Under these
circumstances
, after 1so many
thousands
of 2people
had gathered
together
that they were stepping
on one
another
, He began
saying
to His disciples
first
of all, " aBeware
of the leaven
of the Pharisees
, which
is hypocrisy
.
" aBut there is nothing covered
up that will not be revealed
, and hidden
that will not be known
.
"Accordingly, whatever
you have said
in the dark
will be heard
in the light
, and what
you have 1whispered
in the inner
rooms
will be proclaimed
upon athe housetops
.
"I say to you, aMy friends
, do not be afraid
of those
who kill
the body
and after
that have
no
more
that they can do
.
"But I will 1warn you whom
to fear
: afear
the One who, after
He has killed
, has
authority
to cast
into 2 bhell
; yes
, I tell
you, fear
Him!
"Are not afive sparrows
sold
for two
1cents
? Yet not one
of them is forgotten
before
God
.
" aIndeed, the very
hairs
of your head
are all
numbered
. Do not fear
; you are more
valuable
than many
sparrows
.
"And I say to you, everyone
who
aconfesses
Me before
men
, the Son
of Man
will confess
him also
before
the angels
of God
;
but ahe who denies Me before
men
will be denied
bbefore
the angels
of God
.
" aAnd everyone who
1speaks
a word
against
the Son
of Man
, it will be forgiven
him; but he who blasphemes
against
the Holy
Spirit
, it will not be forgiven
him.
"When they bring
you before
athe synagogues
and the rulers
and the authorities
, do not bworry
about how
or
what
you are to speak
in your defense
, or
what
you are to say
;
for athe Holy Spirit
will teach
you in that very
hour
what
you ought
to say
."
Someone 1in the crowd
said
to Him, "Teacher
, tell
my brother
to divide
the family inheritance
with me."
But He said to him, " aMan
, who
appointed
Me a judge
or
arbitrator
over
you?"
Then He said
to them, " aBeware
, 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
."
And He told them a parable
, saying
, "The land
of a rich
man
was very
productive
.
"And he began reasoning to himself
, saying
, `What
shall I do
, since
I have
no
place
to store
my crops
?'
"Then 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
.
`And I will say to my soul
, "Soul
, ayou have
many
goods
laid
up for many
years
to come; take
your ease
, eat
, drink
and be merry
."'
"But God said
to him, ` aYou fool
! This
very night
1 byour soul
is required
of you; and cnow who
will own what
you have prepared
?'
"So is the man who astores
up treasure
for himself
, and is not rich
toward
God
."
And He said to His disciples
, " aFor this
reason
I say
to you, 1do not worry
about
your 2life
, as to what
you will eat
; nor
for your body
, as to what
you will put
on.
"For life is more
than food
, and the body
more
than clothing
.
"Consider the aravens
, for they neither
sow
nor
reap
; they have no
storeroom
nor
bbarn
, and yet God
feeds
them; how
much
more
valuable
you are than the birds
!
"And which of you by worrying
can
add
a single 1 ahour
to his 2life's
span
?
"If then
you cannot
do even
a very
little
thing
, why
do you worry
about
other
matters
?
"Consider the lilies
, how
they grow
: they neither
toil
nor
spin
; but I tell
you, not even
aSolomon
in all
his glory
clothed
himself like
one
of these
.
"But 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? aYou men
of little
faith
!
"And do not seek what
you will eat
and what
you will drink
, and do not akeep worrying
.
"For 1all these
things
the nations
of the world
eagerly
seek
; but your Father
knows
that you need
these
things
.
"But seek His kingdom
, and athese
things
will be added
to you.
" aDo not be afraid, blittle
flock
, for cyour Father
has chosen
gladly
to give
you the kingdom
.
" aSell your possessions
and give
to charity
; make
yourselves
money
belts
which do not wear
out, ban unfailing
treasure
in heaven
, where
no
thief
comes
near
nor
moth
destroys
.
"For awhere your treasure
is, there
your heart
will be also
.
" 1 aBe dressed in breadiness
, and keep your lamps
lit
.
"Be 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
.
"Blessed are those
slaves
whom
the master
will find
aon the alert
when he comes
; truly
I say
to you, that bhe will gird
himself to serve, and have them recline
at the table, and will come
up and wait
on them.
" aWhether he comes
in the 1second
watch
, or
even
in the 2third
, and finds
them so
, blessed
are those
slaves.
" aBut 1be 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 2 bbroken
into.
" aYou too, be ready
; for the Son
of Man
is coming
at an hour
that you do not 1expect
."
Peter said
, "Lord
, are You addressing
this
parable
to us, or
ato everyone
else as well
?"
And athe Lord said
, " bWho
then
is the faithful
and sensible
csteward
, whom
his master
will put
in charge
of his 1servants
, to give
them their rations
at the proper
time
?
"Blessed is that aslave
whom
his 1master
finds
so
doing
when he comes
.
"Truly I say
to you that he will put
him in charge
of all
his possessions
.
"But if that slave
says
in his heart
, `My master
1will be a long
time
in coming
,' and begins
to beat
the slaves
, both men
and women
, and to eat
and drink
and get
drunk
;
the 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
.
"And that slave who knew
his master's
will
and did not get
ready
or
act
in accord
with his will
, will
areceive
many
lashes
,
but the one who did not aknow it, and committed
deeds worthy
of 1a flogging
, will receive
but few
. bFrom everyone
who
has been given
much
, much
will be required
; and to whom
they entrusted
much
, of him they will ask
all
the more
.
"I 1have come to cast
fire
upon the earth
; and 2how
I wish
it were already
kindled
!
"But I have a abaptism
to 1undergo
, and how
distressed
I am until
it is accomplished
!
" aDo you suppose that I came
to grant
peace
on earth
? I tell
you, no
, but rather
division
;
for from now on five
members in one
household
will be divided
, three
against
two
and two
against
three
.
"They will be divided, afather
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
."
And He was also saying
to the crowds
, " aWhen
you see
a cloud
rising
in the west
, immediately
you say
, `A shower
is coming
,' and so
it turns
out.
"And when you see a south
wind
blowing
, you say
, `It will be a ahot
day,' and it turns
out that way.
"You hypocrites! aYou know
how
to analyze
the appearance
of the earth
and the sky
, but 1why
do you not analyze
this
present time
?
"And awhy do you not even
on your own
initiative
judge
what
is right
?
"For awhile you are going
with your opponent
to appear before
the magistrate
, on your way
there make
an effort
to 1settle
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
.
"I say to you, you will not get
out of there
until
you have paid
the very
last
1 acent
."