God Knows and Cares

12 Under these circumstances, after [a]so many thousands of [b]people had gathered together that they were stepping on one another, He began saying to His disciples first of all, (A)Beware of the [c]leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. (B)But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. Accordingly, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have [d]whispered in the inner rooms will be proclaimed on (C)the housetops.

“Now I say to you, (D)My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: (E)fear the One who, after He has killed someone, has the power to throw that person into [e](F)hell; yes, I tell you, fear [f]Him! Are (G)five sparrows not sold for two [g]assaria? And yet not one of them has gone unnoticed in the sight of God. (H)But even the hairs of your head are all counted. [h]Do not fear; you are more valuable than a great number of sparrows.

“Now I say to you, everyone who (I)confesses Me before people, the Son of Man will also confess him before the angels of God; but (J)the one who denies Me before people will be denied (K)before the angels of God. 10 (L)And everyone who [i]speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him. 11 Now when they bring you before (M)the synagogues and the officials and the authorities, do not (N)worry about how or what you are to speak in your defense, or what you are to say; 12 for (O)the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”

Greed Denounced

13 Now someone [j]in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.” 14 But He said to him, [k](P)You there—who appointed Me a judge or arbitrator over the two of you?” 15 But He said to them, (Q)Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one is affluent does his life consist of his possessions.” 16 And He told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man was very productive. 17 And he began thinking to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’ 18 And he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and I will store all my grain and my goods there. 19 And I will say to [l]myself, “(R)You have many goods stored up for many years to come; relax, eat, drink, and enjoy yourself!”’ 20 But God said to him, ‘(S)You fool! This very night [m](T)your soul is demanded of you; and (U)as for all that you have prepared, who will own it now?’ 21 Such is the one who (V)stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich in relation to God.”

22 And He said to His disciples, (W)For this reason I tell you, [n]do not worry about your [o]life, as to what you are to eat; nor for your body, as to what you are to wear. 23 For life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. 24 Consider the (X)ravens, that they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom nor (Y)barn, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds! 25 And which of you by worrying can add a [p](Z)day to his [q]life’s span? 26 Therefore if you cannot do even a very little thing, why do you worry about the other things? 27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither labor nor [r]spin; but I tell you, not even (AA)Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 28 Now if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you? (AB)You of little faith! 29 And do not [s]seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not (AC)keep worrying. 30 For [t]all these things are what the nations of the world [u]eagerly seek; and your Father knows that you need these things. 31 But [v]seek His kingdom, and (AD)these things will be [w]provided to you. 32 [x](AE)Do not be afraid, (AF)little flock, because (AG)your Father has chosen to give you the kingdom.

33 (AH)Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts that do not wear out, (AI)an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor does a moth destroy. 34 For (AJ)where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Be in Readiness

35 [y](AK)Be prepared, and keep your (AL)lamps lit. 36 You are also to be like people who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that they may immediately open the door for him when he comes and knocks. 37 Blessed are those slaves whom the master will find (AM)on the alert when he comes; truly I say to you, that (AN)he will [z]prepare himself to serve, and have them recline at the table, and he will come up and serve them. 38 (AO)Whether he comes in the [aa]second watch, or even in the [ab]third, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.

39 (AP)But [ac]be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have allowed his house to be (AQ)broken into. 40 (AR)You too, be ready; because the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not think He will.”

41 Peter said, “Lord, are You telling this parable to us, or (AS)to everyone else as well?” 42 And (AT)the Lord said, (AU)Who then is the faithful and sensible (AV)steward, whom his master will put in charge of his servants, to give them their rations at the proper time? 43 Blessed is that (AW)slave whom his [ad]master finds so doing when he comes. 44 Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 45 But if that slave says in his heart, ‘My master will take a long time to come,’ and he begins to beat the other slaves, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk; 46 then the master of that slave will come on a day that he does not expect, and at an hour that he does not know, and will [ae]cut him in two, and assign [af]him a place with the unbelievers. 47 And that slave who knew his master’s will and did not get ready or act in accordance with his will, will (AX)receive many blows, 48 but the one who did not (AY)know it, and committed acts deserving of [ag]a beating, will receive only a few blows. (AZ)From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.

Christ Divides People

49 “I [ah]have come to cast fire upon the earth; and [ai]how I wish it were already kindled! 50 But I have a (BA)baptism [aj]to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished! 51 (BB)Do you think that I came to provide peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division; 52 for from now on five members in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three. 53 They will be divided, (BC)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.”

54 And He was also saying to the crowds, (BD)Whenever you see a cloud rising [ak]in the west, you immediately say, ‘A shower is coming,’ and so it turns out. 55 And whenever you feel a [al]south wind blowing, you say, ‘It will be a (BE)hot day,’ and it turns out that way. 56 You hypocrites! (BF)You know how to analyze the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how is it that you do not know how to analyze this present time?

57 “And (BG)why do you not even judge by yourselves what is right? 58 For (BH)when you are going with your accuser to appear before the magistrate, on the way, make an effort to [am]settle with him, so that he does not drag you before the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. 59 I tell you, you will not get out of there until you have paid up [an]the very last [ao](BI)lepton.”

Footnotes

  1. Luke 12:1 Lit myriads
  2. Luke 12:1 Lit the crowd
  3. Luke 12:1 I.e., fermented dough
  4. Luke 12:3 Lit spoken to the ear
  5. Luke 12:5 Gr Gehenna
  6. Luke 12:5 Lit this One
  7. Luke 12:6 A Roman copper coin (singular assarion), about 1/16 of a laborer’s daily wage
  8. Luke 12:7 Or Stop being afraid
  9. Luke 12:10 Lit will speak
  10. Luke 12:13 Lit from
  11. Luke 12:14 Lit Man, who
  12. Luke 12:19 Lit my soul, “Soul, you have...”
  13. Luke 12:20 Lit they are demanding your soul from you
  14. Luke 12:22 Or stop being worried
  15. Luke 12:22 Lit soul
  16. Luke 12:25 Lit cubit (about 18 in. or 45 cm)
  17. Luke 12:25 Or height
  18. Luke 12:27 I.e., spin thread for cloth
  19. Luke 12:29 Or keep seeking
  20. Luke 12:30 Or these things all the nations of the world
  21. Luke 12:30 Or wish for
  22. Luke 12:31 Or continually seek
  23. Luke 12:31 Or added to
  24. Luke 12:32 Or Stop being afraid
  25. Luke 12:35 Lit Have your waist belted
  26. Luke 12:37 Lit belt himself up
  27. Luke 12:38 I.e., 9 p.m. to midnight
  28. Luke 12:38 I.e., midnight to 3 a.m.
  29. Luke 12:39 Lit know
  30. Luke 12:43 Or lord
  31. Luke 12:46 Possibly referring to other extreme punishment
  32. Luke 12:46 Lit his part with
  33. Luke 12:48 Lit blows
  34. Luke 12:49 Or came
  35. Luke 12:49 Lit what do I wish if...?
  36. Luke 12:50 Lit with which to be baptized
  37. Luke 12:54 I.e., from the Mediterranean
  38. Luke 12:55 I.e., from the desert
  39. Luke 12:58 Lit be rid of him
  40. Luke 12:59 Lit even the last
  41. Luke 12:59 The smallest Greek copper coin, about 1/128 of a laborer’s daily wage

12 Meanwhile, when the multitudes by the thousands assembled, to the point of trampling one another, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said this in a yechidus first to his talmidim, Be shomer regarding the chametz of the Perushim, which is their tzeviut (hypocrisy).

And nothing that men hide in a cover up is concealed which will not be revealed, and nothing held nistar (hidden) which will not be laid bare.

So then, what things you said in the choshech, will be heard in the ohr; and what you whispered in the ear bchadrei chadarim (in a most secret place) will be shouted from the roof tops.

I say to you, my chaverim, do not have pachad (terror) of the killers of the basar, who after that have nothing more they can do.

But I will show you someone of whom you should have yirah; fear the One who after killing the basar has the samchut to throw into Gehinnom. Ken, I say to you, have yirah (fear) of this One.

Are not chamesh sparrows sold for two assarion? And not even one of them has been overlooked in the eynayim of Hashem.

But even the hairs of your rosh have all been inventoried. Never fear. You are of more worth than many sparrows.

And I say to you, whoever will declare the Ani Maamin public hoda’ah (acknowledgement) of me [as Moshiach] before Bnei Adam, the Ben HaAdam [Moshiach, DANIEL 7:13-14] will make public hodaah (acknowledgement) of him before the malachim of Hashem.

But the one having made hakhchashah (denial) of me [as the Ben HaAdam Moshiach, DANIEL 7:13-14] before Bnei Adam will be denied before the malachim of Hashem.

10 And everyone who will say a dvar against the Ben HaAdam [Moshiach, DANIEL 7:13-14], he will be given selicha (forgiveness). But the one having committed Chillul Hashem gidduf (blasphemy) against the Ruach Hakodesh will not be given selicha.

11 And when they bring you in before the shuls and the rulers and the manhigim, do not have a lev rogez about what you should speak in your own hitstaddekut (defense), or about your legal brief.

12 For the Ruach Hakodesh will be your rabbi teaching you in the same hour what it is necessary to say. [SHEMOT 4:12]

13 And someone out of the multitude said to him, Rabbi, speak to my ach to share with me the yerushah (inheritance).

14 But he said to him, Ben Adam, who appointed me a shofet or an arbitrator over you?

15 And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said to them, Take care and be shomer against all chamdanut (covetousness), because the Chayyei HaAdam does not consist in the abundance of his possessions. [IYOV 20:20; 31:24; TEHILLIM 62:10]

16 And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach spoke a mashal (parable) to them saying, An aza (certain) oisher (rich man) had land that produced a good crop.

17 And he was thinking to himself, saying, What should I do? Because I do not have a place where I will store my crops.

18 And he said, This I will do. I will tear down my asim (granaries, storehouses) and I will build larger asim. And there I will gather all my grain and my produce.

19 And I will say to my neshamah, Neshamah, you have an ample store of goods for many years to come. Take your ease, LEEKHOL, VLISHTOT, VLISHMOACH (to eat, to drink, and to be merry (KOHELET 8:15)

20 But Hashem said to him, Goilem! Halailah hazeh your nashamah is required of you. Now to whom will be given what you prepared? [YIRMEYAH 17:11; IYOV 27:8; TEHILLIM 39:6; 49:10]

21 Such is the one hoarding up for himself and not having osher toward Hashem.

22 And Rebbe, Melech, HaMoshiach said to his talmidim, Therefore, I say to you: do not have a LEV ROGEZ (DEVARIM 28:65) for your Chayyim, about your okhel (food) or your basar (body), what you might put on.

23 For the neshamah is more than okhel and the basar more than gartel (belt) and shtreimel (expensive hat). BERESHIS 47:18; TEHILLIM 16:9 10; IYOV 19:25 27, YESHAYAH 53:11

24 Consider the ravens! They do not sow nor reap, they have no storeroom or asam (granary), yet Hashem feeds them. Of how much more worth are you than the OPH HASHOMAYIM [IYOV 38:41; TEHILLIM 147:9]

25 And can any of you by means of a LEV ROGEZ add one cubit to your span of Chayyim?

26 If then you are not able to do even a small thing, why have a LEV ROGEZ about the rest?

27 Consider the lilies! How they grow! A lily does not labor nor spin. But I say to you, not even Shlomo HaMelech in all his kavod was arrayed like one of these. [MELACHIM ALEF 10:4 7]

28 And if Hashem so enrobes the grass of the field, which is here hayom (today) and thrown into the eish makhar (tomorrow), how much more will Hashem enrobe you, you ones of little bitachon.

29 And don’t keep striving after okhel (food) and skikuy (drink), and don’t have a lev rogez (anxious heart).

30 For all these things the Goyim of the Olam Hazeh strive after, but your Av [shbaShomayim] has daas (knowledge) that you need these things.

31 But seek the Malchut Hashem, and these things will be added to you as well.

32 Do not have pachad (terror, fear), Eder Katan (Little Flock), because it is the ratzon, the chefetz (desire) of your Av [shbaShomayim] to give you the Malchut.

33 Sell your possesions and give tzedakah. Make for yourselves the baitel (wallet) that doesn’t wear out, an inexhaustlble otzar (treasure) in Shomayim, where no ganav (thief) comes near nor moth destroys.

34 For where your otzar (treasure) is, there also will be your lev (heart).

35 Tighten your gartels for action and have your menorahs lit.

36 And you should be like bnei Adam who expectantly khakeh l’vo’o shel (await the arrival of) their Adon when he returns from the Chasunoh, in order that, when he comes and knocks, ofen ort they may open the delet for him.

37 Ashrey are those avadim (servants), whom, having come, the Adon will find keeping shomer. Omein, I say to you, that he will fasten his gartel, and have those avadim (servants) sit down to tish, and he will come and serve them.

38 And if in the second or if in the third watch he comes and finds it thus, ashrey (happy, blessed) are those.

39 But have daas of this, that if the Baal Bayit had had da’as in what hour the ganav (thief) comes, he would not have allowed his bais to be broken into.

40 So you be shomer, for the Ben HaAdam [Moshiach, DANIEL 7:13-14] comes in an hour you do not think.

41 And Kefa said, Adoneinu, are you speaking this mashal for us or for all?

42 And HaAdon said, Who then is the sochen haneeman and navon (faithful and wise steward) whom HaAdon will appoint over his avadim to give them their okhel (food) allowance at the proper time?

43 Ashrey is that eved, whom, having come, his Adon will find doing thus.

44 Omein, I say to you, that he will appoint him over all that he has.

45 But if that eved says in his lev, Adoni delays to come to me, and if that eved begins to beat the avadim (servants) and the shfakhot (maid servants), and to gluttonize and get down in his schnapps,

46 HaAdon of that eved will come on a day which he does not expect and at an hour of which he does not have da’as, and will cut him in pieces and assign him the portion of the Apikoros with the koferim (unbelievers).

47 That eved, who had daas of the ratzon of his Adon and did not get prepared or do according to his ratzon, will be beaten with a klap (blow) and not a few. [DEVARIM 25:2]

48 But the one not having had daas, but having done things worthy of a klap, will receive but a few. But to everyone to whom much was given, much will be required from him, and to whom was entrusted much, even more achraius (accountability) will be required. [VAYIKRA 5:17; BAMIDBAR 15:27-30]

49 I came to throw Eish on the earth, and how I wish it was already kindled!

50 And I have a tevilah I have to undergo, and how I am distressed until it is completed.

51 Do you think that I came to bring Shalom on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather machaloket (division, controversy).

52 For there will be from now in one bais (household) chamesh (five) having been divided, shalosha against shenayim and shenayim against shalosha,

53 AV will be divided against BEN and BEN against AV, EM (mother) against BAT and BAT against EM, KALLAH BACHAMOT (daughter-in law against mother-inlaw) and CHAMOT against KALLAH. [MICHOH 7:6]

54 And he was saying also to the multitudes, When you see the anan rising over the maarav (west), ofen ort you say, Geshem (rain) is coming, and so it happens.

55 And when there is a south wind blowing, you say, It will be kham (hot), and it happens.

56 Tzevu’im! You have daas how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky; how is it, then, that you do not have daas of how to interpret HaZman HaZeh (This Time)?

57 And why also for yourselves do you not judge what is yashar (straight, right)?

58 For as you go with your ish riv (opponent in a lawsuit) to appear before the magistrate, on the derech make an effort to settle with him, lest he drag you to the shofet, and the shofet will hand over you to the shoter, and the shoter will throw you into the beit hasohar.

59 I say to you, by no means may you come out, until even the last peruta (small coin) you pay back.