Luke 13 Bible in Basic English
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
BBE Bible in Basic English
WEB World English Bible (Classic, with Deuterocanon)
PT1904 Patriarchal Text 1904 (accented, eBible edition)
1 Now some people who were there at that time, gave him an account of how the blood of some Galilaeans had been mixed by Pilate with their offerings.
1 Now there were some present at the same time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.
1 Παρῆσαν δέ τινες ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ καιρῷ ἀπαγγέλλοντες αὐτῷ περὶ τῶν Γαλιλαίων, ὧν τὸ αἷμα Πιλᾶτος ἔμιξε μετὰ τῶν θυσιῶν αὐτῶν.
2 And he, in answer, said to them, Are you of the opinion that these Galilaeans were worse than all other Galilaeans, because these things were done to them?
2 Jesus answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered such things?
2 καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· δοκεῖτε ὅτι οἱ Γαλιλαῖοι οὗτοι ἁμαρτωλοὶ παρὰ πάντας τοὺς Γαλιλαίους ἐγένοντο, ὅτι τοιαῦτα πεπόνθασιν;
3 I say to you, It is not so: but if your hearts are not changed, you will all come to the same end.
3 I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all perish in the same way.
3 οὐχί, λέγω ὑμῖν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐὰν μὴ μετανοῆτε, πάντες ὡσαύτως ἀπολεῖσθε.
4 Or those eighteen men who were crushed by the fall of the tower of Siloam, were they worse than all the other men living in Jerusalem?
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?
4 ἢ ἐκεῖνοι οἱ δέκα καὶ ὀκτώ, ἐφ᾽ οὓς ἔπεσεν ὁ πύργος ἐν τῷ Σιλωὰμ καὶ ἀπέκτεινεν αὐτούς, δοκεῖτε ὅτι οὗτοι ὀφειλέται ἐγένοντο παρὰ πάντας [τοὺς] ἀνθρώπους τοὺς κατοικοῦντας ἐν Ἱερουσαλήμ;
5 I say to you, It is not so: but if your hearts are not changed, you will all come to an end in the same way.
5 I tell you, no, but, unless you repent, you will all perish in the same way.”
5 οὐχί, λέγω ὑμῖν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐὰν μὴ μετανοήσητε, πάντες ὁμοίως ἀπολεῖσθε.
6 And he made up this story for them: A certain man had a fig-tree in his garden, and he came to get fruit from it, and there was no fruit.
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.
6 Ἔλεγε δὲ ταύτην τὴν παραβολήν· συκῆν εἶχέ τις ἐν τῷ ἀμπελῶνι αὐτοῦ πεφυτευμένην, καὶ ἦλθε ζητῶν καρπὸν ἐν αὐτῇ, καὶ οὐχ εὗρεν.
7 And he said to the gardener, See, for three years I have been looking for fruit from this tree, and I have not had any: let it be cut down; why is it taking up space?
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?’
7 εἶπε δὲ πρὸς τὸν ἀμπελουργόν· ἰδοὺ τρία ἔτη ἔρχομαι ζητῶν καρπὸν ἐν τῇ συκῇ ταύτῃ, καὶ οὐχ εὑρίσκω· ἔκκοψον αὐτήν· ἱνατί καὶ τὴν γῆν καταργεῖ;
8 And he said, Lord, let it be for this year, and I will have the earth turned up round it, and put animal waste on it, to make it fertile:
8 He answered, ‘Lord, leave it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it.
8 ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν αὐτῷ· κύριε, ἄφες αὐτὴν καὶ τοῦτο τὸ ἔτος, ἕως ὅτου σκάψω περὶ αὐτὴν καὶ βάλω κόπρια.
9 And if, after that, it has fruit, it is well; if not, let it be cut down.
9 If it bears fruit, fine; but if not, after that, you can cut it down.’”
9 κἂν μὲν ποιήσῃ καρπόν· εἰ δὲ μήγε, εἰς τὸ μέλλον ἐκκόψεις αὐτήν.
10 And he was teaching in one of the Synagogues on the Sabbath.
10 He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath day.
10 Ἦν δὲ διδάσκων ἐν μιᾷ τῶν συναγωγῶν ἐν τοῖς σάββασι.
11 And there was a woman who had had a disease for eighteen years; she was bent, and was not able to make herself straight.
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.
11 καὶ ἰδοὺ γυνὴ ἦν πνεῦμα ἔχουσα ἀσθενείας ἔτη δέκα καὶ ὀκτώ, καὶ ἦν συγκύπτουσα καὶ μὴ δυναμένη ἀνακῦψαι εἰς τὸ παντελές.
12 And when Jesus saw her, he said to her, Woman, you are made free from your disease.
12 When Jesus saw her, he called her and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your infirmity.”
12 ἰδὼν δὲ αὐτὴν ὁ Ἰησοῦς προσεφώνησε καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ· γύναι, ἀπολέλυσαι τῆς ἀσθενείας σου·
13 And he put his hands on her, and she was made straight, and gave praise to God.
13 He laid his hands on her, and immediately she stood up straight and glorified God.
13 καὶ ἐπέθηκεν αὐτῇ τὰς χεῖρας· καὶ παραχρῆμα ἀνωρθώθη καὶ ἐδόξαζε τὸν Θεόν.
14 And the ruler of the Synagogue was angry because Jesus had made her well on the Sabbath, and he said to the people, There are six days in which men may do work: so come on those days to be made well, and not on the Sabbath.
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!”
14 ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ ἀρχισυνάγωγος, ἀγανακτῶν ὅτι τῷ σαββάτῳ ἐθεράπευσεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς, ἔλεγε τῷ ὄχλῳ· ἓξ ἡμέραι εἰσὶν ἐν αἷς δεῖ ἐργάζεσθαι· ἐν ταύταις οὖν ἐρχόμενοι θεραπεύεσθε, καὶ μὴ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ σαββάτου.
15 But the Lord gave him an answer and said, O you false men! do you not, every one of you, on the Sabbath, let loose his ox and his ass and take it to the water?
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?
15 ἀπεκρίθη οὖν αὐτῷ ὁ Κύριος καὶ εἶπεν· ὑποκριτά, ἕκαστος ὑμῶν τῷ σαββάτῳ οὐ λύει τὸν βοῦν αὐτοῦ ἢ τὸν ὄνον ἀπὸ τῆς φάτνης καὶ ἀπαγαγὼν ποτίζει;
16 And is it not right for this daughter of Abraham, who has been in the power of Satan for eighteen years, to be made free on the Sabbath?
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?”
16 ταύτην δέ, θυγατέρα Ἀβραὰμ οὖσαν, ἣν ἔδησεν ὁ σατανᾶς ἰδοὺ δέκα καὶ ὀκτὼ ἔτη, οὐκ ἔδει λυθῆναι ἀπὸ τοῦ δεσμοῦ τούτου τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ σαββάτου;
17 And when he said these things, those who were against him were shamed, and all the people were full of joy because of the great things which were done by him.
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.
17 καὶ ταῦτα λέγοντος αὐτοῦ κατῃσχύνοντο πάντες οἱ ἀντικείμενοι αὐτῷ, καὶ πᾶς ὁ ὄχλος ἔχαιρεν ἐπὶ πᾶσι τοῖς ἐνδόξοις τοῖς γινομένοις ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ.
18 Then he said, What is the kingdom of God like? what comparison may I make of it?
18 He said, “What is God’s Kingdom like? To what shall I compare it?
18 Ἔλεγε δέ· τίνι ὁμοία ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ τίνι ὁμοιώσω αὐτήν;
19 It is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and put in his garden, and it became a tree, and the birds of heaven made their resting-places in its branches.
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.”
19 ὁμοία ἐστὶ κόκκῳ σινάπεως, ὃν λαβὼν ἄνθρωπος ἔβαλεν εἰς κῆπον ἑαυτοῦ· καὶ ηὔξησε καὶ ἐγένετο εἰς δένδρον μέγα, καὶ τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ κατεσκήνωσεν ἐν τοῖς κλάδοις αὐτοῦ.
20 And again he said, What is the kingdom of God like?
20 Again he said, “To what shall I compare God’s Kingdom?
20 Πάλιν εἶπε· τίνι ὁμοιώσω τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ;
21 It is like leaven, which a woman put into three measures of meal, and it was all leavened.
21 It is like yeast, which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened.”
21 ὁμοία ἐστὶ ζύμῃ, ἣν λαβοῦσα γυνὴ ἔκρυψεν εἰς ἀλεύρου σάτα τρία, ἕως οὗ ἐζυμώθη ὅλον.
22 And he went on his way, through towns and country places, teaching and journeying to Jerusalem.
22 He went on his way through cities and villages, teaching, and traveling on to Jerusalem.
22 Καὶ διεπορεύετο κατὰ πόλεις καὶ κώμας διδάσκων καὶ πορείαν ποιούμενος εἰς Ἱερουσαλήμ.
23 And someone said to him, Lord, will only a small number have salvation? And he said to them,
23 One said to him, “Lord, are they few who are saved?” He said to them,
23 εἶπε δέ τις αὐτῷ· Κύριε, εἰ ὀλίγοι οἱ σῳζόμενοι; ὁ δὲ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτούς·
24 Do your best to go in by the narrow door, for I say to you, A number will make the attempt to go in, but will not be able to do so.
24 “Strive to enter in by the narrow door, for many, I tell you, will seek to enter in and will not be able.
24 ἀγωνίζεσθε εἰσελθεῖν διὰ τῆς στενῆς πύλης· ὅτι πολλοί, λέγω ὑμῖν, ζητήσουσιν εἰσελθεῖν καὶ οὐκ ἰσχύσουσιν.
25 When the master of the house has got up, and the door has been shut, and you, still outside, give blows on the door, saying, Lord, let us in; he will make answer and say, I have no knowledge of where you come from.
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.’
25 ἀφ᾽ οὗ ἂν ἐγερθῇ ὁ οἰκοδεσπότης καὶ ἀποκλείσῃ τὴν θύραν, καὶ ἄρξησθε ἔξω ἑστάναι καὶ κρούειν τὴν θύραν λέγοντες· Κύριε Κύριε, ἄνοιξον ἡμῖν· καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ἐρεῖ ὑμῖν, οὐκ οἶδα ὑμᾶς πόθεν ἐστέ.
26 Then you will say, We have taken food and drink with you, and you were teaching in our streets.
26 Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’
26 τότε ἄρξεσθε λέγειν· ἐφάγομεν ἐνώπιόν σου καὶ ἐπίομεν, καὶ ἐν ταῖς πλατείαις ἡμῶν ἐδίδαξας·
27 But he will say, Truly, I have no knowledge of you or where you come from; go away from me, you workers of evil.
27 He will say, ‘I tell you, I don’t know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity.’
27 καὶ ἐρεῖ· λέγω ὑμῖν, οὐκ οἶδα ὑμᾶς πόθεν ἐστέ· ἀπόστητε ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ πάντες οἱ ἐργάται τῆς ἀδικίας.
28 There will be weeping and cries of sorrow when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves are shut outside.
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.
28 ἐκεῖ ἔσται ὁ κλαυθμὸς καὶ ὁ βρυγμὸς τῶν ὀδόντων, ὅταν ὄψησθε Ἀβραὰμ καὶ Ἰσαὰκ καὶ Ἰακὼβ καὶ πάντας τοὺς προφήτας ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὑμᾶς δὲ ἐκβαλλομένους ἔξω,
29 And they will come from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south, and take their places in the kingdom of God.
29 They will come from the east, west, north, and south, and will sit down in God’s Kingdom.
29 καὶ ἥξουσιν ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν καὶ δυσμῶν καὶ ἀπὸ βορρᾶ καὶ νότου, καὶ ἀνακλιθήσονται ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τοῦ Θεοῦ.
30 And the last will be first, and the first will be last.
30 Behold, there are some who are last who will be first, and there are some who are first who will be last.”
30 καὶ ἰδοὺ εἰσὶν ἔσχατοι οἳ ἔσονται πρῶτοι, καὶ εἰσὶ πρῶτοι οἳ ἔσονται ἔσχατοι.
31 At that time, certain Pharisees came to him and said, Go away from this place, because Herod's purpose is to put you to death.
31 On that same day, some Pharisees came, saying to him, “Get out of here and go away, for Herod wants to kill you.”
31 Ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ προσῆλθόν τινες Φαρισαῖοι λέγοντες αὐτῷ· ἔξελθε καὶ πορεύου ἐντεῦθεν, ὅτι Ἡρῴδης θέλει σε ἀποκτεῖναι.
32 And he said, Go and say to that fox, I send out evil spirits and do works of mercy today and tomorrow, and on the third day my work will be complete.
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.
32 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· πορευθέντες εἴπατε τῇ ἀλώπεκι ταύτῃ· ἰδοὺ ἐκβάλλω δαιμόνια καὶ ἰάσεις ἐπιτελῶ σήμερον καὶ αὔριον, καὶ τῇ τρίτῃ τελειοῦμαι·
33 But I have to go on my way today and tomorrow and the third day, for it is not right for a prophet to come to his death outside Jerusalem.
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.’
33 πλὴν δεῖ με σήμερον καὶ αὔριον καὶ τῇ ἐχομένῃ πορεύεσθαι, ὅτι οὐκ ἐνδέχεται προφήτην ἀπολέσθαι ἔξω Ἱερουσαλήμ.
34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, putting to death the prophets, and stoning those who were sent to her! again and again would I have taken your children to myself, as a bird takes her young ones under her wings, but you would not!
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!
34 Ἱερουσαλὴμ Ἱερουσαλήμ, ἡ ἀποκτέννουσα τοὺς προφήτας καὶ λιθοβολοῦσα τοὺς ἀπεσταλμένους πρὸς αὐτήν! ποσάκις ἠθέλησα ἐπισυνάξαι τὰ τέκνα σου ὃν τρόπον ὄρνις τὴν ἑαυτῆς νοσσιὰν ὑπὸ τὰς πτέρυγας, καὶ οὐκ ἠθελήσατε!
35 Now see, your house is waste, and I say to you, You will not see me again till you say, A blessing on him who comes in the name of the Lord.
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!’”
35 ἰδοὺ ἀφίεται ὑμῖν ὁ οἶκος ὑμῶν [ἔρημος]. λέγω δὲ ὑμῖν ὅτι οὐ μή με ἴδητε ἕως ἂν ἥξῃ ὅτε εἴπητε· εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου.
Cross references (34)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 1 Peter 4:17–18; Lamentations 2:20; Acts 5:37; Ezekiel 9:5–7; Matthew 27:2
- 2 John 9:2; Acts 28:4; Job 22:5–16; Luke 13:4
- 3 Acts 3:19; Matthew 3:2; Acts 2:38–40; Luke 13:5; Revelation 2:21–22
- 4 Nehemiah 3:15; Matthew 6:12; Job 1:19; Matthew 18:24
- 5 Ezekiel 18:30; Luke 13:3; Isaiah 28:10–13
- 6 John 15:16; Isaiah 5:1–4; Galatians 5:22; Matthew 21:19–20; Jeremiah 2:21
- 7 Matthew 7:19; Luke 3:9; John 15:6; John 15:2; Romans 2:4–5
- 8 Romans 10:1; 2 Peter 3:9; Joel 2:17; Jeremiah 15:1; Joshua 7:7–9
- 9 John 15:2; Hebrews 6:8; Psalm 69:22–28; Ezra 9:14–15; Revelation 16:5–7
- 10 Matthew 4:23; Luke 4:44; Luke 4:15–16
- 11 Luke 8:2; Luke 13:16; Luke 8:27; Luke 8:43; Psalm 6:2
- 12 Psalm 107:20; Matthew 8:16; Luke 6:8–10; Luke 13:16; Isaiah 65:1
- 13 Psalm 107:20–22; Mark 16:18; Mark 5:23; Mark 6:5; Luke 4:40
- 14 Exodus 20:9; Matthew 12:2; John 9:14–16; John 5:15–16; Luke 6:7
- 15 Luke 14:5; John 7:21–24; Luke 6:42; Acts 13:9–10; Matthew 7:5
- 16 Mark 2:27; Luke 19:9; Luke 3:8; Acts 13:26; John 8:44
- 17 1 Peter 3:16; Psalm 132:18; Psalm 109:29; Luke 19:48; Isaiah 45:24
- 18 Mark 4:30–34; Luke 17:21; Matthew 13:31–32; Mark 4:26; Luke 13:20
- 19 Daniel 4:12; Daniel 2:44–45; Ezekiel 17:22–24; Daniel 4:21; Mark 4:31–32
- 21 Matthew 13:33; 1 Corinthians 5:6; Proverbs 4:18; Philippians 1:6; John 4:14
- 22 Luke 9:51; Matthew 9:35; Mark 10:32–34; Luke 4:43–44; Acts 10:38
- 23 Matthew 7:14; Matthew 22:14; Luke 12:13–15; John 21:21–22; Matthew 20:16
- 24 Matthew 7:13–14; 2 Peter 1:10; 1 Corinthians 9:24–27; Hebrews 4:11; Luke 21:36
- 25 Luke 13:27; Matthew 25:10–12; Matthew 7:21–23; Luke 6:46; Isaiah 55:6
- 26 Titus 1:16; Isaiah 58:2; 2 Timothy 3:5
- 27 Psalm 6:8; Matthew 25:41; Psalm 119:115; Matthew 7:22–23; Psalm 1:6
- 28 Matthew 8:11–12; Matthew 22:13; Matthew 25:30; Revelation 22:15; Matthew 13:42
- 29 Malachi 1:11; Isaiah 66:18–20; Isaiah 49:6; Isaiah 43:6; Isaiah 54:2–3
- 30 Matthew 19:30; Matthew 21:28–31; Mark 10:31; Matthew 20:16; Matthew 3:9–10
- 31 Nehemiah 6:9–11; Psalm 11:1–2; Matthew 14:1; Amos 7:12–13
- 32 Hebrews 2:10; Hebrews 5:9; John 17:4–5; John 11:8–10; Ezekiel 13:4
- 33 Luke 9:53; Matthew 21:11; Matthew 20:18; John 4:34; Acts 13:27
- 34 Matthew 23:37–39; Deuteronomy 32:11–12; Acts 7:52; Luke 19:41–42; Isaiah 30:15
- 35 Psalm 118:26; Mark 11:9–10; John 12:13; Matthew 21:9; John 14:19–23
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
Touching "the fig-tree" which had its three years' trial, and bare no fruit, and "the woman which was in an infirmity eighteen years," hearken to what the Lord may grant me to say. The fig-tree is the human race. And the three years are the three times; one before the Law, the second under the Law, the third under grace.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
another woman was also healed, after suffering in like manner for eighteen years; concerning whom the Lord said, "And ought not this daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound during eighteen years, to be set free on the Sabbath-day?" If, then, the former was a type of the twelfth Æon that suffered, the latter should also be a type of …
… sense, as when He said, "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees," and in a good sense, as when He said, "The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened."
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
"The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, until the whole was leavened." For as this converts the large quantity of meal into its own quality, even so shall ye convert the whole world.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
… 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." This, then, is a clear point, that those who disallow his salvation, and frame the …