A Simple Guide to Luke

The Gospel According to Luke
Chapter 1 - Preparation for the Birth of Jesus
1:1-4 - Prologue
1:5-17 - How the birth of John was announced
1:18-25 - How Zechariah and Elizabeth reacted to the announcement
1:26-38 - Mary is asked to be the mother of Jesus
1:39-56 - Mary visits Elizabeth
1:57-66 - Reaction to the birth of Elizabeth’s child
1:67-80 - What Zechariah said in his blessing of God

Chapter 2 - Jesus is Born, Named, and Instructed
2:1-14 - Jesus is born and his birth is announced
2:15-21 - The announcement of Jesus’ birth causes wonder; he’s named
2:22-38 - Presenting the child Jesus
2:39-52 - Jesus grew up in God’s care

Chapter 3 - John, Preaching Righteousness, Baptizes Jesus–Which is Pleasing to God
3:1-9 - John preaches repentance
3:10-22 - John reviews the Commandments, tells good news, and baptizes Jesus
3:23-38 - Where did Jesus come from?

Chapter 4 - Though Tempted to Seek Power and Glory, Jesus Seeks to Serve
4:1-13 - Jesus is tempted
4:14-30 - Jesus addresses people’s need for the good news
4:31-44 - Jesus continues to teach and heal

Chapter 5 - Jesus Invites Others to Join Him in Brining the Good News of Healing
5:1-11 - Jesus calls Simon and others
5:12-26 - Reaction to Jesus’ healing is tumultuous
5:27-39 - Jesus invites a sinner to follow him - He defends rejoicing

Chapter 6 - Jesus Discusses the Law, and Explains its Implications
6:1-11 - What is the Law of God?
6:12-19 - Jesus asks twelve to share his mission, then demonstrates it
6:20-36 - Jesus teaches how to accept God’s blessings
6:37-49 - Jesus’ disciples must learn forgiveness—and keep learning it

Chapter 7 - Healing, and What It Means
7:1-10 - A Roman officer asks Jesus to heal a slave
7:11-17 - Jesus is moved with pity for a widow and her dead son
7:18-28 - John the Baptist' disciples ask about expectations; Jesus answers
7:29-35 - More about expectations
7:36-50 - Repentance seeks forgiveness

Chapter 8 - Jesus Travels, Teaches, and Heals
8:1-10 - Taking to the road, telling stories
8:11-21 - Jesus prods his listeners to trust God’s word
8:22-26 - A lake crossing reveals a lack of faith
8:27-39 - Most Gerasenes reject the Good News; one proclaims it
8:40-56 - Two people seek healing, and receive it

Chapter 9 - What it Means to Follow Jesus
9:1-9 - Jesus sends out the twelve whom he commissioned
9:10-17 - The twelve returned from their mission with much still to learn
9:18-27 - Jesus explains what it means to follow him
9:28-36 - Some disciples see Jesus glorified
9:37-50 - Examples of misunderstanding Jesus
9:51-62 - It’s time to be taken completely into the Father’s care

Chapter 10 - Traveling Towards Jerusalem, Jesus Teaches about Discipleship
10:1-12 - Jesus asks many to proclaim the nearness of the Kingdom
10:13-24 - How woeful to reject God’s word; how satisfying to take it in
10:25-42 - Learning from Jesus

Chapter 11 - What to Expect From God, your Father
11:1-13 - What is prayer?
11:14-26 - What’s evil?
11:27-36 - What is happiness?
11:37-54 - What is selfishness?

Chapter 12 - Making a Choice Between the Spirit of God and the spirit of the times
12:1-12 - God’s Spirit inspires candor and calm
12:13-32 - This world inspires worry
12:33-48 - How to choose God’s spirit
12:49-59 - Not everyone will want God’s Spirit

Chapter 13 - Now is the Time for Repentance
13:1-9 - What is sin? - How patient is God with sin?
13:10-21 - Whose deeds should we admire, ours or God’s?
13:22-35 - There’s only one way to enter God’s Kingdom

Chapter 14 - Jesus Presses His Hearers to Make a Choice
14:1-14 - Jesus asks the religious authorities to consider what they want
14:15-24 - A parable at the Pharisee’s dinner
14:25-35 - Following Jesus means abandoning all else

Chapter 15 - What Happens to Those Who Get Lost on the Way to the Kingdom?
15:1-10 - How do you feel when you find something that was lost?
15:11-32 - A parable about the relief repentance brings

Chapter 16 - Do You Know What You Want?
16:1-18 - Where’s your heart?
16:19-31 - A parable about deciding what you want

Chapter 17 - Still on the Way to Jerusalem; Still Teaching about Repentance
17:1-10 - The disciples continue learning abut repentance and forgiveness
17:11-19 - God’s Kingdom won’t look like other kingdoms
17:20-37 - Jesus tells his disciples how to watch for the Kingdom

Chapter 18 - How do you Pray; What do you Pray for?
18:1-14 - Two parables about praying
18:15-30 - Do people know what they want?
18:31-45 - How does one receive God’s life?

Chapter 19 - Why Is Jesus Going to Jerusalem?
19:1-10 - A chance meeting on the way
19:11-28 - We are invited to share God’s power
19:29-40 - Arriving at Jerusalem
19:41-48 - Grief, dismay, and danger

Chapter 20 - Arguments in the Temple about God’s Power to Save
20:1-8 - Can you be saved if you think you’re already righteous?
20:9-19 - A parable about ignoring God’s plan to share his Kingdom
20:20-26 - Do you have to oppose earthly power to serve God?
20:27-40 - Whose plan will God follow in order to save us?
20:41-47 - What are people hoping the fulfillment of God’s plan will look like?

Chapter 21 - Teaching in the Temple about Expecting God’s Kingdom
21:1-4 - A widow places everything in God’s Care
21:5-19 - What will happen while you wait for the Kingdom?
21:20-38 - Preparing for the immediate future; preparing for redemption

Chapter 22 - Jesus Celebrates Passover with His Disciples - He is Arrested
22:1-13 - Two different preparations for the feast
22:14-23 - Jesus explains his desire to his disciples
22:24-38 - Jesus tries to explain power to his disciples
22:39-53 - Jesus prays, and is arrested
22:54-71 - Denial; condemnation

Chapter 23 - Arranging and Achieving a Death
23:1-12 - Some administrative fun
23:13-25 - Condemning the innocent
23:26-38 - Carrying out the sentence
23: 39-56 - One more encounter before dying; death and burial

Chapter 24 - Jesus, Risen, Preaches Repentance, then is Taken into Heaven
24:1-12 - The disciples can’t find Jesus
24:13-31 - Jesus teaches two fleeing disciples about trust
24:32-43 - Jesus confronts the doubts of his disciples
24:44-53 - Jesus proclaims his message once more; He is taken up to heaven