how much you own.
Then he told them a story.
A rich man had a fertile farm
that produced fine crops.
He said to himself, What should I do?
I don't have room for all my crops.
Then he said, I know.
I'll tear down my barns
and build bigger ones.
Then I'll have room enough to store all
my wheat and other goods, and I'll sit
back and say to myself, My friend, you
have enough stored away for years to come.
Now take it easy.
Eat, drink, and be merry.
But God said to him, you fool.
You will die this very night.
Then who will get
everything you worked for?
Yes, a person is a fool to store
up earthly wealth, but not have
a rich relationship with God.
Then turning to his disciples, Jesus
said, That is why I tell you not to
worry about everyday life, whether
you have enough food to eat or enough
clothes to wear, for life is more than
food, and your body more than clothing.
Look at the ravens.
They don't plant or harvest or store
food in barns, for God feeds them.
And you are far more valuable
to him than any birds.
Can all your worries add a
single moment to your life?
And if worry can't accomplish a
little thing like that, what's the
use of worrying over bigger things?
Look at the lilies and how they grow.
They don't work or make their clothing,
yet Solomon in all his glory was not
dressed as beautifully as they are.
And if God cares so wonderfully
for flowers that are here today
and thrown into the fire tomorrow,
He will certainly care for you.
Why do you have so little faith?
And don't be concerned about
what to eat and what to drink.
Don't worry about such things.
These things dominate the thoughts
of unbelievers all over the world.
But your father already knows your needs.
Seek the kingdom of God above all else,
and he will give you everything you need.
So don't be afraid, little flock,
for it gives your father great
happiness to give you the kingdom.
Sell your possessions and
give to those in need.
This will store up
treasure for you in heaven.
And the purses of heaven never
get old or develop holes.
Your treasure will be safe.
No thief can steal it, and
no moth can destroy it.
Wherever your treasure is, there the
desires of your heart will also be.
Be dressed for service, and keep
your lamps burning as though you
were waiting for your master to
return from the wedding feast.
Then you will be ready to open
the door and let him in the
moment he arrives and knocks.
The servants who are ready and waiting
for his return will be rewarded.
I tell you the truth.
He himself will seat them, put on an
apron, and serve them as they sit and eat.
He may come in the middle of the night or
just before dawn, but whenever he comes,
he will reward the servants who are ready.
Understand this.
If a homeowner knew exactly when
a burglar was coming, he would not
permit his house to be broken into.
You also must be ready all the
time, for the Son of Man will come
when least expected, Peter asked.
Lord.
It's that illustration just for us,
or for everyone, and the Lord replied,
A faithful, sensible servant is
one to whom the Master can give the
responsibility of managing his other
household servants and feeding them.
If the Master returns and finds
that the servant has done a good
job, there will be a reward.
I tell you the truth.
The Master will put that servant
in charge of all he owns.
But what if a servant thinks, my
master won't be back for a while,
and he begins beating the other
servants, partying and getting drunk?
The master will return unannounced and
unexpected, and he will cut the servant in
pieces and banish him with the unfaithful.
And a servant who knows what the
master wants, but isn't prepared and
doesn't carry out those instructions,
will be severely punished.
But someone who does not know,
and then does something wrong,
will be punished only lightly.
When someone has been given much,
much will be required in return.
And when someone has been entrusted
with much, even more will be required.
I have come to set the world on fire,
and I wish it were already burning.
I have a terrible baptism of suffering
ahead of me, and I am under a heavy
burden until it is accomplished.
Do you think I have come to
bring peace to the earth?
No, I have come to divide
people against each other.
From now on families will be split apart.
Three in favor of me and two against,
or two in favor and three against.
Father will be divided against
son, and son against father.
Mother against daughter, and daughter
against mother, and mother in law
against daughter in law, and daughter
in law against mother in law.
Then Jesus turned to the crowd and said,
When you see clouds beginning to form in
the west, you say, Here comes a shower.
And you are right.
When the south wind blows, you
say, Today will be a scorcher.
And it is.
You fools.
You know how to interpret the weather
signs of the earth and sky, but you don't
know how to interpret the present times.
Why can't you decide for
yourselves what is right?
When you are on the way to court
with your accuser, try to settle
the matter before you get there.
Otherwise, your accuser may drag
you before the judge, who will
hand you over to an officer,
who will throw you into prison.
And if that happens, you won't
be free again until you have
paid the very last penny.
About this time, Jesus was informed
that Pilate had murdered some
people from Galilee, as they were
offering sacrifices at the temple.
Do you think those Galileans
were worse sinners than all
the other people from Galilee?
Jesus asked, Is that why they suffered?
Not at all.
And you will perish too, unless you
repent of your sins and turn to God.
And what about the eighteen
people who died when the
tower in Siloam fell on them?
Were they the worst sinners in Jerusalem?
No.
And I tell you again that unless
you repent, you will perish too.
Then Jesus told this story.
A man planted a fig tree in his
garden and came again and again to
see if there was any fruit on it,
but he was always disappointed.
Finally, he said to his gardener,
I've waited three years and
there hasn't been a single fig.
Cut it down.
It's just taking up space in the garden.
The gardener answered.
Sir, give it one more chance.
Leave it another year, and
I'll give it special attention
and plenty of fertilizer.
If we get figs next year, fine.
If not, then you can cut it down.
One Sabbath day, as Jesus was teaching
in a synagogue, he saw a woman who
had been crippled by an evil spirit.
She had been bent double for 18 years
and was unable to stand up straight.
When Jesus saw her, he called
her over and said, Dear woman,
you are healed of your sickness.
Then he touched her, and instantly
she could stand straight.
How she praised God!
But the leader in charge of the
synagogue was indignant that Jesus
had healed her on the Sabbath day.
There are six days of the week
for working, he said to the crowd.
Come on those days to be
healed, not on the Sabbath.
But the Lord replied, You hypocrites,
each of you works on the Sabbath day.
Don't you untie your ox or your
donkey from its stall on the
Sabbath and lead it out for water?
This dear woman, a daughter of
Abraham, has been held in bondage
by Satan for eighteen years.
Isn't it right that she be
released, even on the Sabbath?
This shamed his enemies, but
all the people rejoiced at
the wonderful things he did.
Then Jesus said, What is
the kingdom of God like?
How can I illustrate it?
It is like a tiny mustard seed
that a man planted in a garden.
It grows and becomes a tree, and the
birds make nests in its branches.
He also asked, What else
is the kingdom of God like?
It is like the yeast a
woman used in making bread.
Even though she put only a little
yeast in three measures of flour,
it permeated every part of the dough
Oliver: This concludes today's
Immerse Reading Experience.
Thank you for joining us.