Sundry instructions to the disciples -- Sin against the Holy Ghost -- The foolish rich man -- Christ's different appearings -- The faithful servant

¹⁾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.

²⁾For there is nothing covered which shall not be revealed; neither hid which shall not be known.

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 house-tops.

⁴⁾And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do;

⁵⁾But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear; fear him, who after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.

⁶⁾Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?

⁷⁾But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore; ye are of more value than many sparrows.

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.

⁹⁾But he who denieth me before men, shall be denied before the angels of God.

¹⁰⁾Now his disciples knew that he said this, because they had spoken evil against him before the people; for they were afraid to confess him before men.

¹¹⁾And they reasoned among themselves, saying, He knoweth our hearts, and he speaketh to our condemnation, and we shall not be forgiven. But he answered them, and said unto them,

¹²⁾Whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of Man, and repenteth, it shall be forgiven him; but unto him who blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him.

¹³⁾And again I say unto you, They shall bring you unto the synagogues, and before magistrates, and powers, When they do this, take ye no thought how, or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say;

¹⁴⁾For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.

¹⁵⁾And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.

¹⁶⁾And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge, or a divider over you?

¹⁷⁾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.

¹⁸⁾And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully;

¹⁹⁾And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?

²⁰⁾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.

²¹⁾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.

²²⁾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?

²³⁾So shall it be with him who layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

²⁴⁾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.

²⁵⁾For the life is more than meat, and the body than raiment.

²⁶⁾Consider the ravens; for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; nevertheless God feedeth them. Are ye not better than the fowls?

²⁷⁾And who of you by taking thought, can add to his stature one cubit?

²⁸⁾If ye then be not able to do that which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?

²⁹⁾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.

³⁰⁾If then God so clothe the grass, which is today in the field, and tomorrow is cast in the oven; how much more will he provide for you, if ye are not of little faith?

³¹⁾Therefore, seek not what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind;

³²⁾For all these things do the nations of the world seek after; and your Father who is in heaven knoweth that ye have need of these things.

³³⁾And ye are sent unto them to be their ministers, and the laborer is worthy of his hire; for the law saith, That a man shall not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn.

³⁴⁾Therefore seek ye to bring forth the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you.

³⁵⁾Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

³⁶⁾This he spake unto his disciples, saying, Sell that ye have and give alms; provide not for yourselves bags which wax old, but rather provide a treasure in the heavens, that faileth not; where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.

³⁷⁾For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

³⁸⁾Let your loins be girded about and have your lights burning;

³⁹⁾That ye yourselves may be like unto men who wait for their Lord, when he will return from the wedding; that, when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.

⁴⁰⁾Verily I say unto you, Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching; for he shall gird himself, and make them sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.

⁴¹⁾For, behold, he cometh in the first watch of the night, and he shall also come in the second watch, and again he shall come in the third watch.

⁴²⁾And verily I say unto you, He hath already come, as it is written of him; and again when he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, blessed are those servants when he cometh, that he shall find so doing;

⁴³⁾For the Lord of those servants shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.

⁴⁴⁾And now, verily I say these things unto you, that ye may know this, that the coming of the Lord is as a thief in the night.

⁴⁵⁾And it is like unto a man who is an householder, who, if he watcheth not his goods, the thief cometh in an hour of which he is not aware, and taketh his goods, and divideth them among his fellows.

⁴⁶⁾And they said among themselves, If the good man 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 and the loss of his goods.

⁴⁷⁾And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, be ye therefore ready also; for the Son of Man cometh at an hour when ye think not.

⁴⁸⁾Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speaketh thou this parable unto us, or unto all?

⁴⁹⁾And the Lord said, I speak unto those whom the Lord shall make rulers over his household, to give his children their portion of meat in due season.

⁵⁰⁾And they said, Who then is that faithful and wise servant?

⁵¹⁾And the Lord said unto them, It is that servant who watcheth, to impart his portion of meat in due season.

⁵²⁾Blessed be that servant whom his Lord shall find, when he cometh, so doing.

⁵³⁾Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath.

⁵⁴⁾But the evil servant is he who is not found watching. And if that servant is not found watching, he will say in his heart, My Lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants, and the maidens, and to eat, and drink, and to be drunken.

⁵⁵⁾The Lord of that servant will come in a day he looketh not for, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him down, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.

⁵⁶⁾And that servant who knew his Lord's will, and prepared not for his Lord's coming, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.

⁵⁷⁾But he that knew not his Lord's will, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required; and to whom the Lord has committed much, of him will men ask the more.

⁵⁸⁾For they are not well pleased with the Lord's doings; therefore I am come to send fire on the earth; and what is it to you, if I will that it be already kindled?

⁵⁹⁾But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straightened until it be accomplished!

⁶⁰⁾Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, nay; but rather division.

⁶¹⁾For from henceforth there shall be five in one house, divided, three against two, and two against three.

⁶²⁾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.

⁶³⁾And he said also unto the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, ye say straightway, There cometh a shower; and so it is.

⁶⁴⁾And when the south wind blows, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass.

⁶⁵⁾O hypocrites! Ye can discern the face of the sky, and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?

⁶⁶⁾Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?

⁶⁷⁾Why goest thou to thine adversary for a magistrate, when thou art in the way with thine enemy? Why not 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?

⁶⁸⁾I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the very last mite.