New International Version NIV
New Century Version NCV
1 Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: “Beon your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
1
So many thousands of people had gathered that they were stepping on each other. Jesus spoke first to his followers, saying, "Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees, because they are hypocrites.
2 There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.
2
Everything that is hidden will be shown, and everything that is secret will be made known.
3 What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.
3
What you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in an inner room will be shouted from the housetops.
4 “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more.
4
"I tell you, my friends, don't be afraid of people who can kill the body but after that can do nothing more to hurt you.
5 But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.
5
I will show you the one to fear. Fear the one who has the power to kill you and also to throw you into hell. Yes, this is the one you should fear.
6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.
6
"Five sparrows are sold for only two pennies, and God does not forget any of them.
7 Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
7
But God even knows how many hairs you have on your head. Don't be afraid. You are worth much more than many sparrows.
8 “I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God.
8
"I tell you, all those who stand before others and say they believe in me, I, the Son of Man, will say before the angels of God that they belong to me.
9 But whoever disowns me before others will be disowned before the angels of God.
9
But all who stand before others and say they do not believe in me, I will say before the angels of God that they do not belong to me.
10 And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
10
"Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
11 “When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say,
11
"When you are brought into the synagogues before the leaders and other powerful people, don't worry about how to defend yourself or what to say.
12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.”
12
At that time the Holy Spirit will teach you what you must say."
13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”
13
Someone in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide with me the property our father left us."
14 Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?”
14
But Jesus said to him, "Who said I should judge or decide between you?"
15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
15
Then Jesus said to them, "Be careful and guard against all kinds of greed. Life is not measured by how much one owns."
16 And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest.
16
Then Jesus told this story: "There was a rich man who had some land, which grew a good crop.
17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’
17
He thought to himself, 'What will I do? I have no place to keep all my crops.'
18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain.
18
Then he said, 'This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and other goods.
19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” ’
19
Then I can say to myself, "I have enough good things stored to last for many years. Rest, eat, drink, and enjoy life!"'
20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’
20
"But God said to him, 'Foolish man! Tonight your life will be taken from you. So who will get those things you have prepared for yourself?'
21 “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”
21
"This is how it will be for those who store up things for themselves and are not rich toward God."
22 Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear.
22
Jesus said to his followers, "So I tell you, don't worry about the food you need to live, or about the clothes you need for your body.
23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.
23
Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothes.
24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!
24
Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest, they don't have storerooms or barns, but God feeds them. And you are worth much more than birds.
25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?
25
You cannot add any time to your life by worrying about it.
26 Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?
26
If you cannot do even the little things, then why worry about the big things?
27 “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.
27
Consider how the lilies grow; they don't work or make clothes for themselves. But I tell you that even Solomon with his riches was not dressed as beautifully as one of these flowers.
28 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith!
28
God clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today but tomorrow is thrown into the fire. So how much more will God clothe you? Don't have so little faith!
29 And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it.
29
Don't always think about what you will eat or what you will drink, and don't keep worrying.
30 For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them.
30
All the people in the world are trying to get these things, and your Father knows you need them.
31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
31
But seek God's kingdom, and all the other things you need will be given to you.
32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.
32
"Don't fear, little flock, because your Father wants to give you the kingdom.
33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.
33
Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Get for yourselves purses that will not wear out, the treasure in heaven that never runs out, where thieves can't steal and moths can't destroy.
34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
34
Your heart will be where your treasure is.
35 “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning,
35
"Be dressed, ready for service, and have your lamps shining.
36 like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him.
36
Be like servants who are waiting for their master to come home from a wedding party. When he comes and knocks, the servants immediately open the door for him.
37 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them.
37
They will be blessed when their master comes home, because he sees that they were watching for him. I tell you the truth, the master will dress himself to serve and tell the servants to sit at the table, and he will serve them.
38 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak.
38
Those servants will be happy when he comes in and finds them still waiting, even if it is midnight or later.
39 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into.
39
"Remember this: If the owner of the house knew what time a thief was coming, he would not allow the thief to enter his house.
40 You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”
40
So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at a time when you don't expect him!"
41 Peter asked, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?”
41
Peter said, "Lord, did you tell this story to us or to all people?"
42 The Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time?
42
The Lord said, "Who is the wise and trusted servant that the master trusts to give the other servants their food at the right time?
43 It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns.
43
When the master comes and finds the servant doing his work, the servant will be blessed.
44 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.
44
I tell you the truth, the master will choose that servant to take care of everything he owns.
45 But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk.
45
But suppose the servant thinks to himself, 'My master will not come back soon,' and he begins to beat the other servants, men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk.
46 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.
46
The master will come when that servant is not ready and is not expecting him. Then the master will cut him in pieces and send him away to be with the others who don't obey.
47 “The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows.
47
"The servant who knows what his master wants but is not ready, or who does not do what the master wants, will be beaten with many blows!
48 But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
48
But the servant who does not know what his master wants and does things that should be punished will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded. And from the one trusted with much, much more will be expected.
49 “I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!
49
"I came to set fire to the world, and I wish it were already burning!
50 But I have a baptism to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed!
50
I have a baptismn to suffer through, and I feel very troubled until it is over.
51 Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division.
51
Do you think I came to give peace to the earth? No, I tell you, I came to divide it.
52 From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three.
52
From now on, a family with five people will be divided, three against two, and two against three.
53 They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
53
They will be divided: father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."
54 He said to the crowd: “When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, ‘It’s going to rain,’ and it does.
54
Then Jesus said to the people, "When you see clouds coming up in the west, you say, 'It's going to rain,' and it happens.
55 And when the south wind blows, you say, ‘It’s going to be hot,’ and it is.
55
When you feel the wind begin to blow from the south, you say, 'It will be a hot day,' and it happens.
56 Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don’t know how to interpret this present time?
56
Hypocrites! You know how to understand the appearance of the earth and sky. Why don't you understand what is happening now?
57 “Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right?
57
"Why can't you decide for yourselves what is right?
58 As you are going with your adversary to the magistrate, try hard to be reconciled on the way, or your adversary may drag you off to the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison.
58
If your enemy is taking you to court, try hard to settle it on the way. If you don't, your enemy might take you to the judge, and the judge might turn you over to the officer, and the officer might throw you into jail.
59 I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.”
59
I tell you, you will not get out of there until you have paid everything you owe."
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.