Luke 12 – NIV & BPH

New International Version

Luke 12:1-59

Warnings and Encouragements

1Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: “Be12:1 Or speak to his disciples, saying: “First of all, be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 3What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.

4“I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. 5But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. 6Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. 7Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

8“I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God. 9But whoever disowns me before others will be disowned before the angels of God. 10And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

11“When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, 12for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.”

The Parable of the Rich Fool

13Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

14Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” 15Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”

16And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 17He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’

18“Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” ’

20“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’

21“This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”

Do Not Worry

22Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life12:25 Or single cubit to your height? 26Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

27“Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! 29And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

32“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Watchfulness

35“Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, 36like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. 37It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. 38It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak. 39But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

41Peter asked, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?”

42The Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? 43It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. 44Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 45But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk. 46The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.

47“The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. 48But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

Not Peace but Division

49“I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50But I have a baptism to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed! 51Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. 52From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. 53They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

Interpreting the Times

54He said to the crowd: “When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, ‘It’s going to rain,’ and it does. 55And when the south wind blows, you say, ‘It’s going to be hot,’ and it is. 56Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don’t know how to interpret this present time?

57“Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right? 58As you are going with your adversary to the magistrate, try hard to be reconciled on the way, or your adversary may drag you off to the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. 59I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.”

Bibelen på hverdagsdansk

Lukasevangeliet 12:1-59

Advarsel mod hykleri

Matt. 10,26-27

1I mellemtiden stimlede tusindvis af mennesker sammen omkring Jesus, så de nærmest trådte på hinanden. Jesus talte til folkeskaren, men tænkte især på disciplene: „Pas på! Hold jer fra farisæernes surdej, hykleriet. 2Hvad der er skjult nu, vil blive åbenbaret engang. Det, som nu er hemmeligt, vil blive kendt. 3Hvad I har sagt i mørket, vil komme frem i lyset, og hvad I har hvisket bag lukkede døre, vil blive udråbt offentligt.

At have tillid til Gud

Matt. 10,28-31

4Jeg siger jer, mine venner: Vær ikke bange for dem, som nok kan slå jer ihjel rent fysisk, men ikke har magt over, hvad der sker med jer bagefter. 5Lad mig fortælle jer, hvem I skal frygte: Frygt ham, der efter at I er slået ihjel, har magt til at kaste i Helvede. Ja, ham skal I frygte.

6Hvad koster fem spurve? Nogle få mønter måske. Men ikke én af dem er glemt hos Gud. 7Selv hårene på jeres hoved har Gud tal på. Så vær ikke bange. I er mere værd end mange spurve.

At vedkende sig Jesus

Matt. 10,32-33; 12,32; 10,19-20

8Det siger jeg jer: Dem, der åbent og offentligt vedkender sig Menneskesønnen, vil jeg også åbent vedkende mig over for Guds engle. 9Men dem, der offentligt nægter at kendes ved mig, vil jeg heller ikke kendes ved over for Guds engle. 10De, der taler negativt om Menneskesønnen, kan godt blive tilgivet, men de, der håner Helligånden, afskærer sig selv fra tilgivelse.

11Når I bliver stillet for retten i synagogerne eller skal forsvare jer over for myndigheder og øvrighedspersoner, skal I ikke bekymre jer om, hvad I skal sige til jeres forsvar, 12for Helligånden vil på sådanne tidspunkter inspirere jer til, hvad I skal sige.”

Verdens eller Guds rigdom?

13En mand fra mængden råbte: „Mester, sig til min bror, at han skal dele min fars arv med mig!”

14Jesus svarede: „Gud har ikke sendt mig for at være dommer i jeres retssager.” 15Så tilføjede han henvendt til de omkringstående: „Vogt jer for al slags pengebegær, for økonomisk velstand kan ikke skænke jer livet.”

16Derpå fortalte Jesus en historie: „En rig mand havde en gård, hvis marker havde givet en rekordstor høst. 17Han spekulerede derfor på, hvad han skulle gøre, for han havde ikke plads til den enorme høst. 18Til sidst sagde han til sig selv: ‚Jeg vil rive mine lader ned og bygge nogle endnu større, så jeg kan få det hele under tag. 19Derefter vil jeg tage den med ro og sige til mig selv: Nu har du samlet nok til mange år, og det er på tide, du nyder livet. Spis, drik og vær glad!’ 20Men Gud sagde til ham: ‚Du er en tåbe! I nat skal du dø! Hvem skal så have alt det, du har skrabet sammen?’

21Sådan går det den, der kun tænker på at samle sig rigdomme på jorden i stedet for at tjene Gud.”

Om at stole på Gud

Matt. 6,25-33; 6,19-21

22Jesus fortsatte, nu henvendt til sine disciple: „Det er grunden til, at jeg siger, at I ikke skal bekymre jer for, om I nu også har mad at spise og tøj at tage på. 23Livet er jo mere end maden og tøjet. 24Se på ravnene. De hverken sår eller høster, og de samler ikke forråd, men alligevel giver Gud dem, hvad de har brug for. Er I ikke meget mere værd end fuglene? 25Hvad hjælper det at bekymre sig? Kan I derved lægge bare én dag til jeres liv? 26Hvis altså uro og ængstelse ikke kan ændre noget, hvorfor så i det hele taget gøre sig bekymringer?

27Se på liljerne, hvordan de vokser uden at gøre sig anstrengelser. De hverken spinder eller væver. Men det siger jeg jer: Ikke engang Salomon i al sin kongepragt var klædt så smukt som dem. 28Når Gud nu sørger for blomsterne, der folder sig ud i dag og visner i morgen, skulle han så ikke sørge for jer? Hvor er jeres tro dog lille! 29-30I skal ikke være så optaget af, hvad I skal spise og drikke. Det går folk ude i verden højt op i, men I skal ikke bekymre jer om sådan noget, for jeres Far i Himlen ved, at I har brug for det. 31Nej, søg først Guds rige, så skal I få alt det andet i tilgift.

32Vær ikke bange, du lille flok, for jeres Far har besluttet at give jer del i sit Rige. 33Sælg hvad I har og giv pengene til dem, der er i nød. Skaf jer punge, der aldrig bliver slidt op, og rigdomme i Himlen, der aldrig mister deres værdi, for dér bliver der hverken stjålet eller ødelagt noget. 34Hvor jeres rigdomme er, vil også jeres tanker være.

Vær altid parat

Matt. 24,42-51

35-36Vær altid parate og hold lamperne tændt som tjenere, der venter på, at deres herre skal komme hjem efter en bryllupsfest, så de kan lukke op for ham, lige så snart han banker på døren. 37Velsignede er de, som han således finder parate, når han kommer tilbage. Det siger jeg jer: Han vil tage et forklæde på og få dem til at sætte sig til bords for selv at varte dem op. 38Måske kommer han ikke før midnat, måske først i de tidlige morgentimer. Men i alle tilfælde bliver de tjenere velsignet, som står parate til at tage imod ham.

39Hvis en husejer var klar over, hvornår der ville komme en tyv, ville han holde vagt for at forhindre et indbrud. 40Sådan skal I være parate, for Menneskesønnen kommer på et tidspunkt, I ikke regner med.”

41Peter spurgte: „Er det med henblik på os, du fortæller den historie, eller gælder det alle?”

42Jesus svarede: „En klog og god forvalter passer sin herres ejendom godt og sørger for, at alle de øvrige tjenere får noget at spise til rette tid. 43Lykkelig den forvalter, som trofast er i gang med at udføre sit arbejde, når hans herre vender tilbage. 44Det siger jeg jer: Hans herre vil give ham ansvaret for alt, hvad han ejer.

45Men hvis forvalteren tænker: ‚Det varer nok længe, inden min herre viser sig’, kan han give sig til at mishandle alle tjenestefolkene, alt imens han selv fester og drikker. 46Når så hans herre kommer på et uventet tidspunkt, bliver forvalteren hårdt straffet og kommer til at dele skæbne med de vantro. 47Når han bliver straffet så hårdt, er det fordi, han var blevet bedt om at holde sig parat, og han udmærket vidste, hvad hans herre havde befalet ham at gøre. Alligevel gjorde han det ikke.

48Men de, der ikke kender deres herres vilje og gør sig skyldige i noget, de fortjener straf for, vil få en mildere straf, for man forlanger mest af dem, der har fået mest betroet.

Nogle vil tage imod Jesus, andre vil blive hans fjender

Matt. 10,34-36

49Jeg er kommet for at sætte verden i brand, og hvor ville jeg ønske, at ilden allerede havde fænget! 50Men jeg skal igennem en lidelsens dåb, og indtil det er overstået, gruer jeg for det.

51Tro ikke, at fordi jeg er kommet til denne jord, vil der være fred og ingen fare. Nej, der vil blive splid blandt mennesker. 52Fra nu af vil fem personer i samme familie være indbyrdes uenige, tre mod to og to mod tre. 53En far og en søn vil blive uenige, og ligeledes en mor og en datter, en svigermor og svigerdatter.”

Om at forstå tidens tegn

Matt. 16,2-3

54Derpå sagde Jesus henvendt til folkeskaren omkring ham: „Når I ser skyerne trække sammen i vest, siger I straks: ‚Nu bliver det regn.’ Det har I ret i. 55Og når vinden kommer fra syd, siger I: ‚Det bliver varmt i dag.’ Det har I også ret i. 56Alligevel bedrager I jer selv. I kan tyde jordens og himlens tegn. Hvorfor kan I så ikke tyde tidens tegn?”

Om at få sin sag bragt i orden, inden det er for sent

Matt. 5,25-26

57Til sidst sagde Jesus: „Hvorfor kan I ikke selv bedømme, hvad der er det rigtige? 58Er der nogen, som anklager dig for ikke at have betalt din gæld, så gør, hvad du kan, for at få sagen bragt i orden, inden det er for sent. Ellers ender sagen hos dommeren, som vil overgive dig til retsbetjenten, og retsbetjenten vil sætte dig i fængsel. 59Det siger jeg dig: Du slipper aldrig ud derfra, medmindre din gæld bliver betalt fuldt ud!”