Luke 12:22–48

Do Not Worry

12:22–31pp—Mt 6:25–33

²²Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. ²³For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. ²⁴Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them.^p And how much more valuable you are than birds! ²⁵Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life^b? ²⁶Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

²⁷“Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor^q was dressed like one of these. ²⁸If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith!^{r 29}And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. ³⁰For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father^s knows that you need them.^{t 31}But seek his kingdom,^u and these things will be given to you as well.^v

³²“Do not be afraid,^w little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.^{x 33}Sell your possessions and give to the poor.^y Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven^z that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.^{a 34}For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.^b

Watchfulness

12:35,36pp—Mt 25:1–13; Mk 13:33–37 12:39,40; 42–46pp—Mt 24:43–51

³⁵“Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, ³⁶like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. ³⁷It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes.^c Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them.^{d 38}It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak. ³⁹But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief^e was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. ⁴⁰You also must be ready,^f because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

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

⁴²The Lord^g answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? ⁴³It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. ⁴⁴Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. ⁴⁵But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk. ⁴⁶The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of.^h He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.

⁴⁷“The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows.^{i 48}But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows.^j From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.