Luke 12
12
Jesus Gives Words of Warning and Hope
1During that time, when a crowd of so many thousands had gathered that the people were stepping on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples. He said, “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. They just pretend to be godly. 2But everything that is secret now will be brought out into the open, and everything that’s hidden will be uncovered. 3What you’ve said in the dark will be heard in the daylight; what you’ve whispered behind closed doors will be shouted from the rooftops.
4“My friends, listen to me. Don’t be afraid of those who can kill the body but who can’t do anything after that. 5Let me tell you who you should be afraid of: the one who has the authority to throw you into hell after you’ve been killed. Yes, I tell you, be afraid of him. 6Aren’t five sparrows sold for two pennies? Even so, God doesn’t forget a single one of them. 7For that matter, every hair on your head is numbered! So don’t be afraid; you’re worth more than many sparrows.
8“I tell you, if anyone says in front of others that he knows me, the Son of Man will say in front of God’s angels that he knows that person. 9But if anyone says in front of others that he doesn’t know me, I, the Son of Man, will say in front of God’s angels that I don’t know them. 10Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks evil things against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
11“When you are brought before synagogues, rulers, and authorities, don’t worry about how to stand up for yourselves or about what to say. 12The Holy Spirit will show you at that time what you should say.”
The Story of the Rich Fool
13Someone in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family property with me.”
14Jesus answered, “Friend, who made me a judge or arbitrator between the two of you?” 15Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be careful not to get greedy, because life isn’t about how much a person has.”
16Then Jesus told them a story. He said, “There was a rich man whose land produced a very large crop. 17He thought to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have anywhere to store all my grain.’
18“But then he said, ‘I know what I’ll do! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and I’ll store my extra grain there. 19Then I’ll tell myself, “You’ve got enough stored away to last many years. Take it easy. Eat, drink, and have a good time!” ’
20“But God said to him, ‘You foolish man! Tonight, you are going to die. And then who will to get all the things you collected for yourself?’
21“That’s what it will be like for people who store up things for themselves but who aren’t rich as far as God is concerned.”
Do Not Worry
22Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you, don’t worry about your life and what you will eat, and don’t worry about your body and what you will wear. 23There’s more to life than eating and there are more important things for the body than clothing. 24Think about the ravens: They don’t plant or gather crops—they don’t have any barns at all—but God feeds them. You’re worth much more than birds! 25Can you add even one hour to your life by worrying? 26Since you can’t even do that very little thing, why worry about the rest?
27“Think about how the wild flowers grow. They don’t work or make clothes, but not even Solomon in his royal robes, I tell you, was dressed like one of those flowers. 28If that’s how God dresses the wild grass, which is here today and gets thrown into the fire tomorrow, how much better will he dress you! You should have more faith. 29Don’t spend your time thinking about what you’ll eat or drink; don’t worry about it. 30People who don’t consider God run after all those things, but your Father knows you need them. 31So put God’s kingdom first, and those other things will also be given to you.
32“Don’t be afraid, little flock, your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. 33So sell what you own and give to the poor. That will be like putting your money in a bag that will never wear out. Store up your riches in heaven, where they can never be used up, where no thief can get near them and no moth can destroy them. 34Remember, wherever your riches are, that’s where your heart will be too.
Be Ready
35“Be dressed and ready to serve and keep your lamps burning, 36like servants who are waiting for their master to return from a wedding dinner so that when he comes and knocks, they can open the door for him right away. 37Truly I tell you, if that master finds his servants watching for him when he comes, he’ll do something special for them. He’ll dress to serve them, have them take their places at the table, and come and wait on them. 38It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, especially if the master comes in the middle of the night or near dawn. 39But understand this: If the owner of a house knew when a burglar was coming, he wouldn’t let him break into his house. 40You have to be ready too, because the Son of Man is going to come at a time when you’re not expecting him.”
41Peter asked, “Lord, are you telling this story to us, or to everyone?”
42The Lord answered, “Suppose a master gives one of his servants the job of giving the other servants their food at the right time, as a faithful and wise manager. 43It will be good for that servant if the master finds him doing this job when he returns. 44Truly I tell you, the master will put him in charge of everything he owns. 45But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time to come back,’ and he begins to beat the other servants. Suppose that instead of feeding those men and women, he only feeds himself and drinks until he gets drunk. 46His master will come back on a day and at a time when he isn’t expecting him, and he will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.
47“If a servant knows his master’s wishes but doesn’t get ready and doesn’t do what the master wants, he will receive a heavy beating. 48But if a servant doesn’t know the master’s wishes and does things for which he should be punished, he will receive a lighter beating. If someone has been given a lot, a lot will be expected of him; more will be asked of the person who has been entrusted with many responsibilities.
Jesus Will Separate People From One Another
49“I’ve come to start a fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already burning! 50But I have a baptism of suffering to go through, and I must go through it. 51Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, I came to bring division. 52From now on when there are five members in a family, they’ll be divided against one another, three against two and two against three. 53Relatives will turn against each other: 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.”
Understanding the Meaning of What Is Happening
54Jesus spoke to the crowd and said, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say right away, ‘It’s going to rain,’ and it does. 55And when the south wind blows, you say, ‘It’s going to be hot,’ and it is. 56How can it be that you can understand the meaning of the appearance of the earth and sky, but you can’t understand the meaning of what’s happening right now?
57“Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right? 58Suppose someone has a claim against you and you’re on your way with them to court. Try hard to settle the matter on the way. If you don’t, that person may drag you off to the judge, and the judge may turn you over to the officer, and the officer may throw you into prison. 59In that case, there’s no way you’re getting out until you’ve paid the very last penny!”
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Luke 12
12
1 #
Mt 16.6; Mk 8.15. In the meantime, when so many thousands of the multitude had gathered together that they trod upon one another, he began to say to his disciples first, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2#Mt 10.26-27; Mk 4.22; Lk 8.17; Eph 5.13. Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 3Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.
4 #
Jn 15.14-15. #Mt 10.28-33. “I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. 5#Heb 10.31. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has power to cast into hell;#12.5 Greek Gehenna yes, I tell you, fear him! 6Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. 7#Lk 21.18; Acts 27.34; Mt 12.12. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.
8“And I tell you, every one who acknowledges me before men, the Son of man also will acknowledge before the angels of God; 9#Mk 8.38; Lk 9.26; 2 Tim 2.12. but he who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God. 10#Mt 12.31-32; Mk 3.28-29. And every one 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#Mt 10.19-20; Mk 13.11; Lk 21.14-15. And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious how or what you are to answer or what you are to say; 12for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”
13One of the multitude said to him, “Teacher, bid my brother divide the inheritance with me.” 14But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or divider over you?” 15#1 Tim 6.6-10. And he said to them, “Take heed, and beware of all covetousness; for a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” 16And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man brought forth plentifully; 17and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 18And he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns, and build larger ones; and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.’ 20#Jer 17.11; Job 27.8; Ps 39.6; Lk 12.33-34. But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you; and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ 21So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
22 #
Mt 6.25-33. And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat, nor about your body, what you shall put on. 23For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. 24#Lk 12.6-7. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! 25And which of you by being anxious can add a cubit to his span of life?#12.25 Or to his stature 26If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? 27#1 Kings 10.1-10. Consider the lilies, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin;#12.27 Other ancient authorities read Consider the lilies; they neither spin nor weave yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28But if God so clothes the grass which is alive in the field today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O men of little faith! 29And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be of anxious mind. 30#Mt 6.8. For all the nations of the world seek these things; and your Father knows that you need them. 31Instead, seek his#12.31 Other ancient authorities read God's kingdom, and these things shall be yours as well.
32 #
Jn 21.15-17. “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33#Mt 6.19-21; Lk 18.22. Sell your possessions, and give alms; provide yourselves with purses that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. 34For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
35 #
Eph 6.14; Mt 25.1-13; Mk 13.33-37. “Let your loins be girded and your lamps burning, 36and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the marriage feast, so that they may open to him at once when he comes and knocks. 37#Jn 13.3-5; Mt 24.42; Lk 21.36. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes; truly, I say to you, he will gird himself and have them sit at table, and he will come and serve them. 38If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them so, blessed are those servants! 39#Mt 24.43-44; 1 Thess 5.2; Rev 3.3; 16.15; 2 Pet 3.10. But know this, that if the householder had known at what hour the thief was coming, he#12.39 Other ancient authorities add would have watched and would not have left his house to be broken into. 40You also must be ready; for the Son of man is coming at an unexpected hour.”
41Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?” 42#Mt 24.45-51. #Lk 7.13. And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? 43Blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes will find so doing. 44Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. 45But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, 46the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will punish#12.46 Or cut him in pieces him, and put him with the unfaithful. 47#Deut 25.2-3; Num 15.29-30; Lk 8.18; 19.26. And that servant who knew his master's will, but did not make ready or act according to his will, shall receive a severe beating. 48But he who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, shall receive a light beating. Every one to whom much is given, of him will much be required; and of him to whom men commit much they will demand the more.
49 #
Lk 22.15. “I came to cast fire upon the earth; and would that it were already kindled! 50#Mk 10.38-39; Jn 12.27. I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how I am constrained until it is accomplished! 51#Mt 10.34-36; Lk 21.16; Mic 7.6. Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division; 52for henceforth in one house there will be five 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 her mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”
54 #
Mt 16.2-3. He also said to the multitudes, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, ‘A shower is coming’; and so it happens. 55And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat’; and it happens. 56You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky; but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?
57 #
Mt 5.25-26. “And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? 58As you go with your accuser before 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 put you in prison. 59I tell you, you will never get out till you have paid the very last copper.”
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Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America