DISCOURSES ON VARIOUS TOPICS--MINISTERIAL DILIGENCE.
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.
For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed:
neither hid, that shall not be known. 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.
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. 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. Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings,
and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very
hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore; ye
are of more value than many sparrows.
Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men,
him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of
God: but he that denieth me before men shall be denied before
the angels of God. 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.
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: for the Holy Ghost
shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.
And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that
he divide the inheritance with me. And he said unto him,
Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?
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.
And he spake a parable unto them, saying,
The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
and he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do,
because I have no room where to bestow my fruits.
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. 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.
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? So _is_ he that layeth up treasure for
himself, and is not rich towards God.
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. The
life is more than meat, and the body _is more_ than raiment.
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? And which of you with
taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? If ye then be
not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought
for the rest?
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. 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? And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye
shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these
things do the nations of the world seek after; and your Father
knoweth that ye have need of these things. But rather seek ye
the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto
you.
Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure
to give you the kingdom. 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. For where your treasure is, there will your
heart be also.
Let your loins be girded about, and _your_ lights burning; 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. 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.
And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third
watch, and find _them_ so, blessed are those servants. 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. Be ye therefore
ready also; for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think
not.
Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or
even to all? 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? Blessed _is_ that servant, whom
his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Of a truth I say
unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath.
But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his
coming; and shall begin to beat the men servants and maidens,
and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; 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.
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_. 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.
I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be
already kindled? But I have a baptism to be baptized with: and
how am I straitened till it be accomplished! Suppose ye that I
am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather
division: for from henceforth there shall be five in one
house divided, three against two, and two against three. 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 the daughter in
law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
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. And when _ye see_ the
south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to
pass. _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?
Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?
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. I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till
thou hast paid the very last mite.