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Chapter 12 |
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1 | In the mean time, when there were
gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode
one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of
the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. |
| 2 | For there is
nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be
known. |
| 3 |
Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard
in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be
proclaimed upon the housetops. |
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4 | And I say unto you my friends, Be not
afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can
do. |
| 5 |
But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after
he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear
him. |
| 6 |
Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of
them is forgotten before God? |
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7 | But even the very hairs of your head
are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many
sparrows. |
| 8
| Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before
men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: |
| 9 |
But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of
God. |
| 10 |
And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it
shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it
shall not be forgiven. |
| 11 | And when they bring you unto the synagogues,
and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall
answer, or what ye shall say: |
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12 | For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in
the same hour what ye ought to say. |
| 13 | And one of the company said
unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with
me. |
| 14 |
And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider
over you? |
| 15
| And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of
covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things
which he possesseth. |
| 16 | And he spake a parable unto them, saying,
The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: |
| 17 | And he
thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where
to bestow my fruits? |
| 18 | And he said, This will I do: I will pull
down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my
goods. |
| 19
| And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods
laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. |
| 20 |
But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of
thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? |
| 21 |
So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
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| 22 | And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no
thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall
put on. |
| 23
| The life is more than meat, and the body is more than
raiment. |
| 24
| Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which
neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye
better than the fowls? |
| 25 | And which of you with taking thought can add
to his stature one cubit? |
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26 | If ye then be not able to do that
thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? |
| 27 | Consider the
lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you,
that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. |
| 28 |
If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is
cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little
faith? |
| 29
| And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall
drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. |
| 30 | For all these things do the
nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of
these things. |
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31 | But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all
these things shall be added unto you. |
| 32 | Fear not, little flock; for
it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. |
| 33 | Sell
that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a
treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither
moth corrupteth. |
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34 | For where your treasure is, there will your heart
be also. |
| 35
| Let your loins be girded about, and your lights
burning; |
| 36
| And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord,
when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they
may open unto him immediately. |
| 37 | Blessed are those servants,
whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that
he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth
and serve them. |
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38 | And if he shall come in the second watch, or come
in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. |
| 39 |
And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief
would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken
through. |
| 40
| Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at
an hour when ye think not. |
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41 | Then Peter said unto him, Lord,
speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all? |
| 42 | And the Lord
said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make
ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due
season? |
| 43
| Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh
shall find so doing. |
| 44 | Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make
him ruler over all that he hath. |
| 45 | But and if that servant say
in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the
menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; |
| 46 |
The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at
an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him
his portion with the unbelievers. |
| 47 | And that servant, which knew
his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will,
shall be beaten with many stripes. |
| 48 | But he that knew not, and did
commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto
whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have
committed much, of him they will ask the more. |
| 49 | I am come to
send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled? |
| 50 |
But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be
accomplished! |
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51 | Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I
tell you, Nay; but rather division: |
| 52 | For from henceforth there
shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against
three. |
| 53
| The father shall be divided against the son, and the son
against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against
the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in
law against her mother in law. |
| 54 | And he said also to the
people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There
cometh a shower; and so it is. |
| 55 | And when ye see the south
wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass. |
| 56 | Ye
hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it
that ye do not discern this time? |
| 57 | Yea, and why even of
yourselves judge ye not what is right? |
| 58 | When thou goest with thine
adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way, give diligence that thou
mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge
deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison. |
| 59 |
I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the very last
mite. |
