CHAPTER XVII. CHRIST'S DOCTRINE OF HYPOCRISY, OF THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD, OF WORLDLY CARES, AND OF THE TIMES.

1 ^12:1AT that time, the multitude being assembled by ten thousands, so that they trod one on another, he said to his disciples, Beware, first, of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy; ^12:2for there is nothing concealed that shall not be revealed, nor hid that shall not be known. ^12:3Whatever, therefore, you have said in the darkness, shall be heard in the light; and what you have spoken to the ear in private rooms, shall be proclaimed on the houses. ^12:4And I tell you, my friends, fear not those that kill the body, and after this have [power] to do nothing more. ^12:5But I will show you whom to fear; Fear him, who after killing has power to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, Fear him. ^12:6Are not five sparrows sold for two assarions [3 cents], and one of them is not forgotten before God? ^12:7But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore, for you are of more value than many sparrows.

2 ^12:8And I tell you, that whoever shall confess me before men, him will the Son of man confess before the angels of God; ^12:9but he that has denied me before men, shall be denied before the angels of God. ^12:10And every one that speaks a word against the Son of man shall have forgiveness; but he that blasphemes against the Holy Spirit shall not be forgiven. ^12:11And when they bring you to the synagogues, and powers, and authorities, be not anxious how you shall defend yourselves, or what you shall say; ^12:12for the Holy Spirit shall teach you in that hour what you ought to say.

3 ^12:13And one of the multitude said to him, Teacher, tell my brother to divide with me the inheritance. ^12:14And he said to him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? ^12:15And he said to them, See, and beware of all covetousness; for one's life depends not on the abundance of his property. ^12:16And he told them a parable, saying, The farm of a certain rich man produced abundantly; ^12:17and he reasoned in himself, saying, What shall I do, for I have no place where I shall bring together my fruits? ^12:18And he said, I will do this; I will take down my storehouses and build greater; and there will I bring together all my produce and my goods; ^12:19and I will say to my soul, Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years rest, eat, drink, and enjoy yourself. ^12:20But God said to him, Foolish man, this night they shall require your soul from you; and who then will have the goods which you have provided? ^12:21So is every one that lays up treasures for himself and is not rich in God.

4 ^12:22And he said to his disciples, I tell you, therefore, be not anxious for your soul what you shall eat, nor for the body what you shall put on. ^12:23Is not the soul more than the food, and the body than the clothing? ^12:24Consider the ravens; for they neither sow nor reap, and they have no private room, no storehouse; and God feeds them. How much are you better than the birds! ^12:25And which of you can add a cubit to his stature? ^12:26And if you cannot do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? ^12:27Consider the lilies; how they neither spin nor weave; but I tell you that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of them. ^12:28And if God so clothes the grass in the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, men of little faith? ^12:29And seek not what you shall eat, and what you shall drink, and be not of a doubtful mind; ^12:30for all these things do the nations of the world seek; and your Father knows that you need them. ^12:31But seek his kingdom, and these shall be added to you. ^12:32Fear not, little flock, for your Father is well pleased to give you the kingdom. ^12:33Sell your property and bestow charity; make yourselves purses that become not old, and a treasury that fails not, in heaven, where no thief approaches, nor moth destroys; ^12:34for where your treasury is, there will your heart be also.

5 ^12:35Stand with your loins girded, and your candles lighted, ^12:36and be like men waiting for the coming of their lord, when he shall return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. ^12:37Blessed are those servants whom their lord when he comes shall find watching. I tell you truly, that he will gird himself, and cause them to recline, and he will come and wait upon them. ^12:38And if he comes in the second watch, and comes in the third watch, and finds them thus, blessed are they. ^12:39But know this, that if the householder had known at what hour the thief comes, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. ^12:40Be you also ready; for in an hour when you think not the Son of man comes.

6 ^12:41And Peter said to him, Lord, do you speak this parable to us, or also to all? ^12:42And the Lord said, Who then is a faithful, a wise steward, whom the lord shall place over his family, to give them their proper food in due time? ^12:43Blessed is that servant whom his lord when he comes shall find so doing. ^12:44I tell you truly, that he will set him over all his property. ^12:45But if that servant says in his heart, My lord delays to come, and begins to beat the younger servants, and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, ^12:46the lord of that servant will come in a day that he looks not for him, and at an hour that he knows not of, and will punish him severely, and give him his part with the faithless. ^12:47And that servant who knew his lord's will and prepared not himself, nor did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes; ^12:48but he that knew not, and did things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few. And from any one to whom much is given, much will be demanded; and of him with whom men have deposited much, they will ask more.

7 ^12:49I have come to send a fire on the earth; and what will I if it is already kindled? ^12:50But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it is fully accomplished! ^12:51Do you think that I have come to give peace on the earth? I tell you, no; but rather division. ^12:52For from this time there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two shall be divided against three; ^12:53a father against a son, and a son against a father; a mother against the daughter, and a daughter against the mother; a mother-in-law against the daughter-in-law, and a daughter-in-law against the mother-in-law.

8 ^12:54And he also said to the multitudes, When you see a cloud rise in the west you immediately say, There comes a shower; and it is so. ^12:55And when the south wind blows you say, There will be heat; and there is. ^12:56Hypocrites! You know how to distinguish the appearance of the earth and sky, and how do you not distinguish this time? ^12:57And why even of yourselves do you not judge what is right? ^12:58For when you go with your adversary to a ruler, on the way labor to be released from him, lest he take you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer cast you into prison; ^12:59I tell you that you shall not go out thence till you have paid even the last lepton [2 mill].