Luke 11-12

Complete Jewish Bible

11 One time Yeshua was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of the talmidim said to him, “Sir, teach us to pray, just as Yochanan taught his talmidim.” ² He said to them, “When you pray, say:

⁵ He also said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend; and you go to him in the middle of the night and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, ⁶ because a friend of mine who has been travelling has just arrived at my house, and I have nothing for him to eat.’ ⁷ Now the one inside may answer, ‘Don’t bother me! The door is already shut, my children are with me in bed — I can’t get up to give you anything!’ ⁸ But I tell you, even if he won’t get up because the man is his friend, yet because of the man’s hutzpah he will get up and give him as much as he needs.

⁹ “Moreover, I myself say to you: keep asking, and it will be given to you; keep seeking, and you will find; keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you. ¹⁰ For everyone who goes on asking receives; and he who goes on seeking finds; and to him who continues knocking, the door will be opened.

¹¹ “Is there any father here who, if his son asked him for a fish, would instead of a fish give him a snake? ¹² or if he asked for an egg would give him a scorpion? ¹³ So if you, even though you are bad, know how to give your children gifts that are good, how much more will the Father keep giving the Ruach HaKodesh from heaven to those who keep asking him!”

¹⁴ He was expelling a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the man who had been mute spoke; and the people were astounded. ¹⁵ But some of them said, “It is by Ba‘al-Zibbul” — the ruler of the demons — “that he expels the demons.” ¹⁶ And others, trying to trap him, demanded from him a sign from Heaven. ¹⁷ But he, knowing what they were thinking, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, with one house collapsing on another. ¹⁸ So if the Adversary too is divided against himself, how can his kingdom survive? I’m asking because you claim it is by Ba‘al-Zibbul that I drive out the demons. ¹⁹ If I drive out demons by Ba‘al-Zibbul, by whom do your people drive them out? So, they will be your judges! ²⁰ But if I drive out demons by the finger of God,^[a] then the Kingdom of God has come upon you!

²¹ “When a strong man who is fully equipped for battle guards his own house, his possessions are secure. ²² But when someone stronger attacks and defeats him, he carries off all the armor and weaponry on which the man was depending, and divides up the spoils. ²³ Those who are not with me are against me, and those who do not gather with me are scattering.

²⁴ “When an unclean spirit comes out of a person, it travels through dry country seeking rest. On finding none, it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ ²⁵ When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. ²⁶ Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they come and live there — so that in the end the person is worse off than he was before.”

²⁷ As Yeshua was saying these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice to call out, “How blessed is the mother that gave birth to you and nursed you from her breast!” ²⁸ But he said, “Far more blessed are those who hear the word of God and obey it!”

²⁹ As the people crowded around him, Yeshua went on to say, “This generation is a wicked generation! It asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it — except the sign of Yonah. ³⁰ For just as Yonah became a sign to the people of Ninveh, so will the Son of Man be for this generation. ³¹ The Queen of the South will appear at the Judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them; for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Shlomo, and what is here now is greater than Shlomo. ³² The people of Ninveh will stand up at the Judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they turned to God from their sins when Yonah preached, and what is here now is greater than Yonah.

³³ “No one who has kindled a lamp hides it or places it under a bowl; rather, he puts it on a stand, so that those coming in may see its light. ³⁴ The lamp of your body is the eye. When you have a ‘good eye,’ [that is, when you are generous,] your whole body is full of light; but when you have an ‘evil eye,’ [when you are stingy,] your body is full of darkness. ³⁵ So take care that the light in you is not darkness! ³⁶ If, then, your whole body is filled with light, with no part dark, it will be wholly lighted, as when a brightly lit lamp shines on you.”

³⁷ As Yeshua spoke, a Parush asked him to eat dinner with him; so he went in and took his place at the table; ³⁸ and the Parush was surprised that he didn’t begin by doing n’tilat yadayim before the meal. ³⁹ However, the Lord said to him, “Now then, you P’rushim, you clean the outside of the cup and plate; but inside, you are full of robbery and wickedness. ⁴⁰ Fools! Didn’t the One who made the outside make the inside too? ⁴¹ Rather, give as alms what is inside, and then everything will be clean for you!

⁴² “But woe to you P’rushim! You pay your tithes of mint and rue and every garden herb, but you ignore justice and the love of God. You have an obligation to do these things — but without disregarding the others!

⁴³ “Woe to you P’rushim, because you love the best seat in the synagogues and being greeted deferentially in the marketplaces!

⁴⁴ “Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which people walk over without knowing it.”

⁴⁵ One of the experts in Torah answered him, “Rabbi, by saying these things you are insulting us also.” ⁴⁶ Yeshua said, “Woe to you Torah experts too! You load people down with burdens they can hardly bear, and you won’t lift a finger to help them!

⁴⁷ “Woe to you! You build tombs in memory of the prophets, but your fathers murdered them! ⁴⁸ Thus you testify that you completely approve of what your fathers did — they did the killing, you do the building! ⁴⁹ Therefore the Wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and emissaries; they will kill some and persecute others’; ⁵⁰ so that on this generation will fall the responsibility for all the prophets’ blood that has been shed since the world was established, ⁵¹ from the blood of Hevel to the blood of Z’kharyah, who was killed between the altar and the Holy Place. Yes, I tell you, the responsibility for it will fall on this generation!

⁵² “Woe to you Torah experts! For you have taken away the key of knowledge! Not only did you yourselves not go in, you also have stopped those who were trying to enter!”

⁵³ As Yeshua left that place, the Torah-teachers and the P’rushim began to oppose him bitterly and to provoke him to express his views on all sorts of subjects, ⁵⁴ laying traps to catch him in something he might say.

12 Meanwhile, as a crowd in the tens of thousands gathered so closely as to trample each other down, Yeshua began to say to his talmidim first, “Guard yourselves from the hametz of the P’rushim, by which I mean their hypocrisy. ² There is nothing covered up that will not be uncovered, or hidden that will not become known. ³ What you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed on the housetops.

⁴ “My friends, I tell you: don’t fear those who kill the body but then have nothing more they can do. ⁵ I will show you whom to fear: fear him who after killing you has authority to throw you into Gei-Hinnom! Yes, I tell you, this is the one to fear! ⁶ Aren’t sparrows sold for next to nothing, five for two assarions? And not one of them has been forgotten by God. ⁷ Why, every hair on your head has been counted! Don’t be afraid, you are worth more than many sparrows.

⁸ “Moreover, I tell you, whoever acknowledges me in the presence of others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge in the presence of God’s angels. ⁹ But whoever disowns me before others will be disowned before God’s angels. ¹⁰ Also, everyone who says something against the Son of Man will have it forgiven him; but whoever has blasphemed the Ruach HaKodesh will not be forgiven.

¹¹ “When they bring you before the synagogues and the ruling powers and the authorities, don’t worry about how you will defend yourself or what you will say; ¹² because when the time comes, the Ruach HaKodesh will teach you what you need to say.”

¹³ Someone in the crowd said to him, “Rabbi, tell my brother to share with me the property we inherited.” ¹⁴ But Yeshua answered him, “My friend, who appointed me judge or arbitrator over you?” ¹⁵ Then to the people he said, “Be careful to guard against all forms of greed, because even if someone is rich, his life does not consist in what he owns.” ¹⁶ And he gave them this illustration: “There was a man whose land was very productive. ¹⁷ He debated with himself, ‘What should I do? I haven’t enough room for all my crops.’ ¹⁸ Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and I’ll store all my wheat and other goods there. ¹⁹ Then I’ll say to myself, “You’re a lucky man! You have a big supply of goods laid up that will last many years. Start taking it easy! Eat! Drink! Enjoy yourself!”’ ²⁰ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night you will die! And the things you prepared — whose will they be?’ ²¹ That’s how it is with anyone who stores up wealth for himself without being rich toward God.”

²² To his talmidim Yeshua said, “Because of this I tell you, don’t worry about your life — what you will eat or drink; or about your body — what you will wear. ²³ For life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. ²⁴ Think about the ravens! They neither plant nor harvest, they have neither storerooms nor barns, yet God feeds them. You are worth much more than the birds! ²⁵ Can any of you by worrying add an hour to his life? ²⁶ If you can’t do a little thing like that, why worry about the rest? ²⁷ Think about the wild irises, and how they grow. They neither work nor spin thread; yet, I tell you, not even Shlomo in all his glory was clothed as beautifully as one of these. ²⁸ If this is how God clothes grass, which is alive in the field today and thrown in the oven tomorrow, how much more will he clothe you! What little trust you have!

²⁹ “In other words, don’t strive after what you will eat and what you will drink — don’t be anxious. ³⁰ For all the pagan nations in the world set their hearts on these things. Your Father knows that you need them too. ³¹ Rather, seek his Kingdom; and these things will be given to you as well. ³² Have no fear, little flock, for your Father has resolved to give you the Kingdom! ³³ Sell what you own and do tzedakah — make for yourselves purses that don’t wear out, riches in heaven that never fail, where no burglar comes near, where no moth destroys. ³⁴ For where your wealth is, there your heart will be also.

³⁵ “Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit, ³⁶ like people waiting for their master’s return after a wedding feast; so that when he comes and knocks, they will open the door for him without delay. ³⁷ Happy the slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes! Yes! I tell you he will put on his work clothes, seat them at the table, and come serve them himself! ³⁸ Whether it is late at night or early in the morning, if this is how he finds them, those slaves are happy.

³⁹ “But notice this: no house-owner would let his house be broken into if he knew when the thief was coming. ⁴⁰ You too, be ready! For the Son of Man will come when you are not expecting him.”

⁴¹ Kefa said, “Sir, are you telling this parable for our benefit only or for everyone’s?” ⁴² The Lord replied, “Nu, who is the faithful and sensible manager whose master puts him in charge of the household staff to give them their share of food at the proper time? ⁴³ It will go well with that servant if he is found doing his job when his master comes. ⁴⁴ Yes, I tell you he will put him in charge of all he owns. ⁴⁵ But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking his time coming,’ and starts bullying the men- and women-servants, and eating and drinking, getting drunk, ⁴⁶ then his master will come on a day when the servant isn’t expecting him, at a time he doesn’t know in advance; his master will cut him in two and put him with the disloyal. ⁴⁷ Now the servant who knew what his master wanted but didn’t prepare or act according to his will, will be whipped with many lashes; ⁴⁸ however, the one who did what deserves a beating, but didn’t know, will receive few lashes. From him who has been given much, much will be demanded — from someone to whom people entrust much, they ask still more.

⁴⁹ “I have come to set fire to the earth! And how I wish it were already kindled! ⁵⁰ I have an immersion to undergo — how pressured I feel till it’s over! ⁵¹ Do you think that I have come to bring peace in the Land? Not peace, I tell you, but division! ⁵² For from now on, a household of five will be divided, three against two, two against three.

⁵⁴ Then to the crowds Yeshua said, “When you see a cloud-bank rising in the west, at once you say that a rainstorm is coming; ⁵⁵ and when the wind is from the south, you say there will be a heat wave, and there is. ⁵⁶ Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky — how is it that you don’t know how to interpret this present time? ⁵⁷ Why don’t you decide for yourselves what is the right course to follow? ⁵⁸ If someone brings a lawsuit against you, take pains to settle with him first; otherwise he will take the matter to court, and the judge will turn you over to the bailiff, and the bailiff will throw you in jail. ⁵⁹ I tell you, you won’t get out of there till you have paid the last penny!”