Luke 12

¹Meanwhile, when the crowds had gathered by the tens of thousands so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples: “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees, which is their theatrical performance. ²There is nothing covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing hidden that will not be made known. ³Therefore, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered into the ear in the innermost rooms will be proclaimed from the rooftops.

⁴I tell you, my friends: do not fear those who kill the body and after that have nothing more they can do. ⁵I will show you whom you should fear: fear the one who, after killing, has the authority to cast into Gehenna. Yes, I tell you, fear this one! ⁶Are not five sparrows sold for two copper pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten in the presence of God. ⁷Why, even the hairs of your head have all been counted. Do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

⁸I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God. ⁹But the one who denies me in the presence of others will be denied in the presence of the angels of God. ¹⁰And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who slanders the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

¹¹When they bring you before the synagogues, the rulers, and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say. ¹²For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what it is necessary to say.”

¹³Someone from the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

¹⁴But he said to him, “Friend, who appointed me a judge or an arbitrator over you?” ¹⁵Then he said to them, “Watch out and guard yourselves against every form of greed, because a person’s life does not consist in the abundance of their possessions.”

¹⁶Then he told them a parable: “The land of a certain rich man produced a bumper crop. ¹⁷And he debated within himself, saying, ‘What should I do, since I have nowhere to gather my harvest?’ ¹⁸Then he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will gather all my grain and my goods. ¹⁹And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, and celebrate.”’ ²⁰But God said to him, ‘You mindless man! This very night your soul is being demanded back from you. As for the things you prepared, whose will they be?’ ²¹This is how it is for the one who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich toward God.”

²²Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Because of this I tell you, do not be anxious for your life, what you will eat, nor for your body, what you will wear. ²³For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. ²⁴Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom or barn, yet God feeds them. How much more valuable are you than the birds! ²⁵Which of you, by worrying, can add a single moment to his life-span? ²⁶If then you are not able to do even such a little thing, why are you anxious about the rest? ²⁷Consider how the wildflowers grow: they do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these. ²⁸But if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith!

²⁹And you, do not keep seeking what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not live in anxious suspense. ³⁰For all the nations of the world seek after these things, but your Father knows that you need them. ³¹Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. ³²Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is well-pleased to give you the kingdom.

³³Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Make for yourselves purses that do not grow old, an inexhaustible treasure in the heavens, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. ³⁴For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

³⁵Keep your robes tucked into your belts and your lamps burning. ³⁶Be like people waiting for their master to return from the wedding feast, so that when he comes and knocks, they can open the door for him immediately. ³⁷Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will tuck his robe into his belt, have them recline at the table, and come and serve them. ³⁸Whether he comes in the second watch or the third and finds them this way, blessed are they! ³⁹But know this: if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have allowed his house to be broken into. ⁴⁰You also must be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

⁴¹Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us, or for everyone?”

⁴²And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and sensible manager, whom the master will appoint over his household staff to give them their food allowance at the proper time? ⁴³Blessed is that slave whom his master finds doing his job when he arrives. ⁴⁴Truly I tell you, he will appoint him over all his possessions. ⁴⁵But if that slave says in his heart, ‘My master is taking a long time to come,’ and begins to beat the house-servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk, ⁴⁶the master of that slave will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not know. He will cut him in pieces and assign his place with the unfaithful.

⁴⁷That slave who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will will be beaten with many blows. ⁴⁸But the one who did not know, yet did things worthy of a beating, will be beaten with few blows. From everyone to whom much was given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much was entrusted, even more will be demanded.

⁴⁹I came to cast fire upon the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! ⁵⁰I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is finished! ⁵¹Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. ⁵²From now on there will be five in one household divided, three against two and two against three. ⁵³They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”

⁵⁴He also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say immediately, ‘A rainstorm is coming,’ and so it happens. ⁵⁵And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘It will be scorching heat,’ and it happens. ⁵⁶You performers! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky; why do you not know how to interpret this present time?

⁵⁷And why do you not judge for yourselves what is just? ⁵⁸As you are going with your legal opponent to the magistrate, make an effort to settle with him on the way, so that he does not drag you before the judge, and the judge hand you over to the bailiff, and the bailiff throw you into prison. ⁵⁹I tell you, you will certainly not get out of there until you have paid the very last penny.”