The Gospel According to St. Luke

⭑ Douay-Rheims :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 12 -

(Matthew 16:5–12; Mark 8:14–21)

And when great multitudes stood about him, so that they trod one upon another, he began to say to his disciples: Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed: nor hidden, that shall not be known.

For whatsoever things you have spoken in darkness, shall be published in the light: and that which you have spoken in the ear in the chambers, shall be preached on the housetops.

Fear God Alone

(Matthew 10:26–31)

And I say to you, my friends: Be not afraid of them who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.

But I will shew you whom you shall fear: fear ye him, who after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell. Yea, I say to you, fear him.

Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?

Yea, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: you are of more value than many sparrows.

Confessing Christ

(Matthew 10:32–33)

And I say to you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God.

But he that shall deny me before men, shall be denied before the angels of God.

And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but to him that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven.

And when they shall bring you into the synagogues, and to magistrates and powers, be not solicitous how or what you shall answer, or what you shall say;

For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what you must say.

The Parable of the Rich Fool

And one of the multitude said to him: Master, speak to my brother that he divide the inheritance with me.

But he said to him: Man, who hath appointed me judge, or divider, over you?

And he said to them: Take heed and beware of all covetousness; for a man’s life doth not consist in the abundance of things which he possesseth.

And he spoke a similitude to them, saying: The land of a certain rich man brought forth plenty of fruits.

And he thought within himself, saying: What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?

And he said: This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and will build greater; and into them will I gather all things that are grown to me, and my goods.

And I will say to my soul: Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years take thy rest; eat, drink, make good cheer.

But God said to him: Thou fool, this night do they require thy soul of thee: and whose shall those things be which thou hast provided?

So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich towards God.

Do Not Worry

(Matthew 6:25–34)

And he said to his disciples: Therefore I say to you, be not solicitous for your life, what you shall eat; nor for your body, what you shall put on.

The life is more than the meat, and the body is more than the raiment.

Consider the ravens, for they sow not, neither do they reap, neither have they storehouse nor barn, and God feedeth them. How much are you more valuable than they?

And which of you, by taking thought, can add to his stature one cubit?

If then ye be not able to do so much as the least thing, why are you solicitous for the rest?

Consider the lilies, how they grow: they labour not, neither do they spin. But I say to you, not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these.

Now if God clothe in this manner the grass that is today in the field, and tomorrow is cast into the oven; how much more you, O ye of little faith?

And seek not you what you shall eat, or what you shall drink: and be not lifted up on high.

For all these things do the nations of the world seek. But your Father knoweth that you have need of these things.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his justice, and all these things shall be added unto you.

Treasures in Heaven

(Matthew 6:19–21)

Fear not, little flock, for it hath pleased your Father to give you a kingdom.

Sell what you possess and give alms. Make to yourselves bags which grow not old, a treasure in heaven which faileth not: where no thief approacheth, nor moth corrupteth.

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Readiness at Any Hour

(Matthew 24:36–51; Mark 13:32–37)

Let your loins be girt, and lamps burning in your hands.

And you yourselves like to men who wait for their lord, when he shall return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open to him immediately.

Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when he cometh, shall find watching. Amen I say to you, that he will gird himself, and make them sit down to meat, and passing will minister unto them.

And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.

But this know ye, that if the householder did know at what hour the thief would come, he would surely watch, and would not suffer his house to be broken open.

Be you then also ready: for at what hour you think not, the Son of man will come.

And Peter said to him: Lord, dost thou speak this parable to us, or likewise to all?

And the Lord said: Who (thinkest thou) is the faithful and wise steward, whom his lord setteth over his family, to give them their measure of wheat in due season?

Blessed is that servant, whom when his lord shall come, he shall find so doing.

Verily I say to you, he will set him over all that he possesseth.

But if that servant shall say in his heart: My lord is long a coming; and shall begin to strike the menservants and maidservants, and to eat and to drink and be drunk:

The lord of that servant will come in the day that he hopeth not, and at the hour that he knoweth not, and shall separate him, and shall appoint him his portion with unbelievers.

And that servant who knew the will of his lord, and prepared not himself, and did not according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.

But he that knew not, and did things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. And unto whomsoever much is given, of him much shall be required: and to whom they have committed much, of him they will demand the more.

Not Peace but Division

(Micah 7:1–6; Matthew 10:34–39)

I am come to cast fire on the earth; and what will I, but that it be kindled?

And I have a baptism wherewith I am to be baptized: and how am I straitened until it be accomplished?

Think ye, that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, no; but separation.

For there shall be from henceforth five in one house divided: three against two, and two against three.

The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against his father, the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother, the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

Interpreting the Present Time

(Matthew 16:1–4; Mark 8:11–13)

And he said also to the multitudes: When you see a cloud rising from the west, presently you say: A shower is coming: and so it happeneth:

And when ye see the south wind blow, you say: There will be heat: and it cometh to pass.

You hypocrites, you know how to discern the face of the heaven and of the earth: but how is it that you do not discern this time?

Reconciling with an Adversary

(Matthew 5:21–26)

And why even of yourselves, do you not judge that which is just?

And when thou goest with thy adversary to the prince, whilst thou art in the way, endeavour to be delivered from him: lest perhaps he draw thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the exacter, and the exacter cast thee into prison.

I say to thee, thou shalt not go out thence, until thou pay the very last mite.

(Matthew 16:5–12; Mark 8:14–21)

Meanwhile, when a multitude of many thousands had gathered together, so much so that they trampled on each other, he began to tell his disciples first of all, “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known.

Therefore whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light. What you have spoken in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.

Fear God Alone

(Matthew 10:26–31)

“I tell you, my friends, don’t be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.

But I will warn you whom you should fear. Fear him who after he has killed, has power to cast into Gehenna. (a) Yes, I tell you, fear him.

“Aren’t five sparrows sold for two assaria coins (b) ? Not one of them is forgotten by God.

But the very hairs of your head are all counted. Therefore don’t be afraid. You are of more value than many sparrows.

Confessing Christ

(Matthew 10:32–33)

“I tell you, everyone who confesses me before men, the Son of Man will also confess before the angels of God;

but he who denies me in the presence of men will be denied in the presence of God’s angels.

Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but those who blaspheme against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

When they bring you before the synagogues, the rulers, and the authorities, don’t be anxious how or what you will answer or what you will say;

for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that same hour what you must say.”

The Parable of the Rich Fool

One of the multitude said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or an arbitrator over you?”

He said to them, “Beware! Keep yourselves from covetousness, for a man’s life doesn’t consist of the abundance of the things which he possesses.”

He spoke a parable to them, saying, “The ground of a certain rich man produced abundantly.

He reasoned within himself, saying, ‘What will I do, because I don’t have room to store my crops?’

He said, ‘This is what I will do. I will pull down my barns, build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.

I will tell my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years. Take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry.”’

“But God said to him, ‘You foolish one, tonight your soul is required of you. The things which you have prepared—whose will they be?’

So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

Do Not Worry

(Matthew 6:25–34)

He said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, don’t be anxious for your life, what you will eat, nor yet for your body, what you will wear.

Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.

Consider the ravens: they don’t sow, they don’t reap, they have no warehouse or barn, and God feeds them. How much more valuable are you than birds!

Which of you by being anxious can add a cubit (c) to his height?

If then you aren’t able to do even the least things, why are you anxious about the rest?

Consider the lilies, how they grow. They don’t toil, neither do they spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

But if this is how God clothes the grass in the field, which today exists and tomorrow is cast into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith?

“Don’t seek what you will eat or what you will drink; neither be anxious.

For the nations of the world seek after all of these things, but your Father knows that you need these things.

But seek God’s Kingdom, and all these things will be added to you.

Treasures in Heaven

(Matthew 6:19–21)

“Don’t be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.

Sell what you have and give gifts to the needy. Make for yourselves purses which don’t grow old, a treasure in the heavens that doesn’t fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Readiness at Any Hour

(Matthew 24:36–51; Mark 13:32–37)

“Let your waist be dressed and your lamps burning.

Be like men watching for their lord when he returns from the wedding feast, that when he comes and knocks, they may immediately open to him.

Blessed are those servants whom the lord will find watching when he comes. Most certainly I tell you that he will dress himself, make them recline, and will come and serve them.

They will be blessed if he comes in the second or third watch and finds them so.

But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what hour the thief was coming, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.

Therefore be ready also, for the Son of Man is coming in an hour that you don’t expect him.”

Peter said to him, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everybody?”

The Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his lord will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the right times?

Blessed is that servant whom his lord will find doing so when he comes.

Truly I tell you that he will set him over all that he has.

But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My lord delays his coming,’ and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink and to be drunken,

then the lord of that servant will come in a day when he isn’t expecting him and in an hour that he doesn’t know, and will cut him in two, and place his portion with the unfaithful.

That servant who knew his lord’s will, and didn’t prepare nor do what he wanted, will be beaten with many stripes,

but he who didn’t know, and did things worthy of stripes, will be beaten with few stripes. To whomever much is given, of him will much be required; and to whom much was entrusted, of him more will be asked.

Not Peace but Division

(Micah 7:1–6; Matthew 10:34–39)

“I came to throw fire on the earth. I wish it were already kindled.

But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished!

Do you think that I have come to give peace in the earth? I tell you, no, but rather division.

For from now on, there will be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.

They will be divided, father against son, and son against father; mother against daughter, and daughter against her mother; mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.” (d)

Interpreting the Present Time

(Matthew 16:1–4; Mark 8:11–13)

He said to the multitudes also, “When you see a cloud rising from the west, immediately you say, ‘A shower is coming,’ and so it happens.

When a south wind blows, you say, ‘There will be a scorching heat,’ and it happens.

You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how is it that you don’t interpret this time?

Reconciling with an Adversary

(Matthew 5:21–26)

“Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right?

For when you are going with your adversary before the magistrate, try diligently on the way to be released from him, lest perhaps he drag you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison.

I tell you, you will by no means get out of there until you have paid the very last penny. (e) ”

Footnotes

(a)12:5 or, Hell

(b)12:6 An assarion was a small copper coin worth about an hour’s wages for an agricultural laborer.

(c)12:25 A cubit is the length from the tip of the middle finger to the elbow on a man’s arm, or about 18 inches or 46 centimeters.

(d)12:53 ℘ Micah 7:6

(e)12:59 literally, lepton. A lepton is a very small brass Jewish coin worth half a Roman quadrans each, which is worth a quarter of the copper assarion. Lepta are worth less than 1% of an agricultural worker’s daily wages.