As he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud.

“I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more they can do.

When one of those at the meal with Jesus heard this, he said to him, “Blessed is everyone who will feast in the kingdom of God!”

For a while he refused, but later on he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor have regard for people,

“As for these things that you are gazing at, the days will come when not one stone will be left on another. All will be torn down!”

And when you hear of wars and rebellions, do not be afraid. For these things must happen first, but the end will not come at once.”

And all those who knew Jesus stood at a distance, and the women who had followed him from Galilee saw these things.

Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles.

The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.

And now, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time, you will be silent, unable to speak, until the day these things take place.”

When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him. He turned and said to the crowd that followed him, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith!”

But other seed fell on good soil and grew, and it produced a hundred times as much grain.” As he said this, he called out, “The one who has ears to hear had better listen!”

After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him two by two into every town and place where he himself was about to go.

As he said these things, a woman in the crowd spoke out to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts at which you nursed!”

“But woe to you Pharisees! You give a tenth of your mint, rue, and every herb, yet you neglect justice and love for God! But you should have done these things without neglecting the others.

When he said this all his adversaries were humiliated, but the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things he was doing.

Won’t the master instead say to him, ‘Get my dinner ready, and make yourself ready to serve me while I eat and drink. Then you may eat and drink’?

The Pharisee stood and prayed about himself like this: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: extortionists, unrighteous people, adulterers – or even like this tax collector.

While the people were listening to these things, Jesus proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately.

and said to him, “Tell us: By what authority are you doing these things? Or who it is who gave you this authority?”