Luke 12
1 Meanwhile the people had gathered in thousands, so that they trod upon 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.
Meanwhile, when a multitude of many thousands had gathered together, so much so that they trampled on each other, he began to tell his disciples first of all, “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
2 There is nothing, however covered up, which will not be uncovered, nor anything kept secret which will not become known.
But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known.
3 Hence 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 upon the housetops.
Therefore whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light. What you have spoken in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.
4 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.
“I tell you, my friends, don’t be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
5 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 the Pit. Yes, I say, be afraid of him. (Geenna g1067)
But I will warn you whom you should fear. Fear him who after he has killed, has power to cast into Gehenna. Yes, I tell you, fear him. (Geenna g1067)
6 Are not five sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them has escaped God’s notice.
“Aren’t five sparrows sold for two assaria coins? Not one of them is forgotten by God.
7 No, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.
But the very hairs of your head are all counted. Therefore don’t be afraid. You are of more value than many sparrows.
8 Every one, I tell you, who shall acknowledge me before his fellow men, the Son of Man, also, will acknowledge before God’s angels;
“I tell you, everyone who confesses me before men, the Son of Man will also confess before the angels of God;
9 but he, who disowns me before his fellow men, will be altogether disowned before God’s angels.
but he who denies me in the presence of men will be denied in the presence of God’s angels.
10 Every one who shall say anything against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but for him who slanders the Holy Spirit there will be no forgiveness.
Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but those who blaspheme against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
11 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;
When they bring you before the synagogues, the rulers, and the authorities, don’t be anxious how or what you will answer or what you will say;
12 for the Holy Spirit will show you at the moment what you ought to say.”
for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that same hour what you must say.”
13 “Teacher,” a man in the crowd said to Jesus, “tell my brother to share the property with me.”
One of the multitude said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”
14 But Jesus said to him: “Man, who made me a judge or an arbiter between you?”
But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or an arbitrator over you?”
15 And then he added: “Take care to keep yourselves free from every form of covetousness; for even in the height of his prosperity a man’s true Life does not depend on what he has.”
He said to them, “Beware! Keep yourselves from covetousness, for a man’s life doesn’t consist of the abundance of the things which he possesses.”
16 Then Jesus told them this parable — “There was once a rich man whose land was very fertile;
He spoke a parable to them, saying, “The ground of a certain rich man produced abundantly.
17 and he began to ask himself ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?
He reasoned within himself, saying, ‘What will I do, because I don’t have room to store my crops?’
18 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;
He said, ‘This is what I will do. I will pull down my barns, build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.
19 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.’
I will tell my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years. Take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry.”’
20 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?’
“But God said to him, ‘You foolish one, tonight your soul is required of you. The things which you have prepared—whose will they be?’
21 So it is with those who lay by wealth for themselves and are not rich to the glory of God.”
So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
22 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; nor yet about your body — what you can get to wear.
He said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, don’t be anxious for your life, what you will eat, nor yet for your body, what you will wear.
23 For life is more than food, and the body than its clothes.
Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.
24 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!
Consider the ravens: they don’t sow, they don’t reap, they have no warehouse or barn, and God feeds them. How much more valuable are you than birds!
25 But which of you, by being anxious, can prolong his life a moment?
Which of you by being anxious can add a cubit to his height?
26 And, if you cannot do even the smallest thing, why be anxious about other things?
If then you aren’t able to do even the least things, why are you anxious about the rest?
27 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.
Consider the lilies, how they grow. They don’t toil, neither do they spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
28 If, even in the field, God so clothes the grass which is living to-day and to-morrow will be thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O men of little faith!
But if this is how God clothes the grass in the field, which today exists and tomorrow is cast into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith?
29 And you — do not be always seeking what you can get to eat or what you can get to drink; and do not waver.
“Don’t seek what you will eat or what you will drink; neither be anxious.
30 These are the things for which all the nations of the world are seeking, and your Father knows that you need them.
For the nations of the world seek after all of these things, but your Father knows that you need these things.
31 No, seek his Kingdom, and these things shall be added for you.
But seek God’s Kingdom, and all these things will be added to you.
32 So do not be afraid, my little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the Kingdom.
“Don’t be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.
33 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.
Sell what you have and give gifts to the needy. Make for yourselves purses which don’t grow old, a treasure in the heavens that doesn’t fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.
34 For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
35 Make yourselves ready, with your lamps alight;
“Let your waist be dressed and your lamps burning.
36 and be like men 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.
Be like men watching for their lord when he returns from the wedding feast, that when he comes and knocks, they may immediately open to him.
37 Happy are those servants whom, on his return, the Master will find watching. I tell you that he will make himself ready, and bid them take their places at table, and will come and wait upon them.
Blessed are those servants whom the lord will find watching when he comes. Most certainly I tell you that he will dress himself, make them recline, and will come and serve them.
38 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.
They will be blessed if he comes in the second or third watch and finds them so.
39 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.
But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what hour the thief was coming, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.
40 Do you also prepare, for when you are least expecting him the Son of Man will come.”
Therefore be ready also, for the Son of Man is coming in an hour that you don’t expect him.”
41 “Master,” said Peter, “are you telling this parable with reference to us or to every one?”
Peter said to him, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everybody?”
42 “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?
The Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his lord will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the right times?
43 Happy will that servant be whom his master, when he comes home, shall find doing this.
Blessed is that servant whom his lord will find doing so when he comes.
44 His master, I tell you, will put him in charge of the whole of his property.
Truly I tell you that he will set him over all that he has.
45 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,
But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My lord delays his coming,’ and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink and to be drunken,
46 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.
then the lord of that servant will come in a day when he isn’t expecting him and in an hour that he doesn’t know, and will cut him in two, and place his portion with the unfaithful.
47 The servant who knows his master’s wishes and yet does not prepare and act accordingly will receive many lashes;
That servant who knew his lord’s will, and didn’t prepare nor do what he wanted, will be beaten with many stripes,
48 while one who does not know his master’s wishes, but acts so as to deserve a flogging, will receive but few. From every one 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.
but he who didn’t know, and did things worthy of stripes, will be beaten with few stripes. To whomever much is given, of him will much be required; and to whom much was entrusted, of him more will be asked.
49 I came to cast fire upon the earth; and what more can I wish, if it is already kindled?
“I came to throw fire on the earth. I wish it were already kindled.
50 There is a baptism that I must undergo, and how great is my distress until it is over!
But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished!
51 Do you think that I am here to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but to cause division.
Do you think that I have come to give peace in the earth? I tell you, no, but rather division.
52 For from this time, if there are five people in a house, they will be divided, three against two, and two against three.
For from now on, there will be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.
53 ‘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.’”
They will be divided, father against son, and son against father; mother against daughter, and daughter against her mother; mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”
54 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.
He said to the multitudes also, “When you see a cloud rising from the west, immediately you say, ‘A shower is coming,’ and so it happens.
55 And when you see that the wind is in the south, you say ‘It will be burning hot,’ and so it proves.
When a south wind blows, you say, ‘There will be a scorching heat,’ and it happens.
56 Hypocrites! You know how to judge of the earth and the sky; how is it, then, that you cannot judge of this time?
You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how is it that you don’t interpret this time?
57 Why do not you yourselves decide what is right?
“Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right?
58 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; for fear that he should 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.
For when you are going with your adversary before the magistrate, try diligently on the way to be released from him, lest perhaps he drag you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison.
59 You will not, I tell you, come out until you have paid the very last farthing.”
I tell you, you will by no means get out of there until you have paid the very last penny.”
