1 A t 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.

In 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.

2 F or there is nothing covered up that will not be seen. There is nothing hidden that will not be known.

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

3 W hat 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.

Wherefore 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.

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

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 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!

But 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.

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

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

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

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

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

And 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:

9 B ut 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

but he that denieth me in the presence of men shall be denied in the presence of the angels of God.

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

And 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.

11 W hen 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.

And 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:

12 T he Holy Spirit will tell you what you should say at that time.”

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

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

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

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

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

15 T hen 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

And 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.

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

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

17 T he rich man thought to himself, ‘What will I do? I have no place to put the grain.’

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

18 T hen 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.

And 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.

19 A nd 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.”’

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

20 B ut 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?’

But 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?

21 I t 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

So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

22 J esus 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.

And 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.

23 L ife is worth more than food. The body is worth more than clothes.

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

24 L ook 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?

Consider 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!

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

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

26 I f you cannot do that which is so little, why do you worry about other things?

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

27 T hink 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.

Consider 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.

28 G od 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!

But 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?

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

And seek not ye what ye shall eat, and what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.

30 F or all the nations of the world go after these things. Your Father knows you need these things.

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

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

Yet seek ye his kingdom, and these things shall be added unto you.

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

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

33 S ell 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.

Sell 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.

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

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

35 “ Be ready and dressed. Have your lights burning.

Let your loins be girded about, and your lamps burning;

36 B e 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.

and 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.

37 T hose 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.

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 sit down to meat, and shall come and serve them.

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

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

39 B ut 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.

But 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.

40 Y ou 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

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

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

And Peter said, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even unto all?

42 T he 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.

And 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?

43 T hat servant is happy who is doing his work when the owner comes.

Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

44 F or sure, I tell you, he will make him boss over all he has.

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

45 “ 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?

But 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;

46 T he 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.

the 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.

47 “ 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.

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

48 B ut 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

but 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

53 T he 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.”

They 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.

54 T hen 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.

And 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.

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

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

56 Y ou 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?

Ye 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?

57 W hy do you not know for yourselves what is right?

And why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?

58 W hen 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.

For 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.

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

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