THE GOSPEL ACCORDING to
*LUKE
Luke 12 ©
1 Christ warns His disciples of the leaven of the Pharisees. 4 Teaches Who ought to be feared most. 6 Exhorts to depend on God’s Providence, and to confess His Name, and warns them for the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. 13 Refuses to be an arbitrator about the inheritance between brethren. 15 Admonishes against covetousness by the similitude of a rich man, who would make his barns greater. 22 Teaches by the example of the ravens and lilies that the care of this life should be committed to God, and before all (things) to seek His Kingdom. 33 Exhorts to give alms. 35 And to watch for His coming. 41 Describes the practice and reward of a faithful servant. 45 As also the practice and punishment of an unfaithful servant. 49 Says that He came to suffer, and to bring fire on earth. 54 Reproves the Jews that they observed not the time of their visitation. 58 And exhorts to reconciliation with adversaries.
IN 1the mean time, whena there were gathered together an 2innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, 3Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
Forb there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.
Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken 4in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closetsc shall be proclaimed 5upon the housetops.
And I say unto you my friends, Bed not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have 6no more that they can do.
But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into 7hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.
Aree not five sparrows sold for two 8farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?
Butf even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: 9ye are of more value than many sparrows.
Alsog I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God:
Buth he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.
And whosoever shall speak 10a word 11against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: buti unto him that blasphemeth 12against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven.
Andj when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, 13take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say:
For the Holy Ghost shall 14teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.
¶And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.
And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?
And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware ofk15covetousness: 16for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The 17ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
And I will say to my soul, Soul,l thou hast much goods 18laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
But God said unto him, Thoum fool, this night thy soul 19shall be required of thee: then whosen shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
So is he that layeth up 20treasure for himself, and is 21not rich toward God.
¶And he said unto his disciples, Thereforeo I say unto you, Take 22no thought for your 23life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.
The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.
Considerp the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: 24how much more are ye better than the fowls?
Andq which of you with taking thought can add to his stature 25one cubit?
If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the 26rest?
Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
If then God so clothe 27the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?
And 28seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither 29be ye of doubtful mind.
For all these things do 30the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.
¶Butr rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be 31added unto you.
Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you 32the kingdom.
33Sells that ye have, and give alms; providet yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Letu34your loins be girded about, and your lights burning;
And ye yourselves like unto men that 35wait for their lord, when he will 36return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.
Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.
Andv if he shall come in the second 37watch,w or come in the third watch,x and find them so, blessed are those servants.
Andy this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.
Bez ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man 38cometh at an hour when ye think not.
¶Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all?
And the Lord said, Whoaa then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their 39portion of meat in due season?
Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath.
But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken;
The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will 40cut him in sunder,ab and will appoint him his portion with the 41unbelievers.
Andac that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and 42to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
¶I am come to send 43fire on the earth; and 44what will I, if it be already kindled?
Butad I have a 45baptism to be baptized with; and how am I 46straitened till it be accomplished!
Supposeae ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; butaf rather division:
For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.
The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
¶And he said also to the people, Whenag ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is.
And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass.
Ye hypocrites, ye can 47discern the 48face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern 49this time?
Yea, and why even 50of yourselves judge ye not what is right?
¶Whenah thou goest with thine adversaryai to the magistrate, as thou art in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be 51delivered from him; lest he haleaj thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to 52the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison.
I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the very last 53mite.