Luke 12
1 In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware all of you of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
Meanwhile the people had gathered in thousands, so that they trod on one another, when Jesus, addressing himself to his disciples, began by saying to them, ‘Be on your guard against the leaven – that is, the hypocrisy – of the Pharisees.
2 For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.
There is nothing, however covered up, which will not be uncovered, nor anything kept secret which will not become known.
3 Therefore whatsoever all of you have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which all of you have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.
So all that you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear, within closed doors, will be proclaimed on the housetops.
4 And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
To you who are my friends I say, Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but after that can do no more.
5 But I will forewarn you whom all of you shall fear: Fear him, which after he has killed has power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. (Geenna g1067)
I will show you of whom you should be afraid. Be afraid of him who, after killing you, has the power to fling you into Gehenna. Yes, I say, be afraid of him. (Geenna g1067)
6 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?
Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? Yet not one of them has escaped God’s notice.
7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: all of you are of more value than many sparrows.
No, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.
8 Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God:
Everyone, I tell you, who publicly acknowledges me, the Son of Man, also, will acknowledge before God’s angels;
9 But he that denies me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.
but the person who publicly disowns me will be altogether disowned before God’s angels.
10 And whosoever shall speak a word (logos) against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemes against the Holy Spirit (pneuma) it shall not be forgiven.
Everyone who will say anything against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but for the person who slanders the Holy Spirit there will be no forgiveness.
11 And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take all of you no thought how or what thing all of you shall answer, or what all of you shall say:
Whenever they take you before the synagogue Courts or the magistrates or other authorities, do not be anxious as to how you will defend yourselves, or what your defence will be, or what you will say;
12 For the Holy Spirit (pneuma) shall teach you in the same hour what all of you ought to say.
for the Holy Spirit will show you at the moment what you ought to say.’
13 And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.
‘Teacher,’ a man in the crowd said to Jesus, ‘tell my brother to share the property with me.’
14 And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?
But Jesus said to him, ‘Man, who made me a judge or an arbiter between you?’
15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consists not in the abundance of the things which he possesses.
And then he added, ‘Take care to keep yourselves free from every form of covetousness; for even in the height of their prosperity a person’s true life does not depend on what they have.’
16 And he spoke a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
Then Jesus told them this parable – ‘There was once a rich man whose land was very fertile;
17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
and he began to ask himself “What will I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?
18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
This is what I will do,” he said; “I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and store all my grain and my goods in them;
19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have much goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
and I will say to myself, Now you have plenty of good things put by for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, and enjoy yourself.”
20 But God said unto him, You fool, this night your soul shall be required of you: then whose shall those things be, which you have provided?
But God said to the man “Fool! This very night your life is being demanded; and as for all you have prepared – who will have it?”
21 So is he that lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
So it is with those who lay by wealth for themselves and are not rich to the glory of God.’
22 And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what all of you shall eat; neither for the body, what all of you shall put on.
And Jesus said to his disciples, ‘That is why I say to you, Do not be anxious about the life here – what you can get to eat; or about your body – what you can get to wear.
23 The life is more than food, and the body is more than raiment.
For life is more than food, and the body than its clothes.
24 Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them: how much more are all of you better than the fowls?
Think of the ravens – they neither sow nor reap; they have neither storehouse nor barn; and yet God feeds them! And how much more precious are you than birds!
25 And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?
But which of you, by being anxious, can prolong your life a moment?
26 If all of you then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take all of you thought for the rest?
And, if you cannot do even the smallest thing, why be anxious about other things?
27 Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
Think of the lilies, and how they grow. They neither toil nor spin; yet, I tell you, even Solomon in all his splendour was not robed like one of these.
28 If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and tomorrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O all of you of little faith?
If, even in the field, God so clothes the grass which is living today and tomorrow will be thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, you of little faith!
29 And seek not all of you what all of you shall eat, or what all of you shall drink, neither be all of you of doubtful mind.
And you – do not be always seeking what you can get to eat or what you can get to drink; and do not waver.
30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knows that all of you have need of these things.
These are the things for which all the nations of the world are seeking, and your Father knows that you need them.
31 But rather seek all of you the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.
No, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added for you.
32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
So do not be afraid, my little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.
33 Sell that all of you have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that fails not, where no thief approaches, neither moth corrupts.
‘Sell what belongs to you, and give in charity. Make yourselves purses that will not wear out – an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near, or moth works ruin.
34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.
35 Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning;
Make yourselves ready, with your lamps alight;
36 And all of you yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he comes and knocks, they may open unto him immediately.
and be like servants who are waiting for their Master’s return from his wedding, so that, when he comes and knocks, they may open the door for him at once.
37 Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he comes shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to food, and will come forth and serve them.
Happy are those servants whom, on his return, the Master will find watching. I tell you that he will make himself ready, and have them take their places at the table, and will come and serve them.
38 And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.
Whether it is late at night, or in the early morning that he comes, if he finds all as it should be, then happy are they.
39 And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.
This you do know, that, had the owner of the house known at what time the thief was coming, he would have been on the watch, and would not have let his house be broken into.
40 Be all of you therefore ready also: for the Son of man comes at an hour when all of you think not.
You must also prepare, for when you are least expecting him the Son of Man will come.’
41 Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speak you this parable unto us, or even to all?
‘Master,’ said Peter, ‘are you telling this parable with reference to us or to everyone?’
42 And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season?
‘Who, then,’ replied the Master, ‘is that trustworthy steward, the careful man, who will be placed by his master over his establishment, to give them their rations at the proper time?
43 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he comes shall find so doing.
Happy will that servant be whom his master, when he comes home, will find doing this.
44 Truthfully I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he has.
His master, I tell you, will put him in charge of the whole of his property.
45 But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delays his coming; and shall begin to beat the male servants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken;
But should that servant say to himself “My master is a long time coming,” and begin to beat the menservants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink and get drunk,
46 The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looks not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.
that servant’s master will come on a day when he does not expect him, and at an hour of which he is unaware, and will flog him severely and assign him his place among the untrustworthy.
47 And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
The servant who knows his master’s wishes and yet does not prepare and act accordingly will receive many lashes;
48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
while one who does not know his master’s wishes, but acts so as to deserve a flogging, will receive but few. From everyone to whom much has been given much will be expected, and from the man to whom much has been entrusted the more will be demanded.
49 I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?
I came to cast fire on the earth; and what more can I wish, if it is already kindled?
50 But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!
There is a baptism that I must undergo, and how great is my distress until it is over!
51 Suppose all of you that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:
Do you think that I am here to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but to cause division.
52 For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.
For from this time, if there are five people in a house, they will be divided, three against two, and two against three.
53 The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
Father will be opposed to son and son to father, mother to daughter and daughter to mother, mother-in-law to her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law to her mother-in-law.’
54 And he said also to the people, When all of you see a cloud rise out of the west, immediately all of you say, There comes a shower; and so it is.
And to the people Jesus said, ‘When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once “There is a storm coming,” and come it does.
55 And when all of you see the south wind blow, all of you say, There will be heat; and it comes to pass.
And when you see that the wind is in the south, you say “It will be burning hot,” and so it proves.
56 All of you hypocrites, all of you can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that all of you do not discern this time?
Hypocrites! You know how to judge of the earth and the sky; how is it, then, that you cannot judge of this time?
57 Yea, and why even of yourselves judge all of you not what is right?
Why don’t you yourselves decide what is right?
58 When you go with your adversary to the magistrate, as you are in the way, give diligence that you may be delivered from him; lest he hale you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer cast you into prison.
When, for instance, you are going with your opponent before a magistrate, on your way to the court do your best to be quit of him; otherwise he might drag you before the judge, then the judge will hand you over to the bailiff of the court, and the bailiff throw you into prison.
59 I tell you, you shall not depart thence, till you have paid the very last mite.
You will not, I tell you, come out until you have paid the very last cent.’
