Luke 12:18-45

¹⁸This is what I will do,’ he said; ‘I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and store all my grain and my goods in them;

¹⁹and I will say to myself, Now you have plenty of good things put by for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, and enjoy yourself.’

²⁰But God said to the man ‘Fool! This very night your life is being demanded; and as for all you have prepared — who will have it?’

²¹So it is with those who lay by wealth for themselves and are not rich to the glory of God.”

²²And Jesus said to his disciples, “That is why I say to you, Do not be anxious about the life here — what you can get to eat; or about your body — what you can get to wear.

²³For life is more than food, and the body than its clothes.

²⁴Think of the ravens — they neither sow nor reap; they have neither storehouse nor barn; and yet God feeds them! And how much more precious are you than birds!

²⁵But which of you, by being anxious, can prolong your life a moment?

²⁶And, if you cannot do even the smallest thing, why be anxious about other things?

²⁷Think of the lilies, and how they grow. They neither toil nor spin; yet, I tell you, even Solomon in all his splendour was not robed like one of these.

²⁸If, even in the field, God so clothes the grass which is living today and tomorrow will be thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, you of little faith!

²⁹And you — do not be always seeking what you can get to eat or what you can get to drink; and do not waver.

³⁰These are the things for which all the nations of the world are seeking, and your Father knows that you need them.

³¹No, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added for you.

³²So do not be afraid, my little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.

³³“Sell what belongs to you, and give in charity. Make yourselves purses that will not wear out — an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near, or moth works ruin.

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

³⁵Make yourselves ready, with your lamps alight;

³⁶and be like servants who are waiting for their Master's return from his wedding, so that, when he comes and knocks, they may open the door for him at once.

³⁷Happy are those servants whom, on his return, the Master will find watching. I tell you that he will make himself ready, and have them take their places at the table, and will come and serve them.

³⁸Whether it is late at night, or in the early morning that he comes, if he finds all as it should be, then happy are they.

³⁹This you do know, that, had the owner of the house known at what time the thief was coming, he would have been on the watch, and would not have let his house be broken into.

⁴⁰You must also prepare, for when you are least expecting him the Son of Man will come.”

⁴¹“Master,” said Peter, “are you telling this parable with reference to us or to everyone?”

⁴²“Who, then,” replied the Master, “is that trustworthy steward, the careful man, who will be placed by his master over his establishment, to give them their rations at the proper time?

⁴³Happy will that servant be whom his master, when he comes home, will find doing this.

⁴⁴His master, I tell you, will put him in charge of the whole of his property.

⁴⁵But should that servant say to himself ‘My master is a long time coming,’ and begin to beat the menservants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink and get drunk,