Beware of hypocrisy

1Meanwhile, when a crowd of thousands ³⁰⁷had converged, so that they were stepping on each other, He began to speak first to His disciples: “Guard yourselves from the ‘yeast’ of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

2There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.

3Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the ear behind closed doors will be proclaimed from the housetops. ³⁰⁸

Don't fear assassins

4“Further, I say to you, my friends: do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have nothing more that they can do.

5Rather, I will advise you whom you should fear—fear Him who after He kills has authority to cast into Gehenna; ³⁰⁹yes indeed, fear Him!

6Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? ³¹⁰Yet not one of them is forgotten before God.

7Even the hairs of your head are all numbered! So do not be afraid; you are far more valuable than sparrows! ³¹¹

You confess Christ, He'll confess you

8“Also I say to you, whoever claims me before men, the Son of the Man will also claim him before the angels of God.

9But whoever disclaims me before men will be disclaimed before the angels of God. ³¹²

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

11Now whenever they bring you before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how or what you will answer, or what you should say.

12Because the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you need to say.” ³¹³

Beware of materialism

13Then someone from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

14But He said to him, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter over you?”

15Then He said to them, “Keep alert and guard against covetousness, because one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” ³¹⁴

Parable of a rich fool

16Then He told them a parable, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man produced well.

17And he reasoned within himself saying, ‘What shall I do, because I have no place to store my crops?’

18Then he said: ‘This is what I will do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my produce and my goods.

19And I will say to my soul: Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and enjoy yourself!’

20But God said to him: ‘Stupid! This very night your life is being taken back from you; ³¹⁵then who will get the things you have prepared?’

21Just like that ³¹⁶is he who accumulates treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

The mentality of the Kingdom

22Then 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 wear.

23Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.

24Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storeroom nor barn, and God feeds them. You are far more valuable than the birds!

25And who among you can add one cubit to his height by worrying?

26So if you cannot do even such a little thing, why worry about the rest?

27“Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; I say to you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of these.

28So if God so clothes the grass that today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into an oven, how much more you, O little-faiths!

29Do not concentrate on what you may eat or what you may drink; do not be anxious.

30All these things really occupy the nations of the world, and your Father knows that you need them.

31Rather, concentrate on the Kingdom of God, and all these things will be provided for you. ³¹⁷

32“Do not fear, little flock, because it pleased the Father to give you the Kingdom.

33Sell your possessions and give to charity. Make for yourselves ‘purses’ that will not wear out, an unfailing treasure in the heavens, where a thief cannot approach, nor a moth destroy.

34Because where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. ³¹⁸

Watchfulness enjoined

35“Let your waists be belted and your lamps burning,

36and you yourselves like men waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding celebration, so that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately.

37Blessed are those slaves whom the master will find watching when he comes. Assuredly I say to you that he will gird himself and have them recline, and will come and serve them. ³¹⁹

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

39But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what hour the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and not allowed his house to be broken into.

40Therefore you also be ready, because the Son of the Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” ³²⁰

41Then Peter said to Him, “Lord, are you directing this parable to us, or to everyone?” ³²¹

42So the Lord said: “Who then is the faithful and prudent steward whom his master will place over his household to give them the food allowance at the right time?

43Blessed is that slave whom his master will find so doing when he comes.

44I tell you truly that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. ³²²

45But if that servant should say in his heart, ‘My master won't come for a while,’ and should begin to hit the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk,

46the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him, and at an hour that he does not know, and will cut him in two and appoint his portion with the unbelievers. ³²³

47“That servant who knew his master's will, but neither got ready nor did according to that will, will be beaten with many blows.

48But he who did not know, yet did things worthy of blows, will be beaten with few. ³²⁴Everyone to whom much has been given, from him much will be required; and to whom much was entrusted, of him much more will be asked.

Christ causes division

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

50But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed!

51Do you imagine that I came to provide peace on the earth? Not at all, I tell you, but rather division. ³²⁵

52Because from now on there will be five in one house divided: three against two and two against three.

53Father 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.” ³²⁶

Discern the time

54Then He also said to the crowds: “Whenever you see a cloud rising from the west, immediately you say, ‘A rainstorm is coming,’ and so it does.

55And whenever a south wind blows, you say, ‘It will be hot,’ and it happens.

56Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky and of the earth, so how can you not discern this time? ³²⁷

57Also why, even of yourselves, do you not judge what is right? ³²⁸

Pay your debts on time

58“When you are going with your adversary to the magistrate, make every effort along the way to settle with him, ³²⁹lest he drag you to the judge, the judge deliver you to the bailiff, and the bailiff throw you into prison.

59I tell you, you will by no means get out of there until you have paid the last penny.”