Chapter 12
1 Meanwhile , when a multitude of many thousands had gathered together , so much so that they trampled on each other , he began to tell his disciples first of all , " Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees , which is hypocrisy .
2 But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known .
3 Therefore whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light . What you have spoken in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops .
4 " I tell you , my friends , don’ t be afraid of those who kill the body , and after that have no more that they can do .
5 But I will warn you whom you should fear . Fear him who after he has killed, has power to cast into Gehenna. Yes , I tell you , fear him .
6 "Aren’ t five sparrows sold for two assaria coins ? Not one of them is forgotten by God .
7 But the very hairs of your head are all counted. Therefore don’ t be afraid . You are of more value than many sparrows .
8 " I tell you , everyone who confesses me before men , the Son of Man will also confess before the angels of God ;
9 but he who denies me in the presence of men will be denied in the presence of God ’s angels.
10 Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but those who blaspheme against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
11 When they bring you before the synagogues , the rulers, and the authorities , don’ t be anxious how or what you will answer or what you will say ;
12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that same hour what you must say ."
13 One of the multitude said to him , " Teacher , tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me ."
14 But he said to him , " Man , who made me a judge or an arbitrator over you ?"
15 He said to them , " Beware ! Keep yourselves from covetousness , for a man ’s life doesn’ t consist of the abundance of the things which he possesses."
16 He spoke a parable to them , saying , " The ground of a certain rich man produced abundantly.
17 He reasoned within himself , saying , ‘ What will I do , because I don’ t have room to store my crops ?’
18 He said , ‘ This is what I will do . I will pull down my barns, build bigger ones , and there I will store all my grain and my goods.
19 I will tell my soul , " Soul , you have many goods laid up for many years . Take your ease, eat , drink , and be merry ."’
20 " But God said to him , ‘ You foolish one , tonight your soul is required of you . The things which you have prepared — whose will they be ?’
21 So is he who lays up treasure for himself , and is not rich towards God ."
22 He said to his disciples , " Therefore I tell you , don’ t be anxious for your life , what you will eat , nor yet for your body , what you will wear.
23 Life is more than food , and the body is more than clothing .
24 Consider the ravens : they don’ t sow , they don’ t reap , they have no warehouse or barn, and God feeds them . How much more valuable are you than birds !
25 Which of you by being anxious can add a cubit to his height?
26 If then you aren’ t able to do even the least things , why are you anxious about the rest ?
27 Consider the lilies , how they grow. They don’ t toil , neither do they spin ; yet I tell you , even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these .
28 But if this is how God clothes the grass in the field, which today exists and tomorrow is cast into the oven, how much more will he clothe you , O you of little faith ?
29 "Don’t seek what you will eat or what you will drink ; neither be anxious.
30 For the nations of the world seek after all of these things , but your Father knows that you need these things .
31 But seek God ’s Kingdom, and all these things will be added to you .
32 "Don’ t be afraid , little flock , for it is your Father ’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.
33 Sell what you have and give gifts to the needy. Make for yourselves purses which don’ t grow old , a treasure in the heavens that doesn’ t fail , where no thief approaches and no moth destroys .
34 For where your treasure is , there will your heart be also .
35 " Let your waist be dressed and your lamps burning .
36 Be like men watching for their lord when he returns from the wedding feast , that when he comes and knocks , they may immediately open to him .
37 Blessed are those servants whom the lord will find watching when he comes . Most certainly I tell you that he will dress himself , make them recline, and will come and serve them .
38 They will be blessed if he comes in the second or third watch and finds them so .
39 But know this , that if the master of the house had known in what hour the thief was coming , he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into .
40 Therefore be ready also , for the Son of Man is coming in an hour that you don’ t expect him ."
41 Peter said to him , " Lord , are you telling this parable to us , or to everybody?"
42 The Lord said , " Who then is the faithful and wise steward , whom his lord will set over his household , to give them their portion of food at the right times ?
43 Blessed is that servant whom his lord will find doing so when he comes .
44 Truly I tell you that he will set him over all that he has.
45 But if that servant says in his heart , ‘ My lord delays his coming ,’ and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink and to be drunken ,
46 then the lord of that servant will come in a day when he isn’ t expecting him and in an hour that he doesn’ t know , and will cut him in two, and place his portion with the unfaithful.
47 That servant who knew his lord ’ s will , and didn’ t prepare nor do what he wanted, will be beaten with many stripes,
48 but he who didn’ t know , and did things worthy of stripes , will be beaten with few stripes . To whomever much is given , of him will much be required ; and to whom much was entrusted , of him more will be asked.
49 " I came to throw fire on the earth . I wish it were already kindled.
50 But I have a baptism to be baptised with , and how distressed I am until it is accomplished !
51 Do you think that I have come to give peace in the earth ? I tell you , no , but rather division .
52 For from now on , there will be five in one house divided , three against two , and two against three .
53 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 ."
54 He said to the multitudes also , " When you see a cloud rising from the west , immediately you say , ‘ A shower is coming ,’ and so it happens .
55 When a south wind blows , you say , ‘ There will be a scorching heat ,’ and it happens .
56 You hypocrites ! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky , but how is it that you don’ t interpret this time ?
57 " Why don’ t you judge for yourselves what is right ?
58 For when you are going with your adversary before the magistrate, try diligently on the way to be released from him , lest perhaps he drag you to the judge , and the judge deliver you to the officer , and the officer throw you into prison .
59 I tell you , you will by no means get out of there until you have paid the very last penny. "