Luke 12
1 In the meantime so many thousands of people had gathered that they were stepping on each another. Jesus began speaking first to his disciples. “Beware the yeast of the Pharisees—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's nothing hidden that won't be revealed, nothing secret that won't be made known.
There is nothing, however covered up, which will not be uncovered, nor anything kept secret which will not become known.
3 Whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and whatever you whispered in private will be announced from the rooftops.
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 I tell you, my friends, don't be afraid of those who kill the body, for once they've done that there's no more 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 Let me make it clear whom you should be afraid of. You should be afraid of the one who after he has killed has the power to dispose of them in Gehenna. That's the one you should be afraid of. (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 Aren't five sparrows sold for two pennies? But God doesn't forget a single one of them.
Are not five sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them has escaped God’s notice.
7 Even the hairs on your head have been counted. Don't be afraid—you're 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 I tell you the truth, those who declare they belong to me, the Son of man will also declare they belong to him before God's angels,
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 those who deny me will be denied before God's angels.
but he, who disowns me before his fellow men, will be altogether disowned before God’s angels.
10 Everyone who speaks against the Son of man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit 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 When you're brought to trial before synagogues, rulers, and authorities, don't worry about how to defend yourself, 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 The Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what's important to say.”
for the Holy Spirit will show you at the moment what you ought to say.”
13 Someone in the crowd asked Jesus, “Teacher, please 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 “My friend,” Jesus replied, “Who appointed me as your judge to decide how your inheritance should be divided?” He told the people,
But Jesus said to him: “Man, who made me a judge or an arbiter between you?”
15 “Watch out, and beware of all greedy thoughts and actions, for a person's life isn't summed up by all the things they own.”
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 told them a story as an illustration. “Once there was a rich man who owned land that was very productive.
Then Jesus told them this parable — “There was once a rich man whose land was very fertile;
17 The man said to himself, ‘What shall I do? I've nowhere to store my crops.
and he began to ask himself ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?
18 I know what I'll do,’ he decided. ‘I'll pull down my barns and build bigger ones, and then I'll be able to store all my crops and everything I own.
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 Then I'll tell myself: You have enough to live on for many years, so 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, ‘You foolish man! Your life will be demanded back this very night, and then who will get everything you've stored up?’
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 This is what happens to people who hoard up wealth for themselves but are not rich as far as God is concerned.”
So it is with those who lay by wealth for themselves and are not rich to the glory of God.”
22 Jesus told his disciples, “That's why I tell you don't worry about life, about what to eat, or about what clothes you should 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 about more than food, and the body is about more than wearing clothes.
For life is more than food, and the body than its clothes.
24 Look at the ravens. They don't sow or reap, they don't have any storerooms or barns, but God feeds them. And you're far more valuable than 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 Can you add an hour to your life by worrying about it?
But which of you, by being anxious, can prolong his life a moment?
26 If you can't do anything about such small things, why worry about the rest?
And, if you cannot do even the smallest thing, why be anxious about other things?
27 Think of the lilies and how they grow. They don't work, and they don't spin thread for clothes, but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory was as beautifully dressed as one of them.
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 clothes the fields with such beautiful flowers, which are here today but gone tomorrow when they are burned in a fire to heat an oven, how much more will God clothe you, you who have so little trust!
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 Don't be concerned about what you're going to eat or drink—don't worry about it.
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 These are all things that people in the world worry about, but your Father knows 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 Search for God's kingdom, and you'll be given these things as well.
No, seek his Kingdom, and these things shall be added for you.
32 Don't be afraid, little flock, for your Father is happy 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 have, and give the money to the poor. Get yourselves purses that don't wear out: treasure in heaven that will never run out, where no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it.
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 what you value the most shows who you really are.
For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.
35 Be dressed and ready, and keep your lamps lit,
Make yourselves ready, with your lamps alight;
36 like servants waiting for their master when he returns from his wedding feast, prepared to open the door quickly for him when he comes and knocks.
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 How good it will be for those servants that the master finds watching when he returns. I tell you the truth, he will get dressed, have them sit down for a meal, and will come and serve them himself!
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 Even if he comes at midnight, or just before dawn—how good for them if he finds them watching and ready!
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 remember this: if the master knew when a thief was coming, he would keep watch, and not allow his house 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 must also be ready, for the Son of man is coming when you don't expect him.”
Do you also prepare, for when you are least expecting him the Son of Man will come.”
41 “Is this story you're telling just for us, or for everyone?” Peter asked.
“Master,” said Peter, “are you telling this parable with reference to us or to every one?”
42 The Lord replied, “Who then is the trustworthy and wise manager, the one person in the household that the master puts in charge to share out their food 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 It will be good for that servant when his master returns and finds him doing what he should.
Happy will that servant be whom his master, when he comes home, shall find doing this.
44 I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of everything.
His master, I tell you, will put him in charge of the whole of his property.
45 But what if the servant were to say to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and then starts beating the other servants, both men and women, feasting and getting 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 That servant's master will return unexpectedly one day at a time he wasn't aware of, and will punish him severely, treating him as totally untrustworthy.
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 what his master wanted and yet didn't get ready or follow his instructions, will be beaten severely;
The servant who knows his master’s wishes and yet does not prepare and act accordingly will receive many lashes;
48 but the servant who didn't know and did things deserving punishment will be beaten only lightly. From those who are given much, much will be required, and from those who are entrusted with more, more will be demanded.
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 set the earth on fire, and I really wish it was already burning!
I came to cast fire upon the earth; and what more can I wish, if it is already kindled?
50 But I have a baptism to go through, and I'm in agony, wishing it was over!
There is a baptism that I must undergo, and how great is my distress until it is over!
51 Do you think that I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, I bring division.
Do you think that I am here to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but to cause division.
52 From now on, if there are five in a family, they will be divided against each other: 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 They will be divided against each other—father against son, son against father, mother against daughter, daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against 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 Jesus spoke to the crowds. “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, ‘a rain-shower's coming,’ and it happens.
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 When a south wind blows, you say ‘it's going to be hot,’ and 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, how is it that you know how to rightly interpret the weather but you don't know how to interpret the present 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 Why don't you think for yourselves and judge what's the right thing to do?
Why do not you yourselves decide what is right?
58 As you go with your accuser to the magistrate, on the way you should be working on a settlement. Otherwise you may be dragged before the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer 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; 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 won't get out until you've paid the last penny.”
You will not, I tell you, come out until you have paid the very last farthing.”
