Luke 12; Luke 13

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Luke 12

1 Meanwhile, thousands of people had gathered. They were so crowded that they stepped on each other. Jesus spoke to his disciples and said, "Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees. I'm talking about their hypocrisy.

2 Nothing has been covered that will not be exposed. Whatever is secret will be made known.

3 Whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight. Whatever you have whispered in private rooms will be shouted from the housetops.

4 "My friends, I can guarantee that you don't need to be afraid of those who kill the body. After that they can't do anything more.

5 I'll show you the one you should be afraid of. Be afraid of the one who has the power to throw you into hell after killing you. I'm warning you to be afraid of him.

6 "Aren't five sparrows sold for two cents? God doesn't forget any of them.

7 Even every hair on your head has been counted. Don't be afraid! You are worth more than many sparrows.

8 I can guarantee that the Son of Man will acknowledge in front of God's angels every person who acknowledges him in front of others.

9 But God's angels will be told that I don't know those people who tell others that they don't know me.

10 Everyone who says something against the Son of Man will be forgiven. But the person who dishonors the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

11 "When you are put on trial in synagogues or in front of rulers and authorities, don't worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will 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 give me my share of the inheritance that our father left us."

14 Jesus said to him, "Who appointed me to be your judge or to divide [your inheritance]?"

15 He told the people, "Be careful to guard yourselves from every kind of greed. Life is not about having a lot of material possessions."

16 Then he used this illustration. He said, "A rich man had land that produced good crops.

17 He thought, 'What should I do? I don't have enough room to store my crops.'

18 He said, 'I know what I'll do. I'll tear down my barns and build bigger ones so that I can store all my grain and goods in them.

19 Then I'll say to myself, "You've stored up a lot of good things for years to come. Take life easy, eat, drink, and enjoy yourself."'

20 "But God said to him, 'You fool! I will demand your life from you tonight! Now who will get what you've accumulated?'

21 That's how it is when a person has material riches but is not rich in his relationship with God."

22 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "So I tell you to stop worrying about what you will eat or wear.

23 Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothes.

24 Consider the crows. They don't plant or harvest. They don't even have a storeroom or a barn. Yet, God feeds them. You are worth much more than birds.

25 "Can any of you add an hour to your life by worrying?

26 If you can't do a small thing like that, why worry about other things?

27 Consider how the flowers grow. They never work or spin yarn for clothes. But I say that not even Solomon in all his majesty was dressed like one of these flowers.

28 That's the way God clothes the grass in the field. Today it's alive, and tomorrow it's thrown into an incinerator. So how much more will he clothe you people who have so little faith?

29 "Don't concern yourself about what you will eat or drink, and quit worrying about these things.

30 Everyone in the world is concerned about these things, but your Father knows you need them.

31 Rather, be concerned about his kingdom. Then these things will be provided for you.

32 Don't be afraid, little flock. Your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom.

33 "Sell your material possessions, and give the money to the poor. Make yourselves wallets that don't wear out! Make a treasure for yourselves in heaven that never loses its value! In heaven thieves and moths can't get close enough to destroy your treasure.

34 Your heart will be where your treasure is.

35 "Be ready for action, and have your lamps burning.

36 Be like servants waiting to open the door at their master's knock when he returns from a wedding.

37 Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. I can guarantee this truth: He will change his clothes, make them sit down at the table, and serve them.

38 They will be blessed if he comes in the middle of the night or toward morning and finds them awake.

39 "Of course, you realize that if the homeowner had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let him break into his house.

40 Be ready, because the Son of Man will return when you least expect him."

41 Peter asked, "Lord, did you use this illustration just for us or for everyone?"

42 The Lord asked, "Who, then, is the faithful, skilled manager that the master will put in charge of giving the other servants their share of food at the right time?

43 That servant will be blessed if his master finds him doing this job when he comes.

44 I can guarantee this truth: He will put that servant in charge of all his property.

45 On the other hand, that servant may think that his master is taking a long time to come home. The servant may begin to beat the other servants and to eat, drink, and get drunk.

46 His master will return at an unexpected time. Then his master will punish him severely and assign him a place with unfaithful people.

47 "The servant who knew what his master wanted but didn't get ready to do it will receive a hard beating.

48 But the servant who didn't know [what his master wanted] and did things for which he deserved punishment will receive a light beating. A lot will be expected from everyone who has been given a lot. More will be demanded from everyone who has been entrusted with a lot.

49 "I have come to throw fire on the earth. I wish that it had already started!

50 I have a baptism to go through, and I will suffer until it is over.

51 "Do you think I came to bring peace to earth? No! I can guarantee that I came to bring nothing but division.

52 From now on a family of five will be divided. Three will be divided against two and two against three.

53 A father will be against his son and a son against his father. A mother will be against her daughter and a daughter against her mother. A mother-in-law will be against her daughter-in-law and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law."

54 Jesus said to the crowds, "When you see a cloud coming up in the west, you immediately say, 'There's going to be a rainstorm,' and it happens.

55 When you see a south wind blowing, you say, 'It's going to be hot,' and that's what happens.

56 You hypocrites! You can forecast the weather by judging the appearance of earth and sky. But for some reason you don't know how to judge the time in which you're living.

57 So why don't you judge for yourselves what is right?

58 For instance, when an opponent brings you to court in front of a ruler, do your best to settle with him before you get there. Otherwise, he will drag you in front of a judge. The judge will hand you over to an officer who will throw you into prison.

59 I can guarantee that you won't get out until you pay every penny of your fine."

Luke 13

1 At that time some people reported to Jesus about some Galileans whom Pilate had executed while they were sacrificing animals.

2 Jesus replied to them, "Do you think that this happened to them because they were more sinful than other people from Galilee?

3 No! I can guarantee that they weren't. But if you don't turn to God and change the way you think and act, then you, too, will all die.

4 What about those 18 people who died when the tower at Siloam fell on them? Do you think that they were more sinful than other people living in Jerusalem?

5 No! I can guarantee that they weren't. But if you don't turn to God and change the way you think and act, then you, too, will all die."

6 Then Jesus used this illustration: "A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard. He went to look for fruit on the tree but didn't find any.

7 He said to the gardener, 'For the last three years I've come to look for figs on this fig tree but haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up [good] soil?'

8 "The gardener replied, 'Sir, let it stand for one more year. I'll dig around it and fertilize it.

9 Maybe next year it'll have figs. But if not, then cut it down.'"

10 Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on the day of worship.

11 A woman who was possessed by a spirit was there. The spirit had disabled her for 18 years. She was hunched over and couldn't stand up straight.

12 When Jesus saw her, he called her to come to him and said, "Woman, you are free from your disability."

13 He placed his hands on her, and she immediately stood up straight and praised God.

14 The synagogue leader was irritated with Jesus for healing on the day of worship. The leader told the crowd, "There are six days when work can be done. So come on one of those days to be healed. Don't come on the day of worship."

15 The Lord said, "You hypocrites! Don't each of you free your ox or donkey on the day of worship? Don't you then take it out of its stall to give it some water to drink?

16 Now, here is a descendant of Abraham. Satan has kept her in this condition for 18 years. Isn't it right to free her on the day of worship?"

17 As he said this, everyone who opposed him felt ashamed. But the entire crowd was happy about the miraculous things he was doing.

18 Jesus asked, "What is the kingdom of God like? What can I compare it to?

19 It's like a mustard seed that someone planted in a garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds nested in its branches."

20 He asked again, "What can I compare the kingdom of God to?

21 It's like yeast that a woman mixed into a large amount of flour until the yeast worked its way through all the dough."

22 Then Jesus traveled and taught in one city and village after another on his way to Jerusalem.

23 Someone asked him, "Sir, are only a few people going to be saved?" He answered,

24 "Try hard to enter through the narrow door. I can guarantee that many will try to enter, but they won't succeed.

25 After the homeowner gets up and closes the door, [it's too late]. You can stand outside, knock at the door, and say, 'Sir, open the door for us!' But he will answer you, 'I don't know who you are.'

26 Then you will say, 'We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.'

27 But he will tell you, 'I don't know who you are. Get away from me, all you evil people.'

28 Then you will cry and be in extreme pain. That's what you'll do when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets. They'll be in the kingdom of God, but you'll be thrown out.

29 People will come from all over the world and will eat in the kingdom of God.

30 Some who are last will be first, and some who are first will be last."

31 At that time some Pharisees told Jesus, "Get out of here, and go somewhere else! Herod wants to kill you."

32 Jesus said to them, "Tell that fox that I will force demons out of people and heal people today and tomorrow. I will finish my work on the third day.

33 But I must be on my way today, tomorrow, and the next day. It's not possible for a prophet to die outside Jerusalem.

34 "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you kill the prophets and stone to death those sent to you! How often I wanted to gather your children together the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings! But you were not willing!

35 Your house will be abandoned. I can guarantee that you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!'"

Luke 12; Luke 13

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Luke 12

Luke 13