CHAPTER 12
In
the meantime,
a crowd
of
many thousands
had gathered,
so that
they were trampling
one another.
Jesus began
to speak
first
to
His
disciples:
“Beware
of
the
yeast
of the
Pharisees,
which
is
hypocrisy.
What
you have spoken
in
the
dark
will be heard
in
the
daylight,
and
what
you have whispered
in
the
inner rooms
will be proclaimed
from
the
housetops.
I tell
you,
My
friends,
do not be afraid
of
those who
kill
the
body
and
after
that
can
do
no
more.
But
I will show
you
whom
you should fear:
Fear
the One who,
after
you
have been killed,
has
power
to throw you
into
hell.
Yes,
I tell
you,
fear
Him!
And even
the
very
hairs
of
your
head
are all numbered.
So do not be afraid;
you are worth more
than many
sparrows.
I tell
you,
everyone
who
confesses
Me
before
men,
the
Son
of Man
will also confess
him
before
the
angels
of God.
And
everyone
who
speaks
a word
against
the
Son
of Man
will be forgiven,
but
whoever
blasphemes
against
the
Holy
Spirit
will not be forgiven.
When
you
are brought
before
the
synagogues,
rulers,
and
authorities,
do not
worry about
how
to defend yourselves
or
what
to say.
And
He said
to
them,
“Watch out!
Guard yourselves
against
every form of
greed,
for
a man’s
life
does not consist
in
the
abundance
of
his
possessions.”
Then
he said,
‘This is what
I will do:
I will tear down
my
barns
and
will build
bigger ones,
and
there
I will store up
all
my
grain
and
my
goods.
Then
I will say
to
myself,
“You
have
plenty of
good things
laid up
for
many
years.
Take it easy.
Eat,
drink,
and be merry!”’
But
God
said
to him,
‘You fool!
This
very
night
your
life
will be required
of
you.
Then
who
will own
what
you have accumulated?’
This is how it will be for
anyone who
stores up treasure
for himself
but
is not rich
toward
God.”
Then
Jesus said
to
His
disciples,
“Therefore
I tell
you,
do not
worry
about
your life,
what
you will eat,
or
about
your
body,
what
you will wear.
Consider
the
ravens:
They do not sow
or
reap;
they
have
no
storehouse
or
barn,
yet
God
feeds
them.
How much
more
valuable are you
than the
birds!
Consider
how
the
lilies
grow:
They do not labor
or
spin.
Yet
I tell
you,
not even
Solomon
in
all
his
glory
was adorned
like
one
of these.
If
that is how
God
clothes
the
grass
of
the field,
which is here
today
and
tomorrow
is thrown
into
the furnace,
how much
more will He clothe
you,
O you of little faith!
For
the
nations
of the
world
strive after
all
these things,
and
your
Father
knows
that
you need
them.
Sell
your
possessions
and
give
to the poor.
Provide
yourselves
with purses
that will not
wear out,
an inexhaustible
treasure
in
heaven,
where
no
thief
approaches
and no
moth
destroys.
Then
you
will be like
servants
waiting for
their
master
to return
from
the
wedding banquet,
so that
when he comes
and
knocks,
they can open the door
for him
at once.
Blessed are
those
servants
whom
the
master
finds
on watch
when he returns.
Truly
I tell
you,
he will dress himself to serve
and
will have them recline at the table,
and
he himself will come
and wait on
them.
Even if
he comes
in
the
second
or
third
watch of the night
and
finds them
alert,
those servants
will be
blessed!
But
understand
this:
If
the
homeowner
had known
at what
hour
the
thief
was coming,
he would not have let
his
house
be broken into.
And
the
Lord
answered,
“Who
then
is
the
faithful
and
wise
manager,
whom
the
master
puts
in charge
of
his
servants
to give them
their
portion
at
the proper time?
But
suppose
that
servant
says
in
his
heart,
‘My
master
will be a long time
in coming,’
and
he begins
to beat
the
male
and
female servants,
and
to eat
and
drink
and
get drunk.
The
master
of that
servant
will come
on
a day
when
he does not expect him,
and
at
an hour
of which
he is unaware.
Then
He will cut him to pieces
and
assign
him
a
place
with
the
unbelievers.
That
servant
who
knows
his
master’s
will
but
does not get ready
or
follow
his
instructions
will be beaten with
many blows.
But
the one who
unknowingly
does
things worthy
of punishment
will be beaten with
few blows.
From
everyone
who
has been given
much,
much
will be required;
and
from
him
who
has been entrusted
with much,
even more
will be demanded.
They will be divided,
father
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.”
Then
Jesus said
to the
crowds,
“As soon as
you see
a
cloud
rising
in
the west,
you say,
‘A shower
is coming,’
and
that is what
happens.
You hypocrites!
You know how
to interpret
the
appearance
of the
earth
and
sky.
Why
don’t you know how
to interpret
the
present time?
Make
every effort
to reconcile
with
your
adversary
while
you are on your way
to
the magistrate.
Otherwise,
he may drag you off
to
the
judge,
and
the
judge
may hand
you
over to the
officer,
and
the
officer
may throw
you
into
prison.