Luke 12 In the meantime, a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling one another. Jesus began to speak first to His disciples: “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

VIN⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ In the meantime, a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling one another. Jesus began to speak first to His disciples: “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. ² There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. ³ What you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the housetops. ⁴ I tell you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. ⁵ But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear the One who, after you have been killed, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear Him! ⁶ Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. ⁷ And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. ⁸ "I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God. ⁹ But he who disowns me before men will be disowned before the angels of God. ¹⁰ And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. ¹¹ When you are brought before the synagogues, rulers, and authorities, do not worry about how to defend yourselves or what to say. ¹² for the holy Spirit will teach you at that hour what you should say." ¹³ Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me." ¹⁴ But Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed Me judge or executor between you?” ¹⁵ And He said to them, “Watch out! Guard yourselves against every form of greed, for a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” ¹⁶ Then He told them a parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced an abundance. ¹⁷ And he thought to himself, 'What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?' ¹⁸ Then he said: ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my produce and my goods. ¹⁹ Then I will say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take it easy. Eat, drink, and be merry!”’ ²⁰ But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your soul will be demanded of you. Then who will have all you have prepared?' ²¹ This is how it will be for anyone who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich toward God.” ²² Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. ²³ Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. ²⁴ Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap; they have no storehouse or barn, yet God feeds them. How much more valuable are you than the birds! ²⁵ Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his lifespan? ²⁶ So if you cannot do this very little thing, why should you worry about the rest? ²⁷ Consider how the lilies grow: They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory was adorned like one of these. ²⁸ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith! ²⁹ And do not be concerned about what you will eat or drink. Do not worry about it. ³⁰ For the nations of the world strive after all these things, and your Father knows that you need them. ³¹ But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. ³² Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. ³³ Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide yourselves with purses that will not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. ³⁴ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. ³⁵ Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning. ³⁶ like men waiting for their master to come home from a wedding, so that when he comes and knocks, they can open the door for him at once. ³⁷ Blessed are those servants whom the master finds on watch when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve and will have them recline at the table, and he himself will come and wait on them. ³⁸ And if he shall come in the evening watch, and find them so, And if he come in the second or third [watch] they are blessed. ³⁹ But understand this: If the homeowner had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. ⁴⁰ You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect.” ⁴¹ Peter asked, "Lord, are you telling this parable just for us or for everyone?" ⁴² And the Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their portion at the proper time? ⁴³ Blessed is that servant whom his master finds doing so when he returns. ⁴⁴ I tell you truly that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. ⁴⁵ But should that servant say to himself 'My master is a long time coming,' and begin to beat the menservants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, ⁴⁶ the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him, and at an hour he is not aware of, and he will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers. ⁴⁷ That servant who knows his master’s will but does not get ready or follow his instructions will be beaten with many blows. ⁴⁸ But the one who unknowingly does things worthy of punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and from him who has been entrusted with much, even more will be demanded. ⁴⁹ "I have come to bring fire on earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! ⁵⁰ But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed! ⁵¹ Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but division. ⁵² "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 mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law." ⁵⁴ And He said to the crowds, "When you see a cloud rising in the west, at once you say, 'It is going to rain,' and it does. ⁵⁵ And when the south wind blows, you say, ‘It will be hot,’ and it is. ⁵⁶ You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky; but how is it you do not know how to interpret this present time? ⁵⁷ Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right? ⁵⁸ As you go with your adversary to the magistrate, make an effort to settle with him on the way, lest he drag you to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. ⁵⁹ I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the very last penny.”