17. The attendant gave him the book of the prophet Isaiah. He opened it and found the place where it read:
18. “The Spirit of the Lord is with me.He has anointed meto tell the Good News to the poor.He has sent me to announce forgiveness to the prisoners of sinand the restoring of sight to the blind,to forgive those who have been shattered by sin,
19. to announce the year of the Lord’s favor.”
20. Jesus closed the book, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. Everyone in the synagogue watched him closely.
21. Then he said to them, “This passage came true today when you heard me read it.”
22. All the people spoke well of him. They were amazed to hear the gracious words flowing from his lips. They said, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?”
23. So he said to them, “You’ll probably quote this proverb to me, ‘Doctor, cure yourself!’ and then say to me, ‘Do all the things in your hometown that we’ve heard you’ve done in Capernaum.’”
24. Then Jesus added, “I can guarantee this truth: A prophet isn’t accepted in his hometown.
25. “I can guarantee this truth: There were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s time. It had not rained for three-and-a-half years, and the famine was severe everywhere in the country.
26. But God didn’t send Elijah to anyone except a widow at Zarephath in the territory of Sidon.