Luke 12
Christian Standard Bible
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.
53 They will be divided, father against son,
son against father,
mother against daughter,
daughter against mother,
mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law,
and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”[l](CA)
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)
Footnotes
- 12:1 Or yeast
- 12:6 Lit two assaria; a small copper coin
- 12:14 Lit Man
- 12:25 Or add a cubit to his height
- 12:35 Lit “Let your loins be girded; an idiom for tying up loose outer clothing in preparation for action; Ex 12:11
- 12:37 Lit will gird himself
- 12:38 Lit even in the second or third watch
- 12:46 Lit him in two
- 12:46 Or unbelievers
- 12:47 Lit or do toward his will,
- 12:48 Or much
- 12:53 Mc 7:6
- 12:59 Gk lepton, the smallest and least valuable copper coin in use
Luke 12
Evangelical Heritage Version
Warning Against Hypocrisy
12 Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands gathered together so that they were trampling on one another, he began to speak first to his disciples: “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be made known. 3 So then, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.
Fear God, Not People
4 “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that are not able to do any more. 5 But I will show you the one you should fear. Fear him who, after he has killed the body, has authority to throw it into hell.[a] Yes, I tell you, fear him!
6 “Are not five sparrows sold for two small coins?[b] And not one of them is forgotten in God’s sight. 7 Why, even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So stop being afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows.
Confess Christ
8 “I tell you, whoever confesses me before other people, the Son of Man will also confess him before the angels of God. 9 But whoever denies me in the presence of other people will be denied in the presence of the angels of God. 10 Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven. But anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. 11 When they bring you before synagogues, rulers, and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourself, or what you will say, 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you should say.”
The Rich Fool
13 Someone from the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 But Jesus said to him, “Man, who appointed me to be a judge or an arbitrator over you?”
15 Then he said to them, “Watch out and be on guard against all greed, because a man’s life is not measured by how many possessions he has.”
16 He told them a parable: “The land of a certain rich man produced very well. 17 He was thinking to himself, ‘What will I do, because I do not have anywhere to store my crops?’ 18 He said, ‘This is what I will do. I will pull down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and goods. 19 And I will tell my soul, “Soul, you have many goods stored up for many years. Take it easy. Eat, drink, and be merry.”’
20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool, this night your soul will be demanded from you. Now who will get what you have prepared?’
21 “That is how it will be for anyone who stores up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”
Do Not Worry
22 Jesus said to his disciples, “For that reason I tell you, stop worrying about your life, about what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. 23 Certainly life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap; they have no warehouse or barn; and yet God feeds them. How much more valuable are you than birds! 25 And who of you by worrying can add a single moment to his lifespan? 26 Since you are not able to do this little thing, why do you worry about the rest? 27 Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. But I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory was dressed like one of these. 28 If this is how God clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will he clothe you, you of little faith? 29 Do not constantly chase after what you will eat or what you will drink. Do not be worried about it. 30 To be sure, the nations of the world chase after all of these things, but your Father knows that you need them. 31 Instead, continue to seek the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added to you. 32 Do not be afraid, little flock, because your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to the needy. Provide money bags for yourselves that do not become old, a treasure in the heavens that will not fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Be Ready!
35 “Be dressed, ready for service, and keep your lamps burning. 36 Be like people 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 Blessed are those servants, whom the master will find watching when he comes. Amen I tell you: He will dress himself and have them recline at the table, and he will come and serve them. 38 Even if he comes in the second or third watch,[c] they will be blessed if he finds them alert. 39 But know this: If the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 40 You also be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you are not expecting him.”
41 Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us or to everybody?”
42 The Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager,[d] whom the master will put in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? 43 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find doing so 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 staying away for a long time.’ And he begins to beat the male and female servants, to eat and drink and become drunk, 46 then the master of that servant will arrive on a day when he was not expected and at an hour that his servant does not know. The master will cut him in two and assign him a place with the unbelievers. 47 That servant who knew his master’s will and did not prepare or act according to what his master wanted, will be punished severely. 48 But the one who did not know, and did something worthy of punishment, will be punished lightly. From everyone to whom much was given, much will be expected. From the one who was entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
Division
49 “I came to throw fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already ignited. 50 But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is finished! 51 Do you think that I came to bring peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. 52 Yes, from now on there will be five divided in one household: 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 her mother-in-law.”[e]
Interpret the Time
54 He also said to the crowds, “Whenever you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say that a rainstorm is coming, and so it happens. 55 And whenever a south wind blows, you say that it is going to be hot, and it happens. 56 Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how is it that you do not know how to interpret this present time? 57 Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right? 58 Indeed, as you are going with your adversary to the magistrate, make an effort on the way to reach a settlement with him. Otherwise, he may drag you off to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and the officer may throw you into prison. 59 I tell you, you will never get out of there until you have paid the last cent.”[f]
Footnotes
- Luke 12:5 Gehenna
- Luke 12:6 Greek assarion, less than a half hour’s wage
- Luke 12:38 That is, in the middle of the night
- Luke 12:42 Or steward
- Luke 12:53 Micah 7:6
- Luke 12:59 Literally lepton. One lepton was a coin worth about 1⁄128 of an agricultural worker’s daily wages.
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The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.