Luke 12
12
Beware of the Leaven of the Pharisees
1In the meantime, #ch. 11:29 when so many thousands of the people had gathered together that they were trampling one another, he began to say to his disciples first, #Matt. 16:6, 11, 12; Mark 8:15 “Beware of #1 Cor. 5:6-8; Gal. 5:9 the leaven of the Pharisees, #Matt. 23:28; Mark 12:15which is hypocrisy. 2#ch. 8:17; Mark 4:22; [1 Tim. 5:25]; For ver. 2-9, see Matt. 10:26-33Nothing 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 #Matt. 6:6 private rooms shall be proclaimed on #See ch. 5:19the housetops.
Have No Fear
4 “I tell you, my friends, #
Isa. 8:12, 13; 51:12, 13; Jer. 1:8; 1 Pet. 3:14 do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. 5But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him #James 4:12who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell.#12:5 Greek Gehenna Yes, I tell you, fear him! 6Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies?#12:6 Greek two assaria; an assarion was a Roman copper coin worth about 1/16 of a denarius (which was a day’s wage for a laborer) And #[Ps. 50:11]not one of them is forgotten before God. 7Why, #See 1 Sam. 14:45 even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; #Matt. 6:26; 12:12you are of more value than many sparrows.
Acknowledge Christ Before Men
8 “And I tell you, # [Rom. 10:9, 10; Heb. 10:35; Rev. 3:5] everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge # [ch. 15:10; Matt. 25:31; 1 Tim. 5:21; Rev. 3:5] before the angels of God, 9but #2 Tim. 2:12; 2 Pet. 2:1; 1 John 2:23; [Mark 8:38] the one who denies me before men #ch. 13:25; Matt. 7:23; 25:12 will be denied #[See ver. 8 above]before the angels of God. 10And #[Matt. 12:31, 32; Mark 3:28-30; Heb. 6:4-6; 10:26; 1 John 5:16] everyone who speaks a word #Matt. 11:19; John 7:12; 9:24 against the Son of Man #1 Tim. 1:12, 13 will be forgiven, but the one who #[Acts 7:51; Heb. 10:29]blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. 11#Matt. 10:17, 19; [ch. 21:12, 14; Mark 13:11] And when they #See Matt. 23:34 bring you before the synagogues and #Titus 3:1 the rulers and #Titus 3:1 the authorities, #See ver. 22do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, 12#See Matt. 10:19, 20for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”
The Parable of the Rich Fool
13 # ch. 11:27 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14But he said to him, #Mic. 6:8; Rom. 2:1, 3; 9:20 “Man, #[Ex. 2:14; Acts 7:27]who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” 15And he said to them, #1 Tim. 6:6-11; [Heb. 13:5]“Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” 16And he told them a parable, saying, #[Ps. 49:16-20]“The land of a rich man produced plentifully, 17and he thought to himself, #[Eccles. 5:10]‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 18And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my #ver. 24barns 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 #[Prov. 27:1; James 4:13-15] for many years; relax, #Eccles. 2:24; 11:9; 1 Cor. 15:32; [ch. 15:23]eat, drink, be merry.”’ 20But God said to him, #Jer. 17:11; [Matt. 16:26] ‘Fool! #[See ver. 19 above] This night #Job 27:8 your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, #Ps. 39:6; [Job 27:17-22; Eccles. 2:18, 21]whose will they be?’ 21So is the one #Matt. 6:19, 20who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”
Do Not Be Anxious
22And he said to his disciples, #For ver. 22-31, see Matt. 6:25-33 “Therefore I tell you, #ver. 11; ch. 10:41; Matt. 10:19; 13:22 (Gk.); 1 Cor. 7:32 (Gk.); Phil. 4:6; 1 Pet. 5:7do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. 23For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. 24#[Job 38:41; Ps. 147:9] Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. #See ver. 7Of how much more value are you than the birds! 25And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his #ch. 2:52 (Gk.)span of life?#12:25 Or a single cubit to his stature; a cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters 26If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? 27Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin,#12:27 Some manuscripts Consider the lilies; they neither spin nor weave yet I tell you, #1 Kgs. 10:4-7even 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, #Matt. 8:26; 14:31; 16:8; [ch. 17:6]O you of little faith! 29And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor #[James 1:6]be worried. 30For #Matt. 6:8all the nations of the world seek after these things, and #Matt. 6:8your Father knows that you need them. 31Instead, #[Matt. 5:6, 20] seek #ch. 11:2 his#12:31 Some manuscripts God’s kingdom, #[1 Kgs. 3:11-14; Mark 10:29, 30; 1 Tim. 4:8; 1 Pet. 3:9]and these things will be added to you.
32 #
Isa. 41:14; 44:2 “Fear not, little #
Isa. 40:11; Matt. 26:31; John 10:16; 21:15-17; Acts 20:28, 29; 1 Pet. 5:2, 3 flock, for # [ch. 10:21; Matt. 11:26; Eph. 1:5, 9; Phil. 2:13] it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you # ch. 22:29; See Matt. 13:19 the kingdom. 33#See Matt. 19:21 Sell your possessions, and #ch. 11:41 give to the needy. #[ch. 16:9] Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with #Matt. 6:20; [ver. 21; 1 Pet. 1:4]a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. 34#Matt. 6:21For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
You Must Be Ready
35 #
Eph. 6:14; 1 Pet. 1:13 “Stay dressed for action # 12:35 Greek Let your loins stay girded ; compare Exodus 12:11 and #[Matt. 25:7]keep your lamps burning, 36and be like men who are #See 2 Pet. 3:12 waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and #Rev. 3:20knocks. 37#See Matt. 24:42, 46 Blessed are those servants#12:37 Or bondservants whom the master finds #See Matt. 24:42, 46 awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, #John 13:4; [ver. 35; ch. 17:8] he will dress himself for service and #[ch. 22:27]have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. 38If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants! 39#For ver. 39-46, [Matt. 24:43-51] But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour #[1 Thess. 5:2; 2 Pet. 3:10; Rev. 3:3]the thief was coming, he#12:39 Some manuscripts add would have stayed awake and would not have left his house to be broken into. 40You also must be #ver. 47; Matt. 25:10 ready, for #ch. 21:27the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
41Peter said, “Lord, #[Mark 13:37]are you telling this parable for us or for all?” 42And the Lord said, “Who then is #See Matt. 24:45 the faithful and #See Matt. 24:45 wise #ch. 16:1manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? 43#John 13:17; Rev. 16:15Blessed is that servant#12:43 Or bondservant; also verses 45, 46, 47 whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 44Truly, I say to you, #Matt. 25:21, 23he will set him over all his possessions. 45But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master #Matt. 25:5; [Heb. 10:37; 2 Pet. 3:4, 9] is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and #1 Thess. 5:7get drunk, 46the master of that servant will come #2 Pet. 3:12; [ver. 40]on a day when he does not expect him and #2 Pet. 3:12; [ver. 40]at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful. 47#[Matt. 11:24; John 15:22, 24] And that servant who #[James 4:17; 2 Pet. 2:21] knew his master’s will but #ver. 40 did not get ready #[James 4:17; 2 Pet. 2:21] or act according to his will, will receive a #[Deut. 25:2, 3]severe beating. 48#Lev. 5:17; [Num. 15:29, 30] But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, #Rom. 1:19, 20; 2:14, 15; [1 Tim. 1:13] will receive a light beating. #[Matt. 25:29]; See Matt. 13:12Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.
Not Peace, but Division
49 # [Matt. 3:11] “I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled! 50#Mark 10:38 I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how #2 Cor. 5:14 (Gk.)great is my distress until it is accomplished! 51#For ver. 51-53, see Matt. 10:34, 35 Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? #[Rev. 6:4]No, I tell you, but rather division. 52For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. 53They will be divided, #Matt. 10:21; [Mic. 7:6]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.”
Interpreting the Time
54He also said to the crowds, #[Matt. 16:2, 3] “When you see #1 Kgs. 18:43, 44a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, ‘A shower is coming.’ And so it happens. 55And #[See ver. 54 above] when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be #See Matt. 20:12scorching heat,’ and it happens. 56You hypocrites! #Matt. 16:3You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?
Settle with Your Accuser
57 “And why # ch. 21:30 do you not judge #
John 7:24; 1 Cor. 11:13 for yourselves what is right? 58#Matt. 5:25, 26; [Prov. 25:8]As 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, #[Matt. 18:34, 35] you will never get out until you have paid the very last #ch. 21:2; Mark 12:42penny.”#12:59 Greek lepton, a Jewish bronze or copper coin worth about 1/128 of a denarius (which was a day’s wage for a laborer)
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Luke 12
12
Beware of Hypocrisy
1In #Matt. 16:6; Mark 8:15the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say to His disciples first of all, #Matt. 16:12; Luke 11:39“Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2#Matt. 10:26; Mark 4:22; Luke 8:17; (1 Cor. 4:5)For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. 3Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.
Jesus Teaches the Fear of God
4#Is. 51:7, 8, 12, 13; Jer. 1:8; Matt. 10:28“And I say to you, #(John 15:13–15)My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. 5But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, #Ps. 119:120fear Him!
6“Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And #Matt. 6:26not one of them is forgotten before God. 7But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
Confess Christ Before Men
8#1 Sam. 2:30; Matt. 10:32; (Mark 8:38; Rom. 10:9; 2 Tim. 2:12; 1 John 2:23)“Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me #Ps. 119:46before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God. 9But he who #Matt. 10:33; (Mark 8:38; 2 Tim. 2:12)denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.
10“And #(Matt. 12:31, 32; Mark 3:28; 1 John 5:16)anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven.
11#Matt. 6:25; 10:19; Mark 13:11“Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. 12For the Holy Spirit will #(John 14:26)teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”
The Parable of the Rich Fool
13Then one from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”
14But He said to him, #(John 18:36)“Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?” 15And He said to them, #(1 Tim. 6:6–10)“Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”
16Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. 17And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ 18So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. 19And I will say to my soul, #Eccl. 11:9; 1 Cor. 15:32; James 5:5“Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; #(Eccl. 2:24; 3:13; 5:18; 8:15)eat, drink, and be merry.” ’ 20But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night #Job 27:8; Ps. 52:7; (James 4:14)your soul will be required of you; #Ps. 39:6; Jer. 17:11then whose will those things be which you have provided?’
21“So is he who lays up treasure for himself, #(Matt. 6:20; Luke 12:33; 1 Tim. 6:18, 19; James 2:5; 5:1–5)and is not rich toward God.”
Do Not Worry
22Then He said to His disciples, “Therefore I say to you, #Matt. 6:25–33do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. 23Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. 24Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and #Job 38:41; Ps. 147:9God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? 25And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? 26If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? 27Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even #1 Kin. 10:4–7; 2 Chr. 9:3–6Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of #Matt. 6:30; 8:26; 14:31; 16:8little faith?
29“And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. 30For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father #Matt. 6:31, 32knows that you need these things. 31#Matt. 6:33But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.
32“Do not fear, little flock, for #(Dan. 7:18, 27); Zech. 13:7; (Matt. 11:25, 26; Luke 22:29, 30)it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33#Matt. 19:21; Acts 2:45; 4:34Sell what you have and give #Luke 11:41alms; #Matt. 6:20; Luke 16:9; (1 Tim. 6:19)provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. 34For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
The Faithful Servant and the Evil Servant
35#(Eph. 6:14; 1 Pet. 1:13)“Let your waist be girded and #(Matt. 25:1–13)your lamps burning; 36and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. 37#Matt. 24:46Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them. 38And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. 39#Matt. 24:43; 1 Thess. 5:2; (2 Pet. 3:10); Rev. 3:3; 16:15But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 40#Matt. 24:44; 25:13; Mark 13:33; (Luke 21:34, 36); 1 Thess. 5:6; (2 Pet. 3:12)Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
41Then Peter said to Him, “Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people?”
42And the Lord said, #Matt. 24:45, 46; 25:21; (1 Cor. 4:2)“Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? 43Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 44#Matt. 24:47; 25:21; (Rev. 3:21)Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has. 45#Matt. 24:48; 2 Pet. 3:3, 4But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, 46the master of that servant will come on a #1 Thess. 5:3day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. 47And #Num. 15:30; Deut. 25:2; (John 9:41; 15:22; Acts 17:30)that servant who #(James 4:17)knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 48#(Lev. 5:17); Num. 15:29; (1 Tim. 1:13)But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.
Christ Brings Division
49#Luke 12:51“I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50But #Matt. 20:18, 22, 23; Mark 10:38I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is #John 12:27; 19:30accomplished! 51#Matt. 10:34–36Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, #Mic. 7:6; John 7:43; 9:16; 10:19; Acts 14:4but rather division. 52#Matt. 10:35; Mark 13:12For from now on five in one house will be divided: three against two, and two against three. 53#Matt. 10:21, 36Father will be divided 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 her mother-in-law.”
Discern the Time
54Then He also said to the multitudes, #Matt. 16:2, 3“Whenever you see a cloud rising out of the west, immediately you say, ‘A shower is coming’; and so it is. 55And when you see the #Job 37:17south wind blow, you say, ‘There will be hot weather’; and there is. 56Hypocrites! You can discern the face of the sky and of the earth, but how is it you do not discern #Luke 19:41–44this time?
Make Peace with Your Adversary
57“Yes, and why, even of yourselves, do you not judge what is right? 58#Prov. 25:8; Matt. 5:25, 26When you go with your adversary to the magistrate, make every effort #(Ps. 32:6; Is. 55:6)along the way to settle with him, lest he drag you to the judge, the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. 59I tell you, you shall not depart from there till you have paid the very last mite.”
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.