Luke 12:49-59
English Standard Version
Not Peace, but Division
49 (A)“I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled! 50 (B)I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how (C)great is my distress until it is accomplished! 51 (D)Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? (E)No, I tell you, but rather division. 52 For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. 53 They will be divided, (F)father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
Interpreting the Time
54 He also said to the crowds, (G)“When you see (H)a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, ‘A shower is coming.’ And so it happens. 55 And (I)when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be (J)scorching heat,’ and it happens. 56 You hypocrites! (K)You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?
Settle with Your Accuser
57 “And why (L)do you not judge (M)for yourselves what is right? 58 (N)As you go with your accuser before the magistrate, make an effort to settle with him on the way, lest he drag you to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer put you in prison. 59 I tell you, (O)you will never get out until you have paid the very last (P)penny.”[a]
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- Luke 12:59 Greek lepton, a Jewish bronze or copper coin worth about 1/128 of a denarius (which was a day's wage for a laborer)
Luke 12:49-59
New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition
Jesus the Cause of Division
49 ‘I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50 I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed! 51 Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? 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; 53 they will be divided:
father against son
and son against father,
mother against daughter
and daughter against mother,
mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law
and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.’
Interpreting the Time
54 He also said to the crowds, ‘When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, “It is going to rain”; and so it happens. 55 And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, “There will be scorching heat”; and it happens. 56 You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?
Settling with Your Opponent
57 ‘And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? 58 Thus, when you go with your accuser before a magistrate, on the way make an effort to settle the case,[a] or you may be dragged before the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer throw you in prison. 59 I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the very last penny.’
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- Luke 12:58 Gk settle with him
Luke 13:1-9
English Standard Version
Repent or Perish
13 There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood (A)Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And he answered them, (B)“Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? 3 No, I tell you; but unless you (C)repent, you will all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in (D)Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you; but unless you (E)repent, you will all likewise perish.”
The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree
6 And he told this parable: “A man had (F)a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. 7 And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. (G)Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’ 8 And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. 9 Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”
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Luke 13:1-9
New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition
Repent or Perish
13 At that very time there were some present who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 He asked them, ‘Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? 3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. 4 Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.’
The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree
6 Then he told this parable: ‘A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. 7 So he said to the gardener, “See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?” 8 He replied, “Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig round it and put manure on it. 9 If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.”’
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Psalm 20
English Standard Version
Trust in the Name of the Lord Our God
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
20 May the Lord (A)answer you in the day of trouble!
May (B)the name of the God of Jacob (C)protect you!
2 May he send you help from (D)the sanctuary
and give you support from (E)Zion!
3 May he (F)remember all your offerings
and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices! Selah
4 May he (G)grant you your heart's desire
and fulfill all your plans!
5 May we shout for joy over (H)your salvation,
and in the name of our God set up our (I)banners!
May the Lord fulfill all your petitions!
6 Now I know that the Lord saves his anointed;
he will answer him from his holy heaven
with (J)the saving might of his right hand.
7 Some trust in (K)chariots and some in (L)horses,
(M)but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
8 They collapse and fall,
but we rise and stand upright.
9 O Lord, save (N)the king!
May he answer us when we call.
Psalm 20
New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition
Psalm 20
Prayer for Victory
To the leader. A Psalm of David.
1 The Lord answer you in the day of trouble!
The name of the God of Jacob protect you!
2 May he send you help from the sanctuary,
and give you support from Zion.
3 May he remember all your offerings,
and regard with favour your burnt sacrifices.Selah
4 May he grant you your heart’s desire,
and fulfil all your plans.
5 May we shout for joy over your victory,
and in the name of our God set up our banners.
May the Lord fulfil all your petitions.
6 Now I know that the Lord will help his anointed;
he will answer him from his holy heaven
with mighty victories by his right hand.
7 Some take pride in chariots, and some in horses,
but our pride is in the name of the Lord our God.
8 They will collapse and fall,
but we shall rise and stand upright.
9 Give victory to the king, O Lord;
answer us when we call.[a]
Footnotes
- Psalm 20:9 Gk: Heb give victory, O Lord; let the King answer us when we call
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicised Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993, 1995 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.