Luke 12-15

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.

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)

Repent or Perish

13 At that time,^(CK) some people came and reported to him about the Galileans^(CL) whose blood Pilate^(CM) had mixed with their sacrifices. ² And he^[n] responded to them, “Do you think that these Galileans were more sinful than all the other Galileans because they suffered these things?^{(CN) 3} No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as well. ⁴ Or those eighteen that the tower in Siloam^(CO) fell on and killed—do you think they were more sinful than all the other people who live in Jerusalem? ⁵ No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as well.”

The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree

⁶ And he told this parable:^(CP) “A man had a fig tree that was planted in his vineyard. He came looking for fruit on it and found none.^{(CQ) 7} He told the vineyard worker, ‘Listen, for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down!^(CR) Why should it even waste the soil?’^(CS)

⁸ “But he replied to him, ‘Sir,^[o] leave it this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it.^{(CT) 9} Perhaps it will produce fruit next year, but if not, you can cut it down.’”

Healing a Daughter of Abraham

¹⁰ As he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath,^{(CU) 11} a woman was there who had been disabled by a spirit^[p](CV) for over eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all.^{[q] 12} When Jesus saw her, he called out to her,^[r] “Woman, you are free of your disability.” ¹³ Then he laid his hands on her,^(CW) and instantly she was restored^(CX) and began to glorify God.^(CY)

¹⁴ But the leader of the synagogue, indignant^(CZ) because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, responded by telling the crowd, “There are six days when work should be done;^(DA) therefore come on those days and be healed and not on the Sabbath day.”

¹⁵ But the Lord answered him and said, “Hypocrites!^(DB) Doesn’t each one of you untie his ox^(DC) or donkey from the feeding trough^(DD) on the Sabbath and lead it to water?^{(DE) 16} Satan^(DF) has bound^(DG) this woman, a daughter of Abraham,^(DH) for eighteen years—shouldn’t she be untied from this bondage^[s] on the Sabbath day?”

¹⁷ When he had said these things, all his adversaries^(DI) were humiliated,^(DJ) but the whole crowd was rejoicing over all the glorious things he was doing.^(DK)

The Parables of the Mustard Seed and of the Leaven

¹⁸ He said, therefore, “What is the kingdom of God like,^(DL) and what can I compare it to? ¹⁹ It’s like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds of the sky nested in its branches.”

²⁰ Again he said, “What can I compare the kingdom of God^(DM) to? ²¹ It’s like leaven^[t](DN) that a woman took and mixed into fifty pounds^[u] of flour until all of it was leavened.”

The Narrow Way

²² He went through one town and village after another, teaching and making his way to Jerusalem.^{(DO) 23} “Lord,” someone asked him, “are only a few people going to be saved?” ^(DP)

He said to them, ²⁴ “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door,^(DQ) because I tell you, many will try to enter and won’t be able ²⁵ once the homeowner gets up and shuts the door.^(DR) Then you will stand outside and knock on the door, saying, ‘Lord, open up for us!’ He will answer you, ‘I don’t know you or where you’re from.’ ²⁶ Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ ²⁷ But he will say, ‘I tell you, I don’t know you or where you’re from. Get away from me,^(DS) all you evildoers!’ ²⁸ There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth^(DT) in that place,^(DU) when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God,^(DV) but yourselves thrown out. ²⁹ They will come from east and west, from north and south, to share the banquet^[v] in the kingdom of God. ³⁰ Note this: Some who are last will be first, and some who are first will be last.”^(DW)

Jesus and Herod Antipas

³¹ At that time some Pharisees came and told him, “Go, get out of here. Herod^(DX) wants to kill you.”^(DY)

³² He said to them, “Go tell that fox, ‘Look, I’m driving out demons and performing healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will complete my work.’^{[w](DZ) 33} Yet it is necessary that I^(EA) travel today, tomorrow, and the next day, because it is not possible for a prophet^(EB) to perish^(EC) outside of Jerusalem.

Jesus’s Lamentation over Jerusalem

³⁴ “Jerusalem, Jerusalem,^(ED) who kills the prophets and stones^(EE) those who are sent to her.^(EF) How often I wanted to gather your children^(EG) together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings,^(EH) but you were not willing!^{(EI) 35} See, your house is abandoned to you.^(EJ) I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when^[x] you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord’!”^[y](EK)

A Sabbath Controversy

14 One Sabbath, when he went in to eat^[z] at the house of one of the leading Pharisees,^(EL) they were watching him closely.^{(EM) 2} There in front of him was a man whose body was swollen with fluid. ³ In response, Jesus asked the law experts^(EN) and the Pharisees, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?”^{(EO) 4} But they kept silent. He took the man, healed him, and sent him away. ⁵ And to them, he said, “Which of you whose son or ox falls into a well, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?”^{(EP) 6} They could find no answer to these things.

Teachings on Humility

⁷ He told a parable^(EQ) to those who were invited, when he noticed how they would choose the best places^(ER) for themselves: ⁸ “When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, don’t sit in the place of honor, because a more distinguished person^(ES) than you may have been invited by your host. ⁹ The one who invited both of you may come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this man,’ and then in humiliation, you will proceed to take the lowest place.

¹⁰ “But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when the one who invited you comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ You will then be honored^(ET) in the presence of all the other guests.^{(EU) 11} For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”^(EV)

¹² He also said to the one who had invited him, “When you give a lunch or a dinner, don’t invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors, because they might invite you back, and you would be repaid. ¹³ On the contrary, when you host a banquet,^(EW) invite those who are poor, maimed, lame, or blind.^{(EX) 14} And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you will be repaid^(EY) at the resurrection of the righteous.”^(EZ)

The Parable of the Large Banquet

¹⁵ When^(FA) one of those who reclined at the table with him heard these things, he said to him, “Blessed is the one who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!” ^(FB)

¹⁶ Then he told him, “A man was giving a large banquet and invited many. ¹⁷ At the time of the banquet, he sent his servant to tell those who were invited, ‘Come, because everything is now ready.’

¹⁸ “But without exception^[aa] they all began to make excuses. The first one said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. I ask you to excuse me.’

¹⁹ “Another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m going to try them out. I ask you to excuse me.’

²⁰ “And another said, ‘I just got married,^(FC) and therefore I’m unable to come.’

²¹ “So the servant came back and reported these things to his master. Then in anger, the master of the house told his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the city, and bring in here the poor, maimed, blind, and lame.’^(FD)

²² “‘Master,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, and there’s still room.’

²³ “Then the master told the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges and make them come in, so that my house may be filled. ²⁴ For I tell you, not one of those people who were invited will enjoy my banquet.’”

The Cost of Following Jesus

²⁵ Now^(FE) great crowds were traveling with him. So he turned and said to them, ²⁶ “If anyone comes to me^(FF) and does not hate^(FG) his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, and even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. ²⁷ Whoever does not bear his own cross^(FH) and come after me cannot be my disciple.

²⁸ “For which of you, wanting to build a tower, doesn’t first sit down and calculate the cost^(FI) to see if he has enough to complete it? ²⁹ Otherwise, after he has laid the foundation and cannot finish it, all the onlookers will begin to ridicule him, ³⁰ saying, ‘This man started to build and wasn’t able to finish.’

³¹ “Or what king, going to war against another king, will not first sit down and decide if he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? ³² If not, while the other is still far off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. ³³ In the same way, therefore, every one of you who does not renounce^[ab] all his possessions^(FJ) cannot be my disciple.

³⁴ “Now,^(FK) salt^(FL) is good, but if salt should lose its taste, how will it be made salty? ³⁵ It isn’t fit for the soil or for the manure pile; they throw it out. Let anyone who has ears to hear listen.”^(FM)

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

15 All^(FN) the tax collectors^(FO) and sinners were approaching to listen to him. ² And the Pharisees and scribes were complaining, “This man welcomes sinners^(FP) and eats with them.”

³ So he told them this parable:^{(FQ) 4} “What man among you, who has a hundred sheep and loses one of them,^(FR) does not leave the ninety-nine in the open field^[ac] and go after the lost one until he finds it? ⁵ When he has found it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders, ⁶ and coming home, he calls his friends and neighbors together, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my lost sheep!’ ⁷ I tell you, in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven^(FS) over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who don’t need repentance.

The Parable of the Lost Coin

⁸ “Or what woman who has ten silver coins,^[ad][ae] if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? ⁹ When she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found the silver coin I lost!’ ¹⁰ I tell you, in the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels^(FT) over one sinner who repents.”

The Parable of the Lost Son

¹¹ He also said, “A man had two sons. ¹² The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate I have coming to me.’ So he distributed the assets^[af] to them. ¹³ Not many days later, the younger son gathered together all he had and traveled to a distant country, where he squandered^(FU) his estate in foolish living.^{(FV) 14} After he had spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he had nothing.^{[ag] 15} Then he went to work for one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.^{(FW) 16} He longed to eat his fill from^[ah] the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one would give him anything. ¹⁷ When he came to his senses,^[ai] he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food, and here I am dying of hunger!^{[aj] 18} I’ll get up, go to my father, and say to him, “Father, I have sinned^(FX) against heaven^(FY) and in your sight. ¹⁹ I’m no longer worthy^(FZ) to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired workers.”’ ²⁰ So he got up and went to his father. But while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion.^(GA) He ran, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed^(GB) him. ²¹ The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I’m no longer worthy to be called your son.’

²² “But the father told his servants, ‘Quick! Bring out the best robe^(GC) and put it on him; put a ring^(GD) on his finger and sandals^(GE) on his feet. ²³ Then bring the fattened calf^(GF) and slaughter it, and let’s celebrate with a feast, ²⁴ because this son of mine was dead and is alive again;^(GG) he was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.

²⁵ “Now his older son was in the field; as he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶ So he summoned one of the servants, questioning what these things meant. ²⁷ ‘Your brother is here,’ he told him, ‘and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’^[ak]

²⁸ “Then he became angry and didn’t want to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him. ²⁹ But he replied to his father, ‘Look, I have been slaving many years for you, and I have never disobeyed your orders, yet you never gave me a goat so that I could celebrate with my friends. ³⁰ But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your assets^[al] with prostitutes,^(GH) you slaughtered the fattened calf for him.’

³¹ “‘Son,’^[am] he said to him, ‘you are always with me,^(GI) and everything I have is yours. ³² But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”