Luke 12

1 Meanwhile, when a multitude of many thousands had gathered together, so much so that they trampled on each other, he began to tell his disciples first of all, “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.2 But there is nothing covered up, that will not be revealed, nor hidden, that will not be known.

3 Therefore whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light. What you have spoken in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.
4 “I tell you, my friends, don’t be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.

5 But I will warn you whom you should fear. Fear him, who after he has killed, has power to cast into Gehenna.t Yes, I tell you, fear him.
6 “Aren’t five sparrows sold for two assaria coinst? Not one of them is forgotten by God.

7 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Therefore don’t be afraid. You are of more value than many sparrows.
8 “I tell you, everyone who confesses me before men, him will the Son of Man also confess before the angels of God;9 but he who denies me in the presence of men will be denied in the presence of the angels of God.10 Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but those who blaspheme against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.11 When they bring you before the synagogues, the rulers, and the authorities, don’t be anxious how or what you will answer, or what you will say;

12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that same hour what you must say.”

13 One of the multitude said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”
14 But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or an arbitrator over you?”

15 He said to them, “Beware! Keep yourselves from covetousness, for a man’s life doesn’t consist of the abundance of the things which he possesses.”
16 He spoke a parable to them, saying, “The ground of a certain rich man brought forth abundantly.17 He reasoned within himself, saying, ‘What will I do, because I don’t have room 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 my grain and my goods.

19 I will tell my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years. Take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.”’
20 “But God said to him, ‘You foolish one, tonight your soul is required of you. The things which you have prepared—whose will they be?’

21 So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
22 He said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, don’t be anxious for your life, what you will eat, nor yet for your body, what you will wear.23 Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.24 Consider the ravens: they don’t sow, they don’t reap, they have no warehouse or barn, and God feeds them. How much more valuable are you than birds!25 Which of you by being anxious can add a cubit to his height?26 If then you aren’t able to do even the least things, why are you anxious about the rest?27 Consider the lilies, how they grow. They don’t toil, neither do they spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.28 But if this is how God clothes the grass in the field, which today exists, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith?29 Don’t seek what you will eat or what you will drink; neither be anxious.30 For the nations of the world seek after all of these things, but your Father knows that you need these things.31 But seek God’s Kingdom, and all these things will be added to you.32 Don’t be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.33 Sell that which you have, and give gifts to the needy. Make for yourselves purses which don’t grow old, a treasure in the heavens that doesn’t fail, where no thief approaches, neither moth destroys.

34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
35 “Let your waist be dressed and your lamps burning.36 Be like men watching for their lord, when he returns from the marriage feast; that, when he comes and knocks, they may immediately open to him.37 Blessed are those servants, whom the lord will find watching when he comes. Most certainly I tell you, that he will dress himself, and make them recline, and will come and serve them.38 They will be blessed if he comes in the second or third watch, and finds them so.39 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what hour the thief was coming, he would have watched, and not allowed his house to be broken into.

40 Therefore be ready also, for the Son of Man is coming in an hour that you don’t expect him.”

41 Peter said to him, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everybody?”
42 The Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his lord will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the right times?43 Blessed is that servant whom his lord will find doing so when he comes.44 Truly I tell you, that he will set him over all that he has.45 But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My lord delays his coming,’ and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken,46 then the lord of that servant will come in a day when he isn’t expecting him, and in an hour that he doesn’t know, and will cut him in two, and place his portion with the unfaithful.47 That servant, who knew his lord’s will, and didn’t prepare, nor do what he wanted, will be beaten with many stripes,

48 but he who didn’t know, and did things worthy of stripes, will be beaten with few stripes. To whomever much is given, of him will much be required; and to whom much was entrusted, of him more will be asked.
49 “I came to throw fire on the earth. I wish it were already kindled.50 But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished!51 Do you think that I have come to give peace in the earth? I tell you, no, but rather division.52 For from now on, there will be five in one house 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 her mother; mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”t
54 He said to the multitudes also, “When you see a cloud rising from the west, immediately you say, ‘A shower is coming,’ and so it happens.55 When a south wind blows, you say, ‘There will be a scorching heat,’ and it happens.56 You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how is it that you don’t interpret this time?57 Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right?58 For when you are going with your adversary before the magistrate, try diligently on the way to be released from him, lest perhaps he drag you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison.

59 I tell you, you will by no means get out of there, until you have paid the very last penny.t”

Luke 12

God Knows and Cares

1 Under these circumstances, after so many thousands of people had gathered together that they were stepping on one another, He began saying to His disciples first of all, "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.2 But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.3 Accordingly, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms will be proclaimed upon the housetops.

4 "I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do.5 But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him!6 Are not five sparrows sold for two cents? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God.7 Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.

8 "And I say to you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man will confess him also before the angels of God;9 but he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.10 And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him.11 When they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not worry about how or what you are to speak in your defense, or what you are to say;12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say."

Covetousness Denounced

13 Someone in the crowd said to Him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me."14 But He said to him, "Man, who appointed Me a judge or arbitrator over you?"15 Then He said to them, "Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions."16 And He told them a parable, saying, "The land of a rich man was very productive.17 And he began reasoning to himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?'18 Then he said, 'This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.19 And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry."'20 But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?'21 So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."

22 And He said to His disciples, "For this reason I say to you, do not worry about your life, as to what you will eat; nor for your body, as to what you will put on.23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing.24 Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom nor barn, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds!25 And which of you by worrying can add a single thour to his tlife's span?26 If then you cannot do even a very little thing, why do you worry about other matters?27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.28 But if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you? You men of little faith!29 And do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not keep worrying.30 For all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; but your Father knows that you need these things.31 But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you.32 Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.

33 "Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys.34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Be in Readiness

35 "Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps lit.36 Be like men who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that they may immediately open the door to him when he comes and knocks.37 Blessed are those slaves whom the master will find on the alert when he comes; truly I say to you, that he will gird himself to serve, and have them recline at the table, and will come up and wait on them.38 Whether he comes in the tsecond watch, or even in the tthird, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.

39 "But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have allowed his house to be broken into.40 You too, be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect."

41 Peter said, "Lord, are You addressing this parable to us, or to everyone else as well?"42 And the Lord said, "Who then is the faithful and sensible steward, whom his master will put in charge of his servants, to give them their rations at the proper time?43 Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes.44 Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions.45 But if that slave says in his heart, 'My master will be a long time in coming,' and begins to beat the slaves, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk;46 the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces, and assign him a place with the unbelievers.47 And that slave who knew his master's will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will receive many lashes,48 but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.

Christ Divides Men

49 "I have come to cast fire upon the earth; and how I wish it were already kindled!50 But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished!51 Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division;52 for from now on five members in one household 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 daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."

54 And He was also saying to the crowds, "When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, 'A shower is coming,' and so it turns out.55 And when you see a south wind blowing, you say, 'It will be a hot day,' and it turns out that way.56 You hypocrites! You know how to analyze the appearance of the earth and the sky, but why do you not analyze this present time?

57 "And why do you not even on your own initiative judge what is right?58 For while you are going with your opponent to appear before the magistrate, on your way there make an effort to settle with him, so that he may not drag you before the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison.59 I say to you, you will not get out of there until you have paid the very last cent."