The Gospel According to St. Luke

⭑ Geneva Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 12 -

(Matthew 16:5–12; Mark 8:14–21)

In the meane time, there gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, so that they trode one another: and he began to say vnto his disciples first, Take heede to your selues of the leauen of the Pharises, which is hypocrisie.

For there is nothing couered, that shall not bee reueiled: neither hidde, that shall not be knowen.

Wherefore whatsoeuer yee haue spoken in darkenesse, it shall be heard in the light: and that which ye haue spoken in the eare, in secret places, shall be preached on the houses.

Fear God Alone

(Matthew 10:26–31)

And I say vnto you, my friendes, be not afraide of them that kill the bodie, and after that are not able to doe any more.

But I wil forewarne you, who ye shall feare: feare him which after hee hath killed, hath power to cast into hell: yea, I say vnto you, him feare.

Are not fiue sparowes bought for two farthings, and yet not one of them is forgotten before God?

Yea, and all the heares of your head are nombred: feare not therefore: yee are more of value then many sparowes.

Confessing Christ

(Matthew 10:32–33)

Also I say vnto you, Whosoeuer shall confesse mee before men, him shall the Sonne of man confesse also before the Angels of God.

But hee that shall denie mee before men, shall be denied before the Angels of God.

And whosoeuer shall speake a woorde against the Sonne of man, it shall be forgiuen him: but vnto him, that shall blaspheme ye holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiuen.

And when they shall bring you vnto the Synagogues, and vnto the rulers and Princes, take no thought howe, or what thing ye shall answere, or what yee shall speake.

For the holy Ghost shall teache you in the same houre, what yee ought to say.

The Parable of the Rich Fool

And one of the companie said vnto him, Master, bidde my brother deuide the inheritance with me.

And he said vnto him, Man, who made me a iudge, or a deuider ouer you?

Wherefore he said vnto them, Take heede, and beware of couetousnesse: for though a man haue abundance, yet his life standeth not in his riches.

And he put foorth a parable vnto them, saying, The grounde of a certaine riche man brought foorth fruites plenteously.

Therefore he thought with himselfe, saying, What shall I doe, because I haue no roume, where I may lay vp my fruites?

And he said, This wil I do, I wil pul downe my barnes, and builde greater, and therein will I gather all my fruites, and my goods.

And I wil say to my soule, Soule, thou hast much goods laide vp for many yeeres: liue at ease, eate, drinke and take thy pastime.

But God said vnto him, O foole, this night wil they fetch away thy soule from thee: then whose shall those things be which thou hast prouided?

So is he that gathereth riches to himselfe, and is not riche in God.

Do Not Worry

(Matthew 6:25–34)

And he spake vnto his disciples, Therefore I say vnto you, Take no thought for your life, what yee shall eate: neither for your body, what yee shall put on.

The life is more then meate: and the body more then the raiment.

Consider the rauens: for they neither sowe nor reape: which neither haue storehouse nor barne, and yet God feedeth them: how much more are yee better then foules?

And which of you with taking thought, can adde to his stature one cubite?

If yee then bee not able to doe the least thing, why take yee thought for the remnant?

Consider the lilies howe they growe: they labour not, neither spin they: yet I say vnto you, that Salomon himselfe in all his royaltie was not clothed like one of these.

If then God so clothe the grasse which is to day in the field, and to morowe is cast into the ouen, howe much more will he clothe you, O yee of litle faith?

Therefore aske not what yee shall eate, or what ye shall drinke, neither hag you in suspense.

For all such things the people of the world seeke for: and your Father knoweth that ye haue neede of these things.

But rather seeke ye after the kingdome of God, and all these things shalbe cast vpon you.

Treasures in Heaven

(Matthew 6:19–21)

Feare not, litle flocke: for it is your Fathers pleasure, to giue you the kingdome.

Sell that ye haue, and giue almes: make you bagges, which waxe not old, a treasure that can neuer faile in heauen, where no theefe commeth, neither mothe corrupteth.

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

Readiness at Any Hour

(Matthew 24:36–51; Mark 13:32–37)

Let your loynes be gird about and your lights burning,

And ye your selues like vnto men that waite for their master, when he will returne from the wedding, that when he commeth and knocketh, they may open vnto him immediatly.

Blessed are those seruants, whom the Lord when he commeth shall finde waking: verely I say vnto you, he will girde himselfe about, and make them to sit downe at table, and will come forth, and serue them.

And if he come in the seconde watch, or come in the third watch, and shall finde them so, blessed are those seruants.

Nowe vnderstand this, that if the good man of the house had knowen at what houre the theefe would haue come, he would haue watched, and would not haue suffered his house to be digged through.

Be ye also prepared therefore: for the Sonne of man will come at an houre when ye thinke not.

Then Peter saide vnto him, Master, tellest thou this parable vnto vs, or euen to all?

And the Lord saide, Who is a faithfull steward and wise, whom the master shall make ruler ouer his householde, to giue them their portion of meate in season?

Blessed is that seruant, whom his master when he commeth, shall finde so doing.

Of a trueth I say vnto you, that he wil make him ruler ouer all that he hath.

But if that seruant say in his heart, My master doeth deferre his comming, and ginne to smite the seruants, and maydens, and to eate, and drinke, and to be drunken,

The master of that seruant will come in a day when he thinketh not, and at an houre when he is not ware of, and will cut him off, and giue him his portion with the vnbeleeuers.

And that seruant that knewe his masters will, and prepared not himselfe, neither did according to his will, shalbe beaten with many stripes.

But he that knewe it not, and yet did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with fewe stripes: for vnto whomsoeuer much is giuen, of him shalbe much required, and to whom men much commit, the more of him will they aske.

Not Peace but Division

(Micah 7:1–6; Matthew 10:34–39)

I am come to put fire on the earth, and what is my desire, if it be already kindled?

Notwithstanding I must be baptized with a baptisme, and how am I grieued, till it be ended?

Thinke ye that I am come to giue peace on earth? I tell you, nay, but rather debate.

For from hencefoorth there shall be fiue in one house deuided, three against two, and two against three.

The father shalbe deuided against ye sonne, and the sonne against the father: the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother: the mother in lawe against her daughter in lawe, and the daughter in lawe against her mother in lawe.

Interpreting the Present Time

(Matthew 16:1–4; Mark 8:11–13)

Then said he to the people, When ye see a cloude rise out of the West, straightway ye say, A shower commeth: and so it is.

And when ye see the South winde blowe, ye say, that it wilbe hoate: and it commeth to passe.

Hypocrites, ye can discerne the face of the earth, and of the skie: but why discerne ye not this time?

Reconciling with an Adversary

(Matthew 5:21–26)

Yea, and why iudge ye not of your selues what is right?

While thou goest with thine aduersarie to the ruler, as thou art in the way, giue diligence in the way, that thou mayest be deliuered from him, least he drawe thee to the iudge, and the iudge deliuer thee to the iayler, and the iayler cast thee into prison.

I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast payed the vtmost mite.

(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.