1 I n the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say to His disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

At that time thousands of people gathered together. There were so many that they walked on each other. Jesus spoke to His twelve followers first, saying, “Look out! Have nothing to do with the yeast of the proud religious law-keepers which is pretending to be something it is not.

2 F or there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known.

For there is nothing covered up that will not be seen. There is nothing hidden that will not be known.

3 T herefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops. Jesus Teaches the Fear of God

What you have said in the dark will be heard in the light. What you have said in a low voice in a closed room will be spoken with a loud voice from the top of houses.

4 “ And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.

“I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and then can do no more.

5 B ut I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!

I will tell you the one to be afraid of. Be afraid of Him Who has power to put you into hell after He has killed you. Yes, I say to you, be afraid of Him!

6 “ Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God.

“Are not five small birds sold for two small pieces of money? God does not forget even one of the birds.

7 B ut the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. Confess Christ Before Men

God knows how many hairs you have on your head. Do not be afraid. You are worth more than many small birds.

8 “ Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God.

“Also, I tell you, everyone who makes Me known to men, the Son of Man will make him known to the angels of God.

9 B ut he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.

But whoever acts as if he does not know Me and does not make Me known to men, he will not be spoken of to the angels of God. The Sin That Cannot Be Forgiven

10 “ And anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven.

“Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven. Whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

11 “ Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say.

When they take you to the places of worship and to the courts and to the leaders of the country, do not be worried about what you should say or how to say it.

12 F or the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.” The Parable of the Rich Fool

The Holy Spirit will tell you what you should say at that time.”

13 T hen one from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

One of the people said to Jesus, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the riches that our father left us.”

14 B ut He said to him, “Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?”

Jesus said to him, “Friend, who has told Me to say who should get what?”

15 A nd He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”

Then Jesus said to them all, “Watch yourselves! Keep from wanting all kinds of things you should not have. A man’s life is not made up of things, even if he has many riches.” The Picture-Story of the Rich Fool

16 T hen He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully.

Then He told them a picture-story, saying, “The fields of a rich man gave much grain.

17 A nd he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’

The rich man thought to himself, ‘What will I do? I have no place to put the grain.’

18 S o he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods.

Then he said, ‘I know what I will do. I will take down my grain building and I will build a bigger one. I will put all my grain and other things I own into it.

19 A nd I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.”’

And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many good things put away in your building. It will be all you need for many years to come. Now rest and eat and drink and have lots of fun.”’

20 B ut God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’

But God said to him, ‘You fool! Tonight your soul will be taken from you. Then who will have all the things you have put away?’

21 “ So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” Do Not Worry

It is the same with a man who puts away riches for himself and does not have the riches of God.” Jesus Teaches about the Cares of This Life

22 T hen He said to His disciples, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on.

Jesus said to His followers, “Because of this, I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you are going to eat. Do not worry about your body, what you are going to wear.

23 L ife is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.

Life is worth more than food. The body is worth more than clothes.

24 C onsider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds?

Look at the birds. They do not plant seeds. They do not gather grain. They have no grain buildings for keeping grain. Yet God feeds them. Are you not worth more than the birds?

25 A nd which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

“Which of you can make yourself a little taller by worrying?

26 I f you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest?

If you cannot do that which is so little, why do you worry about other things?

27 C onsider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

Think how the flowers grow. They do not work or make cloth. Yet, I tell you, that King Solomon in all his greatness was not dressed as well as one of these flowers.

28 I f then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?

God puts these clothes on the grass of the field. The grass is in the field today and put into the fire tomorrow. How much more would He want to give you clothing? You have so little faith!

29 “ And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind.

Do not give so much thought to what you will eat or drink. Do not be worried about it.

30 F or all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things.

For all the nations of the world go after these things. Your Father knows you need these things.

31 B ut seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.

Instead, go after the holy nation of God. Then all these other things will be given to you.

32 “ Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Do not be afraid, little flock. Your Father wants to give you the holy nation of God.

33 S ell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys.

Sell what you have and give the money to poor people. Have money-bags for yourselves that will never wear out. These money-bags are riches in heaven that will always be there. No robber can take them and no bugs can eat them there.

34 F or where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The Faithful Servant and the Evil Servant

Your heart will be wherever your riches are. Jesus Says to Watch and Be Ready for His Second Coming Be Ready for His Second Coming

35 “ Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning;

“Be ready and dressed. Have your lights burning.

36 a nd you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately.

Be like men who are waiting for their owner to come home from a wedding supper. When he comes and knocks on the door, they will open it for him at once.

37 B lessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them.

Those servants are happy when their owner finds them watching when he comes. For sure, I tell you, he will be dressed and ready to care for them. He will have them seated at the table.

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

The owner might come late at night or early in the morning. Those servants are happy if their owner finds them watching whenever he comes.

39 B ut know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.

But understand this, that if the owner of a house had known when the robber was coming, he would have been watching. He would not have allowed his house to be broken into.

40 T herefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

You must be ready also. The Son of Man is coming at a time when you do not think He will come.” Faithful Servants and Servants Who Are Not Faithful

41 T hen Peter said to Him, “Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people? ”

Peter said, “Lord, are You telling this picture-story to us or to all the people?”

42 A nd the Lord said, “Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season?

The Lord said, “Who is the faithful and wise servant his owner made boss over the others? He is the one who is to have food ready at the right time.

43 B lessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.

That servant is happy who is doing his work when the owner comes.

44 T ruly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has.

For sure, I tell you, he will make him boss over all he has.

45 B ut if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk,

“But what if that servant says to himself, ‘The owner will not be coming soon,’ and then beats the other servants and eats and drinks and gets drunk?

46 t he master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.

The owner of that servant will come on a day and at an hour when he is not looking for him. He will cut him in pieces and will put him with those who do not believe.

47 A nd that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.

“The servant who knew what the owner wanted done, but did not get ready for him, or did not do what he wanted done, will be beaten many times.

48 B ut he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more. Christ Brings Division

But the servant who did not know what his owner wanted done, but did things that would be reason to be beaten, will be beaten only a few times. The man who receives much will have to give much. If much is given to a man to take care of, men will expect to get more from him. Men Are Divided When They Follow Christ

49 “ I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!

“I have come to bring fire down to the earth. I wish it were already started!

50 B ut I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is accomplished!

I have a baptism to go through. How troubled I am until it is over!

51 D o you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division.

Do you think I came to bring peace on the earth? I tell you, no! I came to divide.

52 F or from now on five in one house will be divided: three against two, and two against three.

From now on there will be five in one house divided. Three will be against two and two will be against three.

53 F ather will be divided 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.” Discern the Time

The father will be against the son. The son will be against the father. The mother will be against the daughter. The daughter will be against the mother. The mother-in-law will be against the daughter-in-law. The daughter-in-law will be against the mother-in-law.”

54 T hen He also said to the multitudes, “Whenever you see a cloud rising out of the west, immediately you say, ‘A shower is coming’; and so it is.

Then Jesus also said to the people, “When you see a cloud coming in the west, you say at once, ‘It is going to rain.’ And it does.

55 A nd when you see the south wind blow, you say, ‘There will be hot weather’; and there is.

When you see the wind blow from the south, you say, ‘It will be a hot day.’ And it is.

56 H ypocrites! You can discern the face of the sky and of the earth, but how is it you do not discern this time? Make Peace with Your Adversary

You who pretend to be someone you are not, you know all about the sky and the earth. But why do you not know what is happening these days?

57 “ Yes, and why, even of yourselves, do you not judge what is right?

Why do you not know for yourselves what is right?

58 W hen you go with your adversary to the magistrate, make every effort along the way to settle with him, lest he drag you to the judge, the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison.

When a person says you are wrong and takes you to court, try to make it right with him as you go, or he will take you to the head of the court. Then he will take you to the police and you will be put in prison.

59 I tell you, you shall not depart from there till you have paid the very last mite.”

I tell you, you will not be let out of prison until you have paid the last piece of money of the fine.”