Luke 12
1 Then, as great crowds were standing so close that they were stepping on one another, he began to say to his disciples: Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.2 For there is nothing covered, which will not be revealed, nor anything hidden, which will not be known.3 For the things that you have spoken in darkness will be declared in the light. And what you have said in the ear in bedrooms will be proclaimed from the housetops.4 So I say to you, my friends: Do not be fearful of those who kill the body, and afterwards have no more that they can do.5 But I will reveal to you whom you should fear. Fear him who, after he will have killed, has the power to cast into Hell. So I say to you: Fear him.6 Are not five sparrows sold for two small coins? And yet not one of these is forgotten in the sight of God.7 But even the very hairs of your head have all been numbered. Therefore, do not be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows.8 But I say to you: Everyone who will have confessed me before men, the Son of man will also confess him before the Angels of God.9 But everyone who will have denied me before men, he will be denied before the Angels of God.10 And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of man, it will be forgiven of him. But of him who will have blasphemed against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven.11 And when they will lead you to the synagogues, and to magistrates and authorities, do not choose to be worried about how or what you will answer, or about what you might say.12 For the Holy Spirit will teach you, in the same hour, what you must say.13 And someone from the crowd said to him, Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me.14 But he said to him, Man, who has appointed me as judge or arbitrator over you?15 So he said to them: Be cautious and wary of all avarice. For a persons life is not found in the abundance of the things that he possesses.16 Then he spoke to them using a comparison, saying: The fertile land of a certain wealthy man produced crops.17 And he thought within himself, saying: What should I do? For I have nowhere to gather together my crops.18 And he said: This is what I will do. I will tear down my barns and build larger ones. And into these, I will gather all the things that have been grown for me, as well as my goods.19 And I will say to my soul: Soul, you have many goods, stored up for many years. Relax, eat, drink, and be cheerful.20 But God said to him: Foolish one, this very night they require your soul of you. To whom, then, will those things belong, which you have prepared?21 So it is with him who stores up for himself, and is not wealthy with God.22 And he said to his disciples: And so I say to you: Do not choose to be anxious about your life, as to what you may eat, nor about your body, as to what you will wear.23 Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.24 Consider the ravens. For they neither sow nor reap; there is no storehouse or barn for them. And yet God pastures them. How much more are you, compared to them?25 But which of you, by thinking, is able to add one cubit to his stature?26 Therefore, if you are not capable, in what is so little, why be anxious about the rest?27 Consider the lilies, how they grow. They neither work nor weave. But I say to you, not even Solomon, in all his glory, was clothed like one of these.28 Therefore, if God so clothes the grass, which is in the field today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, how much more you, O little in faith?29 And so, do not choose to inquire as to what you will eat, or what you will drink. And do not choose to be lifted up on high.30 For all these things are sought by the Gentiles of the world. And your Father knows that you have need of these things.31 Yet truly, seek first the kingdom of God, and his justice, and all these things shall be added to you.32 Do not be afraid, little flock; for it has pleased your Father to give you the kingdom.33 Sell what you possess, and give alms. Make for yourselves purses that will not wear out, a treasure that will not fall short, in heaven, where no thief approaches, and no moth corrupts.34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.35 Let your waists be girded, and let lamps be burning in your hands.36 And let you yourselves be like men awaiting their lord, when he will return from the wedding; so that, when he arrives and knocks, they may open to him promptly.37 Blessed are those servants whom the Lord, when he returns, will find being vigilant. Amen I say to you, that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, while he, continuing on, will minister to them.38 And if he will return in the second watch, or if in the third watch, and if he will find them to be so: then blessed are those servants.39 But know this: that if the father of the family knew at what hour the thief would arrive, he would certainly stand watch, and he would not permit his house to be broken into.40 You also must be prepared. For the Son of man will return at an hour that you will not realize.41 Then Peter said to him, Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or also to everyone?42 So the Lord said: Who do you think is the faithful and prudent steward, whom his Lord has appointed over his family, in order to give them their measure of wheat in due time?43 Blessed is that servant if, when his Lord will return, he will find him acting in this manner.44 Truly I say to you, that he will appoint him over all that he possesses.45 But if that servant will have said in his heart, My Lord has made a delay in his return, and if he has begun to strike the men and women servants, and to eat and drink, and to be inebriated,46 then the Lord of that servant will return on a day which he hoped not, and at an hour which he knew not. And he will separate him, and he will place his portion with that of the unfaithful.47 And that servant, who knew the will of his Lord, and who did not prepare and did not act according to his will, will be beaten many times over.48 Yet he who did not know, and who acted in a way that deserves a beating, will be beaten fewer times. So then, of all to whom much has been given, much will be required. And of those to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be asked.49 I have come to cast a fire upon the earth. And what should I desire, except that it may be kindled?50 And I have a baptism, with which I am to be baptized. And how I am constrained, even until it may be accomplished!51 Do you think that I have come to give peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but division.52 For from this time on, there will be five in one house: divided as three against two, and as two against three.53 A father will be divided against a son, and a son against his father; a mother against a daughter and a daughter against a mother; a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.54 And he also said to the crowds: When you see a cloud rising from the setting of the sun, immediately you say, A rain cloud is coming. And so it does.55 And when a south wind is blowing, you say, It will be hot. And so it is.56 You hypocrites! You discern the face of the heavens, and of the earth, yet how is it that you do not discern this time?57 And why do you not, even among yourselves, judge what is just?58 So, when you are going with your adversary to the ruler, while you are on the way, make an effort to be freed from him, lest perhaps he may lead you to the judge, and the judge may deliver you to the officer, and the officer may cast you into prison.59 I tell you, you will not depart from there, until you have paid the very last coin.
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