LUKE 12:9-47

⁹but he that denieth me in the presence of men shall be denied in the presence of the angels of God.

¹⁰And every one who shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Spirit it shall not be forgiven.

¹¹And when they bring you before the synagogues, and the rulers, and the authorities, be not anxious how or what ye shall answer, or what ye shall say:

¹²for the Holy Spirit shall teach you in that very hour what ye ought to say.

¹³And one out of the multitude said unto him, Master, bid my brother divide the inheritance with me.

¹⁴But he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?

¹⁵And he said unto them, Take heed, and keep yourselves from all covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

¹⁶And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:

¹⁷and he reasoned within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have not where to bestow my fruits?

¹⁸And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my corn and my goods.

¹⁹And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, be merry.

²⁰But God said unto him, Thou foolish one, this night is thy soul required of thee; and the things which thou hast prepared, whose shall they be?

²¹So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

²²And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on.

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

²⁴Consider the ravens, that they sow not, neither reap; which have no store-chamber nor barn; and God feedeth them: of how much more value are ye than the birds!

²⁵And which of you by being anxious can add a cubit unto his stature?

²⁶If then ye are not able to do even that which is least, why are ye anxious concerning the rest?

²⁷Consider the lilies, how they grow: they toil not, neither do they spin; yet I say unto you, Even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

²⁸But if God doth so clothe the grass in the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven; how much more shall he clothe you, O ye of little faith?

²⁹And seek not ye what ye shall eat, and what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.

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

³¹Howbeit seek ye his kingdom, and these things shall be added unto you.

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

³³Sell that ye have, and give alms; make for yourselves purses which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief draweth near, neither moth destroyeth.

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

³⁵Let your loins be girded about, and your lamps burning;

³⁶and be ye yourselves like unto men looking for their lord, when he shall return from the marriage feast; that, when he cometh and knocketh, they may straightway open unto him.

³⁷Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them sit down to meat, and shall come and serve them.

³⁸And if he shall come in the second watch, and if in the third, and find them so, blessed are those servants.

³⁹But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what hour the thief was coming, he would have watched, and not have left his house to be broken through.

⁴⁰Be ye also ready: for in an hour that ye think not the Son of man cometh.

⁴¹And Peter said, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even unto all?

⁴²And the Lord said, Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall set over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season?

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

⁴⁴Of a truth I say unto you, that he will set him over all that he hath.

⁴⁵But if that servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken;

⁴⁶the lord of that servant shall come in a day when he expecteth not, and in an hour when he knoweth not, and shall cut him asunder, and appoint his portion with the unfaithful.

⁴⁷And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and made not ready, nor did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes;