Luke 12:21-48

English Standard Version

²¹ So is the one ^(A)who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

Do Not Be Anxious

²² And he said to his disciples, ^(B)“Therefore I tell you, ^(C)do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. ²³ For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. ^24 (D)Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. ^(E)Of how much more value are you than the birds! ²⁵ And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his ^(F)span of life?^{[a] 26} If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? ²⁷ Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin,^[b] yet I tell you, ^(G)even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ²⁸ But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, ^(H)O you of little faith! ²⁹ And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor ^(I)be worried. ³⁰ For ^(J)all the nations of the world seek after these things, and ^(K)your Father knows that you need them. ³¹ Instead, ^(L)seek ^(M)his^[c] kingdom, ^(N)and these things will be added to you.

^32 (O)“Fear not, little ^(P)flock, for ^(Q)it is your Father's good pleasure to give you ^(R)the kingdom. ^33 (S)Sell your possessions, and ^(T)give to the needy. ^(U)Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with ^(V)a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. ^34 (W)For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

You Must Be Ready

^35 (X)“Stay dressed for action^[d] and ^(Y)keep your lamps burning, ³⁶ and be like men who are ^(Z)waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and ^(AA)knocks. ^37 (AB)Blessed are those servants^[e] whom the master finds ^(AC)awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, ^(AD)he will dress himself for service and ^(AE)have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. ³⁸ If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants! ^39 (AF)But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour ^(AG)the thief was coming, he^[f] would not have left his house to be broken into. ⁴⁰ You also must be ^(AH)ready, for ^(AI)the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

⁴¹ Peter said, “Lord, ^(AJ)are you telling this parable for us or for all?” ⁴² And the Lord said, “Who then is ^(AK)the faithful and ^(AL)wise ^(AM)manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? ^43 (AN)Blessed is that servant^[g] whom his master will find so doing when he comes. ⁴⁴ Truly, I say to you, ^(AO)he will set him over all his possessions. ⁴⁵ But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master ^(AP)is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and ^(AQ)get drunk, ⁴⁶ the master of that servant will come ^(AR)on a day when he does not expect him and ^(AS)at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful. ^47 (AT)And that servant who ^(AU)knew his master's will but ^(AV)did not get ready ^(AW)or act according to his will, will receive a ^(AX)severe beating. ^48 (AY)But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, ^(AZ)will receive a light beating. ^(BA)Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.