April 26th, 2025

The season of Easter continues on. And it should be said at the start that this Sunday is not known by the title of the “First Sunday after Easter”, but it is the “Second Sunday of Easter”. The reality of Jesus coming back to life continues to make a difference. Jesus’ resurrection makes a significant difference because it comes as a result of his sacrificial death for all sins on Good Friday. It was a GOOD Friday, but this makes the entire season of Easter a VERY good one.

The Gospel Reading for this Sunday is the same one whatever year it is within the three-year series. It is also the same with the one-year series. The Gospel Reading is John 20:19-31. And it is good to have the perspective of another account.

Currently, within the weekly writings of this website, we are going through the Gospel according to Luke, much like this year in the three-year series. And we are taking a section at a time, in the order in which the writer laid out the text. Currently we are in what is typically called the ninth chapter.

You could say that this is a significant “highpoint”. In the first part of the text below, Jesus is on what is usually called the Mount of Transfiguration. And at this “highpoint” there is significant reference to what could be called “the End”. There will be a mention of an “exodus”. That, hopefully, is a familiar word. After one gets to the middle, thinking about the end is a lot more easily done.

If this is the first time you are reading the writings of this website, it should be said that what follows is an EXTREMELY literal translation of the text of the New Testament. And any type of translation could be written in any number of ways. In this translation, the order of the words in English is the order that the words are in Greek. It would be a generality to say that the important words in Greek are the earlier ones in the sentence.  It should also be said that the English words chosen are designed to help make a connection to the original language of the text. Both of these factors may end up making the translation below a bit confusing, and, therefore, it probably will be helpful to look at another translation or a study bible. It should also be said that the hyphens below are designed to give the reader an idea of how many words in English are from the one word in the Greek. Ultimately, what follows is hopefully helpful, and what follows is Luke 9:28-50:

Now  it-happened  after  the  words,  these,  about  days,  eight,  and  having-taken-along  Peter  and  John  and  Jacob,  he-went-up  into  the  mountain  to-pray-toward.  And  it-happened  in  the  to-pray-toward  him,  the  appearance  of-the  face,  his,  hetero,  and  the  clothing,  his,  white,  sending-out-flashes.  And  behold,  men,  duo,  they-were-speaking-with  him,  who  they-were  Moses  and  Elias,  who  having-appeared  in  glory,  they-were-speaking-of  the  exodus,  his,  which  he-was-about  to-fulfill  in  Jerusalem.

Now  the  Peter  and  the-ones  with  him,  they-were  having-been-burdened  with-sleep;  now  having-been-thoroughly-awakened,  they-saw  the  glory,  his,  and   the  duo  men,  the-ones  standing-with  him.  And  it-happened  in  the  complete-removal,  they,  from  him,  he-said,  the  Peter,  toward  the  Jesus,  “Overseer,  good  it-is  for-us,  here,  to-be,  and  let-us-make  tents,  three;  one  for-you,  and  one  for-Moses,  and  one  for-Elias,”  not  knowing  what  he-says.

Now  these-things  he,  saying,  it-happened,  a-cloud,  and  it-was-overshadowing  them.  Now  they-feared  in  the  to-come-into,  they,  into  the  cloud.  And  a-voice  happened  out-of  the  cloud,  saying,  “This  is  the  Son,  my,  the-one  having-been-chosen;  him,  hear.”  And  in  the  to-happen,  the  voice,  he-was-found,  Jesus,  alone.  And  they,  they-were-silent,  and  to-no-one,  they-reported  in  those,  the  days,  nothing  of-what  they-have-seen.

Now  it-happened  in-the  afterward  day,  having-come-down,  they,  from  the  mountains,  it-met-with  him,  a-crowd,  great.  And  behold,  a-man  from  the  crowd,  he-shouted,  saying,  “Teacher,  I-beg  of-you  to-look-upon,  upon  the  son,  my,  because  only-begotten  to-me  he-is;  and  behold,  a-spirit  takes  him,  and  suddenly  he-cries-out,  and  it-tears  him  with  foam,  and  hardly  it-goes-away  from  him,  shattering  him;  and  I-begged  the  disciples,  your,  that  they-would-throw-out  it,  and  not  they-were-able.”
Now  having-answered,  the  Jesus,  he-said,  “O  generation,  unbelieving  and  having-been-twisted,  until  when  I-will-be  toward  you  and  I-will-endure  you?  Lead-toward  here,  the  son  of-you.”

Now  yet  coming-toward,  he,  it-tore  him,  the  demon,  and  it-threw-violently.  Now  he-rebuked,  the  Jesus,  the  spirit,  the  unclean,  and  he-cured  the  boy,  and  he-gave-back  him  to-the  father,  his.  Now  they-were-pounded-out,  all,  upon  the  majesty  of-the  God.

Now  all,  marveling  upon  all-things  which  he-was-doing,  he-said  toward  the  disciples,  his:  “Place,  you,  into  the  ears  of-you,  the  words,  these:  For  the  Son  of-the  Man  is-about  to-be-given-over  into  hands  of-men.”  Now  the-ones  were-ignorant-of  the  word,  this,  and  it-was  having-been-covered  from  them,  in-order-that  not  they-might-perceive  it,  and  they-were-afraid  to-question  him  about  the  saying,  this.

Now  it-came-into,  a-dialogue  in  them,  the  who  might  be  greater  of-them.  Now  the  Jesus,  knowing  the  dialogue  of-the  heart  of-them,  having-taken-up  a-child,  he-stood  him  beside  himself.  And  he-said  to-them,  “Who  ever  receives  this,  the  child,  upon  the  name,  my;  me  he-receives;  and  who  ever  me,  he-receives,  he-receives  the-one  having-sent-out  me;  for  the-one  lesser  in  all  you  being,  this-one  is  great.”

Now  having-answered,  John  said,  “Overseer,  we-saw  someone  in  the  name  of-you,  throwing-out  demons,  and  we-were-preventing  him,  because  not  he-follows  with  us.”

Now  he-said  toward  him,  the  Jesus,  “Not  do-prevent;  for  the-one  not  he-is  against  you,  for-the-sake-of  you  he-is.”
​
You might want to make a note that there will be another dispute among the disciples as to which one is greater, and this happened VERY near the end, right after Jesus institutes the Lord’s Supper, in Luke 22:24. And the word there is significantly stronger than what could be called “dialogue” above. The word used later is a “love-of-strife”. The problems can seem to get bigger. And Jesus still has the solution.