Luke 12:31-57

³¹But seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.

³²Do not fear, little flock, because your Father is very pleased to give you the kingdom.

³³Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Make for yourselves purses which will not wear out—treasure in the heavens that does not run out, where no thief comes near, and no moth destroys.

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

³⁵Let your long clothing be tucked in at your belt, and let your lamps be kept burning,

³⁶and be like people looking for their master when he returns from the marriage feast, so that when he comes and knocks, they may immediately open the door for him.

³⁷Blessed are those servants whom the master will find watching when he comes. Truly I say to you, he will tuck in his long clothing at his belt, and have them sit down at the table, and he will come and serve them.

³⁸If the master comes in the second watch of the night, or if even in the third watch, and finds them ready, blessed are those servants.

³⁹But understand this, that if the master of the house had known the hour the thief was coming he would not have let his house be broken into.

⁴⁰Be ready also, because you do not know the hour when the Son of Man comes.”

⁴¹Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable only to us, or also to everyone?”

⁴²The Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager whom his lord will set over his other servants to give them their portion of food at the right time?

⁴³Blessed is that servant whom his lord finds doing that when he comes.

⁴⁴Truly I say to you that he will set him over all his property.

⁴⁵But if that servant says in his heart, 'My lord delays his return,' and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink, and to become drunk,

⁴⁶the lord of that servant will come in a day when he does not expect, and in an hour that he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and appoint a place for him with the unfaithful.

⁴⁷That servant, having known his lord's will, and not having prepared or done according to his will, will be beaten with many blows.

⁴⁸But the one who did not know and did what deserved a beating, he will be beaten with a few blows. But everyone who has been given much, from them much will be required, and the one who has been entrusted with much, even more will be asked.

⁴⁹I came to cast fire upon the earth, and how I wish that it were already kindled.

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

⁵¹Do you think that I came to bring peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.

⁵²For from now on there will be five in one house divided—three people against two, and two people against three.

⁵³They will be divided, father 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 mother-in-law.”

⁵⁴Jesus was saying to the crowds also, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, 'A shower is coming,' and so it happens.

⁵⁵When a south wind is blowing, you say, 'There will be a scorching heat,' and it happens.

⁵⁶Hypocrites, you know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the heavens, but how is it that you do not know how to interpret the present time?

⁵⁷Why do you not judge what is right for yourselves?