Luke 12
1 Amongst which things, when the ten thousands of the multitude were gathered together, so that they were treading one upon another, he began to be saying, unto his disciples, first—Be keeping yourselves free from the leaven of the Pharisees, the 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, nothing, hath been, covered up, which shall not be uncovered, and hidden, which 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 Because, as many things as, in the darkness, ye have said, in the light, shall be heard; and, what to the ear ye spake, in the chambers, shall be proclaimed on 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 And I say unto you, my friends—Do not be put in fear of them who kill the body, and, after these things, have nothing more uncommon which 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 suggest to you, whom ye should fear—Fear him who, after killing, hath authority to cast into gehenna, —Yea, I say unto you—Him, fear ye. (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 farthings? and, not one from among them, hath been 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, have all been numbered: Be not afraid: many sparrows, ye excel.
No, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.
8 And I say unto you—Whosoever shall confess me before men, even the Son of Man, will confess him, before the messengers of God;
Everyone, I tell you, who publicly acknowledges me, the Son of Man, also, will acknowledge before God’s angels;
9 But, he who denied me before men, shall be denied before the messengers of God.
but the person who publicly disowns me will be altogether disowned before God’s angels.
10 And, whosoever shall say a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but, unto him who, against the Holy Spirit, speaketh profanely, 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, whensoever they shall be bringing you in before the synagogues, and the rulers, and the authorities, do not be anxious how, [or what] ye shall answer, or what ye shall 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, shall teach you, in that very hour, what ye ought to say.
for the Holy Spirit will show you at the moment what you ought to say.’
13 And one from amongst the multitude said unto him—Teacher! bid my brother divide with me the inheritance.
‘Teacher,’ a man in the crowd said to Jesus, ‘tell my brother to share the property with me.’
14 But, he, said unto him—Man! who hath appointed me a judge or divider over you?
But Jesus said to him, ‘Man, who made me a judge or an arbiter between you?’
15 And he said unto them—Mind and be guarding yourselves from all covetousness; for not, in one’s abundance, doth his life spring out 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 And he spake a parable unto them, saying—A certain rich man’s estate, bare well.
Then Jesus told them this parable – ‘There was once a rich man whose land was very fertile;
17 And he began to deliberate within himself, saying—What shall I do? because I have not where I can gather my fruits.
and he began to ask himself “What will I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?
18 And he said—This, will I do, —I will pull down my barns, and, greater ones, build, and gather, there, all my wheat and good things;
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 will say to my soul—Soul! thou hast many good things [lying by for many years: be taking thy rest, eat, drink, ] be making 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 unto him—Simple one! on this very night, they are asking, thy soul, from thee; The things, then, which thou hast prepared, whose shall they be?
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 he that is laying up treasure for himself, and is not rich, towards 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 unto his disciples—For this cause, I say unto you, —Be not anxious for the life, what ye shall eat, nor yet for [your] body, what ye shall 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 For, the life, is more, than the food, and, the body, than, the clothing.
For life is more than food, and the body than its clothes.
24 Consider well the ravens—That they sow nor, neither do they reap, which have neither chamber nor barn, —and, God, feedeth, them! By how much do, ye, excel, 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 from among you, though anxious, can, unto his stature, add a cubit?
But which of you, by being anxious, can prolong your life a moment?
26 If then, not even the least thing, ye can do, why, concerning the rest, are ye anxious?
And, if you cannot do even the smallest thing, why be anxious about other things?
27 Consider well the lilies, how they grow: they toil not, neither do they spin, and yet I say unto you—Not even Solomon, in all his glory, was arrayed 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 But, if God thus adorneth, the grass, which is, in a field, to-day, and, to-morrow, into an oven, is cast, how much rather you, O little-of-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 Ye, therefore, be not seeking what ye shall eat and what ye shall drink, and be not held in suspense;
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, after all these things, do, the nations of the world, seek, —but, your Father, knoweth that ye need 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 Notwithstanding, be seeking his kingdom, —and, these things, shall be added unto you.
No, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added for you.
32 Be not afraid, the dear little flock! for your Father delighteth 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 wax not old, —treasure unfailing, in the heavens, where, thief, doth not draw near, and, moth, doth not spoil.
‘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 he also.
For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.
35 Let your loins be girded, and your lamps burning,
Make yourselves ready, with your lamps alight;
36 And, ye yourselves, like unto men awaiting their own lord, once he may break up out of the marriage-feast, —that, when he cometh and knocketh, straightway, they may open unto him.
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 Happy those servants, whom the lord, when he cometh, shall find watching! Verily, I say unto you—he will gird himself, and make them recline, and, coming near, will minister unto 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, in the second, or if, in the third, watch, he come and find, thus, happy, are, they!
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, of this, be taking note—Had the householder known, in what hour the thief was coming, he would have watched, and not suffered his house, to be digged through.
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 Ye, therefore, be getting ready, because, in what hour ye are not thinking, The Son of Man cometh!
You must also prepare, for when you are least expecting him the Son of Man will come.’
41 But Peter said—Lord! unto us, this parable, speakest thou? or, even unto all?
‘Master,’ said Peter, ‘are you telling this parable with reference to us or to everyone?’
42 And the Lord said—Who then is the faithful steward, the prudent one, whom the lord will appoint over his body of attendants, to be giving, in due season, the measured allowance of wheat?
‘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, that servant, whom the lord, when he cometh shall find doing, thus!
Happy will that servant be whom his master, when he comes home, will find doing this.
44 Of a truth, I say unto you—Over all his possessions, will he appoint him.
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 lord delayeth to come! and should begin to be striking the youths and the maidens, —to be eating also, and drinking, and making himself 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 lord of that servant, will have come—on a day when he is not expecting, and in an hour when he is not taking note, —and will cut him asunder, and, his part, with the unfaithful, will appoint.
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 had come to know the will of his lord, and neither prepared, nor wrought unto 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 Whereas, he who had not come to know, and did things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. And, every one to whom was given much, much, shall be sought from him; and, he to whom they committed much, for more than common, will they ask him.
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 Fire, came I to cast upon the earth, —and what can I wish, if, already, it hath been, kindled?
I came to cast fire on the earth; and what more can I wish, if it is already kindled?
50 But, an immersion, have I, to be immersed with, and how am I distressed, until it be ended!
There is a baptism that I must undergo, and how great is my distress until it is over!
51 Suppose ye, that, peace, I am come to give in the earth? Nay, 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 For there shall be, henceforth, 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 There shall be divided—Father against son, and son against father, mother against daughter, and daughter against the mother, —mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and 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 went on to say, even unto the multitudes, —Whensoever ye see a cloud springing up from the west, straightway, ye are saying—A thunderstorm is coming! and it happeneth thus.
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, whensoever a south wind, blowing, ye say—A scorching heat, will there be! and it cometh to pass.
And when you see that the wind is in the south, you say “It will be burning hot,” and so it proves.
56 Hypocrites! the face of the earth and of the heaven, ye know how to scan; but, this season, how know ye not to scan;
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, moreover, even from yourselves, judge ye not what is just?
Why don’t you yourselves decide what is right?
58 For, as thou art going along with thine adversary unto a ruler, on the way, take pains to get a release from him; lest once he drag thee along unto the judge, and, the judge, deliver thee up to the punisher, —and, the punisher, cast thee 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 thee—In nowise shalt thou come out from thence, until, even the last fraction, thou pay!
You will not, I tell you, come out until you have paid the very last cent.’
