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Luke 12

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Warning Against Hypocrisy 1–12

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, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that 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 housetops.
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. ​
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. ​
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 that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.
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. ​
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: ​
12
For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.

The Danger of Covetousness 13–21

13
And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. ​
14
And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? ​
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. ​
16
And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
17
And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
18
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.
19
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.
20
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? ​
21
So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. ​

Trusting God’s Provision 22–34

22
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. ​
23
The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.
24
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?
25
And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? ​
26
If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?
27
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.
28
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?
29
And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.
30
For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.
31
But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. ​
32
Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. ​
33
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. ​
34
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Be Ready for the Master’s Return 35–40

35
Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; ​
36
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.
37
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. ​
38
And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.
39
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.
40
Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not. ​

The Faithful and Unfaithful Steward 41–48

41
Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all? ​
42
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?
43
Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
44
Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath.
45
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;
46
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.
47
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. ​
48
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. ​

Division Caused by the Gospel 49–53

49
I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled? ​
50
But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished! ​
51
Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: ​
52
For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.
53
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.

Discerning the Present Time 54–59

54
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. ​
55
And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass.
56
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? ​
57
Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?
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. ​
59
I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the very last mite. ​

Bible text: King James Version (1769 Blayney text) · Public domain

Study Notes for Luke 12

Verse 1

the leaven of the Pharisees — Zyme, ferment, which works unseen through the whole lump; Paul sets it against 'the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth' (1 Cor 5:8). The verse names it: hypokrisis, acting a part. Matthew's parallel calls it their 'doctrine' (Matt 16:12).

Verse 2

nothing covered — Synkalypto, to cover completely, answered by apokalypto, to take the cover off. Jesus uses the saying in different settings: here against hypocrisy, to the Twelve in Matt 10:26 as ground for fearless preaching, and in Luke 8:17 of the word itself.

Verse 4

my friends — Philos, friend: the disciples are addressed as friends, not merely servants. The charge: 'Be not afraid of them that kill the body', who 'have no more that they can do'. Matthew gives the same saying with the soul named as beyond their reach (Matt 10:28).

Verse 5

cast into hell — Geenna, the valley of Hinnom, the name used for the place of final punishment. The one to be feared is God, who after killing has 'power' (exousia, authority) to cast there. Matthew words it 'able to destroy both soul and body in hell' (Matt 10:28).

Verse 6

five sparrows — Strouthion, a little sparrow, sold for the assarion, a small Roman copper coin ('farthing'). Matthew's wording differs: 'two sparrows sold for a farthing' (Matt 10:29), so five here cost two coins. Yet 'not one of them is forgotten before God'.

Verse 8

shall confess me — Homologeo, to say the same, acknowledge openly. The reward is matched to the act: the Son of man will confess him 'before the angels of God'; Matthew has 'before my Father which is in heaven' (Matt 10:32). The reverse follows in v.9.

Verse 10

blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost — A word 'against the Son of man' may be forgiven, but not blasphemy (blasphemeo, to speak impiously) against the Holy Ghost. Matthew has the same contrast: the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost 'shall not be forgiven unto men' (Matt 12:31). The verse follows the call to confess in vv.8–9.

Verse 11

take ye no thought — Merimnao, to be anxious, the verb of vv.22, 25–26. Before 'synagogues… magistrates, and powers' the disciples need not prepare a defence (apologeomai). The Spirit teaches 'in the same hour' (v.12); compare Luke 21:14–15 and Matt 10:20.

Verse 13

divide the inheritance — Klēronomia, inheritance, and merizo, to apportion. The man wants Christ as arbiter of a family estate. The request leads Jesus to the warning of v.15 and the parable of vv.16–20, and to his reply in v.14 that he is no 'divider'.

Verse 14

who made me a judge — Dikastes, a judge, and meristes, a divider. The words recall the Hebrew who rebuffed Moses: 'Who made thee a prince and a judge over us?' (Ex 2:14). Christ declines the office of civil arbiter, and turns to the covetousness behind the request.

Verse 15

covetousness — Pleonexia, the desire for more. The reason is given: 'a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.' Zoe, life, is not measured by hyparchonta, possessions; the parable of vv.16–21 illustrates it.

Verse 20

Thou fool — Aphron, without understanding. God speaks, and the man's 'soul' (psyche) is 'required' (apaiteo, demanded back) that night. The question 'whose shall those things be?' echoes Ps 39:6, one who 'heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them'.

Verse 21

rich toward God — The contrast to 'layeth up treasure for himself' (thesaurizo). Jesus gives the positive in v.33, 'provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens', and in Matt 6:20, 'lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven'.

Verse 22

Take no thought for your life — Merimnao, to be anxious; psyche is life, and the body's need is clothing. Said 'unto his disciples', after the parable addressed to the crowd. Matthew places the same teaching in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt 6:25).

Verse 25

add to his stature one cubit — Helikia may mean stature or length of life, and pechys, the cubit, is a measure of length. Either way, anxious 'taking thought' (merimnao) cannot add; v.26 calls this 'that thing which is least'. Matthew has the same saying (Matt 6:27).

Verse 31

seek ye the kingdom of God — Zeteo, to seek, replaces the seeking of food and drink in v.29. 'These things' are then 'added' (prostithemi). Matthew adds 'first… and his righteousness' (Matt 6:33), the nations' seeking having been described in v.30.

Verse 32

little flock — Poimnion, a small flock, with mikros, little in number. The ground of 'Fear not' is the Father's 'good pleasure' (eudokeo, to be well pleased) to give the kingdom, a gift, not a wage. The next verse turns to selling and giving.

Verse 33

bags which wax not old — Balantion, a money-purse, set against bags that wear out (palaioo). The treasure 'in the heavens that faileth not' is safe from the 'thief' and the 'moth'; compare Matt 6:19–20. Giving 'alms' (eleemosyne, acts of mercy) is the way of laying it up.

Verse 35

loins be girded — The long robe was tied up with a belt for work or travel; perizonnymi, to gird about. 'Lights burning' are lamps (lychnos). The picture is of servants ready at night; compare 'gird up the loins of your mind' (1 Pet 1:13).

Verse 37

he shall gird himself — The verb of v.35 now describes the master: he girds himself, seats the servants (anaklino, to make recline) and serves (diakoneo) them. The reversal is acted out in John 13:4–5, when he girded himself with a towel and washed the disciples' feet.

Verse 40

Be ye therefore ready — Hetoimos, prepared. The coming 'at an hour when ye think not' repeats the thief of v.39 and is put almost in the same words in Matt 24:44 ('in such an hour as ye think not'). 'Son of man' is the title Jesus uses of himself for his return, as in v.8.

Verse 41

unto us, or even to all? — Peter asks whether the parable of vv.35–40 is for the disciples alone. Jesus does not answer directly but speaks of the faithful steward (v.42). Mark records the general application: 'what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch' (Mark 13:37).

Verse 47

many stripes — Dero, to beat (literally to flay). The servant who knew his lord's will (thelema) and neither prepared nor acted is beaten polys, many. v.48 sets the lighter 'few' for the one who did not know: responsibility is measured by knowledge. Compare James 4:17.

Verse 48

unto whomsoever much is given — The rule closing the parable, balancing v.47: the ignorant who do wrong are beaten with 'few stripes', but of the one entrusted with much (paratithemi, to place in keeping) 'they will ask the more'. Compare James 3:1 on teachers.

Verse 49

to send fire on the earth — Pyr, fire, with ballo, to cast. John the Baptist had said that the coming one would burn up the chaff 'with unquenchable fire' (Matt 3:12). The wish 'if it be already kindled' leads to the baptism of v.50.

Verse 50

a baptism to be baptized with — Baptisma, immersion; used here of his coming suffering, as when he asks James and John whether they can be baptized with his baptism (Matt 20:22). 'Straitened' is synecho, to be held in, pressed; the pressure lasts 'till it be accomplished' (teleo, finished).

Verse 51

peace on earth… division — Eirene against diamerismos, disunion. The Son's coming divides even households; vv.52–53 list them. Matthew has the same saying with 'a sword' in place of division (Matt 10:34).

Verse 54

a cloud rise out of the west — Said 'to the people', not the disciples. The west is the Mediterranean side, as the cloud 'out of the sea' that Elijah's servant saw (1 Kings 18:44). Ombros, a shower. The weather sign is used to rebuke blindness to another sign, in v.56.

Verse 56

Ye hypocrites — Hypokrites, an actor. The same word family as 'hypocrisy' in v.1. They 'discern' (dokimazo, to test and judge) 'the face of the sky and of the earth' but not 'this time' (kairos, the appointed season). v.57 asks why they do not judge for themselves.

Verse 58

give diligence that thou mayest be delivered — Antidikos is the opponent in a lawsuit; the path leads from magistrate to judge to the praktor, the officer who collects, and so to prison. The scene teaches settling before the case is heard; Matthew gives it in Matt 5:25–26.

Verse 59

the very last mite — Lepton, the smallest coin; two of them made the widow's offering, 'two mites, which make a farthing' (Mark 12:42). 'Thou shalt not depart' (ou me, by no means) until the whole is paid; compare Matt 5:26.