Beware of Religious Hypocrisy

12 In these circumstances,^[a] 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 yeast^[b](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 “And 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?^[c] 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 men, the Son of Man^(P) will also acknowledge him before the angels of God,^{(Q) 9} but whoever denies Me before men 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,”^[d] 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^[e] 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 a cubit to his height^[f] 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 keep striving 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^[g] and have your lamps lit.^{(BF) 36} You must be like people waiting for their master^(BG) to return^[h] from the wedding banquet^(BH) so that when he comes and knocks, they can open the door for him at once.^{(BI) 37} Those slaves the master will find alert^(BJ) when he comes will be blessed. I assure you: He will get ready,^[i] 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,^[j] and finds them alert, those slaves are blessed. 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 that 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 That slave whose master finds him working when he comes will be rewarded. ⁴⁴ I tell you the truth: He will put him in charge of all his possessions. ⁴⁵ But if that slave says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’^(BR) and starts to beat the male and female slaves, and to eat and drink and get drunk, ⁴⁶ that slave’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^[k] and assign him a place with the unbelievers.^{[l] 47} And that slave who knew his master’s will and didn’t prepare himself or do it^[m] will be severely beaten.^{(BS) 48} But the one who did not know and did things deserving^(BT) of blows will be beaten lightly. Much will be required of everyone who has been given much. And even more will be expected of the one who has been entrusted with more.^[n](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 be baptized with,^(BW) and how it consumes^(BX) Me until it is finished!^{(BY) 51} Do you think that I came here to give peace to 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 a scorcher!’ 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 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 cent.”^[p](CJ)