Luke 12
1 Then, as great crowds were standing so close that they were stepping on one another, he began to say to his disciples: “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
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.
2 For there is nothing covered, which will not be revealed, nor anything hidden, which will not be known.
There is nothing, however covered up, which will not be uncovered, nor anything kept secret which will not become known.
3 For the things that you have spoken in darkness will be declared in the light. And what you have said in the ear in bedrooms will be proclaimed from the housetops.
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.
4 So I say to you, my friends: Do not be fearful of those who kill the body, and afterwards 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 reveal to you whom you should fear. Fear him who, after he will have killed, has the power to cast into Hell. So I say to 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 the Pit. Yes, I say, be afraid of him. (Geenna g1067)
6 Are not five sparrows sold for two small coins? And yet not one of these is forgotten in the sight of God.
Are not five sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them has escaped God’s notice.
7 But even the very hairs of your head have all been numbered. Therefore, do not be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows.
No, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.
8 But I say to you: Everyone who will have confessed me before men, the Son of man will also confess him before the Angels of God.
Every one, I tell you, who shall acknowledge me before his fellow men, the Son of Man, also, will acknowledge before God’s angels;
9 But everyone who will have denied me before men, he will be denied before the Angels of God.
but he, who disowns me before his fellow men, will be altogether disowned before God’s angels.
10 And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of man, it will be forgiven of him. But of him who will have blasphemed against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven.
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.
11 And when they will lead you to the synagogues, and to magistrates and authorities, do not choose to be worried about how or what you will answer, or about what you might 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 will teach you, in the same hour, what you must say.”
for the Holy Spirit will show you at the moment what you ought to say.”
13 And someone from the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me.”
“Teacher,” a man in the crowd said to Jesus, “tell my brother to share the property with me.”
14 But he said to him, “Man, who has appointed me as judge or arbitrator over you?”
But Jesus said to him: “Man, who made me a judge or an arbiter between you?”
15 So he said to them: “Be cautious and wary of all avarice. For a person’s life is not found in the abundance of the things that he possesses.”
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.”
16 Then he spoke to them using a comparison, saying: “The fertile land of a certain wealthy man produced crops.
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 should I do? For I have nowhere to gather together my crops.’
and he began to ask himself ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?
18 And he said: ‘This is what I will do. I will tear down my barns and build larger ones. And into these, I will gather all the things that have been grown for me, as well as 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 many goods, stored up for many years. Relax, eat, drink, and be cheerful.’
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 to him: ‘Foolish one, this very night they require your soul of you. To whom, then, will those things belong, which you have prepared?’
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 it is with him who stores up for himself, and is not wealthy with 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 to his disciples: “And so I say to you: Do not choose to be anxious about your life, as to what you may eat, nor about your body, as to what you will wear.
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.
23 Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.
For life is more than food, and the body than its clothes.
24 Consider the ravens. For they neither sow nor reap; there is no storehouse or barn for them. And yet God pastures them. How much more are you, compared to them?
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 But which of you, by thinking, is able to add one cubit to his stature?
But which of you, by being anxious, can prolong his life a moment?
26 Therefore, if you are not capable, in what is so little, why be anxious about 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 neither work nor weave. But I say to you, not even Solomon, in all his glory, was clothed 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 Therefore, if God so clothes the grass, which is in the field today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, how much more you, O little in faith?
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!
29 And so, do not choose to inquire as to what you will eat, or what you will drink. And do not choose to be lifted up on high.
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 are sought by the Gentiles of the world. And your Father knows that 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 Yet truly, seek first the kingdom of God, and his justice, and all these things shall be added to you.
No, seek his Kingdom, and these things shall be added for you.
32 Do not be afraid, little flock; for it has pleased your Father 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 what you possess, and give alms. Make for yourselves purses that will not wear out, a treasure that will not fall short, in heaven, where no thief approaches, and no 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 waists be girded, and let lamps be burning in your hands.
Make yourselves ready, with your lamps alight;
36 And let you yourselves be like men awaiting their lord, when he will return from the wedding; so that, when he arrives and knocks, they may open to him promptly.
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.
37 Blessed are those servants whom the Lord, when he returns, will find being vigilant. Amen I say to you, that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, while he, continuing on, will minister to them.
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.
38 And if he will return in the second watch, or if in the third watch, and if he will find them to be so: then 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 But know this: that if the father of the family knew at what hour the thief would arrive, he would certainly stand watch, and he would not permit his house to be broken into.
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 You also must be prepared. For the Son of man will return at an hour that you will not realize.”
Do you also prepare, for when you are least expecting him the Son of Man will come.”
41 Then Peter said to him, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or also to everyone?”
“Master,” said Peter, “are you telling this parable with reference to us or to every one?”
42 So the Lord said: “Who do you think is the faithful and prudent steward, whom his Lord has appointed over his family, in order to give them their measure of wheat in due time?
“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 if, when his Lord will return, he will find him acting in this manner.
Happy will that servant be whom his master, when he comes home, shall find doing this.
44 Truly I say to you, that he will appoint him over all that he possesses.
His master, I tell you, will put him in charge of the whole of his property.
45 But if that servant will have said in his heart, ‘My Lord has made a delay in his return,’ and if he has begun to strike the men and women servants, and to eat and drink, and to be inebriated,
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 then the Lord of that servant will return on a day which he hoped not, and at an hour which he knew not. And he will separate him, and he will place his portion with that of the unfaithful.
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, who knew the will of his Lord, and who did not prepare and did not act according to his will, will be beaten many times over.
The servant who knows his master’s wishes and yet does not prepare and act accordingly will receive many lashes;
48 Yet he who did not know, and who acted in a way that deserves a beating, will be beaten fewer times. So then, of all to whom much has been given, much will be required. And of those to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be asked.
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.
49 I have come to cast a fire upon the earth. And what should I desire, except that it may be kindled?
I came to cast fire upon the earth; and what more can I wish, if it is already kindled?
50 And I have a baptism, with which I am to be baptized. And how I am constrained, even until it may be accomplished!
There is a baptism that I must undergo, and how great is my distress until it is over!
51 Do you think that I have come to give peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but division.
Do you think that I am here to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but to cause division.
52 For from this time on, there will be five in one house: divided as three against two, and as 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 A father will be divided against a son, and a son against his father; a mother against a daughter and a daughter against a mother; a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and a 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 also said to the crowds: “When you see a cloud rising from the setting of the sun, immediately you say, ‘A rain cloud is coming.’ And so it does.
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 a south wind is blowing, you say, ‘It will be hot.’ And so it is.
And when you see that the wind is in the south, you say ‘It will be burning hot,’ and so it proves.
56 You hypocrites! You discern the face of the heavens, and of the earth, yet how is it that 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 And why do you not, even among yourselves, judge what is just?
Why do not you yourselves decide what is right?
58 So, when you are going with your adversary to the ruler, while you are on the way, make an effort to be freed from him, lest perhaps he may lead you to the judge, and the judge may deliver you to the officer, and the officer may 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; 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.
59 I tell you, you will not depart from there, until you have paid the very last coin.”
You will not, I tell you, come out until you have paid the very last farthing.”
