17:1 Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come.

17:2 It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.

17:3 So watch yourselves. “If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.

17:4 If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.”

17:5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”

17:6 He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.

17:7 “Suppose one of you had a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Would he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’?

17:8 Would he not rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’?

17:9 Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do?

17:10 So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.'”

17:11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee.

17:12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance

17:13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”

17:14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.

17:15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice.

17:16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.

17:17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?

17:18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?”

17:19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

17:20 Once, having been asked by the Pharisees [largest and most influential religious/political party in Jesus’ day] when the kingdom of God would come [many believed the Messiah’s coming would usher in political kingdom that would restore Israel’s national prominence], Jesus replied [Jesus’ answer shows that He would not satisfy curiosity about the dating of future kingdom-related events (cf. Matt. 24:36)], “The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation [Pharisees believed certain signs would accompany the kingdom’s arrival],

17:21 nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is within [or “among,” “in your midst,” or “within your reach”] you [wherever Jesus is present the kingdom is a reality].”

17:22 Then he said to his disciples, “The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days [probably refers to the period of time Christ’s return will inaugurate] of the Son of Man [used four times in Lk. 17:20-37 in reference to Jesus coming in judgment at the future fulfillment of God’s kingdom], but you will not see it [believers are to wait for the Lord’s return].

17:23 [Jesus warned the disciples about being misled concerning His return…] Men [false prophets and others who would declare the Lord had returned (cf. Lk. 21:8)] will tell you, ‘There he is!’ or ‘Here he is!’ Do not go running off after them.

17:24 For [the reason why the false prophets of 17:23 should be ignored…] the Son of Man in his day will be like the lightning [Jesus’ return will be visible and sudden], which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other [Jesus’ return will be evident to all].

17:25 But first he must [emphasizes God’s providential will; cf. Acts 2:23] suffer many things and be rejected by this generation [an “unbelieving and rebellious generation” (Lk. 9:41)].

17:26 “Just as it was in the days of Noah [who prepared for the coming flood], so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man.

17:27 People [continued their daily routines without regard to God…] were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all [because they were unprepared].

17:28 “It was the same in the days of Lot. People [continued their daily routines without regard to God…] were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building [earthly pursuits took precedence over spiritual preparation for judgment of sin].

17:29 But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down [suddenly] from heaven and destroyed them all [because they were unprepared].

17:30 “It [the suddenness of Jesus’ return] will be just like this [what happened in the days of Noah and Lot] on the day the Son of Man is revealed.

17:31 On that day [cf. Lk. 17:31-37] no one who is on the roof of his house [homes in Israel had flat roofs with exterior stairs leading to the roofs], with his goods [material possessions] inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything [material possessions are no longer needed and therefore should be left behind].

17:32 Remember [keep in mind] Lot’s wife [looked back (Gen. 19:26), indicating that she had material and temporal things on her mind]!

17:33 [cf. Matt. 16:25; Mk. 8:35; Lk. 9:24] Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.

17:34 I tell you, on that night [does not designate a specific time of Jesus’ return] two people will be in one bed; one will be taken [saved from judgment] and the other left [Jesus’ return will separate people].

17:35 Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left.”

17:36 [note: this verse does not occur in the best Greek manuscripts (cf. Matt. 24:40)] Two will be in a field: one will be taken, and the other will be left.

17:37 “Where, Lord?” they asked. He replied [cf. Matt. 24:28], “Where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather [this proverb serves as a parallel to the lightning flashes in 17:24; Jesus’ coming will be self-evident and unquestionable].”