|
Chapter 12 |
|
1 | In
the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of
people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his
disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is
hypocrisy. |
| 2 | For
there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that
shall not be known. |
| 3 |
Therefore whatsoever 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 housetops. |
|
4 | And
I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and
after that have no more that they can do. |
| 5 |
But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear:
Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say
unto you, Fear him. |
| 6 |
Are not five sparrows sold for two
farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? |
|
7 | But
even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye
are of more value than many sparrows. |
| 8
| Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall
confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the
angels of God: |
| 9 |
But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God. |
| 10 |
And whosoever shall speak a word against
the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth
against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven. |
| 11 | And
when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers,
take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: |
|
12 | For
the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say. |
| 13 | And
one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he
divide the inheritance with me. |
| 14 |
And he said unto him, Man, who made me a
judge or a divider over you? |
| 15
| And he said unto them, Take heed, and
beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of
the things which he possesseth. |
| 16 | And
he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man
brought forth plentifully: |
| 17 | And
he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room
where to bestow my fruits? |
| 18 | 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. |
| 19
| And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou
hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be
merry. |
| 20 |
But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee:
then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? |
| 21 |
So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
|
| 22 | And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto
you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body,
what ye shall put on. |
| 23
| The life is more than meat, and the
body is more than raiment. |
| 24
| Consider the ravens: for they neither
sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them:
how much more are ye better than the fowls? |
| 25 | And
which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? |
|
26 | If
ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for
the rest? |
| 27 | 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. |
| 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? |
| 29
| And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or
what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. |
| 30 | For
all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father
knoweth that ye have need of these things. |
|
31 | But rather seek ye the
kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. |
| 32 | Fear
not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the
kingdom. |
| 33 | Sell
that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a
treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither
moth corrupteth. |
|
34 | For where your treasure
is, there will your heart be also. |
| 35
| Let your loins be girded about, and
your lights burning; |
| 36
| And ye yourselves like unto men that
wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he
cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. |
| 37 | 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. |
|
38 | And if he shall come in
the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are
those servants. |
| 39 |
And 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. |
| 40
| Be ye therefore ready also: for the
Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not. |
|
41 | Then
Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to
all? |
| 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 meat in
due season? |
| 43
| Blessed is that servant, whom his
lord when he cometh shall find so doing. |
| 44 | Of
a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath. |
| 45 | 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; |
| 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 in sunder, and will appoint him
his portion with the unbelievers. |
| 47 | And
that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither
did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. |
| 48 | 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 to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the
more. |
| 49 | I
am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already
kindled? |
| 50 |
But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be
accomplished! |
|
51 | Suppose ye that I am
come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: |
| 52 | For
from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two,
and two against three. |
| 53
| 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. |
| 54 | And
he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west,
straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is. |
| 55 | And
when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh
to pass. |
| 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? |
| 57 | Yea,
and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right? |
| 58 | When
thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way,
give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to
the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast
thee into prison. |
| 59 |
I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the very last
mite. |