Luke 12

1 Meanwhile, the people ^{a12:1 Lit. crowd} had gathered by the thousands and were trampling on one another. Jesus ^{b12:1 Lit. He} began to speak first to his disciples. “Watch out for the yeast—that is, the hypocrisy—of the Pharisees!ISV — Luke 12:1

2 There is nothing covered up that won’t be exposed and nothing secret that won’t be made known.ISV — Luke 12:2

3 Therefore, what you have said in darkness will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered ^{c12:3 Lit. spoken in the ear} in private rooms will be shouted from the housetops.” ( )ISV — Luke 12:3

4 “But I tell you, my friends, never be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can’t do anything more.ISV — Luke 12:4

5 I’ll show you the one you should be afraid of. Be afraid of the one who has the authority to throw you into hell ^{d12:5 Lit. Gehenna; a transliteration of the Heb. for Valley of Hinnom} after killing you. Yes, I tell you, be afraid of him!ISV — Luke 12:5

6 “Five sparrows are sold for two pennies, aren’t they? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.ISV — Luke 12:6

7 Why, even all the hairs on your head have been counted! Stop being afraid. You are worth more than a bunch of sparrows.” ( ; 12:32; 10:19-20)ISV — Luke 12:7

8 “But I tell you, the Son of Man will acknowledge before God’s angels everyone who acknowledges me before people.ISV — Luke 12:8

9 But whoever denies me before people will be denied before God’s angels.ISV — Luke 12:9

10 Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the person who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit won’t be forgiven.ISV — Luke 12:10

11 When people ^{e12:11 Lit. they} bring you before synagogue leaders, ^{f12:11 Lit. synagogues} rulers, or authorities, don’t worry about how you will defend yourselves or what ^{g12:11 Lit. how or what} you will say,ISV — Luke 12:11

12 because at that time the Holy Spirit will teach you what you are to say.”ISV — Luke 12:12

13 Then someone in the crowd told him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.”ISV — Luke 12:13

14 But Jesus ^{h12:14 Lit. he} asked him, “Mister, ^{i12:14 Lit. Man} who appointed me to be a judge or arbitrator over you people?”ISV — Luke 12:14

15 Then he told them, “Be careful to guard yourselves against every kind of greed, because a person’s life doesn’t consist of the amount of possessions he has.”ISV — Luke 12:15

16 Then he told them a parable. He said, “The land of a certain rich man produced good crops.ISV — Luke 12:16

17 So he began to think to himself, ‘What should I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’ISV — Luke 12:17

18 Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and I’ll store all my grain and goods in them.ISV — Luke 12:18

19 Then I’ll say to myself, “You’ve stored up plenty of good things for many years. Take it easy, eat, drink, and enjoy yourself.”’ISV — Luke 12:19

20 But God told him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded back from you. Now who will get the things you’ve accumulated?’ISV — Luke 12:20

21 That’s how it is with the person who stores up treasures for himself rather than with God.” ( , 19-21)ISV — Luke 12:21

22 Then Jesus ^{j12:22 Lit. he} told his disciples, “That’s why I’m telling you to stop worrying about your life—what you will eat—or about your body—what you will wear,ISV — Luke 12:22

23 because life is more than food, and the body more than clothing.ISV — Luke 12:23

24 Consider the crows. ^{k12:24 Or ravens} They don’t plant or harvest, they don’t even have a storeroom or barn, yet God feeds them. How much more valuable are you than birds!ISV — Luke 12:24

25 Can any of you add an hour to the length of your life ^{l12:25 Or add one cubit to your height; a cubit was about eighteen inches} by worrying?ISV — Luke 12:25

26 So if you can’t do a small thing like that, why worry about other things?ISV — Luke 12:26

27 Consider how the lilies grow. They don’t work or spin yarn, but I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them.ISV — Luke 12:27

28 Now if that’s the way God clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and thrown into an oven tomorrow, how much more will he clothe you—you who have little faith?ISV — Luke 12:28

29 “So stop concerning yourselves about what you will eat or what you will drink, and stop being distressed,ISV — Luke 12:29

30 because it is the unbelievers ^{m12:30 Lit. gentiles ; i.e. unbelieving non-Jews} who are concerned about all these things. Surely your Father knows that you need them!ISV — Luke 12:30

31 Instead, be concerned about his ^{n12:31 Other mss. read God’s} kingdom, and these things will be provided for you as well.ISV — Luke 12:31

32 Stop being afraid, little flock, because your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom.ISV — Luke 12:32

33 “Sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor. Make yourselves wallets that don’t wear out—a dependable treasure in heaven, where no thief can get close and no moth can destroy anything.ISV — Luke 12:33

34 Because where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” ( )ISV — Luke 12:34

35 “You must keep your belts fastened and your lamps burning.ISV — Luke 12:35

36 Be like people who are waiting for their master to return from a wedding. As soon as he arrives and knocks, they will open the door for him.ISV — Luke 12:36

37 How blessed are those servants whom the master finds watching for him when he comes! I tell all of you ^{o12:37 The Gk. pronoun you is pl.} with certainty, he himself will put on an apron, make them sit down at the table, and go around and serve them.ISV — Luke 12:37

38 How blessed they will be if their master ^{p12:38 Lit. if he} comes in the middle of the night or near dawn ^{q12:38 Lit. in the second or the third watch} and finds them awake! ^{r12:38 Lit. finds them so}ISV — Luke 12:38

39 But be sure of this: if the homeowner had known at what time the thief were coming, he would have watched and ^{s12:39 Other mss. lack would have watched and} would not have let his house be broken into.ISV — Luke 12:39

40 So be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at a time when you don’t expect him.”ISV — Luke 12:40

41 Peter asked, “Lord, are you telling this parable just for us or for everyone?”ISV — Luke 12:41

42 The Lord said, “Who, then, is the faithful and careful servant manager whom his master will put in charge of giving all his other servants their share of food at the right time?ISV — Luke 12:42

43 How blessed is that servant whom his master finds doing this when he comes!ISV — Luke 12:43

44 I tell you with certainty, he will put him in charge of all his property.ISV — Luke 12:44

45 But if that servant says to himself, ^{t12:45 Lit. in his heart} ‘My master is taking a long time to come back,’ and begins to beat the other servants and to eat, drink, and get drunk,ISV — Luke 12:45

46 the master of that servant will come on a day when he doesn’t expect him and at an hour that he doesn’t know. Then his master ^{u12:46 Lit. he} will punish him severely ^{v12:46 Lit. cut him in pieces} and assign him a place with unfaithful people.ISV — Luke 12:46

47 That servant who knew what his master wanted but didn’t prepare himself or do what was wanted will receive a severe beating.ISV — Luke 12:47

48 But the servant ^{w12:48 Lit. the one} who did things that deserved a beating without knowing it will receive a light beating. Much will be required from everyone to whom much has been given. But even more will be demanded from the one to whom much has been entrusted.” ( )ISV — Luke 12:48

49 “I’ve come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already ablaze!ISV — Luke 12:49

50 I have a baptism to be baptized with, and what stress I am under until it’s completed!ISV — Luke 12:50

51 Do you think that I came to bring peace on earth? Not at all, I tell you, but rather division!ISV — Luke 12:51

52 From now on, five people in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three.ISV — Luke 12:52

53 They will be divided father against son, son against father, mother against daughter, daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.” ( ; )ISV — Luke 12:53

54 Then Jesus ^{x12:54 Lit. he} told the crowds, “When you see a cloud coming in from the west, you immediately say, ‘There’s going to be a storm,’ and that’s what happens.ISV — Luke 12:54

55 When you see a south wind blowing, you say, ‘It’s going to be hot,’ and so it is.ISV — Luke 12:55

56 You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, yet you don’t know how to interpret the present time?” ( )ISV — Luke 12:56

57 “Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right?ISV — Luke 12:57

58 For example, when you go with your opponent in front of a ruler, do your best to settle with him on the way there. Otherwise, you will be dragged in front of the judge, and the judge will hand you over to an officer, and the officer will throw you into prison.ISV — Luke 12:58

59 I tell you, you will never get out of there until you pay back the last penny!”ISV — Luke 12:59