Beware of Religious Hypocrisy

12 Meanwhile, a crowd of many thousands came together, so that they were trampling^(A) on one another. He began to say to his disciples first,^(B) “Be on your guard^(C) against the leaven^[a](D) of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.^{(E) 2} There is nothing covered that won’t be uncovered,^(F) nothing hidden that won’t be made known.^{(G) 3} Therefore, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in an ear in private rooms^(H) will be proclaimed on the housetops.^(I)

Fear God

⁴ “I say to you, my friends,^(J) don’t fear^(K) those who kill the body, and after that can do nothing more. ⁵ But I will show you the one to fear: Fear^(L) him who has authority to throw people into hell^(M) after death. Yes, I say to you, this is the one to fear! ⁶ Aren’t five sparrows sold for two pennies?^[b] Yet not one of them is forgotten in God’s sight.^{(N) 7} Indeed, the hairs of your head are all counted. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Acknowledging Christ

⁸ “And I say to you, anyone who acknowledges^(O) me before others, the Son of Man^(P) will also acknowledge him before the angels of God,^{(Q) 9} but whoever denies me before others will be denied before the angels of God.^{(R) 10} Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven,^(S) but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit^(T) will not be forgiven. ¹¹ Whenever^(U) they bring you before synagogues and rulers and authorities,^(V) don’t worry^(W) about how you should defend^(X) yourselves or what you should say. ¹² For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that very hour what must be said.”^(Y)

The Parable of the Rich Fool

¹³ Someone from the crowd said to him, “Teacher,^(Z) tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

¹⁴ “Friend,”^[c] he said to him, “who appointed me a judge or arbitrator over you?” ¹⁵ He then told them, “Watch out and be on guard^(AA) against all greed,^(AB) because one’s life is not in the abundance of his possessions.”^(AC)

¹⁶ Then he told them a parable:^(AD) “A rich^(AE) man’s land was very productive. ¹⁷ He thought to himself, ‘What should I do, since I don’t have anywhere to store my crops? ¹⁸ I will do this,’ he said. ‘I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones and store all my grain and my goods there. ¹⁹ Then I’ll say to myself, “You have many goods stored up for many years. Take it easy;^(AF) eat, drink, and enjoy yourself.”’^(AG)

²⁰ “But God said to him, ‘You fool!^(AH) This very night your life is demanded of you. And the things you have prepared—whose will they be?’^(AI)

²¹ “That’s how it is with the one who stores up treasure^(AJ) for himself and is not rich toward God.”^(AK)

The Cure for Anxiety

²² Then he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you,^(AL) don’t worry about your life, what you will eat; or about the body, what you will wear.^{(AM) 23} For life is more than food and the body more than clothing. ²⁴ Consider the ravens:^(AN) They don’t sow or reap; they don’t have a storeroom or a barn; yet God feeds them.^(AO) Aren’t you worth much more than the birds? ²⁵ Can any of you add one moment to his life span^[d] by worrying?^{(AP) 26} If then you’re not able to do even a little thing, why worry about the rest?

²⁷ “Consider how the wildflowers grow: They don’t labor or spin thread. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon^(AQ) in all his splendor was adorned like one of these. ²⁸ If that’s how God clothes the grass, which is in the field today and is thrown into the furnace tomorrow, how much more will he do for you—you of little faith?^{(AR) 29} Don’t strive for what you should eat and what you should drink, and don’t be anxious. ³⁰ For the Gentile world eagerly seeks^(AS) all these things, and your Father^(AT) knows that you need them.

³¹ “But seek his kingdom,^(AU) and these things will be provided for you.^{(AV) 32} Don’t be afraid,^(AW) little flock,^(AX) because your Father delights^(AY) to give you the kingdom.^{(AZ) 33} Sell^(BA) your possessions and give to the poor.^(BB) Make money-bags^(BC) for yourselves that won’t grow old, an inexhaustible treasure^(BD) in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. ³⁴ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.^(BE)

Ready for the Master’s Return

³⁵ “Be ready for service^[e] and have your lamps lit.^{(BF) 36} You are to be like people waiting for their master^(BG) to return from the wedding banquet^(BH) so that when he comes and knocks, they can open the door for him at once.^{(BI) 37} Blessed will be those servants the master finds alert^(BJ) when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will get ready,^[f] have them recline at the table, then come and serve them.^{(BK) 38} If he comes in the middle of the night, or even near dawn,^[g] and finds them alert, blessed are those servants. ³⁹ But know this: If the homeowner had known at what hour the thief was coming,^(BL) he would not have let his house be broken into. ⁴⁰ You also be ready,^(BM) because the Son of Man^(BN) is coming at an hour you do not expect.”^(BO)

Rewards and Punishment

⁴¹ “Lord,” Peter asked, “are you telling this parable to us or to everyone?”

⁴² The Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and sensible manager^(BP) his master will put in charge of his household servants to give them their allotted food^(BQ) at the proper time? ⁴³ Blessed is that servant whom the master finds doing his job when he comes. ⁴⁴ Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. ⁴⁵ But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’^(BR) and starts to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, ⁴⁶ that servant’s master will come on a day he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know. He will cut him to pieces^[h] and assign him a place with the unfaithful.^{[i] 47} And that servant who knew his master’s will and didn’t prepare himself or do it^[j] will be severely beaten.^{(BS) 48} But the one who did not know and did what deserved^(BT) punishment will receive a light beating. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, even more will be expected.^[k](BU)

Not Peace but Division

⁴⁹ “I came^(BV) to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already set ablaze! ⁵⁰ But I have a baptism to undergo,^(BW) and how it consumes^(BX) me until it is finished!^{(BY) 51} Do you think that I came here to bring peace on the earth?^(BZ) No, I tell you, but rather division. ⁵² From now on, five in one household will be divided: three against two, and two against three.

Interpreting the Time

⁵⁴ He also said to the crowds,^(CB) “When you see a cloud rising in the west, right away you say, ‘A storm is coming,’ and so it does.^{(CC) 55} And when the south wind is blowing, you say, ‘It’s going to be hot,’ and it is. ⁵⁶ Hypocrites!^(CD) You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but why don’t you know how to interpret this present time?^(CE)

Settling Accounts

⁵⁷ “Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right?^{(CF) 58} As you are going with your adversary^(CG) to the ruler, make an effort to settle with him on the way. Then he won’t drag you before the judge,^(CH) the judge hand you over to the bailiff, and the bailiff throw you into prison.^{(CI) 59} I tell you, you will never get out of there until you have paid the last penny.”^[m](CJ)