Luke 12
1 Meanwhile, when a crowd of thousands had converged, so that they were stepping on each other, He began to speak first to His disciples: “Guard yourselves from the ‘yeast’ 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 There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that 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 Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the ear behind closed doors will be proclaimed from 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 “Further, I say to you, my friends: do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have nothing 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 Rather, I will advise you whom you should fear—fear Him who after He kills has authority to cast into Gehenna; yes indeed, 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 copper coins? Yet 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 Even the hairs of your head are all numbered! So do not be afraid; you are far more valuable than 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 to you, whoever claims me before men, the Son of the Man will also claim him 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 whoever disclaims me before men will be disclaimed before the angels of God.
but the person who publicly disowns me will be altogether disowned before God’s angels.
10 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of the Man, it can be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit it will 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 Now whenever they bring you before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how or what you will answer, or what you should 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 Because the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you need to say.”
for the Holy Spirit will show you at the moment what you ought to say.’
13 Then someone from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide 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 appointed me a judge or an arbiter over you?”
But Jesus said to him, ‘Man, who made me a judge or an arbiter between you?’
15 Then He said to them, “Keep alert and guard against covetousness, because one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
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 Then He told them a parable, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man produced well.
Then Jesus told them this parable – ‘There was once a rich man whose land was very fertile;
17 And he reasoned within himself saying, ‘What shall I do, because I have no place to store my crops?’
and he began to ask himself “What will I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?
18 Then he said: ‘This is what I will do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my produce 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 many goods laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and enjoy yourself!’
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: ‘Stupid! This very night your life is being taken back from you; then who will get the things 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 Just like that is he who accumulates 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 Then He said to His disciples: “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, 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; or about your body – what you can get to wear.
23 Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.
For life is more than food, and the body than its clothes.
24 Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storeroom nor barn, and God feeds them. You are far more valuable than the birds!
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 who among you can add one cubit to his height by worrying?
But which of you, by being anxious, can prolong your life a moment?
26 So if you cannot do even such a little thing, why worry 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 toil nor spin; I say to you, not even Solomon in all his splendor 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 So if God so clothes the grass that today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into an oven, how much more you, O little-faiths!
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 Do not concentrate on what you may eat or what you may drink; do not be anxious.
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 All these things really occupy the nations of the world, and your Father knows that you need them.
These are the things for which all the nations of the world are seeking, and your Father knows that you need them.
31 Rather, concentrate on the Kingdom of God, and all these things will be provided for you.
No, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added for you.
32 “Do not fear, little flock, because it pleased the 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 your possessions and give to charity. Make for yourselves ‘purses’ that will not wear out, an unfailing treasure in the heavens, where a thief cannot approach, nor a moth destroy.
‘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 Because where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.
35 “Let your waists be belted and your lamps burning,
Make yourselves ready, with your lamps alight;
36 and you yourselves like men waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding celebration, so that when he comes and knocks they may open to 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 slaves whom the master will find watching when he comes. Assuredly I say to you that he will gird himself and have them recline, and will come 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 should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those slaves.
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 master of the house had known in what hour the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and not allowed 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 Therefore you also be ready, because the Son of the Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
You must also prepare, for when you are least expecting him the Son of Man will come.’
41 Then Peter said to Him, “Lord, are you directing this parable to us, or to everyone?”
‘Master,’ said Peter, ‘are you telling this parable with reference to us or to everyone?’
42 So the Lord said: “Who then is the faithful and prudent steward whom his master will place over his household to give them the food allowance at the right 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 slave whom his master will find so doing when he comes.
Happy will that servant be whom his master, when he comes home, will find doing this.
44 I tell you truly that he will put him in charge of all his possessions.
His master, I tell you, will put him in charge of the whole of his property.
45 But if that servant should say in his heart, ‘My master won't come for a while,’ and should begin to hit the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk,
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 master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him, and at an hour that he does not know, and will cut him in two and appoint 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 “That servant who knew his master's will, but neither got ready nor did according to that will, will be beaten with many blows.
The servant who knows his master’s wishes and yet does not prepare and act accordingly will receive many lashes;
48 But he who did not know, yet did things worthy of blows, will be beaten with few. Everyone to whom much has been given, from him much will be required; and to whom much was entrusted, of him much 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 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 came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were 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 undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed!
There is a baptism that I must undergo, and how great is my distress until it is over!
51 Do you imagine that I came to provide peace on the earth? Not at all, I tell you, but rather division.
Do you think that I am here to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but to cause division.
52 Because from now on there will 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 Father will be divided against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and 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 Then He also said to the crowds: “Whenever you see a cloud rising from the west, immediately you say, ‘A rainstorm 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 whenever a south wind blows, you say, ‘It will be hot,’ and it happens.
And when you see that the wind is in the south, you say “It will be burning hot,” and so it proves.
56 Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky and of the earth, so how can you 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 Also why, even of yourselves, do you not judge what is right?
Why don’t you yourselves decide what is right?
58 “When you are going with your adversary to the magistrate, make every effort along the way to settle with him, lest he drag you to the judge, the judge deliver you to the bailiff, and the bailiff throw 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 will by no means get out of there until you have paid the last penny.”
You will not, I tell you, come out until you have paid the very last cent.’
