1 I n the mean time, when the many thousands of the multitude were gathered together, insomuch that they trod one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

In the meanwhile, when so many thousands of the people had gathered that they were trampling on one another, Jesus commenced by saying primarily to His disciples, Be on your guard against the leaven (ferment) of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

2 B ut there is nothing covered up, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.

Nothing is covered up that it will not be revealed, or hidden that it will not be known.

3 W herefore whatsoever ye have said in the darkness shall be heard in the light; and what ye have spoken in the ear in the inner chambers shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.

Whatever you have spoken in the darkness shall be heard and listened to in the light, and what you have whispered in ears and behind closed doors will be proclaimed upon the housetops.

4 A nd 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.

I tell you, My friends, do not dread and be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have nothing more that they can do.

5 B ut I will warn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, who after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.

But I will warn you whom you should fear: fear Him Who, after killing, has power to hurl into hell (Gehenna); yes, I say to you, fear Him!

6 A re not five sparrows sold for two pence? and not one of them is forgotten in the sight of God.

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten or uncared for in the presence of God.

7 B ut the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not: ye are of more value than many sparrows.

But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not be struck with fear or seized with alarm; you are of greater worth than many of sparrows.

8 A nd I say unto you, Every one who shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God:

And I tell you, Whoever declares openly and confesses that he is My worshiper and acknowledges Me before men, the Son of Man also will declare and confess and acknowledge him before the angels of God.

9 b ut he that denieth me in the presence of men shall be denied in the presence of the angels of God.

But he who disowns and denies and rejects and refuses to acknowledge Me before men will be disowned and denied and rejected and refused acknowledgement in the presence of the angels of God.

10 A nd every one who shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Spirit it shall not be forgiven.

And everyone who makes a statement or speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit '> intentionally comes short of the reverence due the Holy Spirit], it will not be forgiven him.

11 A nd when they bring you before the synagogues, and the rulers, and the authorities, be not anxious how or what ye shall answer, or what ye shall say:

And when they bring you before the synagogues and the magistrates and the authorities, do not be anxious how you shall reply in defense or what you are to say.

12 f or the Holy Spirit shall teach you in that very hour what ye ought to say.

For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour and moment what ought to say.

13 A nd one out of the multitude said unto him, Teacher, bid my brother divide the inheritance with me.

Someone from the crowd said to Him, Master, order my brother to divide the inheritance and share it with me.

14 B ut he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?

But He told him, Man, who has appointed Me a judge or umpire and divider over you?

15 A nd he said unto them, Take heed, and keep yourselves from all covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

And He said to them, Guard yourselves and keep free from all covetousness (the immoderate desire for wealth, the greedy longing to have more); for a man’s life does not consist in and is not derived from possessing overflowing abundance or that which is over and above his needs.

16 A nd he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:

Then He told them a parable, saying, The land of a rich man was fertile and yielded plentifully.

17 a nd he reasoned within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have not where to bestow my fruits?

And he considered and debated within himself, What shall I do? I have no place to gather together my harvest.

18 A nd he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my grain and my goods.

And he said, I will do this: I will pull down my storehouses and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain or produce and my goods.

19 A nd I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, be merry.

And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have many good things laid up, for many years. Take your ease; eat, drink, and enjoy yourself merrily.

20 B ut God said unto him, Thou foolish one, this night is thy soul required of thee; and the things which thou hast prepared, whose shall they be?

But God said to him, You fool! This very night they will demand your soul of you; and all the things that you have prepared, whose will they be?

21 S o is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

So it is with the one who continues to lay up and hoard possessions for himself and is not rich to God.

22 A nd he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on.

And said to His disciples, Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious and troubled about your life, as to what you will eat; or about your body, as to what you will wear.

23 F or the life is more than the food, and the body than the raiment.

For life is more than food, and the body than clothes.

24 C onsider the ravens, that they sow not, neither reap; which have no store-chamber nor barn; and God feedeth them: of how much more value are ye than the birds!

Observe and consider the ravens; for they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more worth are you than the birds!

25 A nd which of you by being anxious can add a cubit unto the measure of his life?

And which of you by being overly anxious and troubled with cares can add a cubit to his stature or a moment of time to his age ?

26 I f then ye are not able to do even that which is least, why are ye anxious concerning the rest?

If then you are not able to do such a little thing as that, why are you anxious and troubled with cares about the rest?

27 C onsider the lilies, how they grow: they toil not, neither do they spin; yet I say unto you, Even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

Consider the lilies, how they grow. They neither toil nor spin nor weave; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory (his splendor and magnificence) was not arrayed like one of these.

28 B ut if God doth so clothe the grass in the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven; how much more shall he clothe you, O ye of little faith?

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

29 A nd seek not ye what ye shall eat, and what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.

And you, do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink; nor be of anxious (troubled) mind '> unsettled, excited, worried, and in suspense];

30 F or all these things do the nations of the world seek after: but your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.

For all the pagan world is seeking these things, and your Father knows that you need them.

31 Y et seek ye his kingdom, and these things shall be added unto you.

Only aim at and strive for and seek His kingdom, and all these things shall be supplied to you also.

32 F ear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Do not be seized with alarm and struck with fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom!

33 S ell that which ye have, and give alms; make for yourselves purses which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief draweth near, neither moth destroyeth.

Sell what you possess and give donations to the poor; provide yourselves with purses and handbags that do not grow old, an unfailing and inexhaustible treasure in the heavens, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.

34 F or where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

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

35 L et your loins be girded about, and your lamps burning;

Keep your loins girded and your lamps burning,

36 a nd be ye yourselves like unto men looking for their lord, when he shall return from the marriage feast; that, when he cometh and knocketh, they may straightway open unto him.

And be like men who are waiting for their master to return home from the marriage feast, so that when he returns from the wedding and comes and knocks, they may open to him immediately.

37 B lessed 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 sit down to meat, and shall come and serve them.

Blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied) are those servants whom the master finds awake and alert and watching when he comes. Truly I say to you, he will gird himself and have them recline at table and will come and serve them!

38 A nd if he shall come in the second watch, and if in the third, and find them so blessed are those servants.

If he comes in the second watch (before midnight) or the third watch (after midnight), and finds them so, blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied) are those servants!

39 B ut know this, that if the master of the house had known in what hour the thief was coming, he would have watched, and not have left his house to be broken through.

But of this be assured: if the householder had known at what time the burglar was coming, he would have been awake and alert and watching and would not have permitted his house to be dug through and broken into.

40 B e ye also ready: for in an hour that ye think not the Son of man cometh.

You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour and a moment when you do not anticipate it.

41 A nd Peter said, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even unto all?

Peter said, Lord, are You telling this parable for us, or for all alike?

42 A nd the Lord said, Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall set over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season?

And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful steward, the wise man whom his master will set over those in his household service to supply them their allowance of food at the appointed time?

43 B lessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

Blessed (happy and to be envied) is that servant whom his master finds so doing when he arrives.

44 O f a truth I say unto you, that he will set him over all that he hath.

Truly I tell you, he will set him in charge over all his possessions.

45 B ut if that servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken;

But if that servant says in his heart, My master is late in coming, and begins to strike the menservants and the maids and to eat and drink and get drunk,

46 t he lord of that servant shall come in a day when he expecteth not, and in an hour when he knoweth not, and shall cut him asunder, and appoint his portion with the unfaithful.

The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour of which he does not know, and will punish him and cut him off and assign his lot with the unfaithful.

47 A nd that servant, who knew his lord's will, and made not ready, nor did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes;

And that servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act as he would wish him to act shall be beaten with many.

48 b ut he that knew not, and did things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. And to whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required: and to whom they commit much, of him will they ask the more.

But he who did not know and did things worthy of a beating shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, of him shall much be required; and of him to whom men entrust much, they will require and demand all the more.

49 I came to cast fire upon the earth; and what do I desire, if it is already kindled?

I have come to cast fire upon the earth, and how I wish that it were already kindled!

50 B ut I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!

I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and how greatly and sorely I am urged on (impelled, constrained) until it is accomplished!

51 T hink ye that I am come to give peace in the earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:

Do you suppose that I have come to give peace upon earth? No, I say to you, but rather division;

52 f or there shall be from henceforth five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.

For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three.

53 T hey shall be divided, 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.

They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.

54 A nd he said to the multitudes also, When ye see a cloud rising in the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it cometh to pass.

He also said to the crowds of people, When you see a cloud rising in the west, at once you say, It is going to rain! And so it does.

55 A nd when ye see a south wind blowing, ye say, There will be a scorching heat; and it cometh to pass.

And when a south wind is blowing, you say, There will be severe heat! And it occurs.

56 Y e hypocrites, ye know how to interpret the face of the earth and the heaven; but how is it that ye know not how to interpret this time?

You playactors (hypocrites)! You know how to discern and interpret and prove the looks of the earth and sky; but how is it that you do not know how to discern and interpret and apply the proof to this present time?

57 A nd why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?

And why do you not judge what is just and personally decide what is right?

58 F or as thou art going with thine adversary before the magistrate, on the way give diligence to be quit of him; lest haply he drag thee unto the judge, and the judge shall deliver thee to the officer, and the officer shall cast thee into prison.

Then as you go with your accuser before a magistrate, on the way make a diligent effort to settle and be quit (free) of him, lest he drag you to the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer put you in prison.

59 I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou have paid the very last mite.

I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the very last cent.