Worsley - Luke - 12

12:1  In the mean time great multitudes of people being gathered together about Him, so that they trode upon one another, He began to say to his disciples, Beware of the leaven of the pharisees, which is hypocrisy: for there is nothing concealed,

12:2  which shall not be discovered; nor hidden which shall not be known.

12:3  Therefore whatsoever ye have said in darkness shall be heard in the light: and what ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed on the house-tops.

12:4  Now I say unto you, my friends, Be not afraid of them, that can only kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do.

12:5  But I will shew you whom ye should fear,---Fear Him, who after He hath killed, hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, fear Him.

12:6  Are not five sparrows sold for two assaries, and not one of them is forgotten before God.

12:7  Nay the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Be not therefore afraid; ye are of more worth than many sparrows.

12:8  But I say unto you, Whosoever shall own me before men, the Son of man will also own him before the angels of God.

12:9  But he, that disowneth me before men, shall be disowned before the angels of God.

12:10  And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it may be forgiven him; but unto him, that blasphemeth the holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven.

12:11  And when they bring you before the synagogues, and magistrates, and powers, be not solicitous how or what defence to make, or what to say:

12:12  for the holy Spirit shall teach you at that very time what ye ought to say.

12:13  And one among the multitude said to Him, Master, speak to my brother to divide the inheritance with me: but He said unto him,

12:14  Man, who set me over you as a judge or divider?

12:15  And He said unto them, See to it that ye beware of covetousness; for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of his possessions.

12:16  And He spake a parable to them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:

12:17  and he reasoned within himself, saying, What shall I do? for I have not room to lay up my corn.

12:18  And he said, This I will do: I will pull down my barns, and build larger ones; and there I will bestow all my products and my goods.

12:19  And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast plenty of goods laid up for many years, take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.

12:20  But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required of thee; then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided?

12:21  So is he that heapeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich towards God.

12:22  And He said to his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat; nor for the body, what ye shall put on:

12:23  the life is more than food, and the body than raiment.

12:24  Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap; they have neither store-house nor barn, and yet God feedeth them: how much more worth are ye than the fowls?

12:25  And which of you by all his thought can add one moment to his life?

12:26  If then ye cannot do even the lest, why are ye so anxious about the rest?

12:27  Consider the lilies, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: and yet I tell you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

12:28  Now if God so clothe the grass which is to day in the field, and to-morrow is cast into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you, O ye of little faith?

12:29  And seek ye not what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; neither be ye in careful suspense:

12:30  for all these things the nations of the world seek after; but your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.

12:31  Seek ye therefore the kingdom of God, and all these shall be super-added unto you.

12:32  Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's pleasure to give you the kingdom.

12:33  Sell what ye have, and give alms: provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a never-failing treasure in the heavens, where no thief approacheth nor moth corrupteth:

12:34  for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

12:35  Let your loins be girt, and your lights burning, and

12:36  ye yourselves like men waiting for their lord's return from a wedding, that they may immediately open the door to him, when he comes and knocks.

12:37  Happy are those servants, whom the master when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he will gird himself, and make them sit down, and will come and serve them.

12:38  And if he come in the second watch, or in the third watch, and find them so, happy indeed are those servants.

12:39  And this ye know, that if the master of a house had known at what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broke open:

12:40  therefore be ye also ready; for the Son of man cometh at a season that ye think not of.

12:41  Then said Peter unto Him, Lord, dost thou speak this parable to us only, or to all others likewise?

12:42  And the Lord said, Who is indeed that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will set over his family to give out the measure of food in due season?

12:43  Happy is that servant, whom his lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing.

12:44  Verily I tell you, that he will set him over all that he hath.

12:45  But if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and begin to beat the men and maid-servants, and drink, and to be drunken:

12:46  the lord of that servant will come on a day in which he does not expect him, and at a time which he is not aware of; and will cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the unfaithful.

12:47  And that servant, who knew his master's will, and did not prepare himself to do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes;

12:48  but he that knew it not, and did things deserving stripes, shall be beaten with few: for to whomsoever much is given, of him will much be required; and to whom men have committed much, of him they will demand the more.

12:49  I am come to send fire on the earth, and how do I desire that it were already kindled?

12:50  for I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how I am straitened till it be accomplished?

12:51  Do ye think that I am come to give peace on the earth? I tell you, nay; but rather division.

12:52  For from this time there shall be five in one family divided, three against two and two against three:

12:53  the father will be against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.

12:54  He said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rising from the west, ye presently say, there is a shower coming, and so it proves:

12:55  and when ye observe the south-wind blowing, ye say there will be heat, and it cometh to pass.

12:56  Ye hypocrites, ye know how to discern the face of the earth and of the heavens, and why do ye not discern the present time?

12:57  and why do ye not even of yourselves judge what is right?

12:58  When thou art going with thine adversary to the magistrate, endeavour while thou art in the way to be discharged, least he force thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer carry thee to prison.

12:59  I tell thee, thou shalt not come out from thence, till thou hast paid the very last mite.