Luke 12
1 In the meantime, myriads of the multitude having gathered together, So that they trode on one another, He began to speak to His disciples first; Take heed unto yourselves from the leaven 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 But there is nothing hidden, which shall not be revealed: and concealed, that shall not be made known.
There is nothing, however covered up, which will not be uncovered, nor anything kept secret which will not become known.
3 Therefore so many things as you spoke in the darkness shall be heard in the light; and whatsoever you spoke in the ear in the secret chambers shall be proclaimed upon the houses.
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 And I say unto you, my friends, Be not afraid of those killing the body, and after these things, having nothing more to 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 show you whom you must fear: Fear him, who after he kills has power to cast into hell. Yea, I say unto 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 Gehenna. Yes, I say, be afraid of him. (Geenna g1067)
6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? and one of them is not forgotten before God.
Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? Yet not one of them has escaped God’s notice.
7 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not: ye are more important than many sparrows.
No, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.
8 But I say unto you, that every one who may confess me before the people, the Son of man will also confess 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 the one denying me before the people will be denied before the angels of God.
but the person who publicly disowns me will be altogether disowned before God’s angels.
10 And every one who shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but to him having blasphemed against the Holy Ghost, it shall 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 But when they may carry you into the synagogues, and tribunals, and authorities; do not be solicitous as to what you may apologize, or what you may 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 that hour the things which it behooveth you to speak.
for the Holy Spirit will show you at the moment what you ought to say.’
13 And a certain one from the multitude said to Him, Teacher, speak to 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 And He said to him; Man, who established me judge or a divider over you?
But Jesus said to him, ‘Man, who made me a judge or an arbiter between you?’
15 And He said to them, See, and beware of all covetousness: because his life is not in that which aboundeth to any one, from those things belonging to him.
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 He spake a parable to them, saying, The farm of a certain rich man was very productive:
Then Jesus told them this parable – ‘There was once a rich man whose land was very fertile;
17 and he was reasoning in himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no place where I shall store my fruits?
and he began to ask himself “What will I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?
18 And he said, I will do this: I will take down my barns, and build greater, and there I will gather all my fruits 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, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, be merry.
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, Thou fool, this night they are demanding thy soul from thee; and to whom shall those things which thou hast prepared, belong?
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 is every one laying up treasure for himself, and 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 And He spoke to His disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Be not solicitous for your soul, what you may eat; nor for your body, what you may put on.
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 The soul is more than food, and the body more than raiment.
For life is more than food, and the body than its clothes.
24 Observe the ravens, because they neither sow nor reap; to which there is no storehouse nor barn, and God feeds them; are you not much better than the fowls?
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 which one of you being solicitous is able to add one moment to his existence?
But which of you, by being anxious, can prolong your life a moment?
26 If then you are powerless in the smallest matter, why are you solicitous about other things?
And, if you cannot do even the smallest thing, why be anxious about other things?
27 Observe the lilies, how they toil not, neither do they spin: and I say unto you, That Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed as 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 And if God so clothes the verdure flourishing in the fields to-day, and to-morrow cast into the oven; how much more are you, O ye of little faith?
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 And do not seek what you may eat, and what you may drink, and with what you are clothed;
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 the heathens of the world are seeking after all these things: but 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 Moreover seek His kingdom and these things shall be added unto you.
No, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added for you.
32 Fear not, little flock; because your Father is well pleased 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 alms; make for yourselves purses that will not get old, and treasure in the heavens which can not be stolen, where the thief does not draw nigh, nor the moth corrupt.
‘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 your heart will be.
For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.
35 Let your loins be girted, and your lamps burning;
Make yourselves ready, with your lamps alight;
36 and be you like unto men waiting for their lord, when he may rise up from the marriage feast; in order that, coming and knocking, they may open unto 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 servants, whom the lord having come will find watching: truly I say unto you, that he will gird himself, and have them sit down, and having come will 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 If at the second, and third, watch he may come, happy are ye.
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 Know this, that if the landlord knew at what hour the thief cometh, he would not have permitted 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 Be ye also ready: because at an hour you do not think the Son of man cometh.
You must also prepare, for when you are least expecting him the Son of Man will come.’
41 And Peter said to Him, Lord, do you speak this parable to us, or to all?
‘Master,’ said Peter, ‘are you telling this parable with reference to us or to everyone?’
42 The Lord said, Who then is the faithful, wise steward, whom the lord will establish over his house-hold, to give them their food in season?
‘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 Happy is that servant, whom his lord having come shall thus find watching.
Happy will that servant be whom his master, when he comes home, will find doing this.
44 Truly I say unto you, that he will establish him over all his possessions.
His master, I tell you, will put him in charge of the whole of his property.
45 But if that servant may say in his heart, my lord delayeth his coming, and may begin to smite the servants and handmaidens, and to eat and drink, and be drunken;
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 lord of that servant will come in a day in which he does not expect, and in an hour in which he does not know, and will cut him off, and will appoint his part 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 But that servant knowing the will of his lord, and not preparing or doing according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
The servant who knows his master’s wishes and yet does not prepare and act accordingly will receive many lashes;
48 But the one not knowing, and doing things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few. But to every one to whom much is given, much will be required of him: and to whom they commit much, of him they will ask the more.
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 have come to send fire on the earth; and what do I will, if it is already kindled?
I came to cast fire on the earth; and what more can I wish, if it is already kindled?
50 And I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it may be perfected!
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 on the earth? I say unto you, Nay, but division.
Do you think that I am here to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but to cause division.
52 For from now, there shall be five in one house divided, three shall be divided 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 the father against the son, and the son against the father; and the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother-in-law against the daughter-in-law, and the daughter-in-law against the 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 spoke to the multitudes, When you may see a cloud rising from the west, you immediately say, that the rain cometh; and it is so:
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 the south wind is blowing, you say, that it will be hot; and it is so.
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 know how to discern the face of the earth and the firmament; and how do 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 Why do you not judge righteous judgment, even with reference to yourselves?
Why don’t you yourselves decide what is right?
58 For as you go with your adversary to the ruler, give attention on the way that you be reconciled with him; lest he may deliver you to the judge, and the judge shall turn you over to the officer, and the officer will 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; 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 say unto you, You can by no means come out thence, till you have even paid the last mite.
You will not, I tell you, come out until you have paid the very last cent.’
