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

LUKE 12

Warnings

1  t As thousands of people crowded around Jesus and were stepping on each other, he told his disciples:
Be sure to guard against the dishonest teachingt of the Pharisees! It is their way of fooling people. 2 t Everything that is hidden will be found out, and every secret will be known.

3 Whatever you say in the dark will be heard when it is day. Whatever you whisper in a closed room will be shouted from the housetops.

The One To Fear

(Matthew 10.28-31)

5 God is the one you must fear. Not only can he take your life, but he can throw you into hell. God is certainly the one you should fear!
6 Five sparrows are sold for only a few cents, but God doesn't forget a single one of them.

7 Even the hairs on your head are counted. So don't be afraid! You are worth much more than many sparrows.

Telling Others about Christ

(Matthew 10.32,33; 12.32; 10.19,20)

10 t If you speak against the Son of Man, you can be forgiven, but if you speak against the Holy Spirit, you cannot be forgiven.
11  t When you are brought to trial in the synagogues or before rulers or officials, don't worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say.

12 At that time the Holy Spirit will tell you what to say.

A Rich Fool

13 A man in a crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, tell my brother to give me my share of what our father left us when he died.”

14 Jesus answered, “Who gave me the right to settle arguments between you and your brother?”

15 Then he said to the crowd, “Don't be greedy! Owning a lot of things won't make your life safe.”

16 So Jesus told them this story:
A rich man's farm produced a big crop,

17 and he said to himself, “What can I do? I don't have a place large enough to store everything.”
18 Later, he said, “Now I know what I'll do. I'll tear down my barns and build bigger ones, where I can store all my grain and other goods.

19 t Then I'll say to myself, ‘You have stored up enough good things to last for years to come. Live it up! Eat, drink, and enjoy yourself.’ ”

20 But God said to him, “You fool! Tonight you will die. Then who will get what you have stored up?”

21 “This is what happens to people who store up everything for themselves, but are poor in the sight of God.”

Worry

(Matthew 6.25-34)

22 Jesus said to his disciples:
I tell you not to worry about your life! Don't worry about having something to eat or wear. 23 Life is more than food or clothing. 24 Look at the crows! They don't plant or harvest, and they don't have storehouses or barns. But God takes care of them. You are much more important than any birds. 25 Can worry make you live longer?t

26 If you don't have power over small things, why worry about everything else?
27  t Look how the wild flowers grow! They don't work hard to make their clothes. But I tell you Solomon with all his wealtht wasn't as well clothed as one of these flowers.

28 God gives such beauty to everything that grows in the fields, even though it is here today and thrown into a fire tomorrow. Won't he do even more for you? You have such little faith!
29 Don't keep worrying about having something to eat or drink. 30 Only people who don't know God are always worrying about such things. Your Father knows what you need.

31 But put God's work first, and these things will be yours as well.

Treasures in Heaven

(Matthew 6.19-21)

34 Your heart will always be where your treasure is.

Faithful and Unfaithful Servants

(Matthew 24.45-51)

40 So always be ready! You don't know when the Son of Man will come.

41 Peter asked Jesus, “Did you say this just for us or for everyone?”

42 The Lord answered:
Who are faithful and wise servants? Who are the ones the master will put in charge of giving the other servants their food supplies at the proper time? 43 Servants are fortunate if their master comes and finds them doing their job.

44 A servant who is always faithful will surely be put in charge of everything the master owns.
45 But suppose one of the servants thinks that the master won't return until late. Suppose that servant starts beating all the other servants and eats and drinks and gets drunk.

46 If that happens, the master will come on a day and at a time when the servant least expects him. That servant will then be punished and thrown out with the servants who cannot be trusted.
47 If servants are not ready or willing to do what their master wants them to do, they will be beaten hard.

48 But servants who don't know what their master wants them to do will not be beaten so hard for doing wrong. If God has been generous with you, he will expect you to serve him well. But if he has been more than generous, he will expect you to serve him even better.

Not Peace, but Trouble

(Matthew 10.34-36)

53 t Fathers and sons will turn against one another, and mothers and daughters will do the same. Mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law will also turn against each other.

Knowing What To Do

(Matthew 16.2,3; 5.25,26)

54 Jesus said to all the people:
As soon as you see a cloud coming up in the west, you say, “It's going to rain,” and it does. 55 When the south wind blows, you say, “It's going to get hot,” and it does. 56 Are you trying to fool someone? You can predict the weather by looking at the earth and sky, but you don't really know what's going on right now. 57 Why don't you understand the right thing to do? 58 When someone accuses you of something, try to settle things before you are taken to court. If you don't, you will be dragged before the judge. Then the judge will hand you over to the jailer, and you will be locked up. 59 You won't get out until you have paid the last cent you owe.