MODERN LITERAL VERSION

12:1 At which time, when ten-thousand from the crowd were gathered together, so-that they trampled down one another, he began to say to his disciples first, Take-heed of yourselves of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
12:2 But nothing is covered up, that will not be revealed; or secret, that will not be known.
12:3 Because as many things as you* have said in the darkness will be heard in the light, and what you* have spoken in the ear in the storerooms will be preached upon the housetops.
12:4 And I say to you* my friends, Do not be afraid of those who kill the body and they do not have, after these things, anything more-than that to do against you*.
12:5 But I will warn you* whom you* should fear. Fear him, who after he has killed you has authority to cast you * into hell. Yes, I say to you*, Fear him.

12:6 Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one out of them is forgotten in the sight of God.
12:7 But even the hairs of your* head have all been numbered. Therefore do not fear. You* carry more-value than many sparrows.
12:8 And I say to you*, Everyone– whomever confess in me in front of men, the Son of Man will also confess in him in front of the messengers of God.
12:9 But he who is denying me before men will be denied before the messengers of God.
12:10 And every one who will speak a blasphemous word at the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him, but to him who has blasphemed at the Holy Spirit it will not be forgiven.
12:11 And whenever they bring you* before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious concerning how or what you* may need to make a defense or what you* should say,
12:12 for* the Holy Spirit will teach you* in that same hour what you* ought to say.

12:13 And one out of the crowd said to him, Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.

12:14 But he said to him, Man, who designated me a justice or a divider over you?

12:15 And he said to them, See and keep yourselves from greed, because to no one is his life in the abundance from the things which he possesses.

12:16 And he spoke a parable to them, saying: The country side of a certain rich man was fertile;
12:17 and he reasoned with himself, saying, What should I do, because I have nowhere to gather my fruits?
12:18 And he said, I will do this: I will take down my barns and build greater ones. And I will gather there all my fruits of labor and my good things.
12:19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have many good things laid up *for many years; rest yourself, eat, drink, and be joyous.

12:20 But God said to him, You foolish one, this night they ask back your soul from you, and the things which you prepared, whose will they be?
12:21 So is he who is storing up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.

12:22 And he said to his disciples, Therefore I say to you*, Do not be anxious for your* life, what you* might eat; nor yet what you* might clothe your * body with.
12:23 The life you * have is more-than the nourishment and the body is more-than the clothing.
12:24 Consider the ravens, that they do not sow nor reap; they have no storeroom nor a barn, and God nourishes them. How much more-value do you* carry than the birds!
12:25 And which out of you* by being anxious can add one cubit to his stature?
12:26 Therefore if you* are not able to do even what is least, why are you* anxious concerning the rest?
12:27 Consider the lilies, how they grow. They do not labor nor do they spin; yet I say to you*, Even Solomon in all his glory was not dressed like one of these.
12:28 But if God so dresses-up the grass in the field, which today is here and tomorrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you*, O you* of little faith?
12:29 And do not seek what you* might eat or what you* might drink and do not be in anxious suspense.
12:30 For* the nations of the world are seeking after all these things, but your* Father knows that you* have need of these things.
12:31 However seek the kingdom of God and all these things will be added to you*.
12:32 Do not fear, little flock, because your* Father was delighted to give you* the kingdom.
12:33 Sell your* possessions and give as charity; make* for yourselves money-bags which do not become-obsolete, an unfailing treasure in the heavens, where no thief draws near, nor moth corrupts.
12:34 For* where your* treasure is, your* heart will also be there.

12:35 Let your* hips be girded and your* lamps burning;
12:36 and you* yourselves are similar to men waiting for their lord, as to when he may vacate from the marriage feast; that*, when he comes and knocks, they may immediately open to him.
12:37 Those bondservants are fortunate, whom the lord when he comes will find watching. Assuredly I say to you* that he will gird himself and make them recline at the meal and will come and serve them.
12:38 And if he comes in the second watch and if in the third and may find them so, those bondservants are fortunate .
12:39 But know this, that if the householder had known in what hour the thief was coming, he would have watched and would not have left his house roof to be burrowed through.
12:40 You * therefore, also become ready, because in an hour that you* do not think the Son of Man is coming, he comes.

12:41 And Peter said to him, Lord, do you speak this parable to us or even to all?

12:42 And the Lord said, Who then is the faithful and prudent steward, whom his lord will designate over his bondservants, to give them their food-allowance in season?
12:43 That bondservant is fortunate, whom his lord will find so doing when he comes.
12:44 Truly I say to you* that he will designate him over all that he possesses.
12:45 But if that bondservant says in his heart, my lord delays his coming, and may begin to beat the young-servants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken;
12:46 the lord of that bondservant will come in a day when he is not expecting and in an hour when he does not know and will flog him and place his part with the unbelieving.
12:47 And that bondservant, who knew his lord's will and did not prepare, nor did according to his will, will be whipped with many lashes;
12:48 but he who did not know and did things worthy of lashes, will be whipped with few lashes. And to whomever much is given, much will be required of him and to whom they intrust much, they will ask even-more of him.

12:49 I came to cast fire into the earth, and what do I wish, if it is already lit?
12:50 But I have an immersion* to be immersed* in, and how I am so troubled until it might be finished!
12:51 You* are thinking that I have come to give peace in the earth? I tell you*, No, but rather division.
12:52 For* there will be from hereafter five in one house divided, three against two and two against three.
12:53 Father will be divided against son and son against father; mother against daughter and daughter against her mother; mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.

12:54 And he also said to the crowds, Whenever you* see the cloud rising from the west, immediately you* say, A thunderstorm is coming, and so it happens.
12:55 And when you * see a south wind blowing, you* say, There will be a burning heat, and it happens.
12:56 You* hypocrites, you* know how to {F} decipher the face of the earth and the heaven, but how do you* not know how {F} to decipher this time?
12:57 And why are you* not judging what is right even from yourselves?
12:58 For* as you are going on the road with your opponent to be before the ruler, {F} work hard to be set-free of him; lest he might drag you down to the judge and the judge might give you to the constable and the constable might cast you into prison.
12:59 I say to you, You may never* come out from there, until you should have repaid even the last bronze-coin.
{Footnotes: Lk 12:56- Greek: test. Lk 12:58- Literally: give work to.}