Old/New Testament
32 Don’t be afraid, little flock. Your father is delighted to give you the kingdom.
33 “Sell your possessions and give alms. Make yourselves purses that don’t wear out, a treasure in heaven that lasts forever, where the thief doesn’t come near and the moth doesn’t destroy. 34 Yes: where your treasure is, that’s where your heart will be too.”
Jesus’ call to watchfulness
35 “Make sure you’re dressed and ready with your lamps alight,” said Jesus. 36 “You need to be like people waiting for their master when he comes back from the wedding feast, so that when he comes and knocks they will be able to open the door for him at once. 37 A blessing on the servants whom the master finds awake when he comes! I’m telling you the truth: he will put on an apron and sit them down and come and wait on them. 38 A blessing on them if he comes in the second watch of the night, or even the third, and finds them like that!
39 “But you should know this: if the householder had known what time the thief was coming, he wouldn’t have let his house be broken into. 40 You too should be ready, because the son of man is coming at a time you don’t expect.”
41 “Master,” said Peter, “are you telling this parable for us, or for everyone?”
42 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant,” said Jesus, “whom the master will set over all his household, to give them their allowance of food at the proper time? 43 A blessing on the servant that his master, when he comes, finds doing just that! 44 I’m telling you truly, he will install him as manager over all his possessions. 45 But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is taking his time over coming back,’ and begins to beat the slaves and slave-girls, to eat and drink and get drunk— 46 then the master of that servant will come on a day he doesn’t expect him to, and at a moment he didn’t imagine, and he will cut him in two. He will give him the same place as the unbelievers.
47 “If a servant knew what the master wanted, and didn’t get ready, or do what was wanted, the punishment will be a severe beating. 48 If the servant didn’t know, and did what deserved a beating, it will be a light beating. Much will be required from one who is given much; if someone is entrusted with much, even more will be expected in return.”
Reading the signs of the times
49 “I came to throw fire upon the earth,” Jesus continued, “and I wish it were already alight! 50 I have a baptism to be baptized with, and I am under huge pressure until it’s happened!
51 “Do you suppose I’ve come to give peace to the earth? No, let me tell you, but rather division. 52 From now on, you see, families will be split down the middle: three against two in a family of five, and two against three, 53 father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.
54 “When you see a cloud rising in the west,” he said to the crowds, “you say at once, ‘It’s going to rain,’ and rain it does. 55 When you see the south wind getting up, you say, ‘It’s going to be very hot,’ and that’s what happens. 56 You impostors! You know how to work out what the earth and the sky are telling you; why can’t you work out what’s going on at this very moment?
57 “Why don’t you judge for yourselves what you ought to do? 58 When you go with your accuser before a magistrate, do your best to reach a settlement with him. Otherwise he may drag you in front of the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the officer, and the officer will throw you into jail. 59 Let me tell you, you won’t get out from there until you have paid the very last coin.”
Scripture quotations from The New Testament for Everyone are copyright © Nicholas Thomas Wright 2011, 2018, 2019.