Luke 12

12:1 Meanwhile,¹ when many thousands of the crowd had gathered so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus² began to speak first to his disciples, “Be on your guard against³ the yeast of the Pharisees,⁴ which is hypocrisy.⁵ 12:2 Nothing is hidden⁶ that will not be revealed,⁷ and nothing is secret that will not be made known. 12:3 So then⁸ whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered⁹ in private rooms¹⁰ will be proclaimed from the housetops.¹¹

12:4 “I¹² tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body,¹³ and after that have nothing more they can do. 12:5 But I will warn¹⁴ you whom you should fear: Fear the one who, after the killing,¹⁵ has authority to throw you¹⁶ into hell.¹⁷ Yes, I tell you, fear him! 12:6 Aren’t five sparrows sold for two pennies?¹⁸ Yet not one of them is forgotten before God. 12:7 In fact, even the hairs on your head are all numbered. Do not be afraid;¹⁹ you are more valuable than many sparrows.

12:8 “I²⁰ tell you, whoever acknowledges²¹ me before men,²² the Son of Man will also acknowledge²³ before God’s angels. 12:9 But the one who denies me before men will be denied before God’s angels. 12:10 And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the person who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit²⁴ will not be forgiven.²⁵ 12:11 But when they bring you before the synagogues,²⁶ the²⁷ rulers, and the authorities, do not worry about how you should make your defense²⁸ or what you should say, 12:12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment²⁹ what you must say.”³⁰

12:13 Then³¹ someone from the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell³² my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 12:14 But Jesus³³ said to him, “Man,³⁴ who made me a judge or arbitrator between you two?”³⁵ 12:15 Then³⁶ he said to them, “Watch out and guard yourself from³⁷ all types of greed,³⁸ because one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” 12:16 He then³⁹ told them a parable:⁴⁰ “The land of a certain rich man produced⁴¹ an abundant crop, 12:17 so⁴² he thought to himself,⁴³ ‘What should I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’⁴⁴ 12:18 Then⁴⁵ he said, ‘I⁴⁶ will do this: I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 12:19 And I will say to myself,⁴⁷ “You have plenty of goods stored up for many years; relax, eat, drink, celebrate!”’ 12:20 But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life⁴⁸ will be demanded back from⁴⁹ you, but who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’⁵⁰ 12:21 So it is with the one who stores up riches for himself,⁵¹ but is not rich toward God.”

12:22 Then⁵² Jesus⁵³ said to his⁵⁴ disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry⁵⁵ about your⁵⁶ life, what you will eat, or about your⁵⁷ body, what you will wear. 12:23 For there is more to life than food, and more to the body than clothing. 12:24 Consider the ravens:⁵⁸ They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn, yet God feeds⁵⁹ them. How much more valuable are you than the birds! 12:25 And which of you by worrying⁶⁰ can add an hour to his life?⁶¹ 12:26 So if⁶² you cannot do such a very little thing as this, why do you worry about⁶³ the rest? 12:27 Consider how the flowers⁶⁴ grow; they do not work⁶⁵ or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these! 12:28 And if⁶⁶ this is how God clothes the wild grass,⁶⁷ which is here⁶⁸ today and tomorrow is tossed into the fire to heat the oven,⁶⁹ how much more⁷⁰ will he clothe you, you people of little faith! 12:29 So⁷¹ do not be overly concerned about⁷² what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not worry about such things.⁷³ 12:30 For all the nations of the world pursue⁷⁴ these things, and your Father knows that you need them. 12:31 Instead, pursue⁷⁵ his⁷⁶ kingdom,⁷⁷ and these things will be given to you as well.

12:32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is well pleased⁷⁸ to give you the kingdom. 12:33 Sell your possessions⁷⁹ and give to the poor.⁸⁰ Provide yourselves purses that do not wear out – a treasure in heaven⁸¹ that never decreases,⁸² where no thief approaches and no moth⁸³ destroys. 12:34 For where your treasure⁸⁴ is, there your heart will be also.

12:35 “Get dressed for service⁸⁵ and keep your lamps burning;⁸⁶ 12:36 be like people⁸⁷ waiting for their master to come back from the wedding celebration,⁸⁸ so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. 12:37 Blessed are those slaves⁸⁹ whom their master finds alert⁹⁰ when he returns! I tell you the truth,⁹¹ he will dress himself to serve,⁹² have them take their place at the table,⁹³ and will come⁹⁴ and wait on them!⁹⁵ 12:38 Even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night⁹⁶ and finds them alert,⁹⁷ blessed are those slaves!⁹⁸ 12:39 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief⁹⁹ was coming, he would not have let¹⁰⁰ his house be broken into. 12:40 You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”¹⁰¹

12:41 Then¹⁰² Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for everyone?”¹⁰³ 12:42 The Lord replied,¹⁰⁴ “Who then is the faithful and wise manager,¹⁰⁵ whom the master puts in charge of his household servants,¹⁰⁶ to give them their allowance of food at the proper time? 12:43 Blessed is that slave¹⁰⁷ whom his master finds at work¹⁰⁸ when he returns. 12:44 I tell you the truth,¹⁰⁹ the master¹¹⁰ will put him in charge of all his possessions. 12:45 But if¹¹¹ that¹¹² slave should say to himself,¹¹³ ‘My master is delayed¹¹⁴ in returning,’ and he begins to beat¹¹⁵ the other¹¹⁶ slaves, both men and women,¹¹⁷ and to eat, drink, and get drunk, 12:46 then the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not foresee, and will cut him in two,¹¹⁸ and assign him a place with the unfaithful.¹¹⁹ 12:47 That¹²⁰ servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or do what his master asked¹²¹ will receive a severe beating. 12:48 But the one who did not know his master’s will¹²² and did things worthy of punishment¹²³ will receive a light beating.¹²⁴ From everyone who has been given much, much will be required,¹²⁵ and from the one who has been entrusted with much,¹²⁶ even more will be asked.¹²⁷

12:49 “I have come¹²⁸ to bring¹²⁹ fire on the earth – and how I wish it were already kindled! 12:50 I have a baptism¹³⁰ to undergo,¹³¹ and how distressed I am until it is finished! 12:51 Do you think I have come to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!¹³² 12:52 For from now on¹³³ there will be five in one household divided, three against two and two against three. 12:53 They will be divided,¹³⁴ 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 mother-in-law.”

Reading the Signs

12:54 Jesus¹³⁵ also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west,¹³⁶ you say at once, ‘A rainstorm¹³⁷ is coming,’ and it does. 12:55 And when you see the south wind¹³⁸ blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat,’ and there is. 12:56 You hypocrites!¹³⁹ You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how can you not know how¹⁴⁰ to interpret the present time?

12:57 “And¹⁴¹ why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right? 12:58 As you are going with your accuser before the magistrate,¹⁴² make an effort to settle with him on the way, so that he will not drag you before the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer,¹⁴³ and the officer throw you into prison. 12:59 I tell you, you will never get out of there until you have paid the very last cent!”¹⁴⁴

Luke 13

13:1 Now¹ there were some present on that occasion who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.² 13:2 He³ answered them, “Do you think these Galileans were worse sinners⁴ than all the other Galileans, because they suffered these things? 13:3 No, I tell you! But unless you repent,⁵ you will all perish as well!⁶ 13:4 Or those eighteen who were killed⁷ when the tower in Siloam fell on them,⁸ do you think they were worse offenders than all the others who live in Jerusalem?⁹ 13:5 No, I tell you! But unless you repent¹⁰ you will all perish as well!”¹¹

13:6 Then¹² Jesus¹³ told this parable: “A man had a fig tree¹⁴ planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. 13:7 So¹⁵ he said to the worker who tended the vineyard, ‘For¹⁶ three years¹⁷ now, I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and each time I inspect it¹⁸ I find none. Cut¹⁹ it down! Why²⁰ should it continue to deplete²¹ the soil?’ 13:8 But the worker²² answered him, ‘Sir, leave it alone this year too, until I dig around it and put fertilizer²³ on it. 13:9 Then if²⁴ it bears fruit next year,²⁵ very well,²⁶ but if²⁷ not, you can cut it down.’”

13:10 Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues²⁸ on the Sabbath, 13:11 and a woman was there²⁹ who had been disabled by a spirit³⁰ for eighteen years. She³¹ was bent over and could not straighten herself up completely.³² 13:12 When³³ Jesus saw her, he called her to him³⁴ and said, “Woman,³⁵ you are freed³⁶ from your infirmity.”³⁷ 13:13 Then³⁸ he placed his hands on her, and immediately³⁹ she straightened up and praised God. 13:14 But the president of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the crowd, “There are six days on which work⁴⁰ should be done!⁴¹ So come⁴² and be healed on those days, and not on the Sabbath day.” 13:15 Then the Lord answered him,⁴³ “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from its stall,⁴⁴ and lead it to water?⁴⁵ 13:16 Then⁴⁶ shouldn’t⁴⁷ this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan⁴⁸ bound for eighteen long⁴⁹ years, be released from this imprisonment⁵⁰ on the Sabbath day?” 13:17 When⁵¹ he said this all his adversaries were humiliated,⁵² but⁵³ the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things⁵⁴ he was doing.⁵⁵

13:18 Thus Jesus⁵⁶ asked,⁵⁷ “What is the kingdom of God⁵⁸ like?⁵⁹ To⁶⁰ what should I compare it? 13:19 It is like a mustard seed⁶¹ that a man took and sowed⁶² in his garden. It⁶³ grew and became a tree,⁶⁴ and the wild birds⁶⁵ nested in its branches.”⁶⁶

13:20 Again⁶⁷ he said, “To what should I compare the kingdom of God?⁶⁸ 13:21 It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with⁶⁹ three measures⁷⁰ of flour until all the dough had risen.”⁷¹

13:22 Then⁷² Jesus⁷³ traveled throughout⁷⁴ towns⁷⁵ and villages, teaching and making his way toward⁷⁶ Jerusalem.⁷⁷ 13:23 Someone⁷⁸ asked⁷⁹ him, “Lord, will only a few⁸⁰ be saved?” So⁸¹ he said to them, 13:24 “Exert every effort⁸² to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. 13:25 Once⁸³ the head of the house⁸⁴ gets up⁸⁵ and shuts the door, then you will stand outside and start to knock on the door and beg him, ‘Lord,⁸⁶ let us in!’⁸⁷ But he will answer you,⁸⁸ ‘I don’t know where you come from.’⁸⁹ 13:26 Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’⁹⁰ 13:27 But⁹¹ he will reply,⁹² ‘I don’t know where you come from!⁹³ Go away from me, all you evildoers!’⁹⁴ 13:28 There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth⁹⁵ when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob,⁹⁶ and all the prophets in the kingdom of God⁹⁷ but you yourselves thrown out.⁹⁸ 13:29 Then⁹⁹ people¹⁰⁰ will come from east and west, and from north and south, and take their places at the banquet table¹⁰¹ in the kingdom of God.¹⁰² 13:30 But¹⁰³ indeed,¹⁰⁴ some are last¹⁰⁵ who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

13:31 At that time,¹⁰⁶ some Pharisees¹⁰⁷ came up and said to Jesus,¹⁰⁸ “Get away from here,¹⁰⁹ because Herod¹¹⁰ wants to kill you.” 13:32 But¹¹¹ he said to them, “Go¹¹² and tell that fox,¹¹³ ‘Look, I am casting out demons and performing healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day¹¹⁴ I will complete my work.¹¹⁵ 13:33 Nevertheless I must¹¹⁶ go on my way today and tomorrow and the next day, because it is impossible¹¹⁷ that a prophet should be killed¹¹⁸ outside Jerusalem.’¹¹⁹ 13:34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem,¹²⁰ you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you!¹²¹ How often I have longed¹²² to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but¹²³ you would have none of it!¹²⁴ 13:35 Look, your house is forsaken!¹²⁵ And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’”¹²⁶