[1] In the meantime, when so many thousands of the multitude had gathered
together that they trod upon one another, he began to say to his disciples
first, "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. [2]
Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be
known. [3] Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in
the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed
upon the housetops. [4] "I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill
the body, and after that have no more that they can do. [5] But I will warn
you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has power to cast into
hell; yes, I tell you, fear him! [6] Are not five sparrows sold for two
pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. [7] Why, even the
hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than
many sparrows. [8] "And I tell you, every one who acknowledges me before
men, the Son of man also will acknowledge before the angels of God; [9] but
he who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God. [10]
And every one who speaks a word against the Son of man will be forgiven;
but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. [11]
And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the
authorities, do not be anxious how or what you are to answer or what you
are to say; [12] for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what
you ought to say." [13] One of the multitude said to him, "Teacher, bid my
brother divide the inheritance with me." [14] But he said to him, "Man, who
made me a judge or divider over you?" [15] And he said to them, "Take heed,
and beware of all covetousness; for a man's life does not consist in the
abundance of his possessions." [16] And he told them a parable, saying,
"The land of a rich man brought forth plentifully; [17] and he thought to
himself, `What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?' [18] And
he said, `I will do this: I will pull down my barns, and build larger ones;
and there I will store all my grain and my goods. [19] And I will say to my
soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; take your ease,
eat, drink, be merry.' [20] But God said to him, `Fool! This night your
soul is required of you; and the things you have prepared, whose will they
be?' [21] So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward
God." [22] And he said to his disciples, "Therefore I tell you, do not be
anxious about your life, what you shall eat, nor about your body, what you
shall put on. [23] For life is more than food, and the body more than
clothing. [24] Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have
neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value
are you than the birds! [25] And which of you by being anxious can add a
cubit to his span of life? [26] If then you are not able to do as small a
thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? [27] Consider the
lilies, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even
Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. [28] But if God
so clothes the grass which is alive in the field today and tomorrow is
thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O men of little
faith! [29] And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink,
nor be of anxious mind. [30] For all the nations of the world seek these
things; and your Father knows that you need them. [31] Instead, seek his
kingdom, and these things shall be yours as well. [32] "Fear not, little
flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. [33]
Sell your possessions, and give alms; provide yourselves with purses that
do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where
no thief approaches and no moth destroys. [34] For where your treasure is,
there will your heart be also. [35] "Let your loins be girded and your
lamps burning, [36] and be like men who are waiting for their master to
come home from the marriage feast, so that they may open to him at once
when he comes and knocks. [37] Blessed are those servants whom the master
finds awake when he comes; truly, I say to you, he will gird himself and
have them sit at table, and he will come and serve them. [38] If he comes
in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them so, blessed are those
servants! [39] But know this, that if the householder had known at what
hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken
into. [40] You also must be ready; for the Son of man is coming at an
unexpected hour." [41] Peter said, "Lord, are you telling this parable for
us or for all?" [42] And the Lord said, "Who then is the faithful and wise
steward, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their
portion of food at the proper time? [43] Blessed is that servant whom his
master when he comes will find so doing. [44] Truly, I say to you, he will
set him over all his possessions. [45] But if that servant says to himself,
`My master is delayed in coming,' and begins to beat the menservants and
the maidservants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, [46] the master of
that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour
he does not know, and will punish him, and put him with the unfaithful.
[47] And that servant who knew his master's will, but did not make ready or
act according to his will, shall receive a severe beating. [48] But he who
did not know, and did what deserved a beating, shall receive a light
beating. Every one to whom much is given, of him will much be required; and
of him to whom men commit much they will demand the more. [49] "I came to
cast fire upon the earth; and would that it were already kindled! [50] I
have a baptism to be baptized with; and how I am constrained until it is
accomplished! [51] Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth?
No, I tell you, but rather division; [52] for henceforth in one house there
will be five 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 her mother, mother-in-law against her
daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law." [54] He
also said to the multitudes, "When you see a cloud rising in the west, you
say at once, `A shower is coming'; 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?
[57] "And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? [58] 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, you will
never get out till you have paid the very last copper."
