Bible Time

¹WHEN a large number of people had gathered together so that they trod on one another, Jesus began to say to his disciples first of all, Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. ²For there is nothing that is covered that will not be uncovered; and hidden that will not be known. ³For whatever you have said in darkness will be heard in the light; and what you have whispered in the ears in the inner chambers will be preached on the housetops. ⁴I say to you, my friends, Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more they can do. ⁵But I will show you of whom to be afraid; of him who after he has killed has the power to throw into hell; yes, I say to you, Fear him. ⁶Are 5 sparrows not sold for 2 pennies? Yet not one of them is lost before God. ⁷But so far as you are concerned, even the hairs of your head are all numbered; therefore do not fear, because you are much more important than many sparrows. ⁸I say to you, Whoever will acknowledge me before men, the Son of man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God. ⁹But he who denies me before men I will deny before the angels of God. ¹⁰And whoever says a word against the Son of man will be forgiven; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. ¹¹When they bring you to the synagogues before the leaders and authorities, do not worry how you will answer or what you will say; ¹²For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that very hour what you ought to say.

¹³And one of the men from the crowd said to him, Teacher, ask my brother to divide the inheritance with me. ¹⁴Jesus said to him, Man, who appointed me a judge or a property divider over you? ¹⁵And he said to his disciples, Beware of all covetousness, because life does not depend on abundance of wealth. ¹⁶Then he told them a parable. The land of a rich man brought him a great many crops. ¹⁷And he reasoned inside himself, saying, What should I do, for I have no place to gather my crops? ¹⁸So he said, I will do this: I will tear down my barns and rebuild them and enlarge them, and gather there all my wheat and my good things. ¹⁹And I will say to myself, Soul, you have many good things stored up for many years; rest, eat, drink, and be happy. ²⁰But God said to him, Shortsighted man, this very night your life will be demanded of you; and these things which you have prepared, to whom will they be left? ²¹Such is he who lays up treasures for himself and is not rich in the things of God.

²²And he said to his disciples, Therefore I say to you, Do not worry for your life, what you will eat; nor for your body, what you will wear. ²³For life is much more important than food, and the body than clothing. ²⁴Observe the ravens; for they do not sow or reap, and they have no storerooms and barns; yet God feeds them; how much more important are you than the birds? ²⁵Who among you by worrying can add to his stature one cubit? ²⁶So if you are not able to do the smaller thing, why do you worry about the rest? ²⁷Observe the flowers, how they grow; for they do not toil nor do they spin; but I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory was arrayed like one of these. ²⁸And if God clothes in such fashion the grass of the field, which today is and tomorrow falls into the fireplace; how much more is he to you of little faith? ²⁹So do not be anxious about what you will eat or what you will drink, and do not let your mind be disturbed by these things. ³⁰For worldly people seek after all these things; and your Father knows that these things are also necessary for you. ³¹But seek the kingdom of God, and all of these things will be added to you. ³²Do not be afraid, Little flock; for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. ³³Sell your possessions and give them as alms; make for yourselves purses which do not wear out, and a treasure in heaven that does not run short, where the thief does not come near, and moth does not destroy. ³⁴For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

³⁵Let your belt be fastened on your loins, and your lamps lit. ³⁶And be like men who expect their master when he will return from the wedding house; so that when he comes and knocks, they will immediately open the door for him. ³⁷Blessed are those servants, whom their master, when he comes, finds awake; truly I say to you that he will gird himself and make them sit down, and come in and serve them. ³⁸If he should come in the 2nd or the 3rd watch and find them so, blessed are those servants. ³⁹But know this, that if the master of the house knew at what watch the thief would come, he would have kept awake and not allowed his house to be plundered. ⁴⁰Therefore, you also be ready; for the Son of man will come in that very hour which you do not expect.

⁴¹Simon Peter said to him, Our Lord, do you speak this parable to us or also to all men? ⁴²Jesus said to him, Who is the faithful and wise steward, whom his master will appoint over his household to give supplies in due time? ⁴³Blessed is that servant, whom his master will find so doing when he comes. ⁴⁴Truly I say to you that he will appoint him over all his wealth. ⁴⁵But if that servant should say in his heart, My master has delayed his coming; and begins to beat the male servants and female servants of his master, and then begins to eat and drink and get drunk; ⁴⁶The master of that servant will come in a day and at an hour that he does not expect or know; and he will severely punish him, and place him with those who are not trustworthy. ⁴⁷And the servant who knows the wishes of his master, and does not make ready according to his wishes, will receive a severe beating. ⁴⁸But he who does not know, and does what is worthy of punishment will receive less beating. For to whom more is given, more will be required; and to whom more is entrusted, more will be required of his hand. ⁴⁹I came to set the earth on fire; and I wish to do it, if it has not already been kindled. ⁵⁰I have a baptism to be baptized with; and I am oppressed until it is fulfilled. ⁵¹Do you think that I have come to bring peace on earth? I say to you, No, but divisions; ⁵²For from now on there will be 5 in a house, who will be divided, 3 against 2, and 2 against 3. ⁵³For a father will be divided against his son, and a son against his father; a mother against her daughter, and a daughter against her mother; a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.

⁵⁴And he said to the people, When you see a cloud rise from the west, you immediately say, It will rain; and it is so. ⁵⁵And when the wind blows from the south, you say, It will be hot; and it is so. ⁵⁶Oh hypocrites, you know how to discern the face of the earth and of the sky; how then is it that you do not discern this time? ⁵⁷Why do you not of yourselves judge what is right? ⁵⁸For when you go with your accuser to the ruler, while you are on the way give something and settle with him; otherwise he might take you to the judge, and the judge will deliver you to the prison warden, and the prison warden will throw you into prison. ⁵⁹Truly I say to you, you will not come out from there until you pay the last penny.