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 chambers 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.*1 Yes, I tell you, fear him.
6 “Aren’t five sparrows sold for two assaria coins*2 ? Not one of them is forgotten by God. 7 But the very hairs of
your head are all numbered. Therefore don’t be afraid. You are of more
value than many sparrows.
8 “I tell you, everyone who confesses me before men, him will the Son of
Man 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 the angels of God.
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 brought forth 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, and 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, 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 toward 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 that which 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, neither moth destroys.
34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
35 “Let your loins be girded and your lamps burning. 36 Be like
men watching for their lord, when he returns from the marriage 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
assuredly I tell you, that he will dress himself, and 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 whoever
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 baptized 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.*3 ”
1 or, Hell 2 An assarion was
a small copper coin worth about an hour’s wages for an agricultural
laborer. 3 Literally, lepton. A lepton is a very small brass Jewish coin
worth half a Roman quadrans each, which is worth a quarter of the copper
assarion. Lepta are worth less than 1% of an agricultural worker’s daily
wages.
World English Bible - Public Domain |
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