< Luke 12 >
1 In the meantime, myriads of the multitude having gathered together, So that they trode on one another, He began to speak to His disciples first; Take heed unto yourselves from the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
2 But there is nothing hidden, which shall not be revealed: and concealed, that shall not be made known.
3 Therefore so many things as you spoke in the darkness shall be heard in the light; and whatsoever you spoke in the ear in the secret chambers shall be proclaimed upon the houses.
4 And I say unto you, my friends, Be not afraid of those killing the body, and after these things, having nothing more to do.
5 But I will show you whom you must fear: Fear him, who after he kills has power to cast into hell. Yea, I say unto you, Fear him. (Geenna )
6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? and one of them is not forgotten before God.
7 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not: ye are more important than many sparrows.
8 But I say unto you, that every one who may confess me before the people, the Son of man will also confess him before the angels of God.
9 But the one denying me before the people will be denied before the angels of God.
10 And every one who shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but to him having blasphemed against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven.
11 But when they may carry you into the synagogues, and tribunals, and authorities; do not be solicitous as to what you may apologize, or what you may say:
12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that hour the things which it behooveth you to speak.
13 And a certain one from the multitude said to Him, Teacher, speak to my brother, to divide the inheritance with me.
14 And He said to him; Man, who established me judge or a divider over you?
15 And He said to them, See, and beware of all covetousness: because his life is not in that which aboundeth to any one, from those things belonging to him.
16 He spake a parable to them, saying, The farm of a certain rich man was very productive:
17 and he was reasoning in himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no place where I shall store my fruits?
18 And he said, I will do this: I will take down my barns, and build greater, and there I will gather all my fruits and my goods.
19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, be merry.
20 But God said to him, Thou fool, this night they are demanding thy soul from thee; and to whom shall those things which thou hast prepared, belong?
21 So is every one laying up treasure for himself, and not rich toward God.
22 And He spoke to His disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Be not solicitous for your soul, what you may eat; nor for your body, what you may put on.
23 The soul is more than food, and the body more than raiment.
24 Observe the ravens, because they neither sow nor reap; to which there is no storehouse nor barn, and God feeds them; are you not much better than the fowls?
25 And which one of you being solicitous is able to add one moment to his existence?
26 If then you are powerless in the smallest matter, why are you solicitous about other things?
27 Observe the lilies, how they toil not, neither do they spin: and I say unto you, That Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed as one of these.
28 And if God so clothes the verdure flourishing in the fields to-day, and to-morrow cast into the oven; how much more are you, O ye of little faith?
29 And do not seek what you may eat, and what you may drink, and with what you are clothed;
30 for the heathens of the world are seeking after all these things: but your Father knows that you have need of these things.
31 Moreover seek His kingdom and these things shall be added unto you.
32 Fear not, little flock; because your Father is well pleased to give you the kingdom.
33 Sell your possessions and give alms; make for yourselves purses that will not get old, and treasure in the heavens which can not be stolen, where the thief does not draw nigh, nor the moth corrupt.
34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be.
35 Let your loins be girted, and your lamps burning;
36 and be you like unto men waiting for their lord, when he may rise up from the marriage feast; in order that, coming and knocking, they may open unto him immediately.
37 Blessed are those servants, whom the lord having come will find watching: truly I say unto you, that he will gird himself, and have them sit down, and having come will serve them.
38 If at the second, and third, watch he may come, happy are ye.
39 Know this, that if the landlord knew at what hour the thief cometh, he would not have permitted his house to be broken into.
40 Be ye also ready: because at an hour you do not think the Son of man cometh.
41 And Peter said to Him, Lord, do you speak this parable to us, or to all?
42 The Lord said, Who then is the faithful, wise steward, whom the lord will establish over his house-hold, to give them their food in season?
43 Happy is that servant, whom his lord having come shall thus find watching.
44 Truly I say unto you, that he will establish him over all his possessions.
45 But if that servant may say in his heart, my lord delayeth his coming, and may begin to smite the servants and handmaidens, and to eat and drink, and be drunken;
46 the lord of that servant will come in a day in which he does not expect, and in an hour in which he does not know, and will cut him off, and will appoint his part with the unbelievers.
47 But that servant knowing the will of his lord, and not preparing or doing according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
48 But the one not knowing, and doing things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few. But to every one to whom much is given, much will be required of him: and to whom they commit much, of him they will ask the more.
49 I have come to send fire on the earth; and what do I will, if it is already kindled?
50 And I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it may be perfected!
51 Do you think that I have come to give peace on the earth? I say unto you, Nay, but division.
52 For from now, there shall be five in one house divided, three shall be divided against two, and two against three:
53 the father against the son, and the son against the father; and the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother-in-law against the daughter-in-law, and the daughter-in-law against the mother-in-law.
54 And he also spoke to the multitudes, When you may see a cloud rising from the west, you immediately say, that the rain cometh; and it is so:
55 and when the south wind is blowing, you say, that it will be hot; and it is so.
56 You hypocrites, you know how to discern the face of the earth and the firmament; and how do you not discern this time?
57 Why do you not judge righteous judgment, even with reference to yourselves?
58 For as you go with your adversary to the ruler, give attention on the way that you be reconciled with him; lest he may deliver you to the judge, and the judge shall turn you over to the officer, and the officer will cast you into prison.
59 I say unto you, You can by no means come out thence, till you have even paid the last mite.