12:32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is well pleased 8 to give you the kingdom. 12:33 Sell your possessions 9 and give to the poor. 10 Provide yourselves purses that do not wear out – a treasure in heaven 11 that never decreases, 12 where no thief approaches and no moth 13 destroys. 12:34 For where your treasure 14 is, there your heart will be also.
12:35 “Get dressed for service 15 and keep your lamps burning; 16 12:36 be like people 17 waiting for their master to come back from the wedding celebration, 18 so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. 12:37 Blessed are those slaves 19 whom their master finds alert 20 when he returns! I tell you the truth, 21 he will dress himself to serve, 22 have them take their place at the table, 23 and will come 24 and wait on them! 25 12:38 Even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night 26 and finds them alert, 27 blessed are those slaves! 28 12:39 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief 29 was coming, he would not have let 30 his house be broken into. 12:40 You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” 31
12:41 Then 32 Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for everyone?” 33 12:42 The Lord replied, 34 “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, 35 whom the master puts in charge of his household servants, 36 to give them their allowance of food at the proper time? 12:43 Blessed is that slave 37 whom his master finds at work 38 when he returns. 12:44 I tell you the truth, 39 the master 40 will put him in charge of all his possessions. 12:45 But if 41 that 42 slave should say to himself, 43 ‘My master is delayed 44 in returning,’ and he begins to beat 45 the other 46 slaves, both men and women, 47 and to eat, drink, and get drunk, 12:46 then the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not foresee, and will cut him in two, 48 and assign him a place with the unfaithful. 49 12:47 That 50 servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or do what his master asked 51 will receive a severe beating. 12:48 But the one who did not know his master’s will 52 and did things worthy of punishment 53 will receive a light beating. 54 From everyone who has been given much, much will be required, 55 and from the one who has been entrusted with much, 56 even more will be asked. 57
12:49 “I have come 58 to bring 59 fire on the earth – and how I wish it were already kindled! 12:50 I have a baptism 60 to undergo, 61 and how distressed I am until it is finished! 12:51 Do you think I have come to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! 62 12:52 For from now on 63 there will be five in one household divided, three against two and two against three. 12:53 They will be divided, 64 father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
12:54 Jesus 65 also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, 66 you say at once, ‘A rainstorm 67 is coming,’ and it does. 12:55 And when you see the south wind 68 blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat,’ and there is. 12:56 You hypocrites! 69 You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how can you not know how 70 to interpret the present time?
12:57 “And 71 why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right? 12:58 As you are going with your accuser before the magistrate, 72 make an effort to settle with him on the way, so that he will not drag you before the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, 73 and the officer throw you into prison. 12:59 I tell you, you will never get out of there until you have paid the very last cent!” 74