Luke 12:49–59

Jesus Causes Division

⁴⁹“I came to set fire to the world, and I wish it were already burning! ⁵⁰I have a baptism ⁿ to suffer through, and I feel very troubled until it is over. ⁵¹Do you think I came to give peace to the earth? No, I tell you, I came to divide it. ⁵²From now on, a family with five people will be divided, three against two, and two against three. ⁵³They will be divided: father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

Understanding the Times

⁵⁴Then Jesus said to the people, “When you see clouds coming up in the west, you say, ‘It’s going to rain,’ and it happens. ⁵⁵When you feel the wind begin to blow from the south, you say, ‘It will be a hot day,’ and it happens. ⁵⁶Hypocrites! You know how to understand the appearance of the earth and sky. Why don’t you understand what is happening now?

Settle Your Problems

⁵⁷“Why can’t you decide for yourselves what is right? ⁵⁸If your enemy is taking you to court, try hard to settle it on the way. If you don’t, your enemy might take you to the judge, and the judge might turn you over to the officer, and the officer might throw you into jail. ⁵⁹I tell you, you will not get out of there until you have paid everything you owe.”