Luke 12:13-53

13Someone 1in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.” 14But He said to him, “2Man, who appointed Me a judge or arbitrator over you?” 15Then He said to them, “3Beware, 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, 4you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.”’ 20But God said to him, ‘5You fool! This very night 67your soul is required of you; and 8now who will own what you have prepared?’ 21So is the man who 9stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

22And He said to His disciples, “10For this reason I say to you, 11do not worry about your 12life, 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 13ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom nor 14barn, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds! 25And which of you by worrying can add a single 1516hour to his 17life’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 18Solomon 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? 19You men of little faith! 29And do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not 20keep worrying. 30For 21all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; but your Father knows that you need these things. 31But seek His kingdom, and 22these things will be added to you. 3223Do not be afraid, 24little flock, for 25your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.

33“26Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, 27an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys. 34For 28where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

35“2930Be dressed in 31readiness, 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 32on the alert when he comes; truly I say to you, that 33he will gird himself to serve, and have them recline at the table, and will come up and wait on them. 3834Whether he comes in the 35second watch, or even in the 36third, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.

39“37But 38be 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 3940broken into. 4041You too, be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not 42expect.”

41Peter said, “Lord, are You addressing this parable to us, or 43to everyone else as well?” 42And 44the Lord said, “45Who then is the faithful and sensible 46steward, whom his master will put in charge of his 47servants, to give them their rations at the proper time? 43Blessed is that 48slave whom his 49master 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 50will 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 51receive many lashes, 48but the one who did not 52know it, and committed deeds worthy of 53a flogging, will receive but few. 54From 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 55have come to cast fire upon the earth; and 56how I wish it were already kindled! 50But I have a 57baptism to 58undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished! 5159Do 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, 60father 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.”