< Luke 12 >
1 Meantime, while the crowd, in myriads flocked about him, so that they trod one upon another, he said, addressing himself to his disciples, Above all things, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
2 For there is nothing covered that shall not be detected: nothing secret that shall not be made known.
3 What you have spoken in the dark, shall be reported in the light; what you have whispered in the closet, shall be proclaimed from the housetop.
4 But I charge you, my friends, fear not them who kill the body, and after that can do no more;
5 but I will show you whom you ought to fear; fear him, who, after he has killed, has power to cast into hell. I repeat it to you, Fear him. (Geenna )
6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pence? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God:
7 yes, the very hairs of your head are all numbered: fear not, therefore; you are much more valuable than sparrows.
8 Moreover, I say to you, whoever shall acknowledge me before me, him the Son of Man will acknowledge before the angels of God;
9 but whoever denies me before men, shall be disowned before the angels of God.
10 And whosoever shall inveigh against the Son of Man, may obtain remission; but to him who detracts from the Holy Spirit, there is no remission.
11 And when you are brought before synagogues, and magistrates, and rulers; be not solicitous how or what you shall answer, or what you shall say:
12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that moment, what ought to be said.
13 Then one said to him out of the crowd, Rabbi, order my brother to divide the inheritance with me.
14 He answered, Man, who constituted me your judge or arbiter?
15 And he said to them, Be upon your guard against covetousness; for in whatever affluence a man be, his life depends not on his possessions.
16 He also used this example, A certain rich man had lands which brought forth plentifully.
17 And he reasoned thus with himself, What shall I do? for I have not where to store my crop.
18 I will do this, added he; I will pull down my storehouses, and build larger, and there I will store all my produce, and my goods.
19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast plenty of goods laid up for many years; take thin ease, eat, drink, enjoy thyself.
20 But God said to him, Fool! this very night your soul is required of you. Whose, then, shall those things be, which you have provided?
21 So it fares with him who amasses treasure for himself, but is not rich toward God.
22 Then he said to his disciples, For this reason I charge you, be not anxious about your life, what you shall eat; nor about your body, what you shall wear.
23 Life is a greater gift than food, and the body than clothing.
24 Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap; have neither cellar nor barn; but God feeds them. How much more valuable are you than fowls?
25 Besides, which of you can, by his anxiety, prolong his life one hour?
26 If, therefore, you can not thus effect even the smallest thing, why are you anxious about the rest?
27 Consider the lilies. How do they grow? They toil not; they spin not; yet I affirm, that even Solomon, in all his glory, was not equally adorned with one of these.
28 If, then, God so array the herbage, which to-day is in the field, and to-morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he array you, O you distrustful!
29 Do not ask, therefore, what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; live not in anxious suspense.
30 For all these things the Pagans seeks; whereas, your Father knows that you need them.
31 But seek you the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be superadded to you.
32 Fear not, my little flock, for it has pleased your Father to give you the kingdom.
33 Sell your goods and give alms; provide yourselves purses which wear not out; treasure inexhaustible in heaven, where no thieves approach, where nothing is spoiled by worms.
34 For where your treasure is, your heart will likewise be.
35 Let your loins be girt, and your lamps burning;
36 and yourselves, like those who wait their master's return from the wedding; that when he comes and knocks, they may immediately let him in.
37 Happy those servants whom their master, at his return, shall find watching. Indeed, I say to you, that he will gird himself, and having placed them at table, will attend and serve them.
38 And whether he comes in the second watch, or in the third, if he finds things thus, happy are those servants.
39 You are certain that if the master of the house knew at what hour the thief would come, he would watch, and not allow him to break into his house.
40 Be you, then, always prepared; because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you are not expecting him.
41 Then Peter said to him, Master, is this parable directed to us alone, or to all?
42 The Lord said, Who, now, is the discreet and faithful steward, whom the master will set over his household, to dispense regularly the allowance of corn!
43 Happy that servant, if his master, at his arrival, shall find him so employed.
44 I tell you truly, he will intrust him with the management of all his estate.
45 But as to the servant who shall say within himself, My master delays his return, and shall beat the men-servants and the maids, and shall feast, and carouse, and be drunken;
46 the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not expecting him, and at an hour of which he is not apprised, and having discarded him, will assign him his portion with the faithless.
47 And that servant who knew his master's will, yet did not make himself ready, nor execute his orders, shall receive many stripes;
48 whereas, he who knew not, but did things deserving chastisement, shall receive few: for much will be required of every one to whom much is given; and the more a man is intrusted, the more will be exacted from him.
49 I came to throw fire upon the earth; and what would I but that it were kindled?
50 I have an immersion to undergo; and how am I pained till it be accomplished?
51 Do you imagine that I am come to give peace to the earth? I tell you, No; but division.
52 For hereafter, five in one family will be divided; three against two, and two against three:
53 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 He said also to the people, When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say, It will rain immediately, and so it happens;
55 and when the south wind blows, you say, It will be hot, and it happens accordingly.
56 Hypocrites, you can judge of what appears in the sky, and on the earth; how is it that you can not judge of the present time?
57 and why do you not, even of yourselves, discern what is just?
58 When you go with your creditor to the magistrate, endeavor, on the road, to satisfy him, lest he drag you before the judge, and the judge consign you to the sergeant, and the sergeant commit you to prison:
59 I assure you, you will not be released until you have paid the last mite.
