12:1 In the mean time, when there was gathered an innumerable
multitude of people, so that they trod one upon another, he
began to say to his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the
leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
12:2 For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed;
neither hid, that shall not be known.
12:3 Therefore, whatever ye have spoken in darkness, shall be
heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in
closets, shall be proclaimed upon the house-tops.
12:4 And I say to you, my friends, Be not afraid of them that
kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
12:5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, who
after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell; yes, I say
to you, Fear him.
12:6 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one
of them is forgotten before God?
12:7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear
not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.
12:8 Also I say to you, Whoever shall confess me before men, him
will the Son of man also confess before the angels of God.
12:9 But he that denieth me before men, shall be denied before
the angels of God.
12:10 And whoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it
shall be forgiven him: but to him that blasphemeth against the
Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven.
12:11 And when they bring you to the synagogues, and [before]
magistrates, and powers, be not solicitous how or what thing ye
shall answer, or what ye shall say:
12:12 For the Holy Spirit will teach you in the same hour what
ye ought to say.
12:13 And one of the company said to him, Master, speak to my
brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.
12:14 And he said to him, Man, who made me a judge, or a divider
over you?
12:15 And he said to them, Take heed, and beware of
covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance
of the things which he possesseth.
12:16 And he spoke a parable to them, saying, The ground of a
certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
12:17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do,
because I have no room where to deposit my fruits?
12:18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns,
and build greater; and there will I deposit all my fruits and
my goods.
12:19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast abundance of
goods laid up for many years; take thy ease, eat, drink, [and]
be merry.
12:20 But God said to him, [Thou] fool, this night thy soul
shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be
which thou hast provided?
12:21 So [is] he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not
rich towards God.
12:22 And he said to his disciples, Therefore I say to you, Be
not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the
body, what ye shall put on.
12:23 The life is more than food, and the body [is more] than
raiment.
12:24 Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap: which
neither have store-house, nor barn; and God feedeth them: How
much more are ye better than the fowls?
12:25 And which of you by solicitude can add to his stature one
cubit?
12:26 If ye then are not able to do that thing which is least,
why are ye anxious for the rest?
12:27 Consider the lilies how they grow: They toil not, they
spin not; and yet I say to you, that Solomon in all his glory
was not arrayed like one of these.
12:28 If then God so clothe the 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?
12:29 And seek ye not what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink,
neither be ye of doubtful mind.
12:30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek
after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these
things.
12:31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God, and all these
things shall be added to you.
12:32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good
pleasure to give you the kingdom.
12:33 Sell what ye have, and give alms: provide yourselves bags
which become not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth
not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.
12:34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
12:35 Let your loins be girt, and [your] lights burning;
12:36 And ye yourselves like men that wait for their lord, when
he shall return from the wedding; that, when he cometh and
knocketh, they may open to him immediately.
12:37 Blessed [are] those servants, whom the lord when he cometh
shall find watching: verily I say to you, that he will gird
himself, and make them to sit down to eat, and will come forth
and serve them.
12:38 And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the
third watch, and find [them] so, blessed are those servants.
12:39 And this know, that if the master of the house knew at
what hour the thief would come, he would watch, and not suffer
his house to be broken through.
12:40 Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at
an hour when ye think not.
12:41 Then Peter said to him, Lord, speakest thou this parable
to us, or even to all?
12:42 And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise
steward, whom [his] lord shall make ruler over his household,
to give [them their] portion of provisions in due season?
12:43 Blessed [is] that servant, whom his lord when he cometh
shall find so doing.
12:44 In truth I say to you, that he will make him ruler over
all that he hath.
12:45 But if that servant shall say in his heart, My lord
delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the men-servants,
and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken?
12:46 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 cut him asunder, and will appoint him his portion with the
unbelievers.
12:47 And that servant who knew his lord's will, and prepared
not [himself], neither did according to his will, shall be
beaten with many [stripes].
12:48 But he that knew not, and committed things worthy of
stripes, shall be beaten with few [stripes]. For to whomsoever
much is given, of him shall much be required: and to whom men
have committed much, from him they will ask the more.
12:49 I am come to send fire on the earth, and what will I, if
it is already kindled?
12:50 But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I
straitened till it shall be accomplished!
12:51 Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell
you, No; but rather division:
12:52 For from henceforth there will be five in one house
divided, three against two, and two against three.
12:53 The father will 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.
12:54 And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rising
in the west, immediately ye say, There cometh a shower; and so
it is.
12:55 And when [ye perceive] the south wind blowing, ye say,
There will be heat; and it cometh to pass.
12:56 [Ye] hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky, and
of the earth; but how is it, that ye do not discern this time?
12:57 And why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?
12:58 When thou goest with thy adversary to the magistrate, [as
thou art] in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be
delivered from him; lest he draw thee before the judge, and the
judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee
into prison.
12:59 I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast
paid the very last mite.
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