Luke 12:22–48

THE CURE FOR ANXIETY

²²Then he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you,^m don’t worry about your life, what you will eat; or about the body, what you will wear.^{n 23}For life is more than food and the body more than clothing. ²⁴Consider the ravens:^o They don’t sow or reap; they don’t have a storeroom or a barn; yet God feeds them.^p Aren’t you worth much more than the birds? ²⁵Can any of you add one moment to his life span^B by worrying?^{q 26}If then you’re not able to do even a little thing, why worry about the rest?

²⁷“Consider how the wildflowers grow: They don’t labor or spin thread. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon^r in all his splendor was adorned like one of these. ²⁸If that’s how God clothes the grass, which is in the field today and is thrown into the furnace tomorrow, how much more will he do for you—you of little faith?^{s 29}Don’t strive for what you should eat and what you should drink, and don’t be anxious. ³⁰For the Gentile world eagerly seeks^t all these things, and your Father^u knows that you need them.

³¹“But seek his kingdom,^v and these things will be provided for you.^{w 32}Don’t be afraid,^x little flock,^y because your Father delights^z to give you the kingdom.^{aa 33}Sell^ab your possessions and give to the poor.^ac Make money-bags^ad for yourselves that won’t grow old, an inexhaustible treasure^ae in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. ³⁴For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.^af

READY FOR THE MASTER’S RETURN

³⁵“Be ready for service and have your lamps lit.^{ag 36}You are to be like people waiting for their master^ah to return from the wedding banquet^ai so that when he comes and knocks, they can open the door for him at once.^{aj 37}Blessed will be those servants the master finds alert^ak when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will get ready,^B have them recline at the table, then come and serve them.^{al 38}If he comes in the middle of the night, or even near dawn,^C and finds them alert, blessed are those servants. ³⁹But know this: If the homeowner had known at what hour the thief was coming,^am he would not have let his house be broken into. ⁴⁰You also be ready,^an because the Son of Man^ao is coming at an hour you do not expect.”^ap

REWARDS AND PUNISHMENT

⁴¹“Lord,” Peter asked, “are you telling this parable to us or to everyone?”

⁴²The Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and sensible manager^aq his master will put in charge of his household servants to give them their allotted food^ar at the proper time? ⁴³Blessed is that servant whom the master finds doing his job when he comes. ⁴⁴Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. ⁴⁵But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’^as and starts to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, ⁴⁶that servant’s master will come on a day he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know. He will cut him to pieces^D and assign him a place with the unfaithful.^{E 47}And that servant who knew his master’s will and didn’t prepare himself or do it^F will be severely beaten.^{at 48}But the one who did not know and did what deserved^au punishment will receive a light beating. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, even more will be expected.^Ga