Luke 12
1Meanwhile, when the crowd had gathered in such vast numbers—tens of thousands—that they were trampling one another, he began to speak to his disciples first: "Guard yourselves against the leaven of the Pharisees, which is play-acting. 2Nothing that has been covered up will remain hidden—it will be revealed. And nothing secret will remain unknown—it will be made known. 3Therefore, whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the innermost rooms will be proclaimed from the rooftops.
4"I say to you, my friends: do not fear those who kill the body and after that can do nothing more. 5But I will show you whom to fear: fear the one who, after killing, has authority to cast into Gehenna. Yes, I tell you, fear this one! 6Are not five sparrows sold for two small coins? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God. 7But even the hairs of your head have all been counted. Do not be afraid—you are worth more than many sparrows.
8"I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God. 9But whoever denies me before others will be denied before the angels of God. 10And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
11"When they bring you before synagogues and rulers and 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 must be said."
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 arbitrator over you?" 15Then he said to them, "Watch out! Guard yourselves against every kind of greed, for a person's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions."
16And he told them a parable: "The land of a certain rich man produced an abundant harvest. 17He began reasoning to himself, 'What should I do? I have no place to store my crops.' 18Then he said, 'This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and goods. 19And I will say to my soul: Soul, you have many good things stored up for many years. Rest, eat, drink, celebrate!' 20But God said to him, 'Fool! This very night your soul is being demanded from you. And the things you have prepared—whose will they be?' 21So it is with the one who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich toward God."
22Then he said to his disciples, "For this reason I tell you: do not be anxious about your life—what you will eat—or about your body—what you will wear. 23For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. 24Consider the ravens: they do not sow or reap; they have no storeroom or barn, yet God feeds them. How much more valuable you are than the birds! 25And which of you by being anxious can add a single moment to your lifespan? 26If then you cannot do even this smallest thing, why are you anxious about the rest?
27"Consider the lilies, how they 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 exists today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, you of little faith! 29And do not keep seeking what you will eat or what you will drink, and do not be unsettled. 30For all the nations of the world chase after these things, but your Father knows you need them. 31Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.
32"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has delighted to give you the kingdom. 33Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Make for yourselves purses that do not wear out—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.
35"Let your waists be girded and your lamps burning, 36and be like people waiting for their master to return from the wedding feast, so that when he comes and knocks, they may open the door for him immediately. 37Blessed are those servants whom the master finds watchful when he arrives. Truly I tell you, he will gird himself, have them recline at table, and come and serve them. 38And if he comes in the second watch, or even in the third, and finds them ready—blessed are they!
39"But know this: if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house 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?" 42The Lord said, "Who then is the faithful and prudent steward whom the master will put in charge of his household servants to give them their food ration at the proper time? 43Blessed is that servant whom his master finds doing so when he arrives. 44Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 45But if that servant says in his heart, 'My master is taking a long time to come,' and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, 46the master of that servant will come on a day he does not expect, at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and assign him a place with the unfaithful.
47"That servant who knew his master's will but did not prepare or act according to his will—he will be beaten with many blows. 48But the one who did not know, yet did things deserving punishment, will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, even more will be demanded.
49"I came to cast fire upon the earth, and how I wish it were already ablaze! 50I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished! 51Do you think I came to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. 52For from now on, five in one household will be 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 daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."
54He also said to the crowds, "When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, 'A rainstorm is coming'—and so it does. 55And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, 'It will be scorching hot'—and it is. 56Performers! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and sky, but how is it you do not know how to interpret this present time? 57And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right?
58"As you are going with your adversary to appear before a magistrate, make every effort to settle with him on the way, or he may drag you before the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. 59I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the very last penny."