Luke 12
1 During which time the myriads of the multitude having gathered together so as to trample each other, he began first to say to his disciples, Take heed to yourselves from the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
Meanwhile the people had come streaming towards Him by tens of thousands, so that they were trampling one another under foot. And now He proceeded to say to His disciples first, "Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees, that is to say, beware of hypocrisy.
2 But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.
There is nothing that is covered up which will not be uncovered, nor hidden which will not become known.
3 Therefore, as many things as ye have said in the darkness will be heard in the light, and what ye have spoken in the ear in the inner chambers will be proclaimed upon the housetops.
Whatever therefore you have said in the dark, will be heard in the light; and what you have whispered within closed doors will be proclaimed from the house-tops.
4 And I say to you my friends, Be not afraid of those who kill the body, and after these things not having anything more severe to do.
"But to you who are my friends I say, "'Be not afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do nothing further.
5 But I will show you whom ye should fear. Fear him, who, after killing, has power to cast into hell. Yes, I say to you, fear ye him. (Geenna g1067)
I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who after killing has power to throw into Gehenna: yes, I say to you, fear him. (Geenna g1067)
6 Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten in the sight of God.
Are not five sparrows sold for a penny? and yet not one of them is a thing forgotten in God's sight.
7 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore, ye are superior to many sparrows.
But the very hairs on your heads are all counted. Away with fear: you are more precious than a multitude of sparrows.'
8 And I say to you, every man who will confess in me before men, the Son of man will also confess in him before the agents of God,
"And I tell you that every man who shall have acknowledged me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God.
9 but he who denies me in the presence of men will be denied in the presence of the agents of God.
But he who disowns me before men will be disowned before the angels of God.
10 And every man who will speak a word against the Son of man, it will be forgiven him, but to him who blasphemed against the Holy Spirit it will not be forgiven.
"Moreover every one who shall speak against the Son of Man, may obtain forgiveness; but he who blasphemes the Holy Spirit will never obtain forgiveness.
11 And when they bring you to the synagogues, and the principle positions, and the offices of authority, be not anxious how or what ye should answer in defense, or what ye should say,
And when they are bringing you before synagogues and magistrates and governors, do not anxiously ponder the manner or matter of your defence, nor what you are to say;
12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.
for the Holy Spirit shall teach you at that very moment what you must say."
13 And a certain man out of the crowd said to him, Teacher, speak to my brother to divide the inheritance with me.
Just then a man in the crowd appealed to Him. "Rabbi," he said, "tell my brother to give me a share of the inheritance."
14 But he said to him, Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbitrator over you?
"Man," He replied, "who has constituted me a judge or arbitrator over you?"
15 And he said to them, Watch, and keep away from greed, because to any man, life to him is not in the abundance of things possessed by him.
And to the people He said, "Take care, be on your guard against all covetousness, for no one's life consists in the superabundance of his possessions."
16 And he spoke a parable to them, saying, The land of a certain rich man brought forth well.
And He spoke a parable to them. "A certain rich man's lands," He said, "yielded abundant crops,
17 And he pondered within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have nowhere I will store my crops?
and he debated within himself, saying, "'What am I to do? for I have no place in which to store my crops.'
18 And he said, I will do this. I will dismantle my barns, and I will build greater, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.
"And he said to himself, "'This is what I will do: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and in them I will store up all my harvest and my wealth;
19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou have many goods laid up for many years. Take thine ease, eat, drink, be merry.
and I will say to my life, "'Life, you have ample possessions laid up for many years to come: take your ease, eat, drink, enjoy yourself.'
20 But God said to him, Thou foolish man, they demand thy soul from thee this night, and the things that thou prepared, whose will they be?
"But God said to him, "'Foolish man, this night your life is demanded from you; and these preparations--for whom shall they be?'
21 So is he who stores up for himself, and is not being rich toward God.
"So is it with him who amasses treasure for himself, but has no riches in God."
22 And he said to his disciples, Because of this I say to you, be not anxious for your life, what ye may eat, nor for the body, what ye may wear.
Then turning to His disciples He said, "For this reason I say to you, 'Dismiss all anxious care for your lives, inquiring what you are to eat, and for your bodies, what you are to put on.'
23 For the life is more than the food, and the body, the clothing.
For life is a greater gift than food, and the body is a greater gift than clothing.
24 Consider the ravens, because they do not sow, nor do they reap, for which there is no storehouse nor barn, and God feeds them. How much ye are worth more than the birds.
Observe the ravens. They neither sow nor reap, and have neither store-chamber nor barn. And yet God feeds them. How far more precious are you than the birds!
25 And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his age?
And which of you is able by anxious thought to add a moment to his life?
26 If then ye are not able to do even the least, why are ye anxious about the rest?
If then you are unable to do even a very little thing, why be over-anxious about other matters?
27 Consider the lilies, how they grow. They toil not, nor do they spin, and I say to you, not even Solomon in all his glory was arrayed like one of these.
Observe the lilies, how they grow. They neither labour nor spin. And yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was as beautifully dressed as one of these.
28 And if God so clothes the grass in the field, which today is, and tomorrow being cast into the oven, how much more you, O ye of little faith?
But if God so clothes the vegetation in the fields, that blooms to-day and to-morrow will be thrown into the oven, how much more certainly will He clothe you, you men of feeble faith!
29 And do not seek what ye may eat, and what ye may drink, and do not be unsettled.
"Therefore, do not be asking what you are to eat nor what you are to drink; and do not waver between hope and fear.
30 For the nations of the world seek all these things, and your Father knows that ye have need of these things.
For though the nations of the world pursue these things, as for you, your Father knows that you need them.
31 However, seek ye the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added to you.
But make His Kingdom the object of your pursuit, and these things shall be given you in addition.
32 Fear not, little flock, because your Father is well pleased to give you the kingdom.
"Dismiss your fears, little flock: your Father finds a pleasure in giving you the Kingdom.
33 Sell things possessed by you, and give charity. Make for yourselves purses not becoming old, a treasure unfailing in the heavens, where no thief approaches, nor moth corrupts.
Sell your possessions and give alms. Provide yourselves with purses that will never wear out, a treasure inexhaustible in Heaven, where no thief can come nor moth consume.
34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
For where your wealth is stored, there also will your heart be.
35 Let your loins be girded about, and the lights burning,
"Have your girdles on, and let your lamps be alight;
36 and be ye like men waiting for their lord, when he may return from the wedding festivities, so that when he comes and knocks, they may straightaway open to him.
and be yourselves like men waiting for their master--on the look-out till he shall return from the wedding feast--that, when he comes and knocks, they may open the door instantly.
37 Blessed are those bondmen whom the lord when he comes will find watching. Truly I say to you, that he will gird himself, and will cause them to sit down, and having come, will serve them.
Blessed are those servants, whom their Master when He comes shall find on the watch. I tell you in solemn truth, that He will tie an apron round Him, and will bid them recline at table while He comes and waits on them.
38 And if he should come in the second watch, and should come in the third watch, and find so, blessed are those bondmen.
And whether it be in the second watch or in the third that He comes and finds them so, blessed are they.
39 But know this, that if the house-ruler had known in what hour the thief was coming, he would have watched, and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.
Of this be sure, that if the master of the house had known what time the robber was coming, he would have kept awake and not have allowed his house to be broken into.
40 Therefore, ye also become ready, because the Son of man comes at that hour ye do not suppose.
Be you also ready, for at an hour when you are not expecting Him the Son of Man will come."
41 And Peter said to him, Lord, did thou speak this parable to us, or also to all?
"Master," said Peter, "are you addressing this parable to us, or to all alike?"
42 And the Lord said, Who then is the faithful and wise manager whom his lord will appoint over his service to give the provision on time?
"Who, then," replied the Lord, "is the faithful and intelligent steward whom his Master will put in charge of His household to serve out their rations at the proper times?
43 Blessed is that bondman whom his lord when he comes will find so doing.
Blessed is that servant whom his Master when He comes shall find so doing.
44 Truly I say to you, that he will appoint him over the things being possessed by him.
I tell you truly that He will put him in authority over all His possessions.
45 But if that bondman should say in his heart, My lord is late to come, and should begin to beat the servant boys and the servant girls, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken,
But if that servant should say in his heart, 'My Master is a long time in coming,' and should begin to beat the menservants and the maids, and to eat and drink, drinking even to excess;
46 the lord of that bondman will arrive in a day that he does not expect, and in an hour that he is not aware, and will cut him in two, and will place his portion with the unbelieving.
that servant's Master will come on a day when he is not expecting Him and at an hour that he knows not of, and will punish him severely, and make him share the lot of the unfaithful.
47 And that bondman who knew his lord's will, and who did not prepare, nor do according to his will, will be beaten much,
And that servant who has been told his Master's will and yet made no preparation and did not obey His will, will receive many lashes.
48 but he who did not know, and did things worthy of blows, will be beaten little. And to every man to whom much was given, much will be required from him. And to whom they entrust much, they will ask him more abundantly.
But he who had not been told it and yet did what deserved the scourge, will receive but few lashes. To whomsoever much has been given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been entrusted, of him a larger amount will be demanded.
49 I came to cast fire upon the earth, and what I desire is if it were kindled already.
"I came to throw fire upon the earth, and what is my desire? Oh that it were even now kindled!
50 But I have an immersion to be immersed, and how am I constrained until it will be accomplished.
But I have a baptism to undergo; and how am I pent up till it is accomplished!
51 Do ye suppose that I came to give peace on the earth? I tell you, no, but rather division.
Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? No, I tell you that I came to bring dissension.
52 For henceforth there will be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.
For from this time there will be in one house five persons split into parties. Three will form a party against two and two will form a party against three;
53 A father will be divided against a son, and a son against a 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.
father against son and son against father; mother attacking daughter and daughter her mother, mother-in-law her daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law her mother-in-law."
54 And he also said to the multitudes, When ye see a cloud rising from the west, straightaway ye say, A shower is coming, and so it happens.
Then He said to the people also, "When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, 'There is to be a shower;' and it comes to pass.
55 And when a south wind is blowing, ye say, There will be heat, and it happens.
And when you see a south wind blowing, you say, 'It will be burning hot;' and it comes to pass.
56 Ye hypocrites, ye know how to examine the face of the earth and the sky, but how can ye not examine this season?
Vain pretenders! You know how to read the aspect of earth and sky. How is it you cannot read this present time?
57 And also why do ye not judge yourselves what is right?
"Why, too, do you not of yourselves arrive at just conclusions?
58 For when thou go with thine opponent to the magistrate on the way give effort to be delivered from him, lest he may drag thee to the judge, and the judge may deliver thee to the officer, and the officer would cast thee into prison.
For when, with your opponent, you are going before the magistrate, on the way take pains to get out of his power; for fear that, if he should drag you before the judge, the judge may hand you over to the officer of the court, and the officer lodge you in prison.
59 I say to thee, thou will, no, not come out from there, until thou have paid even the last mite.
Never, I tell you, will you get free till you have paid the last farthing."
