Luke 12
Wycliffe Bible
12 And when much people stood about [Soothly many companies of people standing about], so that they trod each on other, he began to say to his disciples, Be ye ware of the sourdough of the Pharisees, that is hypocrisy [which is hypocrisy].
2 For nothing is covered, that shall not be showed; neither hid, that shall not be known.
3 For why those things that ye have said in darknesses, shall be said in light; and that that ye have spoken in [the] ear in bedchambers [and that that ye have spoken in the ear in couches], shall be preached in roofs.
4 And I say to you, my friends, be ye not afeared of them [be not afeared of them] that slay the body, and after these things have no more what they shall do.
5 But I shall show to you, whom ye shall dread; dread ye him, that after he hath slain [which after he hath slain], hath power to send into hell. And so I say to you, dread ye him.
6 Whether five sparrows be not sold for two halfpence [for two farthings]; and one of them is not in forgetting before God?
7 But also all the hairs of your head be numbered. Therefore do not ye dread; ye be of more price than many sparrows.
8 Truly I say to you, each man that acknowledgeth me before men [Truly I say to you, whoever shall acknowledge me before men], man's Son shall acknowledge him before the angels of God.
9 But he that denieth me before men, shall be denied before the angels of God.
10 And each that saith a word against man's Son, it shall be forgiven to him; but it shall not be forgiven to him, that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost. [And each that saith a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven to him; he that shall blaspheme into the Holy Ghost, soothly it shall not be forgiven to him.]
11 And when they lead you into synagogues, and to magistrates, and potentates, do not ye be busy, how or what ye shall answer, or what ye shall say.
12 For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in that hour, what it behooveth you to say.
13 And one of the people said to him [Soothly some man of the company saith to him], Master, say to my brother, that he part with me the heritage.
14 And he said to him, Man, who ordained me a doomsman, or a parter, on you [over you]?
15 And he said to them, See ye, and beware of all covetousness; for the life of a man is not in the abundance of the things, which he wieldeth.
16 And he told to them a likeness, and said, The field of a rich man brought forth plenteous fruits. [Soothly he said to them a likeness, saying, The field of some rich man brought forth plenteous fruits.]
17 And he thought within himself, and said [saying], What shall I do, for I have not whither I shall gather my fruits?
18 And he saith, This thing I shall do; I shall throw down my barns, and I shall make greater, and thither I shall gather all things that grow to me, and my goods.
19 And I shall say to my soul, Soul, thou hast many goods kept into full many years [thou hast many goods put up, or kept, into full many years]; rest thou, eat, drink, and make feast.
20 And God said to him, Fool, in this night they shall take thy life from thee. And whose shall those things be, that thou hast arrayed? [Soothly God said to him, Fool, in this night they shall ask of thee thy soul. Forsooth whose shall those things be, which thou hast made ready?]
21 So is he that treasureth to himself, and is not rich in God.
22 And he said to his disciples, Therefore I say to you, do not ye be busy to your life, what ye shall eat, neither to your body, with what ye shall be clothed.
23 The life is more than meat, and the body more than clothing.
24 Behold the crows, for they sow not, neither reap [nor reap], to which is neither cellar, nor barn, and God feedeth them. How much more ye be of more price than they [How much more be ye of more price than they(?)].
25 And who of you by thinking may put one cubit to his stature [may add one cubit to his stature]?
26 Therefore if ye be not able to do that that is least [Therefore if ye may not do that that is least], what be ye busy of other things?
27 Behold ye the lilies of the field, how they wax; they travail not, neither spin. And I say to you, that neither Solomon in all his glory was clothed as one of these.
28 And if God clotheth thus the hay, that to day is in the field [which to day is in the field], and to morrow is cast into an oven; how much more you of little faith.
29 And do not ye seek, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; and do not ye be raised on high.
30 For folks of the world seek all these things; and your Father knoweth, that ye have need to all these things.
31 Nevertheless seek ye first the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be cast to you.
32 Do not ye, little flock, dread, for it pleased to your Father to give you a kingdom.
33 Sell ye those things that ye have in possession [Sell ye those things that ye wield], and give ye alms. And make to you satchels that wax not old, treasure that faileth not in heavens, whither a thief approacheth not [whither a thief nigheth not], neither moth destroyeth.
34 For where is thy treasure, there thine heart shall be. [Forsooth where thy treasure is, there also thine heart shall be.]
35 Be your loins girded above, and lanterns burning in your hands;
36 and be ye like to men that abide their lord [and ye like to men abiding their lord], when he shall turn again from the weddings, that when he shall come, and knock, at once [anon] they open to him.
37 Blessed be those servants, that when the lord shall come [whom when the lord shall come], he shall find waking. Truly I say to you, that he shall gird himself, and make them sit to meat [and make them sit at the meat], and he shall go, and serve them.
38 And if he [shall] come in the second waking, and if he come in the third waking, and find so, those servants be blessed.
39 And know ye this thing, for if an husbandman knew, in what hour the thief would come, soothly he should wake, and not suffer his house to be mined [and suffer not his house to be mined].
40 And be ye ready, for in what hour ye guess not, man's Son shall come.
41 And Peter said to him, Lord, sayest thou this parable to us, or to all?
42 And the Lord said, Who, guessest thou, is a true dispenser, and prudent [Who, guessest thou, is a faithful dispenser, and prudent], whom the lord hath ordained on [upon] his household, to give them in time a measure of wheat?
43 Blessed is that servant, that the lord when he cometh, shall find so doing. [Blessed is that servant, whom when the lord shall come, he shall find so doing.]
44 Verily I say to you, that on [upon] all things that he wieldeth, he shall ordain him.
45 That if that servant say in his heart, My lord tarrieth to come; and begin to smite children, and handmaidens, and eat, and drink, and be full-filled over measure [and be filled over measure],
46 the lord of that servant shall come, in the day that he hopeth not, and in the hour that he knoweth not, and shall part him (in pieces), and [shall] put his part with unfaithful men.
47 But that servant that knew the will of his lord, and made not him(self) ready, and did not after his will, shall be beaten with many beatings.
48 But he that knew not, and did worthy things of strokes, shall be beaten with few. For to each man to whom much is given, much shall be asked of him; and they shall ask more of him, to whom they betook much.
49 I came to send fire into the earth, and what will I, but that it be kindled?
50 And I have to be baptized with a baptism, and how am I constrained, till that it be perfectly done [till it be perfectly done]?
51 Ween ye [Guess ye], that I came to give peace into [the] earth? Nay, I say to you, but parting.
52 For from this time there shall be five parted in one house; three shall be parted against twain, and twain shall be parted against three;[a]
53 the father against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the husband's mother against the son's wife, and the son's wife against her husband's mother.
54 And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rising from the sun going down, at once ye say [anon ye say], Rain cometh; and so it is done.
55 And when ye see the south blowing, ye say, That heat shall be; and it is done.
56 Hypocrites, ye know how to prove the face of heaven and of earth, but how prove ye not this time[?]
57 But what and of yourselves ye deem not that that is just? [Forsooth why and of yourselves deem ye not this thing that is just?]
58 But when thou goest with thine adversary in the way to the prince, do busyness to be delivered from him; lest peradventure he take thee to the doomsman [Forsooth when thou goest with thine adversary to the prince in the way, give thou busyness to be delivered from him; lest peradventure he draw thee to the doomsman], and the doomsman betake thee to the masterful asker, and the masterful asker send thee into prison.
59 I say to thee, thou shalt not go out from thence [I say to thee, Thou shalt not go thence], till thou yield the last farthing.
Footnotes
- Luke 12:52 Forsooth from this time, there shall be five parted in one house; three against two, and two against three;
Luke 12
New Matthew Bible
The leaven of the Pharisees. Christ strengthens his disciples against persecution, and warns them to beware of covetousness by the similitude of a certain rich man. He does not want them to hang upon earthly things, but to watch and to be ready for his coming.
12 As there gathered together an innumerable multitude of people (insomuch that they trod on one another), he began and said to his disciples, First of all, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 For there is nothing covered that will not be uncovered, nor hid that will not be known. 3 For whatever you have spoken in darkness, that same shall be heard in the light. And that which you have spoken in the ear, even in secret places, shall be declared even on the top of the houses.
4 I say to you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. 5 But I will show you whom you should fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has power to cast into hell. Yea, I say to you: him fear!
6 Are not five sparrows bought for two copper coins? And yet not one of them is forgotten by God. 7 Indeed, even the very hairs of your heads are numbered. Fear not, therefore. You are of more value than many sparrows.
8 I say to you, whoever confesses me before men, him also shall the Son of man confess before the angels of God. 9 And he who denies me before men shall be denied before the angels of God. 10 And whoever speaks a word against the Son of man, it may be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven.
11 When they bring you before the synagogues, and before the rulers and officers, take no thought how or what thing to answer, or what you will say. 12 For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that same hour what you ought to say.
13 A man in the company said to him, Master, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me. 14 And he said to him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? 15 And he said to them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness. For no man’s life stands in the abundance of the things that he possesses.
16 And he put forth a similitude to them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth fruits plenteously, 17 and he thought in himself, saying, What should I do, since I have no room to store my fruits? 18 And he said, This I will do: I will pull down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my fruits and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have goods enough laid up in store for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry! 20 But God said to him, You fool, this night they will call away your soul back from you. Then whose will be those things that you have laid up?
21 This is how it is with him who gathers riches, but is not rich in God.
22 And he spoke to his disciples: Therefore I say to you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat; neither for your body, what you will put on. 23 Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens. For they neither sow nor reap, and have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. How much more of value are you than the birds? 25 Which of you, with taking thought, can add one cubit to his stature? 26 If you then are not able to do that which is least, why be anxious about the rest? 27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they do not labour, they do not spin, and yet I say to you that Solomon in all his royalty was not clothed like one of these. 28 If God so clothes the grass that is today in the field and tomorrow will be cast into the furnace, how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? 29 And ask not what you shall eat or what you shall drink, neither climb up on high. 30 For all such things the heathen people of the world seek for. Your Father knows that you have need of such things. 31 Therefore seek the kingdom of God, and all these things will be ministered unto you.
32 Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s pleasure to give you a kingdom. 33 Sell what you have and give alms, and make yourselves pouches that won’t wear out, and treasure that won’t fail in heaven, where no thief comes or moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there will your hearts be also.
35 Let your loins be girded about and your lights burning, 36 and you yourselves like men waiting for their master, for when he will return from a wedding, so that as soon as he comes and knocks, they can open to him. 37 Happy are those servants whom the Lord, when he comes, finds watching. Truly I say to you, he will gird himself about and make them sit down to food, and walk by and minister to them. 38 And if he comes in the second watch, yea if he comes in the third watch, and finds them so, happy are those servants. 39 This understand: if the householder knew what hour the thief would come, he would surely watch, and not allow his house to be broken into. 40 Be prepared therefore, for the Son of man will come at an hour when you think not.
41 Then Peter said to him, Master, do you speak this similitude to us, or to all men? 42 And the Lord said, If there be any servant faithful and wise, whom his lord appoints over his household to give them their portion of food at due season, 43 happy is that servant whom his master, when he comes, finds so doing. 44 Of a truth I say to you, he will appoint him over all that he has. 45 But if the evil servant says in his heart, My master will defer his coming, and begins to smite the menservants and maidservants, and to eat and drink and to be drunken, 46 the lord of that servant will come in a day when he thinks not, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will separate him, and will give him his reward with the unbelievers.
47 The servant that knew his master’s will and did not prepare himself, nor do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 48 But he who did not know, and yet committed things worthy of stripes, will be beaten with few stripes. For to whom much is given, of him will much be required. And to whom men commit much, the more will they ask of him.
49 I have come to send fire on earth. And what is my desire, but that it were already kindled? 50 But I must be baptized with a baptism – and how I am pained till it be ended! 51 Do you suppose that I have come to send peace on earth? I tell you no, but rather division. 52 For from henceforth there will be five in one house, divided three against two, and two against three. 53 The father will be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.
54 Then he said to the people, When you see a cloud rise out of the west, straightaway you say we will have a rain shower, and so it is. 55 And when you see the south wind blow, you say we will have heat, and it comes to pass. 56 Hypocrites, you know how to interpret the aspect of the earth and of the sky, but why is it that you cannot interpret this present time?
57 Yea, and why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? 58 When you go with your adversary to the magistrate, as you are in the way, be diligent to be delivered from him, lest he bring you to the judge, and the judge commit you to the jailer, and the jailer cast you into prison. 59 I tell you, you will not get out of there until you have made good the last mite.
Luke 12
Authorized (King James) Version
12 In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. 3 Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops. 4 And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. 5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. 6 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? 7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows. 8 Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: 9 but he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God. 10 And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven. 11 And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: 12 for the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.
13 And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. 14 And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? 15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. 16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: 17 and he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? 18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. 20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? 21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
22 And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. 23 The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. 24 Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? 25 And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? 26 If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? 27 Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28 If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? 29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. 30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. 31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. 32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. 34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 35 Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; 36 and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. 37 Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. 38 And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. 39 And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. 40 Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.
41 Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all? 42 And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? 43 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. 44 Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath. 45 But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; 46 the lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. 47 And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
49 I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled? 50 But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished! 51 Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: 52 for from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. 53 The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
54 And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is. 55 And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass. 56 Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?
57 Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right? 58 When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison. 59 I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the very last mite.
2001 by Terence P. Noble
Copyright © 2016 by Ruth Magnusson (Davis). Includes emendations to February 2022. All rights reserved.
KJV reproduced by permission of Cambridge University Press, the Crown’s patentee in the UK.