Luke 12:22-59 ▼

22 And He said to His disciples, “For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious for your life, as to what you shall eat; nor for your body, as to what you shall put on.

23 “For life is more than food, and the body than clothing.

24 “Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; and they have no storeroom nor barn; and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds!

25 “And which of you by being anxious can add a single cubit to his life’s span?

26 “If then you cannot do even a very little thing, why are you anxious about other matters?

27 “Consider the lilies, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory did not clothe himself like one of these.

28 “But if God so arrays the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you, O men of little faith!

29 “And do not seek what you shall eat, and what you shall drink, and do not keep worrying.

30 “For all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; but your Father knows that you need these things.

31 “But seek for His kingdom, and these things shall be added to you.

32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.

33 “Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves purses which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near, nor moth destroys.

34 “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

35 “Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps alight.

36 “And 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.

37 “Blessed are those slaves whom the master shall find on the alert when he comes; truly I say to you, that he will gird himself to serve, and have them recline at the table, and will come up and wait on them.

38 “Whether he comes in the second watch, or even in the third, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.

39 “And be 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 broken into.

40 “You too, be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect.”

41 And Peter said, “Lord, are You addressing this parable to us, or to everyone else as well?”

42 And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and sensible steward, whom his master will put in charge of his servants, to give them their rations at the proper time?

43 “Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes.

44 “Truly I say to you, that he will put him in charge of all his possessions.

45 “But if that slave says in his heart, ‘My master will be a long time in coming,’ and begins to beat the slaves, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk;

46 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.

47 “And that slave who knew his master’s will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, shall receive many lashes,

48 but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few. And from everyone who has been given much shall much be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.

49 “I have come to cast fire upon the earth; and how I wish it were already kindled!

50 “But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished!

51 “Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division;

52 for from now on five members in one household will be divided, three against two, and two against three.

53 “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.”

54 And He was also saying to the multitudes, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, ‘A shower is coming,’ and so it turns out.

55 “And when you see a south wind blowing, you say, ‘It will be a hot day,’ and it turns out that way.

56 “You hypocrites! You know how to analyze the appearance of the earth and the sky, but why do you not analyze this present time?

57 “And why do you not even on your own initiative judge what is right?

58 “For while you are going with your opponent to appear before the magistrate, on your way there make an effort to settle with him, in order that he may not drag you before the judge, and the judge turn you over to the constable, and the constable throw you into prison.

59 “I say to you, you shall not get out of there until you have paid the very last cent.”