JMNT(i)
1 Now there were some present, on that same occasion and situation, [who were] reporting to Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices (= whom Pilate slaughtered as they were offering sacrifices – perhaps as they were slaughtering the animals).
2 And so, giving a considered reply, Jesus said to them, "Does it normally seem to you (or: Do you continue to think, suppose, presume or imagine) that these Galileans had come to be folks who missed the target (sinners; failures) more so than and beyond all the [other] Galileans, seeing that they have experienced and suffered such things as these?
3 "I am now saying to you, No. Nevertheless, if you folks should not progressively change your thinking [includes: so as to return to Yahweh], you will all likewise proceed in destroying yourselves [i.e., by coming into conflict with the Romans].
4 "Or then, those eighteen people upon whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them off – does it usually seem to you (or: do you continue to imagine or suppose) that they, themselves, had come to be debtors more so than and beyond all the people permanently settling down in and inhabiting Jerusalem?
5 "I am now saying to you, No. Nevertheless, if you folks should not progressively change your thinking [includes: so as to return to Yahweh], you will all similarly proceed in destroying yourselves [i.e., by towers and walls falling; comment: perhaps prophetic of the destruction of Jerusalem].
6 So He went on to tell this illustration (or: parable): "A certain man had a fig tree that was planted in his vineyard, and so he came seeking (or: searching all over) within it for fruit – and he found none.
7 "Then he said to the person who took care of the vineyard, 'Look, for three years now I have been repeatedly coming, constantly searching for fruit within this fig tree, and I continue finding none. Therefore, cut it out [of the vineyard]. For what reason does it also continue making this spot of ground completely idle and unproductive?'
8 "But the [vineyard keeper], giving a considered response, then says to him, 'Master (or: Sir; Lord), leave it this year also, until which [time] I can dig and spread manure around it.
9 "'And if it should indeed produce fruit [as we progress] into the impending [season], [well and good] – yet if not, you will certainly proceed having it cut out.'"
10 Now He had been repeatedly teaching within one of the synagogues, on the sabbaths.
11 Then – look and consider this! – a woman continuously having a spirit of weakness (or: constantly holding and possessing an aspect of sickness and impotence) [for] eighteen years [came by], and she continued being constantly bent over (or: bent double and together) and completely unable (or: having no power) to bend back up (or: to unbend).
12 Now upon seeing her, Jesus called out loudly in summons, then said to her, "Woman, you have been loosed away and are now freed (released) from your weakness (illness; infirmity)!"
13 Next He placed (or: put; laid) [His] hands upon her – and instantly she was made straight and erect again (or: was straightened back up) and she began giving glory to God and enhancing God's reputation.
14 Now making a critical remark, the presiding officer (ruler; chief; ranking member; leader) of the synagogue – growing indignant and displeased, resenting the fact that Jesus had given care and effected a cure on the sabbath – began saying to the crowd, "There are six days within which it continues necessary and binding to be habitually working (performing acts)! You folks continue the habit of receiving treatment and cures while normally coming on (or: during) them – and not on the sabbath day!"
15 So the Lord made a decisive reply to him, and said, "O you overly judging and critical folks (hupokrites; or: those who put texts under close inspection to sift and separate and then give an answer, an interpretation, an opinion; or: those who live by separating things yet who under-discern; or: those who make judgments from a low view; or: those who under-estimate reality; or: perverse scholars who focus on tiny distinctions)! Does not each one of you folks normally loosen (or: untie) his ox or ass from the stall (or: stable; or: feeding trough) on the sabbath – and then continuing in leading [it] off, is habitually giving [it water] to drink?
16 "Now this woman – being a daughter of Abraham whom the adversary (or: opponent) binds, and consider it!, eighteen years! – did it not continue binding and necessary for [her] to be at once loosed from this bond on the sabbath day (a day of rest and ceasing from labor)?"
17 And with His continuing in saying these things, all those continuing in opposition to Him began being brought down in shame and complete disgrace – and yet all the crowd rejoiced at all the glorious (splendid; remarkable) things coming to be by, and taking place under, Him.
18 Therefore He went on to say, "To what is the reign of God like (or: How and in what is God's kingdom activities similar), and with what shall I liken it (put it in resemblance)?
19 "It is like a mustard seed which, upon taking, a person threw into his own garden (or: [the] garden of himself), and it grew and then became [like] unto a [other MSS add: great] tree, and then the birds of the sky (or: atmosphere; heaven) settled down (as in tents; = made temporary nests) within its branches."
20 Then, again, He said, "To what shall I liken God's reign (rule, government and kingdom, or His sovereign influence and activity)?
21 "It is like yeast (or: leaven) which, upon taking, a woman hid, [mixing it] into three seah-measures (= about thirty-six quarts) of ground wheat (meal or flour) – until where [the] whole [batch] was leavened (then, fermented)."
22 Later, He began journeying through, from city to city and from village to village, repeatedly teaching and then journeying on, progressively making His way on into Jerusalem.
23 Now at one point, someone said to Him, "Sir (or: Master; Lord), [I wonder] if [only] a few are proceeding in being saved (or: if few are progressively being rescued; if the folks presently being healed and made whole are a small number)?" So He said to them,
24 "You folks be continually struggling and constantly exerting yourselves vigorously even to the point of agonizing, as contestants in the public games, to at once enter through the narrow door (or: cramped entry), because many people – I now tell you – will continue seeking to enter, and yet they will not continue having strength.
25 "From [the point or time] where the master of the house (or: the owner and lord of the house; the householder) may get up and lock off (close and bar) the door (or: entry), and then you folks should begin to stand outside and to repeatedly knock [at] the door (or: entry), repeatedly saying, 'Sir (or: Master; Lord; [other MSS: Sir, sir! {or: Lord, Lord!}]), open up to us (or: for us)!' And then, giving a decided reply, he will proceed in declaring to you folks, 'I have not seen, and thus do not know, you people. From what place are you? (or: I am not acquainted [with] whence you are [come]!).'
26 "At that point you will begin to be saying, one after another, 'We ate and drank in front of you (in your sight)! Also, you taught in our town squares (plazas; broad streets)!'
27 "And yet, he will continue declaring, 'I am now saying to you, I have not seen, and thus do not know, from where you are. Stand off away from me, all [you] workers of injustice (laborers in that which is not right; unfair workmen; folks whose actions do not accord with the Way pointed out; workers void of rightwised relationships)!'
28 "Whenever you may [other MSS: will] see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – as well as all the prophets – within the midst of God's reign (or: sovereign activities and influence; kingdom), yet you yourselves, one after another, being thrown outside, the weeping and the grinding (or: gnashing) of the teeth (= the sorrow and regret) will be [out] there, in that place.
29 "Not only that, people will continue arriving from eastern regions and western territories, as well as from [the] north and [the] south, and they will proceed in being made to recline back at a meal, within God's reign (kingdom; sovereign projects and programs).
30 "And so – now think about this – there are last ones who will proceed in being first ones; and there are first ones who will regress to being last ones."
31 In that very hour certain Pharisees approached, one after another saying to Him, "At once go out and continue on your way from here, because Herod is wanting and intending to kill you off!"
32 And yet He replied to them, "After going on your way, say to this fox (or: jackal), 'Look and take note! I continue throwing out demons (Hellenistic concept and term: = animistic influences) and finishing off (or: completing) healings today and tomorrow, and then on the third day I am proceeding in being brought to the purposed goal and destiny (or: I am progressively being finished and made fully functional).
33 "Moreover, it continues being binding and necessary for Me to continue journeying today, tomorrow and on the following one [other MSS: in the one still coming], because it continues being inadmissible (not acceptable; = unthinkable) for a prophet to be destroyed outside of Jerusalem!
34 "Jerusalem, O Jerusalem! – the one constantly killing off the prophets, and repeatedly stoning the people having been sent off as emissaries (missionaries; representatives) to her – how often (how many times) I wanted and intended to at once completely gather together and assemble your children, in the manner in which a hen [gathers] her own brood (or: chicks) under [her] wings, and yet you people did not want [it]!
35 "Look and consider this – your house (or: House; = the Temple; or: household [a figure of the entire people]) is being progressively left and abandoned [other MSS add: {and} desolate – depopulated like a desert; cf Jer. 22:5] to you people (or: is habitually sent away because of you; or: is repeatedly forgiven for you folks)! So I am now saying to you folks that under no circumstances may you see Me, until you can (or: should; would) say, 'The One progressively coming in union with [the] Lord's Name [= in the authority of the Name of Yahweh] is One having been blessed with good words of ease and wellbeing!'" [Ps. 118:26]