< Luke 12 >
1 In the mean time, when myriads of the people had come together, so that they trod one upon another, he began to say to his disciples first of all: Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
2 For there is nothing covered, which shall not be revealed, and hid, which shall not be made known.
3 Wherefore, what you have spoken in the darkness, shall be heard in the light; and what you have spoken in the ear in closets, shall be proclaimed upon the house-tops.
4 But I say to you, my friends, Fear not them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
5 But I will show you whom you shall fear: Fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, Fear him. (Geenna )
6 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings? yet not one of them is forgotten before God.
7 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
8 And I further say to you, Whoever confesses me before men, him will the Son of man also confess before the angels of God.
9 But he that denies me before men, shall be denied before the angels of God.
10 And whoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him; but he that speaks impiously against the Holy Spirit, shall not be forgiven.
11 When they bring you to the synagogues, and to rulers and authorities, be not anxious how or what you shall answer, or what you shall say;
12 for the Holy Spirit shall teach you in that hour what you ought to say.
13 And a certain one of the multitude said to him: Teacher, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.
14 But he said to him: Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?
15 And he said to them: Take heed and beware of covetousness; for a man’s life depends not on the abundance of his possessions.
16 And he spoke a parable to them, saying: The farm of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully.
17 And he reasoned within himself, saying: What shall I do? for I have no place in which I can store my fruits.
18 And he said: This will I do: I will pull down my barns and I will build larger ones; and there I will store ail my produce, and my good things;
19 and I will say to my soul: Soul, you have many good things laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.
20 But God said to him: Senseless man, this night shall your soul be required of you; and who shall have the things which you have provided?
21 So is he that lays up treasure for him self, and is not rich toward God.
22 And he said to his disciples: For this reason I say to you, Be not anxious for your life, what you shall eat; nor for your body, what you shall put on.
23 Life is a greater gift than food, and the body, than clothing.
24 Consider the ravens, that they neither sow nor reap; which have neither storehouse nor granary; yet God feeds them: you are of far more value than the birds.
25 Which of you, by his anxiety, can add one span to his life?
26 If, therefore, you can not do that which is the least, why are you anxious about the rest?
27 Consider the lilies, how they grow. They toil not, they spin not; yet I say to you, that Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these.
28 If, then, God so clothes the herb of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
29 And seek not what you shall eat, or what you shall drink, and be not in anxious suspense.
30 For all these things the nations of the world seek after; but your Father knows that you have need of these things.
31 But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be given you in addition.
32 Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
33 Sell what you have, and be charitable. Make for yourselves purses that do not become old, an unfailing treasure in the heavens, where no thief comes near, and no moth corrupts.
34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
35 Let your loins be girded, and your lamps burning;
36 and be like men that are waiting for their lord, when he shall return from the wedding; that, when he comes and knocks, they may open for him immediately.
37 Blessed are those servants whom their lord, when he comes, shall find watching. Verily I say to you, That he will gird himself and make them recline at table, and will come forth and serve them.
38 And if he shall come in the second watch, and if he shall come in the third watch, and find them thus, blessed are those servants.
39 But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief comes, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken through.
40 Be you, therefore, ready also; for at an hour when you think not, the Son of man comes.
41 Then Peter said to him: Lord, dost them speak this parable to us, or also to all?
42 And the Lord said: Who, then, is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his servants, to give them their portion of food at the proper time?
43 Blessed is that servant whom his lord, when he comes, shall find so doing.
44 Of a truth, I say to you, that he will make him ruler over all that he has.
45 But if that servant shall say in his heart, My lord delays his coming, and shall begin to strike the men-servants and the maid-servants, and to eat and to drink, and to be drunk;
46 the lord of that servant will come in a day in which he looks not for him, and at an hour which he knows not; and will cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the unfaithful.
47 And that servant who knew his lord’s will, but made no preparation, nor did 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. To whomever much has been given, of him shall much be required; and to whom men have intrusted much, of him will they ask the more.
49 I have come to send fire on the earth; and how greatly do I wish that it were already kindled!
50 I have an immersion with which to be immersed, and how distressed I am till it be accomplished!
51 Do you think that I have come to give peace in the earth? I toll you, No; but rather dissension.
52 For from this time forth there shall be five in one house at variance, three with two, and two with three.
53 The father shall be at variance with the son, and the son with the father; the mother with the daughter, and the daughter with the mother; the mother-in-law with her daughter-in-law, and the daughter-in-law with her mother-in-law.
54 And he said also to the multitudes: When you see the cloud rising from the west, you immediately say, There comes a shower: and so it is.
55 And when the south wind blows, you say, There will be heat: and it comes to pass.
56 Hypocrites, you know how to judge of the face of the earth, and of the heavens; but how is it that you do not judge of this time?
57 And why even of yourselves do you not judge what is right?
58 For when you are going with your opponent at law to the ruler, while you are on the way, endeavor to be delivered from him, lest he drag you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the collector, and the collector throw you into prison.
59 I say to you, You shall not come out thence, till you have paid the very last mite.
