Luke 12:11-58

11When they bring you before 1the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not 2worry about how or what you are to speak in your defense, or what you are to say; 12for 3the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”

13Someone 4in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.” 14But He said to him, “5Man, who appointed Me a judge or arbitrator over you?” 15Then He said to them, “6Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.” 16And He told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man was very productive. 17And he began reasoning to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’ 18Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19And I will say to my soul, “Soul, 7you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.”’ 20But God said to him, ‘8You fool! This very night 910your soul is required of you; and 11now who will own what you have prepared?’ 21So is the man who 12stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

22And He said to His disciples, “13For this reason I say to you, 14do not worry about your 15life, as to what you will eat; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. 23For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. 24Consider the 16ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom nor 17barn, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds! 25And which of you by worrying can add a single 1819hour to his 20life’s span? 26If then you cannot do even a very little thing, why do you worry about other matters? 27Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even 21Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 28But if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you? 22You men of little faith! 29And do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not 23keep worrying. 30For 24all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; but your Father knows that you need these things. 31But seek His kingdom, and 25these things will be added to you. 3226Do not be afraid, 27little flock, for 28your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.

33“29Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, 30an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys. 34For 31where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

35“3233Be dressed in 34readiness, and keep your lamps lit. 36Be like men who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that they may immediately open the door to him when he comes and knocks. 37Blessed are those slaves whom the master will find 35on the alert when he comes; truly I say to you, that 36he will gird himself to serve, and have them recline at the table, and will come up and wait on them. 3837Whether he comes in the 38second watch, or even in the 39third, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.

39“40But 41be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have allowed his house to be 4243broken into. 4044You too, be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not 45expect.”

41Peter said, “Lord, are You addressing this parable to us, or 46to everyone else as well?” 42And 47the Lord said, “48Who then is the faithful and sensible 49steward, whom his master will put in charge of his 50servants, to give them their rations at the proper time? 43Blessed is that 51slave whom his 52master finds so doing when he comes. 44Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 45But if that slave says in his heart, ‘My master 53will be a long time in coming,’ and begins to beat the slaves, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk; 46the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces, and assign him a place with the unbelievers. 47And that slave who knew his master’s will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will 54receive many lashes, 48but the one who did not 55know it, and committed deeds worthy of 56a flogging, will receive but few. 57From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.

49“I 58have come to cast fire upon the earth; and 59how I wish it were already kindled! 50But I have a 60baptism to 61undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished! 5162Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division; 52for from now on five members in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three. 53They will be divided, 63father 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.”

54And He was also saying to the crowds, “64When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, ‘A shower is coming,’ and so it turns out. 55And when you see a south wind blowing, you say, ‘It will be a 65hot day,’ and it turns out that way. 56You hypocrites! 66You know how to analyze the appearance of the earth and the sky, but 67why do you not analyze this present time?

57“And 68why do you not even on your own initiative judge what is right? 58For 69while you are going with your opponent to appear before the magistrate, on your way there make an effort to 70settle with him, so that he may not drag you before the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison.