Luke 12

1 AND when great multitudes stood about him, so that they trod one upon another, he began to say to his disciples: Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.2 For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed: nor hidden, that shall not be known.3 For whatsoever things you have spoken in darkness, shall be published in the light: and that which you have spoken in the ear in the chambers, shall be preached on the housetops.4 And I say to you, my friends: Be not afraid of them who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.5 But I will shew you whom you shall fear: fear ye him, who after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell. Yea, I say to you, fear him.6 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?7 Yea, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: you are of more value than many sparrows.8 And I say to you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God.9 But he that shall deny me before men, shall be denied before the angels of God.10 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but to him that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven.11 And when they shall bring you into the synagogues, and to magistrates and powers, be not solicitous how or what you shall answer, or what you shall say;12 For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what you must say.13 And one of the multitude said to him: Master, speak to my brother that he divide the inheritance with me.14 But he said to him: Man, who hath appointed me judge, or divider, over you?15 And he said to them: Take heed and beware of all covetousness; for a man's life doth not consist in the abundance of things which he possesseth.16 And he spoke a similitude to them, saying: The land of a certain rich man brought forth plenty of fruits.17 And he thought within himself, saying: What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?18 And he said: This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and will build greater; and into them will I gather all things that are grown to me, and my goods.19 And I will say to my soul: Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years take thy rest; eat, drink, make good cheer.20 But God said to him: Thou fool, this night do they require thy soul of thee: and whose shall those things be which thou hast provided?21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich towards God.22 And he said to his disciples: Therefore I say to you, be not solicitous for your life, what you shall eat; nor for your body, what you shall put on.23 The life is more than the meat, and the body is more than the raiment.24 Consider the ravens, for they sow not, neither do they reap, neither have they storehouse nor barn, and God feedeth them. How much are you more valuable than they?25 And which of you, by taking thought, can add to his stature one cubit?26 If then ye be not able to do so much as the least thing, why are you solicitous for the rest?27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they labour not, neither do they spin. But I say to you, not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these.28 Now if God clothe in this manner the grass that is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more you, O ye of little faith?29 And seek not you what you shall eat, or what you shall drink: and be not lifted up on high.30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek. But your Father knoweth that you have need of these things.31 But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his justice, and all these things shall be added unto you.32 Fear not, little flock, for it hath pleased your Father to give you a kingdom.33 Sell what you possess and give alms. Make to yourselves bags which grow not old, a treasure in heaven which faileth not: where no thief approacheth, nor moth corrupteth.34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.35 Let your loins be girt, and lamps burning in your hands.36 And you yourselves like to men who wait for their lord, when he shall return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open to him immediately.37 Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when he cometh, shall find watching. Amen I say to you, that he will gird himself, and make them sit down to meat, and passing will minister unto them.38 And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.39 But this know ye, that if the householder did know at what hour the thief would come, he would surely watch, and would not suffer his house to be broken open.40 Be you then also ready: for at what hour you think not, the Son of man will come.41 And Peter said to him: Lord, dost thou speak this parable to us, or likewise to all?42 And the Lord said: Who (thinkest thou) is the faithful and wise steward, whom his lord setteth over his family, to give them their measure of wheat in due season?43 Blessed is that servant, whom when his lord shall come, he shall find so doing.44 Verily I say to you, he will set him over all that he possesseth.45 But if that servant shall say in his heart: My lord is long a coming; and shall begin to strike the menservants and maidservants, and to eat and to drink and be drunk:46 The lord of that servant will come in the day that he hopeth not, and at the hour that he knoweth not, and shall separate him, and shall appoint him his portion with unbelievers.47 And that servant who knew the will of his lord, and prepared not himself, and did not according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.48 But he that knew not, and did things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. And unto whomsoever much is given, of him much shall be required: and to whom they have committed much, of him they will demand the more.49 I am come to cast fire on the earth; and what will I, but that it be kindled?50 And I have a baptism wherewith I am to be baptized: and how am I straitened until it be accomplished?51 Think ye, that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, no; but separation.52 For there shall be from henceforth five in one house divided: three against two, and two against three.53 The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against his father, the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother, the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.54 And he said also to the multitudes: When you see a cloud rising from the west, presently you say: A shower is coming: and so it happeneth:55 And when ye see the south wind blow, you say: There will be heat: and it cometh to pass.56 You hypocrites, you know how to discern the face of the heaven and of the earth: but how is it that you do not discern this time?57 And why even of yourselves, do you not judge that which is just?58 And when thou goest with thy adversary to the prince, whilst thou art in the way, endeavour to be delivered from him: lest perhaps he draw thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the exacter, and the exacter cast thee into prison.59 I say to thee, thou shalt not go out thence, until thou pay the very last mite.

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