Luke 12
1 At that time, when thousands of the people had come together, in such numbers that they were crushing one another, he said first to his disciples, Have nothing to do with the leaven of the Pharisees, which is deceit.
Meanwhile the people had come streaming towards Him by tens of thousands, so that they were trampling one another under foot. And now He proceeded to say to His disciples first, "Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees, that is to say, beware of hypocrisy.
2 But nothing is covered up, which will not come to light, or secret, which will not be made clear.
There is nothing that is covered up which will not be uncovered, nor hidden which will not become known.
3 So, whatever you have said in the dark, will come to men's hearing in the light, and what you have said secretly inside the house, will be made public from the house-tops.
Whatever therefore you have said in the dark, will be heard in the light; and what you have whispered within closed doors will be proclaimed from the house-tops.
4 And I say to you, my friends, Have no fear of those who may put the body to death, and are able to do no more than that.
"But to you who are my friends I say, "'Be not afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do nothing further.
5 But I will make clear to you of whom you are to be in fear: of him who after death has power to send you to hell; yes, truly I say, Have fear of him. (Geenna g1067)
I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who after killing has power to throw into Gehenna: yes, I say to you, fear him. (Geenna g1067)
6 Are not five sparrows given in exchange for two farthings? and God has every one of them in mind.
Are not five sparrows sold for a penny? and yet not one of them is a thing forgotten in God's sight.
7 But even the hairs of your head are numbered. Have no fear: you are of more value than a flock of sparrows.
But the very hairs on your heads are all counted. Away with fear: you are more precious than a multitude of sparrows.'
8 And I say to you that to everyone who gives witness to me before men, the Son of man will give witness before the angels of God.
"And I tell you that every man who shall have acknowledged me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God.
9 But if anyone says before men that he has no knowledge of me, I will say that I have no knowledge of him before the angels of God.
But he who disowns me before men will be disowned before the angels of God.
10 And if anyone says a word against the Son of man, he will have forgiveness: but for him who says evil words against the Holy Spirit, there will be no forgiveness.
"Moreover every one who shall speak against the Son of Man, may obtain forgiveness; but he who blasphemes the Holy Spirit will never obtain forgiveness.
11 And when they take you before the Synagogues and the authorities and the rulers, take no thought about what answers you will give, or what you will say:
And when they are bringing you before synagogues and magistrates and governors, do not anxiously ponder the manner or matter of your defence, nor what you are to say;
12 For the Holy Spirit will make clear to you in that very hour what to say.
for the Holy Spirit shall teach you at that very moment what you must say."
13 And one of the people said to him, Master, give an order to my brother to make division of the heritage with me.
Just then a man in the crowd appealed to Him. "Rabbi," he said, "tell my brother to give me a share of the inheritance."
14 But he said, Man, who made me a judge or a maker of decisions for you?
"Man," He replied, "who has constituted me a judge or arbitrator over you?"
15 And he said to them, Take care to keep yourselves free from the desire for property; for a man's life is not made up of the number of things which he has.
And to the people He said, "Take care, be on your guard against all covetousness, for no one's life consists in the superabundance of his possessions."
16 And he said to them, in a story, The land of a certain man of great wealth was very fertile:
And He spoke a parable to them. "A certain rich man's lands," He said, "yielded abundant crops,
17 And he said to himself, What is to be done? for I have no place in which to put all my fruit.
and he debated within himself, saying, "'What am I to do? for I have no place in which to store my crops.'
18 And he said, This I will do: I will take down my store-houses and make greater ones, and there I will put all my grain and my goods.
"And he said to himself, "'This is what I will do: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and in them I will store up all my harvest and my wealth;
19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have a great amount of goods in store, enough for a number of years; be at rest, take food and wine and be happy.
and I will say to my life, "'Life, you have ample possessions laid up for many years to come: take your ease, eat, drink, enjoy yourself.'
20 But God said to him, You foolish one, tonight I will take your soul from you, and who then will be the owner of all the things which you have got together?
"But God said to him, "'Foolish man, this night your life is demanded from you; and these preparations--for whom shall they be?'
21 So that is what comes to the man who gets wealth for himself, and has not wealth in the eyes of God.
"So is it with him who amasses treasure for himself, but has no riches in God."
22 And he said to his disciples, For this reason I say to you, Take no thought for your life, about what food you will take, or for your body, how it may be clothed.
Then turning to His disciples He said, "For this reason I say to you, 'Dismiss all anxious care for your lives, inquiring what you are to eat, and for your bodies, what you are to put on.'
23 Is not life more than food, and the body than its clothing?
For life is a greater gift than food, and the body is a greater gift than clothing.
24 Give thought to the ravens; they do not put seeds into the earth, or get together grain; they have no store-houses or buildings; and God gives them their food: of how much greater value are you than the birds!
Observe the ravens. They neither sow nor reap, and have neither store-chamber nor barn. And yet God feeds them. How far more precious are you than the birds!
25 And which of you by taking thought is able to make himself any taller?
And which of you is able by anxious thought to add a moment to his life?
26 If, then, you are not able to do even that which is least, why are you troubled about the rest?
If then you are unable to do even a very little thing, why be over-anxious about other matters?
27 Give thought to the flowers: they do no work, they make no thread; and still I say to you, Even Solomon, in all his glory, was not clothed like one of these.
Observe the lilies, how they grow. They neither labour nor spin. And yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was as beautifully dressed as one of these.
28 But if God gives such clothing to the grass in the field, which today is living, and tomorrow will be burned in the oven, how much more will he give clothing to you, O men of little faith?
But if God so clothes the vegetation in the fields, that blooms to-day and to-morrow will be thrown into the oven, how much more certainly will He clothe you, you men of feeble faith!
29 And do not give overmuch thought to your food and drink, and let not your mind be full of doubts.
"Therefore, do not be asking what you are to eat nor what you are to drink; and do not waver between hope and fear.
30 For the nations of the world go in search of all these things: but your Father has knowledge that you have need of them.
For though the nations of the world pursue these things, as for you, your Father knows that you need them.
31 But let your chief care be for his kingdom, and these other things will be given to you in addition.
But make His Kingdom the object of your pursuit, and these things shall be given you in addition.
32 Have no fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
"Dismiss your fears, little flock: your Father finds a pleasure in giving you the Kingdom.
33 Give what property you have in exchange for money, and give the money to the poor; make for yourselves money-bags which will not get old, wealth stored up in heaven which will be yours for ever, where thieves will not come nor worms put it to destruction.
Sell your possessions and give alms. Provide yourselves with purses that will never wear out, a treasure inexhaustible in Heaven, where no thief can come nor moth consume.
34 For where your wealth is, there will your heart be.
For where your wealth is stored, there also will your heart be.
35 Be ready, dressed as for a journey, with your lights burning.
"Have your girdles on, and let your lamps be alight;
36 And be like men who are looking for their lord, when he comes back from the bride-feast; so that when he comes to the door, it will be open to him quickly.
and be yourselves like men waiting for their master--on the look-out till he shall return from the wedding feast--that, when he comes and knocks, they may open the door instantly.
37 Happy are those servants who are watching when the lord comes; truly I say to you, he will make himself their servant and, placing them at the table, he will come out and give them food.
Blessed are those servants, whom their Master when He comes shall find on the watch. I tell you in solemn truth, that He will tie an apron round Him, and will bid them recline at table while He comes and waits on them.
38 And if he comes in the second division of the night or in the third, and they are watching for him, happy are those servants.
And whether it be in the second watch or in the third that He comes and finds them so, blessed are they.
39 But be certain of this, that if the master of the house had had knowledge of the time when the thief was coming, he would have been watching, and would not have let his house be broken into.
Of this be sure, that if the master of the house had known what time the robber was coming, he would have kept awake and not have allowed his house to be broken into.
40 So be ready: for the Son of man is coming at a time when you are not looking for him.
Be you also ready, for at an hour when you are not expecting Him the Son of Man will come."
41 And Peter said to him, Lord, are these words said to us only, or to all men?
"Master," said Peter, "are you addressing this parable to us, or to all alike?"
42 And the Lord said, Who then is the wise and responsible servant whom his lord will put in control of his family, to give them their food at the right time?
"Who, then," replied the Lord, "is the faithful and intelligent steward whom his Master will put in charge of His household to serve out their rations at the proper times?
43 Happy is that servant who, when his lord comes, is doing so.
Blessed is that servant whom his Master when He comes shall find so doing.
44 Truly I say to you, he will put him in control of all his goods.
I tell you truly that He will put him in authority over all His possessions.
45 But if that servant says to himself, My lord is a long time coming; and goes about giving blows to the men-servants and the women-servants, feasting and taking overmuch wine;
But if that servant should say in his heart, 'My Master is a long time in coming,' and should begin to beat the menservants and the maids, and to eat and drink, drinking even to excess;
46 The lord of that servant will come at a time when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not ready for him, and he will have him cut in two and will give him his part in the fate of those who have no faith;
that servant's Master will come on a day when he is not expecting Him and at an hour that he knows not of, and will punish him severely, and make him share the lot of the unfaithful.
47 And the servant who had knowledge of his lord's desires and was not ready for him and did not do as he was ordered, will be given a great number of blows;
And that servant who has been told his Master's will and yet made no preparation and did not obey His will, will receive many lashes.
48 But he who, without knowledge, did things for which punishment is given, will get only a small number of blows. The man to whom much is given, will have to give much; if much is given into his care, of him more will be requested.
But he who had not been told it and yet did what deserved the scourge, will receive but few lashes. To whomsoever much has been given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been entrusted, of him a larger amount will be demanded.
49 I came to send a fire on the earth, and it may even now have been lighted.
"I came to throw fire upon the earth, and what is my desire? Oh that it were even now kindled!
50 But there is a baptism which I have to undergo; and how am I kept back till it is complete!
But I have a baptism to undergo; and how am I pent up till it is accomplished!
51 Is it your opinion that I have come to give peace on earth? I say to you, No, but division:
Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? No, I tell you that I came to bring dissension.
52 For from this time, a family of five in one house will be on opposite sides, three against two and two against three.
For from this time there will be in one house five persons split into parties. Three will form a party against two and two will form a party against three;
53 They will be at war, the father against his son, and the son against his father; mother against daughter, and daughter against mother; mother-in-law against daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.
father against son and son against father; mother attacking daughter and daughter her mother, mother-in-law her daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law her mother-in-law."
54 Then he said to the people, When you see a cloud coming up in the west, straight away you say, There will be rain; and so it is.
Then He said to the people also, "When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, 'There is to be a shower;' and it comes to pass.
55 And when you see a south wind blowing, you say, There will be heat; and so it is.
And when you see a south wind blowing, you say, 'It will be burning hot;' and it comes to pass.
56 O false ones! the face of the earth and the heaven is clear to you; how is it that the signs of these times are not as clear to you?
Vain pretenders! You know how to read the aspect of earth and sky. How is it you cannot read this present time?
57 And why are you, in your hearts, unable to be judges of what is right?
"Why, too, do you not of yourselves arrive at just conclusions?
58 For if anyone has a cause at law against you, and you are going with him before the ruler, make an attempt, on the way, to come to an agreement with him, for if you do not, he may take you before the judge and the judge will give you up to the police, and they will put you in prison.
For when, with your opponent, you are going before the magistrate, on the way take pains to get out of his power; for fear that, if he should drag you before the judge, the judge may hand you over to the officer of the court, and the officer lodge you in prison.
59 I say to you, You will not come out of it till you have made payment to the very last farthing.
Never, I tell you, will you get free till you have paid the last farthing."
