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The Gospel According to Saint Luke, Chapter 12
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In the mean time, when there were gathered together an
innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon
another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of
the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
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2 |
For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither
hid, that shall not be known.
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3 |
Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in
the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall
be proclaimed upon the housetops.
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4 |
And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill
the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
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5 |
But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after
he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear
him.
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6 |
Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them
is forgotten before God?
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But even the very hairs of your head
are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many
sparrows.
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8 |
Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him
shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God:
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But
he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of
God.
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10 |
And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it
shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy
Ghost it shall not be forgiven.
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11 |
And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto
magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall
answer, or what ye shall say:
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For the Holy Ghost shall teach you
in the same hour what ye ought to say.
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13 |
And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my
brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.
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14 |
And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over
you?
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15 |
And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of
covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the
things which he possesseth.
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16 |
And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a
certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
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And he thought
within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where
to bestow my fruits?
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And he said, This will I do: I will pull
down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my
fruits and my goods.
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And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up
for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
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But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be
required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast
provided?
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So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is
not rich toward God.
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And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take
no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body,
what ye shall put on.
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The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.
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Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which
neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more
are ye better than the fowls?
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And which of you with taking
thought can add to his stature one cubit?
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If ye then be not
able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the
rest?
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Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they
spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was
not arrayed like one of these.
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If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field,
and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you,
O ye of little faith?
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And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or
what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.
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For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and
your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.
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But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things
shall be added unto you.
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Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to
give you the kingdom.
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Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which
wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no
thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.
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For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
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Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning;
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And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will
return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may
open unto him immediately.
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Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall
find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and
make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.
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And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third
watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.
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And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what
hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have
suffered his house to be broken through.
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40 |
Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour
when ye think not.
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41 |
Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto
us, or even to all?
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And the Lord said, Who then is that
faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his
household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?
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43 |
Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so
doing.
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Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all
that he hath.
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But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his
coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to
eat and drink, and to be drunken;
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The lord of that servant will
come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is
not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his
portion with the unbelievers.
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And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not
himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many
stripes.
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But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes,
shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given,
of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of
him they will ask the more.
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I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be
already kindled?
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But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and
how am I straitened till it be accomplished!
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51 |
Suppose ye that I
am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:
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For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided,
three against two, and two against three.
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The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against
the 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.
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And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of
the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is.
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And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat;
and it cometh to pass.
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Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the
earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?
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Yea, and
why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?
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58 |
When thou
goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way,
give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale
thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the
officer cast thee into prison.
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59 |
I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid
the very last mite.
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