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Luke 12:22-40
English Standard Version
Luke 12:22-40
English Standard Version
Do Not Be Anxious
22 And he said to his disciples, (A)“Therefore I tell you, (B)do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. 24 (C)Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. (D)Of how much more value are you than the birds! 25 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his (E)span of life?[a] 26 If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? 27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin,[b] yet I tell you, (F)even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28 But 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, (G)O you of little faith! 29 And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor (H)be worried. 30 For (I)all the nations of the world seek after these things, and (J)your Father knows that you need them. 31 Instead, (K)seek (L)his[c] kingdom, (M)and these things will be added to you.
32 (N)“Fear not, little (O)flock, for (P)it is your Father's good pleasure to give you (Q)the kingdom. 33 (R)Sell your possessions, and (S)give to the needy. (T)Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with (U)a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. 34 (V)For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
You Must Be Ready
35 (W)“Stay dressed for action[d] and (X)keep your lamps burning, 36 and be like men who are (Y)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 (Z)knocks. 37 (AA)Blessed are those servants[e] whom the master finds (AB)awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, (AC)he will dress himself for service and (AD)have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. 38 If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants! 39 (AE)But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour (AF)the thief was coming, he[f] would not have left his house to be broken into. 40 You also must be (AG)ready, for (AH)the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Luke 12:25 Or a single cubit to his stature; a cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters
- Luke 12:27 Some manuscripts Consider the lilies; they neither spin nor weave
- Luke 12:31 Some manuscripts God's
- Luke 12:35 Greek Let your loins stay girded; compare Exodus 12:11
- Luke 12:37 Or bondservants
- Luke 12:39 Some manuscripts add would have stayed awake and
Luke 12:22-40
New International Version
Luke 12:22-40
New International Version
Do Not Worry(A)
22 Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them.(B) And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life[a]? 26 Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?
27 “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor(C) was dressed like one of these. 28 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith!(D) 29 And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30 For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father(E) knows that you need them.(F) 31 But seek his kingdom,(G) and these things will be given to you as well.(H)
32 “Do not be afraid,(I) little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.(J) 33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor.(K) Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven(L) that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.(M) 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.(N)
Watchfulness(O)(P)
35 “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, 36 like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. 37 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes.(Q) Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them.(R) 38 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak. 39 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief(S) was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40 You also must be ready,(T) because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”
Footnotes
- Luke 12:25 Or single cubit to your height
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.