Luke 12:8–34

ACKNOWLEDGING CHRIST

⁸“And I say to you, anyone who acknowledges^aw me before others, the Son of Man^ax will also acknowledge him before the angels of God,^{ay 9}but whoever denies me before others will be denied before the angels of God.^{az 10}Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven,^ba but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit^bb will not be forgiven. ¹¹Whenever^bc they bring you before synagogues and rulers and authorities,^bd don’t worry^be about how you should defend^bf yourselves or what you should say. ¹²For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that very hour what must be said.”^bg

THE PARABLE OF THE RICH FOOL

¹³Someone from the crowd said to him, “Teacher,^a tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

¹⁴“Friend,”^A he said to him, “who appointed me a judge or arbitrator over you?” ¹⁵He then told them, “Watch out and be on guard^b against all greed,^c because one’s life is not in the abundance of his possessions.”^d

¹⁶Then he told them a parable:^e “A rich^f man’s land was very productive. ¹⁷He thought to himself, ‘What should I do, since I don’t have anywhere to store my crops? ¹⁸I will do this,’ he said. ‘I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones and store all my grain and my goods there. ¹⁹Then I’ll say to myself, “You have many goods stored up for many years. Take it easy;^g eat, drink, and enjoy yourself.” ’^h

²⁰“But God said to him, ‘You fool!ⁱ This very night your life is demanded of you. And the things you have prepared—whose will they be?’^j

²¹“That’s how it is with the one who stores up treasure^k for himself and is not rich toward God.”^l

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