⁸“I tell you, all those who stand before others and say they believe in me, I, the Son of Man, will say before the angels of God that they belong to me. ⁹But all who stand before others and say they do not believe in me, I will say before the angels of God that they do not belong to me.

¹⁰“Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

¹¹“When you are brought into the synagogues before the leaders and other powerful people, don’t worry about how to defend yourself or what to say. ¹²At that time the Holy Spirit will teach you what you must say.”

Jesus Warns Against Selfishness

¹³Someone in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide with me the property our father left us.”

¹⁴But Jesus said to him, “Who said I should judge or decide between you?” ¹⁵Then Jesus said to them, “Be careful and guard against all kinds of greed. Life is not measured by how much one owns.”

¹⁶Then Jesus told this story: “There was a rich man who had some land, which grew a good crop. ¹⁷He thought to himself, ‘What will I do? I have no place to keep all my crops.’ ¹⁸Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and other goods. ¹⁹Then I can say to myself, “I have enough good things stored to last for many years. Rest, eat, drink, and enjoy life!” ’

²⁰“But God said to him, ‘Foolish man! Tonight your life will be taken from you. So who will get those things you have prepared for yourself?’

²¹“This is how it will be for those who store up things for themselves and are not rich toward God.”

Don’t Worry

²²Jesus said to his followers, “So I tell you, don’t worry about the food you need to live, or about the clothes you need for your body. ²³Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothes. ²⁴Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest, they don’t have storerooms or barns, but God feeds them. And you are worth much more than birds. ²⁵You cannot add any time to your life by worrying about it. ²⁶If you cannot do even the little things, then why worry about the big things? ²⁷Consider how the lilies grow; they don’t work or make clothes for themselves. But I tell you that even Solomon with his riches was not dressed as beautifully as one of these flowers. ²⁸God clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today but tomorrow is thrown into the fire. So how much more will God clothe you? Don’t have so little faith! ²⁹Don’t always think about what you will eat or what you will drink, and don’t keep worrying. ³⁰All the people in the world are trying to get these things, and your Father knows you need them. ³¹But seek God’s kingdom, and all your other needs will be met as well.

Don’t Trust in Money

³²“Don’t fear, little flock, because your Father wants to give you the kingdom. ³³Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Get for yourselves purses that will not wear out, the treasure in heaven that never runs out, where thieves can’t steal and moths can’t destroy. ³⁴Your heart will be where your treasure is.

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