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¹ WHEN a large number of people had gathered together, so as to tread on one another, Jesus began to say to his disciples, First of all, Beware you of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.² For there is nothing that is covered, that will not be uncovered; and what is hidden that will not be known.³ For whatever you have said in darkness will be heard in the light; and what you have whispered in the ears in the inner chambers will be preached on the housetops.⁴ I say to you, my friends, Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more they can do.⁵ But I will show you of whom to be afraid; of him who after he has killed has the power to throw into hell; yes, I say to you, Fear him.⁶ Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And yet not one of them is lost before God.⁷ But so far as you are concerned, even the hairs of your head are all numbered; therefore fear not, because you are much more important than many sparrows.⁸ I say to you, Whoever will acknowledge me before men, the Son of man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God.⁹ But he who denies me before men, I will deny him before the angels of God.¹⁰ And whoever says a word against the Son of man, will be forgiven; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.¹¹ When they bring you to the synagogues before the leaders and authorities, do not worry how you will answer, or what you will say;¹² For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that very hour what you ought to say.

¹³ And one of the men from the crowd said to him, Teacher, speak to my brother to divide the inheritance with me.¹⁴ Jesus said to him, Man, who appointed me a judge or a property divider over you?¹⁵ And he said to his disciples, Beware of all covetousness, because life does not depend on abundance of wealth.¹⁶ Then he told them a parable. The land of a rich man brought him a great many crops.¹⁷ And he reasoned within himself and said, What shall I do, for I have no place to gather my crops?¹⁸ So he said, I will do this; I will tear down my barns, and build them and enlarge them; and gather there all my wheat and my good things.¹⁹ And I will say to myself, Myself, you have many good things stored up for many years; rest, eat, drink, and be happy.²⁰ But God said to him, O you shortsighted, this very night your life will be demanded of you; and these things which you have prepared, to whom will they he left?²¹ Such is he who lays up treasures for himself, and is not rich in the things in God.

²² And he said to his disciples, Therefore I say to you, Do not worry for your life, what you will eat; nor for your body, what you will wear.²³ For the life is much more important than food, and the body than clothing.²⁴ Observe the ravens; for they do not sow nor reap, and they have no storerooms and barns; and yet God feeds them; how much more important are you than the fowls?²⁵ Who is among you, who by worrying, can add to his stature one cubit?²⁶ So if you are not able to do the smaller thing, why do you worry about the rest?²⁷ Observe the flowers, how they grow; for they do not toil nor do they spin; but I say to you, that not even Solomon with all his glory was covered like one of these.²⁸ And if God clothes in such fashion the grass of the field, which today is and tomorrow falls into the fireplace; how much more is he to you, O you of little faith?²⁹ So do not be anxious what you will eat, and what you will drink, and let not your mind be disturbed by these things.³⁰ For worldly people seek after all these things; and your Father knows that these things are also necessary for you.³¹ But you, seek the kingdom of God; and all of these things shall be added to you.³² Do not be afraid, O little flock; for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom.³³ Sell your possessions and give them as alms; make for yourselves purses which do not wear out, and a treasure in heaven that does not run short, where the thief does not come near, and moth does not destroy.³⁴ For where your treasure is, there also will be your heart.³⁵ Let your girdle be fastened on your loins, and your lamps lighted.³⁶ And be like men who expect their master, when he will return from the wedding house; so that when he comes and knocks, they will immediately open the door for him.³⁷ Blessed are those servants, whom their master, when he comes, finds awake; truly I say to you, that he will gird himself and make them sit down, and come in, and serve them.³⁸ If he should come in the second or the third watch and find them so, blessed are those servants.³⁹ But know this, that if the master of the house knew at what watch the thief would come, he would have kept awake, and not allowed his house to be plundered.⁴⁰ Therefore, you also be ready; for the Son of man will come in that very hour which you do not expect.

⁴¹ Simon Peter said to him, Our Lord, do you speak this parable to us, or also to all men?⁴² Jesus said to him, Who is the faithful and wise steward, whom his master will appoint over his household, to give supplies in due time?⁴³ Blessed is that servant, whom when his master comes will find him so doing.⁴⁴ Truly I say to you, that he will appoint him over all his wealth.⁴⁵ But if that servant should say in his heart, My master has delayed his coming; and begins to beat the servants and maidservants of his master, and then begins to eat and drink and get drunk;⁴⁶ The master of that servant will come in a day and at an hour that he does not expect or know; and he will severely punish him, and place him with those who are not trustworthy.⁴⁷ And the servant who knows the wishes of his master, and does not make ready according to his wishes, will receive a severe beating.⁴⁸ But he who does not know, and does what is worthy of punishment will receive less beating. For to whomever more is given, of him more will be required; and to whom much is entrusted, more will be required of his hand.⁴⁹ I came to set the earth on fire; and I wish to do it, if it has not already been kindled.⁵⁰ I have a baptism to be baptized with; and I am oppressed until it is fulfilled.⁵¹ Do you think that I have come to bring peace on earth? I say to you, No, but divisions;⁵² For from henceforth there will be five in a house, who will be divided, three against two, and two against three.⁵³ For a father will be divided against his son, and a son against his father; a mother against her daughter, and a daughter against her mother; a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.

⁵⁴ And he said to the people, When you see a cloud rise from the west, you immediately say, It will rain; and it is so.⁵⁵ And when the wind blows from the south, you say, It will be hot; and it is so.⁵⁶ O you hypocrites, you know how to discern the face of the earth and of the sky; how then is it that you do not discern this time?⁵⁷ Why do you not of yourselves judge what is right?⁵⁸ For when you go with your accuser to the district leader, while you are on the way give something and settle with him; otherwise he might take you to the judge, and the judge will deliver you to the prison warden, and the prison warden will throw you in prison.⁵⁹ Truly I say to you, you will not come out from thence, until you pay the last penny.