Luke 12
1 In the meantime, when many thousands of the people were gathered together, so much that they trampled on each other, he began to say to his disciples first of all, “Beware of 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 But there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, and nothing 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 So whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed upon 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 I say to you my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that they 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 warn you about whom to fear. Fear the one who, after he has killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, 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 Gehenna. Yes, I say, be afraid of him. (Geenna g1067)
6 Are not five sparrows sold for two small coins? Yet not one of them is forgotten in the sight of 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. Do not fear. You are more valuable 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 I say to you, everyone who confesses me before men, the Son of Man will also confess 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 he who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God.
but the person who publicly disowns me will be altogether disowned before God’s angels.
10 Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will 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 When they bring you before the synagogues, the rulers, and the authorities, do not worry about how you will speak in your defense, or what you will 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 what you should 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 Jesus said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or a mediator over you?”
But Jesus said to him, ‘Man, who made me a judge or an arbiter between you?’
15 He said to them, “Watch that you keep yourselves from all greedy desires, because a person's life does not consist of 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 Jesus told them a parable, saying, “The field of a rich man yielded abundantly,
Then Jesus told them this parable – ‘There was once a rich man whose land was very fertile;
17 and he reasoned with himself, saying, 'What will I do, because I do not have a place to store my crops?'
and he began to ask himself “What will I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?
18 He said, 'This is what I will do. I will pull down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all of my grain and other 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 I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods stored up for many years. Rest easy, 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, 'Foolish man, tonight your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will 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 That is what someone is like who stores up 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 Jesus said to his disciples, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat—or about your 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 For life is more than food, and the body is more than clothes.
For life is more than food, and the body than its clothes.
24 Consider the ravens, that they do not sow or reap. They have no storeroom or barn, but God feeds them. How much more valuable you are 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 Which of you by being anxious can add a cubit to his lifespan?
But which of you, by being anxious, can prolong your life a moment?
26 If then you are not able to do such a very little thing, why do you 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 do not labor, neither do they spin. Yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not 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 If God so clothes the grass in the field, which exists today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you 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 Do not look for what you will eat and what you will drink, and 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 For all the nations of the world look for these things, 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 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.
No, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added for you.
32 Do not fear, little flock, because your Father is very 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 to the poor. Make for yourselves purses which will not wear out—treasure in the heavens that does not run out, where no thief comes near, and no moth destroys.
‘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 also.
For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.
35 Let your long clothing be tucked in at your belt, and let your lamps be kept burning,
Make yourselves ready, with your lamps alight;
36 and be like people looking for their master when he returns from the marriage feast, so that when he comes and knocks, they may immediately open the door for 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 Blessed are those servants whom the master will find watching when he comes. Truly I say to you, he will tuck in his long clothing at his belt, and have them sit down at the table, and he 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 If the master comes in the second watch of the night, or if even in the third watch, and finds them ready, 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 understand this, that if the master of the house had known the hour the thief was coming he would not have let 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 Be ready also, because you do not know the hour when the Son of Man comes.”
You must also prepare, for when you are least expecting him the Son of Man will come.’
41 Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable only to us, or also to everyone?”
‘Master,’ said Peter, ‘are you telling this parable with reference to us or to everyone?’
42 The Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager whom his lord will set over his other servants to give them their portion of 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 Blessed is that servant whom his lord finds doing that when he comes.
Happy will that servant be whom his master, when he comes home, will find doing this.
44 Truly I say to you that he will set him over all his property.
His master, I tell you, will put him in charge of the whole of his property.
45 But if that servant says in his heart, 'My lord delays his return,' and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink, and to become 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 come in a day when he does not expect, and in an hour that he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and appoint a place for him with 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 That servant, having known his lord's will, and not having prepared or done according to his 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 the one who did not know and did what deserved a beating, he will be beaten with a few blows. But everyone who has been given much, from them much will be required, and the one who has been entrusted with much, 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 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 cast fire upon the earth, and how I wish that 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 be baptized with, and how I am distressed 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 think that I came to bring peace on the earth? No, 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 from now on there will be five in one house divided—three people against two, and two people 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, father 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 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 Jesus was saying to the crowds also, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, 'A shower is coming,' and so 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 is blowing, you say, 'There will be a scorching heat,' 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 earth and the heavens, but how is it that you do not 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 do you not judge what is right for yourselves?
Why don’t you yourselves decide what is right?
58 For when you go with your adversary before the magistrate, on the way make an effort to settle the matter with him so that he does not drag you to the judge, and so that the judge does not deliver you to the officer, and the officer does not 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 say to you, you will never come out from there until you have paid the very last bit of money.”
You will not, I tell you, come out until you have paid the very last cent.’
