Luke 12

New Testament · English Majority Text Version with Greek parallel

Luke 12

1Now in the meantime, as an innumerable crowd had gathered together so that they were stepping on one another, He began to say to His disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.Ἐν οἷς ἐπισυναχθεισῶν τῶν μυριάδων τοῦ ὄχλου, ὥστε καταπατεῖν ἀλλήλους, ἤρξατο λέγειν πρὸς τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ πρῶτον, Προσέχετε ἑαυτοῖς ἀπὸ τῆς ζύμης τῶν Φαρισαίων, ἥτις ἐστὶν ὑπόκρισις.

2For there is nothing covered that shall not be unveiled, and nothing secret that shall not be made known.Οὐδὲν δὲ συγκεκαλυμμένον ἐστὶν ὃ οὐκ ἀποκαλυφθήσεται, καὶ κρυπτὸν ὃ οὐ γνωσθήσεται.

3Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear behind closed doors shall be proclaimed on the housetops.Ἀνθ᾽ ὧν ὅσα ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ εἴπατε, ἐν τῷ φωτὶ ἀκουσθήσεται· καὶ ὃ πρὸς τὸ οὖς ἐλαλήσατε ἐν τοῖς ταμείοις, κηρυχθήσεται ἐπὶ τῶν δωμάτων.

4“And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have nothing further they can do.Λέγω δὲ ὑμῖν τοῖς φίλοις μου, Μὴ φοβηθῆτε ἀπὸ τῶν ἀποκτενόντων τὸ σῶμα, καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα μὴ ἐχόντων περισσότερόν τι ποιῆσαι.

5But I will show you whom you should fear: fear Him who after He kills, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!Ὑποδείξω δὲ ὑμῖν τίνα φοβηθῆτε· φοβήθητε τὸν μετὰ τὸ ἀποκτεῖναι ἐξουσίαν ἔχοντα ἐμβαλεῖν εἰς τὴν γέενναν· ναί, λέγω ὑμῖν, τοῦτον φοβήθητε.

6“Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God.Οὐχὶ πέντε στρουθία πωλεῖται ἀσσαρίων δύο; Καὶ ἓν ἐξ αὐτῶν οὐκ ἔστιν ἐπιλελησμένον ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ.

7But the very hairs of your head have all been numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.Ἀλλὰ καὶ αἱ τρίχες τῆς κεφαλῆς ὑμῶν πᾶσαι ἠρίθμηνται. Μὴ οὖν φοβεῖσθε· πολλῶν στρουθίων διαφέρετε.

8“Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God.Λέγω δὲ ὑμῖν, Πᾶς ὃς ἂν ὁμολογήσῃ ἐν ἐμοὶ ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, καὶ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ὁμολογήσει ἐν αὐτῷ ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀγγέλων τοῦ Θεοῦ·

9But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.ὁ δὲ ἀρνησάμενός με ἐνώπιον τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀπαρνηθήσεται ἐνώπιον τῶν ἀγγέλων τοῦ Θεοῦ.

10“And anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven.Καὶ πᾶς ὃς ἐρεῖ λόγον εἰς τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, ἀφεθήσεται αὐτῷ· τῷ δὲ εἰς τὸ Ἅγιον Πνεῦμα βλασφημήσαντι οὐκ ἀφεθήσεται.

11“Now whenever they bring you to the synagogues and rulers and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say.Ὅταν δὲ προσφέρωσιν ὑμᾶς ἐπὶ τὰς συναγωγὰς καὶ τὰς ἀρχὰς καὶ τὰς ἐξουσίας, μὴ μεριμνᾶτε πῶς ἢ τί ἀπολογήσησθε, ἢ τί εἴπητε·

12For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you must say.”τὸ γὰρ Ἅγιον Πνεῦμα διδάξει ὑμᾶς ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ, ἃ δεῖ εἰπεῖν.

13Then someone from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”Εἶπε δέ τις αὐτῷ ἐκ τοῦ ὄχλου, Διδάσκαλε, εἰπὲ τῷ ἀδελφῷ μου μερίσασθαι μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ τὴν κληρονομίαν.

14But He said to him, “Man, who appointed Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?”Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῷ, Ἄνθρωπε, τίς με κατέστησε δικαστὴν ἢ μεριστὴν ἐφ᾽ ὑμᾶς;

15And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”Εἶπε δὲ πρὸς αὐτούς, Ὁρᾶτε καὶ φυλάσσεσθε ἀπὸ τῆς πλεονεξίας· ὅτι οὐκ ἐν τῷ περισσεύειν τινὶ ἡ ζωὴ αὐτῷ ἐστιν ἐκ τῶν ὑπαρχόντων αὐτοῦ.

16Then He told a parable to them, saying: “The field of a certain rich man produced well.Εἶπε δὲ παραβολὴν πρὸς αὐτούς, λέγων, Ἀνθρώπου τινὸς πλουσίου εὐφόρησεν ἡ χώρα·

17And he reasoned within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, because I have nowhere to gather my crops?’καὶ διελογίζετο ἐν ἑαυτῷ λέγων, Τί ποιήσω, ὅτι οὐκ ἔχω ποῦ συνάξω τοὺς καρπούς μου;

18So he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and I will build bigger ones, and there I will gather all my crops and my goods.Καὶ εἶπε, Τοῦτο ποιήσω· καθελῶ μου τὰς ἀποθήκας, καὶ μείζονας οἰκοδομήσω, καὶ συνάξω ἐκεῖ πάντα τὰ γενήματά μου καὶ τὰ ἀγαθά μου.

19And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid away for many years; relax; eat, drink, and be merry.” ’Καὶ ἐρῶ τῇ ψυχῇ μου, Ψυχή, ἔχεις πολλὰ ἀγαθὰ κείμενα εἰς ἔτη πολλά· ἀναπαύου, φάγε, πίε, εὐφραίνου.

20But God said to him, ‘You fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have prepared?’Εἶπε δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ Θεός, Ἄφρον, ταύτῃ τῇ νυκτὶ τὴν ψυχήν σου ἀπαιτοῦσιν ἀπὸ σοῦ· ἃ δὲ ἡτοίμασας, τίνι ἔσται;

21“So is he who accumulates treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”Οὕτως ὁ θησαυρίζων ἑαυτῷ, καὶ μὴ εἰς Θεὸν πλουτῶν.

22Then He said to His disciples, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will wear.Εἶπε δὲ πρὸς τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ, Διὰ τοῦτο ὑμῖν λέγω, μὴ μεριμνᾶτε τῇ ψυχῇ ὑμῶν, τί φάγητε· μηδὲ τῷ σώματι, τί ἐνδύσησθε.

23Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.Ἡ ψυχὴ πλεῖόν ἐστι τῆς τροφῆς, καὶ τὸ σῶμα τοῦ ἐνδύματος.

24Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storeroom nor barn; and yet God feeds them. How much more are you worth than birds?Κατανοήσατε τοὺς κόρακας, ὅτι οὐ σπείρουσιν, οὐδὲ θερίζουσιν, οἷς οὐκ ἔστι ταμεῖον οὐδὲ ἀποθήκη, καὶ ὁ Θεὸς τρέφει αὐτούς· πόσῳ μᾶλλον ὑμεῖς διαφέρετε τῶν πετεινῶν;

25And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?Τίς δὲ ἐξ ὑμῶν μεριμνῶν δύναται προσθεῖναι ἐπὶ τὴν ἡλικίαν αὐτοῦ πῆχυν ἕνα;

26Therefore if you cannot do a very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?Εἰ οὖν οὔτε ἐλάχιστον δύνασθε, τί περὶ τῶν λοιπῶν μεριμνᾶτε;

27Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, not even Solomon in all his glory was arrayed like one of these.Κατανοήσατε τὰ κρίνα πῶς αὐξάνει· οὐ κοπιᾷ, οὐδὲ νήθει· λέγω δὲ ὑμῖν, οὐδὲ Σολομὼν ἐν πάσῃ τῇ δόξῃ αὐτοῦ περιεβάλετο ὡς ἓν τούτων.

28But if God so clothes the grass, although it is in the field today, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, by how much rather will He clothe you, O you of little faith?Εἰ δὲ τὸν χόρτον ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ σήμερον ὄντα, καὶ αὔριον εἰς κλίβανον βαλλόμενον, ὁ Θεὸς οὕτως ἀμφιέννυσι, πόσῳ μᾶλλον ὑμᾶς, ὀλιγόπιστοι;

29“And do not seek what you may eat or what you may drink, and do not be anxious.Καὶ ὑμεῖς μὴ ζητεῖτε τί φάγητε, ἢ τί πίητε· καὶ μὴ μετεωρίζεσθε.

30For all these things the nations of the world seek after, but your Father knows that you need these things.Ταῦτα γὰρ πάντα τὰ ἔθνη τοῦ κόσμου ἐπιζητεῖ· ὑμῶν δὲ ὁ πατὴρ οἶδεν ὅτι χρῄζετε τούτων.

31But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.Πλὴν ζητεῖτε τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ ταῦτα πάντα προστεθήσεται ὑμῖν.

32“Do not fear, little flock, because your Father is well pleased to give to you the kingdom.Μὴ φοβοῦ, τὸ μικρὸν ποίμνιον· ὅτι εὐδόκησεν ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν δοῦναι ὑμῖν τὴν βασιλείαν.

33Sell your possessions and give alms; make for yourselves money bags which do not grow old, an unfailing treasure in the heavens, where a thief does not come near, nor does a moth destroy.Πωλήσατε τὰ ὑπάρχοντα ὑμῶν καὶ δότε ἐλεημοσύνην. Ποιήσατε ἑαυτοῖς βαλάντια μὴ παλαιούμενα, θησαυρὸν ἀνέκλειπτον ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, ὅπου κλέπτης οὐκ ἐγγίζει, οὐδὲ σὴς διαφθείρει·

34For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.ὅπου γάρ ἐστιν ὁ θησαυρὸς ὑμῶν, ἐκεῖ καὶ ἡ καρδία ὑμῶν ἔσται.

35“Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning;Ἔστωσαν ὑμῶν αἱ ὀσφύες περιεζωσμέναι, καὶ οἱ λύχνοι καιόμενοι·

36and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding celebration, so that when he comes and knocks, immediately they may open to him.καὶ ὑμεῖς ὅμοιοι ἀνθρώποις προσδεχομένοις τὸν κύριον ἑαυτῶν, πότε ἀναλύσει ἐκ τῶν γάμων, ἵνα, ἐλθόντος καὶ κρούσαντος, εὐθέως ἀνοίξωσιν αὐτῷ.

37Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly I say to you, that he will gird himself and have them recline to eat, and he will come and serve them.Μακάριοι οἱ δοῦλοι ἐκεῖνοι, οὓς ἐλθὼν ὁ κύριος εὑρήσει γρηγοροῦντας· ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι περιζώσεται καὶ ἀνακλινεῖ αὐτούς, καὶ παρελθὼν διακονήσει αὐτοῖς.

38And if he comes in the second watch, or comes in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.Καὶ ἐὰν ἔλθῃ ἐν τῇ δευτέρᾳ φυλακῇ, καὶ ἐν τῇ τρίτῃ φυλακῇ ἔλθῃ, καὶ εὕρῃ οὕτω, μακάριοί εἰσιν οἱ δοῦλοι ἐκεῖνοι.

39But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what hour the thief was coming, he would have kept watch, and not allowed his house to be broken into.Τοῦτο δὲ γινώσκετε, ὅτι εἰ ᾔδει ὁ οἰκοδεσπότης ποίᾳ ὥρᾳ ὁ κλέπτης ἔρχεται, ἐγρηγόρησεν ἄν, καὶ οὐκ ἂν ἀφῆκε διορυγῆναι τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ.

40Therefore you also be ready, for in an hour that you think not, the Son of Man comes.”Καὶ ὑμεῖς οὖν γίνεσθε ἕτοιμοι· ὅτι ᾗ ὥρᾳ οὐ δοκεῖτε ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἔρχεται.

41Then Peter said to Him, “Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people?”Εἶπε δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ Πέτρος, Κύριε, πρὸς ἡμᾶς τὴν παραβολὴν ταύτην λέγεις, ἢ καὶ πρὸς πάντας;

42And the Lord said, “Who then is a faithful and wise manager, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season?Εἶπε δὲ ὁ Κύριος, Τίς ἄρα ἐστὶν ὁ πιστὸς οἰκονόμος καὶ φρόνιμος, ὃν καταστήσει ὁ κύριος ἐπὶ τῆς θεραπείας αὐτοῦ, τοῦ διδόναι ἐν καιρῷ τὸ σιτομέτριον;

43Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.Μακάριος ὁ δοῦλος ἐκεῖνος, ὃν ἐλθὼν ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ εὑρήσει ποιοῦντα οὕτως.

44Truly I say to you, that he will appoint him over all his possessions.Ἀληθῶς λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι ἐπὶ πᾶσι τοῖς ὑπάρχουσιν αὐτοῦ καταστήσει αὐτόν.

45But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk,Ἐὰν δὲ εἴπῃ ὁ δοῦλος ἐκεῖνος ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ, Χρονίζει ὁ κύριός μου ἔρχεσθαι, καὶ ἄρξηται τύπτειν τοὺς παῖδας καὶ τὰς παιδίσκας, ἐσθίειν τε καὶ πίνειν καὶ μεθύσκεσθαι·

46the master of that servant will come on a day which he does not expect, and at an hour which he does not know, and he will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.ἥξει ὁ κύριος τοῦ δούλου ἐκείνου ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ᾗ οὐ προσδοκᾷ, καὶ ἐν ὥρᾳ ᾗ οὐ γινώσκει, καὶ διχοτομήσει αὐτόν, καὶ τὸ μέρος αὐτοῦ μετὰ τῶν ἀπίστων θήσει.

47And that servant who knew his master's will, and did not get ready or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many blows.Ἐκεῖνος δὲ ὁ δοῦλος ὁ γνοὺς τὸ θέλημα τοῦ κυρίου ἑαυτοῦ, καὶ μὴ ἑτοιμάσας μηδὲ ποιήσας πρὸς τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ, δαρήσεται πολλάς·

48But he who did not know, yet did things worthy of blows, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been entrusted, of him they will ask much more.ὁ δὲ μὴ γνούς, ποιήσας δὲ ἄξια πληγῶν, δαρήσεται ὀλίγας. Παντὶ δὲ ᾧ ἐδόθη πολύ, πολὺ ζητηθήσεται παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ· καὶ ᾧ παρέθεντο πολύ, περισσότερον αἰτήσουσιν αὐτόν.

49“I have come to cast fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!Πῦρ ἦλθον βαλεῖν εἰς τὴν γῆν, καὶ τί θέλω εἰ ἤδη ἀνήφθη;

50But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is completed!Βάπτισμα δὲ ἔχω βαπτισθῆναι, καὶ πῶς συνέχομαι ἕως οὗ τελεσθῇ.

51Do you think that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division.Δοκεῖτε ὅτι εἰρήνην παρεγενόμην δοῦναι ἐν τῇ γῇ; Οὐχί, λέγω ὑμῖν, ἀλλ᾽ ἢ διαμερισμόν.

52For from now on five in one house will be divided: three against two, and two against three.Ἔσονται γὰρ ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν πέντε ἐν οἴκῳ ἑνὶ διαμεμερισμένοι, τρεῖς ἐπὶ δυσί, καὶ δύο ἐπὶ τρισί.

53Father will be divided against a son and a son against father, a mother against a daughter and a daughter against a mother, a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”Διαμερισθήσεται πατὴρ ἐπὶ υἱῷ, καὶ υἱὸς ἐπὶ πατρί· μήτηρ ἐπὶ θυγατρί, καὶ θυγάτηρ ἐπὶ μητρί· πενθερὰ ἐπὶ τὴν νύμφην αὐτῆς, καὶ νύμφη ἐπὶ τὴν πενθερὰν αὐτῆς.

54Then He also said to the crowds, “Whenever you see a cloud rising from the west, immediately you say, ‘A rainstorm is coming’; and so it happens.Ἔλεγε δὲ καὶ τοῖς ὄχλοις, Ὅταν ἴδητε τὴν νεφέλην ἀνατέλλουσαν ἀπὸ δυσμῶν, εὐθέως λέγετε, Ὄμβρος ἔρχεται· καὶ γίνεται οὕτω.

55And whenever you see the south wind blow, you say, ‘There will be hot weather’; and it happens.Καὶ ὅταν νότον πνέοντα, λέγετε ὅτι Καύσων ἔσται· καὶ γίνεται.

56Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the earth and sky, but how is it you do not discern this time?Ὑποκριταί, τὸ πρόσωπον τῆς γῆς καὶ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ οἴδατε δοκιμάζειν· τὸν δὲ καιρὸν τοῦτον πῶς οὐ δοκιμάζετε;

57And why do you not judge what is right, even of yourselves?Τί δὲ καὶ ἀφ᾽ ἑαυτῶν οὐ κρίνετε τὸ δίκαιον;

58When you go with your adversary to the magistrate, make an effort to make a settlement with him on the road, lest he drag you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the bailiff, and the bailiff throw you into prison.Ὡς γὰρ ὑπάγεις μετὰ τοῦ ἀντιδίκου σου ἐπ᾽ ἄρχοντα, ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ δὸς ἐργασίαν ἀπηλλάχθαι ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ· μήποτε κατασύρῃ σε πρὸς τὸν κριτήν, καὶ ὁ κριτής σε παραδῷ τῷ πράκτορι, καὶ ὁ πράκτωρ σε βάλῃ εἰς φυλακήν.

59I tell you, you shall by no means depart from there till you have paid the very last mite.”Λέγω σοι, οὐ μὴ ἐξέλθῃς ἐκεῖθεν, ἕως οὗ καὶ τὸν ἔσχατον λεπτὸν ἀποδῷς.

The Fathers on Luke 12

Saint Augustine comments on this chapter. Each excerpt below is drawn from the full text held in the Fathers Library; follow the link on any entry to read the whole work.

On Luke 12:15

Saint Augustine

Latin Fathers · c. 391–430 AD · Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament

I doubt not but that ye who fear God, do hear His word with awe, and execute it with cheerfulness; that what He hath promised, ye may at present hope for, hereafter receive.

Read Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament →

On Luke 12:35

Saint Augustine

Latin Fathers · c. 391–430 AD · Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament

Our Lord Jesus Christ both came to men, and went away from men, and is to come to men.

Read Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament →

On Luke 12:56, 58

Saint Augustine

Latin Fathers · c. 391–430 AD · Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament

We have heard the Gospel, and in it the Lord reproving those who knew how to discern the face of the sky, and know not how to discover the time of faith, the kingdom of heaven which is at hand.

Read Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament →