Luke 12:1-12

Beware of the Leaven of the Pharisees

1 In the meantime, ¹when so many thousands of the people had gathered together that they were trampling one another, he began to say to his disciples first, ²"Beware of ³the leaven of the Pharisees, ⁴which is hypocrisy.

2 ⁵Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.

3 Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in ⁶private rooms shall be proclaimed on ⁷the housetops.

Have No Fear

4 "I tell you, my friends, ⁸do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do.

5 But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him ⁹who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell.^[a] Yes, I tell you, fear him!

6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies?^[b] And ¹⁰not one of them is forgotten before God.

7 Why, ¹¹even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; ¹²you are of more value than many sparrows.

Acknowledge Christ Before Men

8 "And I tell you, ¹³everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge ¹⁴before the angels of God,

9 but ¹⁵the one who denies me before men ¹⁶will be denied ¹⁷before the angels of God.

10 And ¹⁸everyone who speaks a word ¹⁹against the Son of Man ²⁰will be forgiven, but the one who ²¹blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

11 ²²And when they ²³bring you before the synagogues and ²⁴the rulers and ²⁵the authorities, ²⁶do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say,

12 ²⁷for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say."