Shared Word Translation
Luke 12
Beware of Hypocrisy
Meanwhile, when so many thousands of the crowd had gathered that they were trampling one another, he began to say first to his disciples, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. But nothing is 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, and what you have whispered in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed upon the housetops.
Fear God, Not Man
“And I say to you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will show you whom you should fear: fear the one who after he has killed has authority to cast into Gehenna; yes, I tell you, fear him.
Are not five sparrows sold for two coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are of more value than many sparrows.
Acknowledge Christ Before Men
“And I say to you, everyone who acknowledges me before people, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God, but the one who denies me before people will be denied before the angels of God. And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
And when they bring you before synagogues and rulers and authorities, do not be anxious about how or what you should answer or what you should say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that hour what you ought to say.”
The Parable of the Rich Fool
And someone from the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” But he said to him, “Man, who appointed me a judge or divider over you?” And he said to them, “Take care and guard yourselves from all covetousness, because one’s life is not in the abundance of his possessions.”
And he told a parable to them, saying, “The land of a certain rich man produced abundantly. And he was reasoning within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, because I have nowhere to gather my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will gather all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; rest, eat, drink, be merry.’
But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you; and the things you have prepared—whose will they be?’ So is the one who stores up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”
Do Not Be Anxious
And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I say to you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing.
Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and God feeds them. How much more valuable are you than the birds! And which of you by being anxious is able to add a cubit to his span of life? If then you are not able to do even a small thing, why are you anxious about the rest?
Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither labor nor spin; yet I say to you, not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these. But if 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!
And do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not be unsettled. For all these things the nations of the world seek, but your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.
Treasure in Heaven
“Do not fear, little flock, because your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give alms; make for yourselves purses that do not grow old, an unfailing treasure in the heavens, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Watchfulness
“Let your loins be girded and your lamps burning, and be like people waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately.
Blessed are those slaves whom the master will find watching when he comes; truly I say to you that he will gird himself and have them recline at table and will come and serve them. And if he comes in the second watch, or even in the third, and finds them so, blessed are those.
But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have allowed his house to be broken into. You also, be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
A Faithful Servant or an Unfaithful One
And Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or also for all?” And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom the master will set over his household to give the portion of food at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master will find doing so when he comes.
Truly I say to you that he will set him over all his possessions. But if that slave says in his heart, ‘My master delays in coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and become drunk, the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and appoint his place with the unfaithful.
And that slave who knew his master’s will and did not prepare or do according to his will will receive many blows, but the one who did not know and did things worthy of blows will receive few. Everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required, and from the one to whom they entrusted much, they will demand more.
Not Peace but Division
“I came to cast fire upon the earth, and how 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 on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.
For from now on five in one house will be 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 mother,
mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
Interpret the Times
And he was also saying to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, ‘A shower is coming,’ and so it happens. And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat,’ and it happens. Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how is it that you do not know how to interpret this time?
Settle with Your Accuser
“And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? For as you go with your accuser to the magistrate, make an effort to settle with him on the way, lest he drag you to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. I tell you, you will certainly not come out from there until you have paid the last coin.”