Luke 12:22-59

22And He said to His disciples, “1For this reason I say to you, 2do not worry about your 3life, 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 4ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom nor 5barn, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds! 25And which of you by worrying can add a single 67hour to his 8life’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 9Solomon 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? 10You men of little faith! 29And do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not 11keep worrying. 30For 12all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; but your Father knows that you need these things. 31But seek His kingdom, and 13these things will be added to you. 3214Do not be afraid, 15little flock, for 16your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.

33“17Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, 18an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys. 34For 19where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

35“2021Be dressed in 22readiness, 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 23on the alert when he comes; truly I say to you, that 24he will gird himself to serve, and have them recline at the table, and will come up and wait on them. 3825Whether he comes in the 26second watch, or even in the 27third, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.

39“28But 29be 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 3031broken into. 4032You too, be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not 33expect.”

41Peter said, “Lord, are You addressing this parable to us, or 34to everyone else as well?” 42And 35the Lord said, “36Who then is the faithful and sensible 37steward, whom his master will put in charge of his 38servants, to give them their rations at the proper time? 43Blessed is that 39slave whom his 40master 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 41will 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 42receive many lashes, 48but the one who did not 43know it, and committed deeds worthy of 44a flogging, will receive but few. 45From 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 46have come to cast fire upon the earth; and 47how I wish it were already kindled! 50But I have a 48baptism to 49undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished! 5150Do 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, 51father 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, “52When 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 53hot day,’ and it turns out that way. 56You hypocrites! 54You know how to analyze the appearance of the earth and the sky, but 55why do you not analyze this present time?

57“And 56why do you not even on your own initiative judge what is right? 58For 57while you are going with your opponent to appear before the magistrate, on your way there make an effort to 58settle 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. 59I say to you, you will not get out of there until you have paid the very last 5960cent.”