The Gospel According to St. Luke

⭑ Literal Standard Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 12 -

(Matthew 16:5–12; Mark 8:14–21)

At which time the myriads of the multitude having been gathered together, so as to tread on one another, He began to say to His disciples, first, “Take heed to yourselves of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy;

and there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hid that will not be known;

because whatever you said in the darkness will be heard in the light, and what you spoke to the ear in the inner-chambers will be proclaimed on the housetops.

Fear God Alone

(Matthew 10:26–31)

And I say to you, my friends, do not be afraid of those killing the body, and after these things are not having anything more to do;

but I will show to you whom you may fear: fear Him who, after the killing, is having authority to cast into Gehenna; yes, I say to you, fear Him.

Are not five sparrows sold for two assaria? And one of them is not forgotten before God,

but even the hairs of your head have all been numbered; therefore do not fear, you are of more value than many sparrows.

Confessing Christ

(Matthew 10:32–33)

And I say to you, everyone who may confess in Me before men, the Son of Man will also confess in him before the messengers of God,

and he who has denied Me before men, will be denied before the messengers of God,

and everyone who will say a word to the Son of Man, it will be forgiven to him, but the [one] having slandered to the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

And when they bring you before the synagogues, and the rulers, and the authorities, do not be anxious how or what you may reply, or what you may say,

for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that hour what [you] should say.”

The Parable of the Rich Fool

And a certain one out of the multitude said to Him, “Teacher, say to my brother to divide with me the inheritance.”

And He said to him, “Man, who set Me a judge or a divider over you?”

And He said to them, “Observe, and beware of the covetousness, because his life is not in the abundance of one’s goods.”

And He spoke an allegory to them, saying, “Of a certain rich man the field brought forth well;

and he was reasoning within himself, saying, What will I do, because I have nowhere I will gather together my fruits?

And he said, This I will do, I will take down my storehouses, and I will build greater ones, and I will gather together there all my products and my good things,

and I will say to my soul, Soul, you have many good things laid up for many years, be resting, eat, drink, be merry.

And God said to him, Unthinking [one]! This night your life is required of you, and what things you prepared—to whom will they be [given]?

So [is] he who is treasuring up to himself, and is not rich toward God.”

Do Not Worry

(Matthew 6:25–34)

And He said to His disciples, “Because of this, to you I say, do not be anxious for your life, what you may eat; nor for the body, what you may put on;

life is more than nourishment, and the body than clothing.

Consider the ravens, that they do not sow, nor reap, to which there is no barn nor storehouse, and God nourishes them; how much better are you than the birds?

And who of you, being anxious, is able to add to his age one cubit?

If, then, you are not able for the least—why are you anxious for the rest?

Consider the lilies, how do they grow? They do not labor, nor do they spin, and I say to you, not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed as one of these;

and if the herbage in the field, that today is, and tomorrow is cast into an oven, God so clothes, how much more you of little faith?

And you—do not seek what you may eat, or what you may drink, and do not be in suspense,

for the nations of the world seek after all these things, and your Father has known that you have need of these things;

but seek the Kingdom of God, and all these things will be added to you.

Treasures in Heaven

(Matthew 6:19–21)

Do not fear, little flock, because your Father delighted to give you the kingdom;

sell your goods, and give alms, make to yourselves bags that do not become old, a treasure unfailing in the heavens, where thief does not come near, nor moth destroy;

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

Readiness at Any Hour

(Matthew 24:36–51; Mark 13:32–37)

Let your loins be girded, and the lamps burning,

and you [be] like to men waiting for their lord when he will return out of the wedding feasts, that he having come and knocked, immediately they may open to him.

Blessed those servants, whom the lord, having come, will find watching; truly I say to you that he will gird himself, and will cause them to recline, and having come near, will minister to them;

and if he may come in the second watch, and in the third watch he may come, and may find [it] so, blessed are those servants.

And know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief comes, he would have watched, and would not have permitted his house to be broken through;

and you, then, become ready, because at the hour you do not think, the Son of Man comes.”

And Peter said to Him, “Lord, do You speak this allegory to us, or also to all?”

And the LORD said, “Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward whom the lord will set over his household, to give in season the wheat measure?

Blessed that servant, whom his lord, having come, will find doing so;

truly I say to you that he will set him over all his goods.

And if that servant may say in his heart, My lord delays to come, and may begin to beat the menservants and the maidservants, to eat also, and to drink, and to be drunken,

the lord of that servant will come in a day in which he does not look for [him], and in an hour that he does not know, and will cut him off, and he will appoint his portion with the unfaithful.

And that servant, who having known his lord’s will, and having not prepared, nor having gone according to his will, will be beaten with many stripes,

and he who, not having known, and having done things worthy of stripes, will be beaten with few; and to everyone to whom much was given, much will be required from him; and to whom they committed much, more abundantly they will ask of him.

Not Peace but Division

(Micah 7:1–6; Matthew 10:34–39)

I came to cast fire to the earth, and what I wish [is] if it were already kindled!

But I have an immersion to be immersed with, and how I am pressed until it may be accomplished!

Do you think that I came to give peace in the earth? No, I say to you, but rather division;

for there will be from now on five in one house divided—three against two, and two against three;

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

Interpreting the Present Time

(Matthew 16:1–4; Mark 8:11–13)

And He also said to the multitudes, “When you may see the cloud rising from the west, immediately you say, A shower comes, and it is so;

and when a south wind is blowing, you say that there will be heat, and it is;

hypocrites! You have known to discern the face of the earth and of the sky, but how do you not discern this time?

Reconciling with an Adversary

(Matthew 5:21–26)

And why, also, of yourselves, do you not judge what is righteous?

For as you are going away with your opponent to the ruler, in the way give diligence to be released from him, lest he may drag you to the judge, and the judge may deliver you to the officer, and the officer may cast you into prison;

I say to you, you may not come forth from there until even the last mite you may give back.”

(Matthew 16:5–12; Mark 8:14–21)

Meanwhile, when a multitude of many thousands had gathered together, so much so that they trampled on each other, he began to tell his disciples first of all, “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known.

Therefore whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light. What you have spoken in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.

Fear God Alone

(Matthew 10:26–31)

“I tell you, my friends, don’t be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.

But I will warn you whom you should fear. Fear him who after he has killed, has power to cast into Gehenna. (a) Yes, I tell you, fear him.

“Aren’t five sparrows sold for two assaria coins (b) ? Not one of them is forgotten by God.

But the very hairs of your head are all counted. Therefore don’t be afraid. You are of more value than many sparrows.

Confessing Christ

(Matthew 10:32–33)

“I tell you, everyone who confesses me before men, the Son of Man will also confess before the angels of God;

but he who denies me in the presence of men will be denied in the presence of God’s angels.

Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but those who blaspheme against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

When they bring you before the synagogues, the rulers, and the authorities, don’t be anxious how or what you will answer or what you will say;

for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that same hour what you must say.”

The Parable of the Rich Fool

One of the multitude said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or an arbitrator over you?”

He said to them, “Beware! Keep yourselves from covetousness, for a man’s life doesn’t consist of the abundance of the things which he possesses.”

He spoke a parable to them, saying, “The ground of a certain rich man produced abundantly.

He reasoned within himself, saying, ‘What will I do, because I don’t have room to store my crops?’

He said, ‘This is what I will do. I will pull down my barns, build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.

I will tell 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, ‘You foolish one, tonight your soul is required of you. The things which you have prepared—whose will they be?’

So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

Do Not Worry

(Matthew 6:25–34)

He said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, don’t be anxious for your life, what you will eat, nor yet for your body, what you will wear.

Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.

Consider the ravens: they don’t sow, they don’t reap, they have no warehouse or barn, and God feeds them. How much more valuable are you than birds!

Which of you by being anxious can add a cubit (c) to his height?

If then you aren’t able to do even the least things, why are you anxious about the rest?

Consider the lilies, how they grow. They don’t toil, neither do they spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

But if this is how God clothes the grass in the field, which today exists and tomorrow is cast into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith?

“Don’t seek what you will eat or what you will drink; neither be anxious.

For the nations of the world seek after all of these things, but your Father knows that you need these things.

But seek God’s Kingdom, and all these things will be added to you.

Treasures in Heaven

(Matthew 6:19–21)

“Don’t be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.

Sell what you have and give gifts to the needy. Make for yourselves purses which don’t grow old, a treasure in the heavens that doesn’t fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.

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

Readiness at Any Hour

(Matthew 24:36–51; Mark 13:32–37)

“Let your waist be dressed and your lamps burning.

Be like men watching for their lord when he returns from the wedding feast, that when he comes and knocks, they may immediately open to him.

Blessed are those servants whom the lord will find watching when he comes. Most certainly I tell you that he will dress himself, make them recline, and will come and serve them.

They will be blessed if he comes in the second or third watch and finds them so.

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 allowed his house to be broken into.

Therefore be ready also, for the Son of Man is coming in an hour that you don’t expect him.”

Peter said to him, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everybody?”

The Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his lord will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the right times?

Blessed is that servant whom his lord will find doing so when he comes.

Truly I tell you that he will set him over all that he has.

But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My lord delays his coming,’ and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink and to be drunken,

then the lord of that servant will come in a day when he isn’t expecting him and in an hour that he doesn’t know, and will cut him in two, and place his portion with the unfaithful.

That servant who knew his lord’s will, and didn’t prepare nor do what he wanted, will be beaten with many stripes,

but he who didn’t know, and did things worthy of stripes, will be beaten with few stripes. To whomever much is given, of him will much be required; and to whom much was entrusted, of him more will be asked.

Not Peace but Division

(Micah 7:1–6; Matthew 10:34–39)

“I came to throw fire on the earth. I wish it were already kindled.

But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished!

Do you think that I have come to give peace in the earth? I tell you, no, but rather division.

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

They will 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.” (d)

Interpreting the Present Time

(Matthew 16:1–4; Mark 8:11–13)

He said to the multitudes also, “When you see a cloud rising from the west, immediately you say, ‘A shower is coming,’ and so it happens.

When a south wind blows, you say, ‘There will be a scorching heat,’ and it happens.

You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how is it that you don’t interpret this time?

Reconciling with an Adversary

(Matthew 5:21–26)

“Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right?

For when you are going with your adversary before the magistrate, try diligently on the way to be released from him, lest perhaps he drag you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison.

I tell you, you will by no means get out of there until you have paid the very last penny. (e) ”

Footnotes

(a)12:5 or, Hell

(b)12:6 An assarion was a small copper coin worth about an hour’s wages for an agricultural laborer.

(c)12:25 A cubit is the length from the tip of the middle finger to the elbow on a man’s arm, or about 18 inches or 46 centimeters.

(d)12:53 ℘ Micah 7:6

(e)12:59 literally, lepton. A lepton is a very small brass Jewish coin worth half a Roman quadrans each, which is worth a quarter of the copper assarion. Lepta are worth less than 1% of an agricultural worker’s daily wages.