5. Not at all! But you can be sure that if you don't turn back to God, every one of you will also die.
6. Jesus then told them this story:A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard. One day he went out to pick some figs, but he didn't find any.
7. So he said to the gardener, “For three years I have come looking for figs on this tree, and I haven't found any yet. Chop it down! Why should it take up space?”
8. The gardener answered, “Master, leave it for another year. I'll dig around it and put some manure on it to make it grow.
9. Perhaps it will have figs on it next year. If it doesn't, you can have it cut down.”
10. One Sabbath, Jesus was teaching in a Jewish meeting place,
11. and a woman was there who had been crippled by an evil spirit for eighteen years. She was completely bent over and could not straighten up.
12. When Jesus saw the woman, he called her over and said, “You are now well.”
13. He placed his hands on her, and at once she stood up straight and praised God.
14. The man in charge of the meeting place was angry because Jesus had healed someone on the Sabbath. So he said to the people, “Each week has six days when we can work. Come and be healed on one of those days, but not on the Sabbath.”
15. The Lord replied, “Are you trying to fool someone? Won't any one of you untie your ox or donkey and lead it out to drink on a Sabbath?
16. This woman belongs to the family of Abraham, but Satan has kept her bound for eighteen years. Isn't it right to set her free on the Sabbath?”
17. Jesus' words made his enemies ashamed. But everyone else in the crowd was happy about the wonderful things he was doing.
18. Jesus said, “What is God's kingdom like? What can I compare it with?
19. It is like what happens when someone plants a mustard seed in a garden. The seed grows as big as a tree, and birds nest in its branches.”
20. Then Jesus said, “What can I compare God's kingdom with?
21. It is like what happens when a woman mixes yeast into three batches of flour. Finally, all the dough rises.”
22. As Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, he taught the people in the towns and villages.
23. Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?”Jesus answered: