Luke 12
Warnings to Jesus’ friends
1 When a crowd of thousands upon thousands had gathered so that they were crushing each other, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples. “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees—I mean, the mismatch between their hearts and lives.2 Nothing is hidden that won’t be revealed, and nothing is secret that won’t be brought out into the open.
3 Therefore, whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light, and whatever you have whispered in the rooms deep inside the house will be announced from the rooftops.
4 “I tell you, my friends, don’t be terrified by those who can kill the body but after that can do nothing more.5 I’ll show you whom you should fear: fear the one who, after you have been killed, has the authority to throw you into hell. Indeed, I tell you, that’s the one you should fear.6 Aren’t five sparrows sold for two small coins?t Yet not one of them is overlooked by God.
7 Even the hairs on your head are all counted. Don’t be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows.
Acknowledging the Human One
8 "I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before humans, the Human Onet will acknowledge before God’s angels.9 But the one who rejects me before others will be rejected before God’s angels.10 Anyone who speaks a word against the Human Onet will be forgiven, but whoever insults the Holy Spirit won’t be forgiven.11 When they bring you before the synagogues, rulers,and authorities, don’t worry about how to defend yourself or what you should say.
12 The Holy Spirit will tell you at that very moment what you must say."
Warning against greed
13 Someone from the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."
14 Jesus said to him, "Man, who appointed me as judge or referee between you and your brother?"
15 Then Jesus said to them, "Watch out! Guard yourself against all kinds of greed. After all, one’s life isn’t determined by one’s possessions, even when someone is very wealthy."16 Then he told them a parable: "A certain rich man’s land produced a bountiful crop.17 He said to himself, What will I do? I have no place to store my harvest!18 Then he thought, Here’s what I’ll do. I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. That’s where I’ll store all my grain and goods.19 I’ll say to myself, You have stored up plenty of goods, enough for several years. Take it easy! Eat, drink, and enjoy yourself.20 But God said to him, ‘Fool, tonight you will die. Now who will get the things you have prepared for yourself?’
21 This is the way it will be for those who hoard things for themselves and aren’t rich toward God."
Warning about worry
22 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Therefore, I say to you, don’t worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear.23 There is more to life than food and more to the body than clothing.24 Consider the ravens: they neither plant nor harvest, they have no silo or barn, yet God feeds them. You are worth so much more than birds!25 Who among you by worrying can add a single moment to your life?t26 If you can’t do such a small thing, why worry about the rest?27 Notice how the lilies grow. They don’t wear themselves out with work, and they don’t spin cloth. But I say to you that even Solomon in all his splendor wasn’t dressed like one of these.28 If God dresses grass in the field so beautifully, even though it’s alive today and tomorrow it’s thrown into the furnace, how much more will God do for you, you people of weak faith!29 Don’t chase after what you will eat and what you will drink. Stop worrying.30 All the nations of the world long for these things. Your Father knows that you need them.
31 Instead, desire his kingdom and these things will be given to you as well.
32 “Don’t be afraid, little flock, because your Father delights in giving you the kingdom.33 Sell your possessions and give to those in need. Make for yourselves wallets that don’t wear out—a treasure in heaven that never runs out. No thief comes near there, and no moth destroys.
34 Where your treasure is, there your heart will be too.
Warning about being prepared
35 "Be dressed for service and keep your lamps lit.36 Be like people waiting for their master to come home from a wedding celebration, who can immediately open the door for him when he arrives and knocks on the door.37 Happy are those servants whom the master finds waiting up when he arrives. I assure you that, when he arrives, he will dress himself to serve, seat them at the table as honored guests, and wait on them.38 Happy are those whom he finds alert, even if he comes at midnight or just before dawn.t39 But know this, if the homeowner had known what time the thief was coming, he wouldn’t have allowed his home to be broken into.
40 You also must be ready, because the Human Onet is coming at a time when you don’t expect him."
41 Peter said, "Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for everyone?"
42 The Lord replied, “Who are the faithful and wise managers whom the master will put in charge of his household servants, to give them their food at the proper time?43 Happy are the servants whom the master finds fulfilling their responsibilities when he comes.
44 I assure you that the master will put them in charge of all his possessions.
45 “But suppose that these servants should say to themselves, My master is taking his time about coming. And suppose they began to beat the servants, both men and women, and to eat, drink, and get drunk.46 The master of those servants would come on a day when they weren’t expecting him, at a time they couldn’t predict. The master will cut them into pieces and assign them a place with the unfaithful.47 That servant who knew his master’s will but didn’t prepare for it or act on it will be beaten severely.
48 The one who didn’t know the master’s will but who did things deserving punishment will be beaten only a little. Much will be demanded from everyone who has been given much, and from the one who has been entrusted with much, even more will be asked.
Conflicts brought by Jesus
49 "I came to cast fire upon the earth. How I wish that it was already ablaze!50 I have a baptism I must experience. How I am distressed until it’s completed!51 Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, I have come instead to bring division.52 From now on, a household of five will be divided—three against two and two against three.
53 Father will square off against son and son against father; mother against daughter and daughter against mother; and mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."
Learning and practicing good judgment
54 Jesus also said to the crowds, "When you see a cloud forming in the west, you immediately say, ‘It’s going to rain.’ And indeed it does.55 And when a south wind blows, you say, ‘A heat wave is coming.’ And it does.56 Hypocrites! You know how to interpret conditions on earth and in the sky. How is it that you don’t know how to interpret the present time?57 And why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right?58 As you are going to court with your accuser, make your best effort to reach a settlement along the way. Otherwise, your accuser may bring you before the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison.
59 I tell you, you won’t get out of there until you have paid the very last cent."t
Luke 12
Fear God, Not People
1 Meanwhile,t when many thousands of the crowd had gathered so that they were trampling on one another, Jesust began to speak first to his disciples, “Be on your guard againstt the yeast of the Pharisees,s which is hypocrisy.s2 Nothing is hiddent that will not be revealed,s and nothing is secret that will not be made known.
3 So thent whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whisperedt in private roomss will be proclaimed from the housetops.t
4 “It tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body,s and after that have nothing more they can do.5 But I will warnt you whom you should fear: Fear the one who, after the killing,s has authority to throw yout into hell.s Yes, I tell you, fear him!6 Aren’t five sparrows sold for two pennies?s Yet not one of them is forgotten before God.
7 In fact, even the hairs on your head are all numbered. Do not be afraid;s you are more valuable than many sparrows.
8 “It tell you, whoever acknowledgest me before men,t the Son of Man will also acknowledges before God’s angels.9 But the one who denies me before men will be denied before God’s angels.10 And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the person who blasphemes against the Holy Spirits will not be forgiven.t11 But when they bring you before the synagogues,ss thet rulers, and the authorities, do not worry about how you should make your defenset or what you should say,
12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that momentt what you must say.”t
The Parable of the Rich Landowner
13 Thent someone from the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tells my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”14 But Jesust said to him, “Man,t who made me a judge or arbitrator between you two?”t15 Thent he said to them, “Watch out and guard yourself fromt all types of greed,t because one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”16 He thent told them a parable:t “The land of a certain rich man producedt an abundant crop,17 sot he thought to himself,t ‘What should I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’s18 Thent he said, ‘Is will do this: I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.19 And I will say to myself,t “You have plenty of goods stored up for many years; relax, eat, drink, celebrate!”’20 But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your lifet will be demanded back fromt you, but who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’t
21 So it is with the one who stores up riches for himself,s but is not rich toward God.”
Exhortation Not to Worry
22 Thent Jesust said to hiss disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worryt about yours life, what you will eat, or about yourss body, what you will wear.23 For there is more to life than food, and more to the body than clothing.24 Consider the ravens:t They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn, yet God feedst them. How much more valuable are you than the birds!25 And which of you by worryingt can add an hour to his life?t26 So ift you cannot do such a very little thing as this, why do you worry aboutt the rest?27 Consider how the flowerst grow; they do not workt or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these!28 And ift this is how God clothes the wild grass,t which is heret today and tomorrow is tossed into the fire to heat the oven,ts how much mores will he clothe you, you people of little faith!29 Sot do not be overly concerned aboutt what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not worry about such things.t30 For all the nations of the world pursuet these things, and your Father knows that you need them.
31 Instead, pursuet hiss kingdom,s and these things will be given to you as well.
32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is well pleasedt to give you the kingdom.33 Sell your possessionss and give to the poor.t Provide yourselves purses that do not wear out – a treasure in heavent that never decreases,t where no thief approaches and no motht destroys.
34 For where your treasures is, there your heart will be also.
Call to Faithful Stewardship
35 “Get dressed for servicet and keep your lamps burning;s36 be like peoplet waiting for their master to come back from the wedding celebration,s so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him.37 Blessed are those slavest whom their master finds alertt when he returns! I tell you the truth,t he will dress himself to serve,t have them take their place at the table,t and will comet and wait on them!s38 Even if he comes in the second or third watch of the nights and finds them alert,t blessed are those slaves!t39 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thiefs was coming, he would not have lets his house be broken into.
40 You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”s
41 Thent Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for everyone?”s42 The Lord replied,t “Who then is the faithful and wise manager,t whom the master puts in charge of his household servants,t to give them their allowance of food at the proper time?43 Blessed is that slavet whom his master finds at workt when he returns.44 I tell you the truth,t the mastert will put him in charge of all his possessions.45 But ift thatt slave should say to himself,t ‘My master is delayedt in returning,’ and he begins to beats the othert slaves, both men and women,t and to eat, drink, and get drunk,46 then the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not foresee, and will cut him in two,t and assign him a place with the unfaithful.t47 Thatt servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or do what his master askedt will receive a severe beating.
48 But the one who did not know his master’s willt and did things worthy of punishmentt will receive a light beating.t From everyone who has been given much, much will be required,t and from the one who has been entrusted with much,s even more will be asked.t
Not Peace, but Division
49 “I have comes to bringt fire on the earth – and how I wish it were already kindled!50 I have a baptisms to undergo,t and how distressed I am until it is finished!51 Do you think I have come to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!t52 For from now ons there will be five in one household divided, three against two and two against three.
53 They will be divided,t 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.”
Reading the Signs
54 Jesust also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west,s you say at once, ‘A rainstormt is coming,’ and it does.55 And when you see the south winds blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat,’ and there is.
56 You hypocrites!s You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how can you not know hows to interpret the present time?
Clear the Debts
57 “Andt why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right?58 As you are going with your accuser before the magistrate,s make an effort to settle with him on the way, so that he will not drag you before the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer,s and the officer throw you into prison.
59 I tell you, you will never get out of there until you have paid the very last cent!”ts