Luke 12:8–34

⁸“And I say to you, everyone who ^aconfesses Me before men, the Son of Man will confess him also before the angels of God;

⁹but ^ahe who denies Me before men will be denied ^bbefore the angels of God.

¹⁰“^aAnd everyone who ¹speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him.

¹¹“When they bring you before ^athe synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not ^bworry about how or what you are to speak in your defense, or what you are to say;

¹²for ^athe Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”

Covetousness Denounced

¹³Someone ¹in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.”

¹⁴But He said to him, “^aMan, who appointed Me a judge or arbitrator over you?”

¹⁵Then He said to them, “^aBeware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.”

¹⁶And He told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man was very productive.

¹⁷“And he began reasoning to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’

¹⁸“Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.

¹⁹‘And I will say to my soul, “Soul, ^ayou have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.” ’

²⁰“But God said to him, ‘^aYou fool! This very night ^1byour soul is required of you; and ^cnow who will own what you have prepared?’

²¹“So is the man who ^astores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

²²And He said to His disciples, “^aFor this reason I say to you, ¹do not worry about your ²life, as to what you will eat; nor for your body, as to what you will put on.

²³“For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing.

²⁴“Consider the ^aravens, for they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom nor ^bbarn, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds!

²⁵“And which of you by worrying can add a single ^1ahour to his ²life’s span?

²⁶“If then you cannot do even a very little thing, why do you worry about other matters?

²⁷“Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even ^aSolomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.

²⁸“But if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you? ^aYou men of little faith!

²⁹“And do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not ^akeep worrying.

³⁰“For ¹all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; but your Father knows that you need these things.

³¹“But seek His kingdom, and ^athese things will be added to you.

³²“^aDo not be afraid, ^blittle flock, for ^cyour Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.

³³“^aSell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, ^ban unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys.

³⁴“For ^awhere your treasure is, there your heart will be also.