Luke:12

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* Meanwhile when myriads of the multitudes were thronging around him so that they trod one upon another , he began to say to his disciples , first of all . "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisee , which is hypocrisy . * "There is nothing hidden which shall not be revealed ; nothing concealed that shall not be known . * "So that what you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light ; and what you have whispered in the inner chambers shall be proclaimed from the housetops . * "But I say to you who are my friends , do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do . * "I will warn you whom you ought to fear . Fear him who , after he was after he has killed , has power to throw you into Gehenna . Yes , I tell you , fear him . * "Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings ? Yet not one of them is forgotten in the sight of God ! * "But the very hairs of your head are all numbered . Fear not ! You are of more value than many sparrow ! * "And I tell you that whoever confesses me before men , the Son of man will confess him before the angels of God ; * "and whoever disowns me before men , shall be disowned before the angels of God . * "If any one shall speak a word against the Son of man it shall be forgiven him ; but he who is blasphemes against the Holy Spirit shall not be forgiven . * "And when they are bringing you before the synagogues and the rulers and authorities , do not worry about how or what you shall answer ; or what you shall say ; * "for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that hour what you ought to say ." * Then one of the crowd said to him , "Master , tell my brother to give me my share of our inheritance ." * "Man ," said he , "who made me a judge or arbitrator over you ?" * And to the people he said , "Take heed and guard yourselves from all covetousness , for a mans life does not consist in the abundance of the things which he possesses ." * Then he spoke to them in a parable . "The ground of a certain rich man bore heavy crops . * "So he debated with himself saying , What shall I do ? for I have no place in which to store my crops . * "And he said to himself . This is what I will do . I will pull down my barns and build larger ones in which I will store all my wheat and my goods . * "And I will say to my soul , "Soul , you have many goods laid up for many years ! Take your ease , eat , drink , and be merry . * "But God said to him . Foolish man ! This very night your soul is wanted ! And these things you have prepared , whose shall they be ? * "So is he that lays up treasures for himself and is not rich toward God ." * Then he said to his disciples . "For this is the reason I say to you . Be not anxious for your life , what you shall eat ; nor yet your body what shall you wear . * "For the life is more than food , and the body is more than clothes . * "Consider the ravens ; they neither sow nor reap ; they have no storehouse nor barn . And yet God feeds them . How much more are you worth than the birds ? * "And which of you by taking anxious thought can add a cubit to his height ? * "If then you cannot do even that which is least , why are you anxious concerning the rest ? * "Consider the lilies how they grow ! They toil not , neither do they spin , yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these . * "Now if God so clothe the grass in the field , which today is , and tomorrow is cast into the oven , will he not much more clothe you , O you of little faith ? * "So do not be asking what ye shall eat , or what ye shall drink , and be not of doubtful mind . * "For all these things the nations of the world are seeking ; but your Father knows that you have need of these things . * "But seek his kingdom , and these things shall be added to you . * "Fear not , little flock , for it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the kingdom . * "Sell what you have and give alms . Provide yourselves with purses which do not grow old , a treasure inexhaustible in the heavens , where no thief draws near , nor does moth destroy . * "For where your treasure is there will your heart be also . * "Let your loins be girded about and your lamps burning ; * "and be yourselves like men who are looking for the Lord , on his return from a wedding banquet , so that when he comes and knocks they may at once open the door for him . * "Happy are those slaves whom their master shall find watching when he comes . I tell you truly that will gird himself , and make them sit down to meat , and come and serve them . * "And whether it be in the second watch , or in the third , that he comes , and so finds them , happy are those slaves . * "However , you know this , that if the master of the house had known in what hour the thief would come , he would have watched and not have allowed his house to be broken into . * "Do you also be ready , for in an hour that you think not the Son of man is coming ." * "Master ," said Peter , "are you speaking this parable to us or to all alike ?" * The Lord answered . "Who then is that faithful steward , the wise man whom his Lord will put in charge of the rations in due time ? * "Blessed is that slave whom his master on his coming shall find so doing . * "Of a truth I tell you that he will put him in charge of his possessions . * "But if that slave should say to himself , My master delays his coming , and should begin to beat the men and the maids , and to eat and drink and to get drunk , * "that slaves master will arrive on a day when he is not expecting him , and at an hour when he knows not , and will surely scourge him , and appoint him his portion with the unfaithful . * "The slave who knew his Lords will , and made not ready , nor did according to his will , will be beaten with many lashes , * "but he who did not know , but did things worthy of a beating , will receive few lashes . To whom much has been given , from him much will be required , and to whom much is entrusted , of him they will ask the more . * "I came to build a fire upon the earth ; what is my desire ? * "Would it were already kindled ! But I have a baptism to be baptized with , and how am I straitened till it is accomplished ! * "Do you think that I am come to make peace on the earth ? No , I tell you , but rather dissension . * "From this time there will be five in one house divided , three against two and two against three ; * "father against son and son against father ; mother against daughter and daughter against her mother ; mother-in-law against her daughter - in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law ." * Then he said to the crowd also . "When you see a cloud rising in the west you at once say , There is going to be a shower , and it comes to pass . * "And when you feel the south winds blowing you say , There will be a hot wind , and it comes to pass . * "Hypocrites ! you know how to read the face of the earth and of the sky ; but how is it that you do not know how to read the signs of the present time ? * "And why do you not , even yourselves , judge what is right ? * "For as you go before the magistrate with your opponent do your utmost to get quit of him , lest he drag you before the judge , and the judge delivers you over to the officer , and the officer cast you into prison . * "You shall by no means come out of there until you have paid the very last farthing ."

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