Luke 12

In these circumstances, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered together, so many that they were stepping on one another, he began to speak first to his disciples, saying, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not become known.

Therefore, whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the housetops.

“And 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.

But I will show you who to fear: fear him who after killing you has the authority to throw you into Gehenna. Yes, I say to you, fear him.

Aren’t five little sparrows sold for two assiria? And not one of them is forgotten in the sight of God.

But even all the hairs of your head have been counted. Do not be afraid, you are of more value than many little sparrows.

“And I say to you, everyone who confesses me before others, the Son of Man will also confess that person before the angels of God,

but whoever denies me in the presence of people will be denied in the presence of the angels of God.

And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him, but the one who defames the Holy Spirit it will not be forgiven.

“And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious how or what you will answer, or what you will say,

for the holy spirit will teach you in that very hour what you need to say.”

And someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or an arbitrator over you?”

And he said to them, “Watch out and be on guard against every form of greediness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things that he possesses.”

And he spoke a parable to them, saying, “The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully.

And he reasoned within himself, saying, ‘What should I do, because I have no place to store my crops?’

And he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones; and I will store all my grain and my goods there.

And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have much goods laid up for many years. Relax, eat, drink, and be merry.”’

But God said to him, ‘You senseless one, this night your soul is being demanded of you, and the things that you have prepared, whose will they be?’

So is the one who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I say to you, do not be anxious for your life, what you will eat, nor for your body, what you will put on.

For life is more than food, and the body than clothing.

Consider the ravens: they do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn, and yet God feeds them. How much more are you worth than the birds!

And which of you by being anxious is able to add an hour to his life?

So if you are not able to do even that which is least, why are you anxious concerning the rest?

“Consider the lilies, how they grow: they do not labor or spin, yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory did not clothe himself like one of these.

But if God clothes the grass in this way, which is in the field today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more certainly will he provide for you, O you of little trust?

And do not keep striving for what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and stop worrying.

For all the nations of the world keep striving after these things, but your Father knows that you need these things.

Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.

“Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Sell what you have, and give to the needy. Make for yourselves purses that do not become worn out, a treasure in heaven that will not fail, where no thief comes near, and moths do not destroy.

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

“Your belts must be around your waist, and your lamps burning,

and you must be like people waiting for their lord, when he returns from the marriage feast, so that when he comes and knocks, they immediately open the door for him.

“Blessed are those servants whom the lord finds watching when he comes. Truly I say to you, that he will gird himself to serve, and make them recline at the table, and will come and serve them.

And if in the second or if in the third watch he comes, and finds it so—blessed are those servants.

But know this, that if the head of the house had known in what hour the thief was coming, he would have watched, and not have left his house to be broken into.

You also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect.”

And Peter said, “Lord, do you speak this parable to us, or to everyone else as well?”

And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager whom his lord will set over his household to give them their portion of food at the proper time?

Blessed is that servant whom his lord will find doing that when he comes.

Truly I say to you that he will set him over all that he has.

But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My lord will be a long time in coming,’ and begins to beat the menservants and the servant girls, and to eat and drink, and to be drunk,

the lord of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect, and in an hour when he does not know, and will cut him in pieces, and assign him a place with the unfaithful.

“And that servant who knew his lord’s will but did not get ready, nor do according to his will, will be beaten with many stripes,

but the one who did not know, but did things worthy of stripes, will be beaten with few stripes. Everyone to whom much was given, from that one much will be required, and from the one to whom much was committed, even more will be demanded.

“I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!

But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and what stress I am under until it is accomplished.

Do you think that I have come to give peace on the earth? I tell you, no, but rather division,

for from now on there will be five in one house, divided three against two, and two against three.

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.”

And he also said to the crowd, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, ‘There comes a shower,’ and so it comes to pass.

And when you see a south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be a scorching heat,’ and it comes to pass.

You hypocrites, you know how to interpret the face of the earth and the heavens, but how is it that you do not know how to interpret this time?

“Moreover, why do you not also judge for yourselves what is right?

For example, when you are going with your accuser to the magistrate, make an effort to be released by him on the way, otherwise he may drag you to the judge, and the judge will deliver you to the officer, and the officer will throw you into prison.

I say to you, you will absolutely not come out from there until you have paid the very last cent.”