1 When tens of thousands of people had gathered, trampling over each other, Jesus began to speak to his students first:

“Watch yourselves, that you avoid the yeast of the Pharisees, which is pretense. 2 Nothing is covered up that will not be exposed, and nothing is secret that will not be made known. 3 Without exception, whatever you say in the dark will be heard in the light, and how you spoke to people behind closed doors will be announced from the rooftops.

4 “I’m telling you, my friends, don’t be afraid of the people who kill the body and then have nothing more they can do. 5 I’ll tell you whom you should fear instead: Fear the one who after killing you then has the right to toss you into the Hinnom Valley! Yes, I tell you. Be afraid of that one! 6 Aren’t five sparrowsa sold for two assaria?b And not one of them is overlooked by God. 7 In fact, even the hairs on your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you matter more than many sparrows.

8 “I’m telling you, anyone who openly acknowledges connection with me in front of people, the Son of Humanity will also openly acknowledge connection with them in front of God’s messengers.c 9 But the one who denies connection with me in front of people will be denied in front of God’s messengers. 10 Anything anyone says against the Son of Humanity will be let go, but for anyone who speaks disrespectfully against the Sacredd Life-breath,e it will not be let go. 11 When they bring you in front of synagogues, and the leaders, and the authorities, don’t worry you’ll make your defense or what you’ll say. 12 After all, the Sacred Life-breath will teach you what you need to say at that time.”

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

14 “Man, who appointed me judge between you?” Jesus said to him. 15 Then he said to the crowd,f “Watch yourselves, that you avoid every form of greed because a person’s life doesn’t come from the abundance of their possessions.”

16 He told them a parable: “One wealthy person’s land produced a surplus crop, 17 so he considered, ‘What should I do, since I don’t have anywhere to store my crops.’ 18 Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do: I’ll tear down my storehouse and build bigger ones, and I’ll store all my grain and resources there. 19 I’ll say to my very being,g “Self, you have many resources set aside for many years. Relax, eat, drink, and be happy!”’ 20 But God said to him, ‘How senseless! On this night your very being will be demanded back from you. Who will everything you’ve prepared be for?’ 21 That’s how it is for whoever accumulates wealth for themselves, not being rich in God.”

22 Then he said to his students, “For that reason, I tell you, don’t worry about your very life,h what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. 23 After all, to be a living being is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. 24 Think about the ravens,i how they don’t plant or harvest, how they have no storeroom or storehouse, yet God provides food for them. You are so much more valuable than birds!

25 “Who among you is able to add an hour to the length of your lifej by worrying? 26 So, since you can’t add even the shortest bit of time, why do you worry about anything at all? 27 Think about how flowers grow. They don’t labor or spin, but I’m telling you, not even Solomon in all his grandeur was dressed like one of them. 28 Yet if this is how God clothes the grass in the countryside, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven as fuel,k how much more for you, you who have a little trust.l 29 Also, don’t fixate on what you’ll eat or what you’ll drink, and don’t be swept up in panic.m 30 After all, all the peoples of the world are fully fixated on getting these things, and your Father knows you need them. 31 Instead, fixate on God’s Reign,n and these things will be included for you.

32 “Don’t be afraid, youngo flock, because your Father thinks it good to give you the Reign. 33 Sell your property and give a compassionate donation.p Make your purses ones that don’t wear out, an unlimited treasuryq in the heavens, where no thief comes close and no moth ruins it. 34 You see, where your treasury is, your heartr will be there too.

35 “Be ready to go: dressed to moves and lamps burning. 36 Be like people waiting for their slave holdert to return from the wedding feast, so that when he comes and knocks, they can open the door for him right away. 37 Those enslaved workers—whom the slave holder finds keeping watch—have reason for gratitude. Honestly, I’m telling you he will dress himself for work, have them recline at the table, and come serve them. 38 Even if he comes and finds them this way in the second or third watch, they still have reason for gratitude. 39 And know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief would come, he would not have allowed his house to be broken into. 40 Be ready, because the Son of Humanity is coming at an hour you don’t expect.”

41 “Sir,”u said Peter, “Are you telling this parable for us or for everyone?”

42 The Liberating Sovereignv said, “Well, who is the faithful and thoughtfulw household manager, whom the slave holder will appoint over his household caretakers to dispense their food allowance at the scheduled time? 43 That enslaved worker—whose slave holder arrives to find them ready for himx—has reason for gratitude.y 44 Honestly, I’m telling you that the slave holder will appoint him over all his possessions.

45 “However, if that enslaved worker says in their heart, “My enslaver is delaying his arrival,” and they begin to beat the other enslaved attendants, male and female, and to eat, drink, and get drunk, 46 the slave holder will come on a day when that enslaved worker does not expect and at an hour that they don’t know, and he will tear him apart with a whipz and assign them a place with the unfaithful. 47 That enslaved worker—who knows what their enslaver wants and doesn’t prepare for it or do it—will be beaten severely. 48 However, the one who doesn’t know and does what the slave holder counts as deserving blowsaa will receive a mild beating. From everyone who has been given much, much will be expected, and to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be asked.

49 “I came to set a fire in the land, and how I wish it were already lit! 50 I have an immersionbb to receive, and how constrainedcc I am until it is done! 51 Do you think I came to bring unitydd in the land? Not unity, I’m telling you, but a split.ee 52 You see, from now on five people in one house will be split, three against two and two against three. 53 They will be split 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.”

54 Then to the crowds he said, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say right away, ‘A rainstorm is coming,’ and it happens that way. 55 And when you notice a south wind blowing, you say, ‘It’ll be blazing hot,’ and it happens. 56 Pretenders!ff You know how to assess the appearance of the land and sky, but you don’t know how to assess this moment?

57 “Now, why don’t you also judge for yourselves what is just? 58 As you are on the way with your accuser to the magistrate, make every effort to be released bygg them, so that they might not drag you in front of the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer throw you in prison. 59 I’m telling you, you will certainly not get out of there until you pay back the very last lepton.”hh

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Luke 11
Luke 13

FOOTNOTES:

  1. a. Sparrows were among the cheapest animals sold for food or sacrifice. Two assaria, which small copper coins worth only a few minutes’ wages, could buy several birds. The image underscores both their low market value and God’s attention even to creatures considered insignificant.

  2. b. Assaria were small coins worth one 16th of a denarius, which itself was the wage for a single day’s manual labor. If we compare it to an eight-hour workday at a $15 dollar wage, two assaria, would have been worth about $15.

  3. c. The word angelos means ‘messenger,’ possibly used for spirit beings, but also used for human agents of God (or other people) and sometimes even for natural phenomena. It conveys the meaning of someone authorized to speak—or act—on behalf of another. If the reader wants to read these messengers (acting on God’s behalf) as celestial beings, great. If as humans, great. The word angelos, even for spirit-beings, is a job title, not a ‘species’ classification. The work of Michael S. Heiser is a great source of information on this topic.

  4. d. Traditionally, “Holy”

  5. e. Traditionally, ‘Spirit.’ The Greek word pneuma could be used to refer to ‘wind,’ ‘breath,’ or an animating energy within people, thought to be perceptible in the breath. Hebrew and Latin also use the same word for all these concepts. In scripture, it typically calls back the image to Genesis 1 and 2: “the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters” (Genesis 1:2 NASB) and “the Lord God formed the human from the topsoil of the fertile land and blew life’s breath into [its] nostrils. The human came to life.” (Genesis 2:7 CEB).

  6. f. Literally, “he said to them.” It’s possible he’s just teaching his own students directly as he started to do in verse 1, but there’s clearly a crowd observing and beginning to engage, so it seems more likely that he continues to engage with the larger crowd.

  7. g. The Greek word here is psuche, the root of the English ‘psyche’ and ‘psychology,’ and traditionally translated as ‘soul.’ A better single word might be ‘being.’ Like the Hebrew nephesh, it refers to the ‘living being’—a unity of body, breath, and life-force. Depending on context, other appropriate translations include ‘life’ and ‘self.’

  8. h. This is another instance of The Greek word psuche, the root of the English ‘psyche’ and ‘psychology,’ and traditionally translated as ‘soul.’ A better single word might be ‘being.’ Like the Hebrew nephesh, it refers to the ‘living being’—a unity of body, breath, and life-force. Depending on context, other appropriate translations include ‘life’ and ‘self.’

  9. i. Ravens were considered unclean (see Leviticus 11:15; Deuteronomy 14:14) and carried associations as scavengers. Luke’s choice of “ravens” instead of Matthew’s “birds” may emphasize that even unclean creatures receive God’s provision (see Job 38:41 and Psalm 147:9).

  10. j. Or ‘add a cubit (18 inches) to your height’ The words are ambiguous and can refer either to a person’s height or age. The word for ‘cubit’ can possibly be understood as ‘hour’ or ‘day’ when used for time. In either case, the point is that it is quite short in comparison to a whole lifespan.

  11. k. The words ‘as fuel’ have been added for clarity. The cultural context is regarding ovens that run on burning fuel rather than modern appliances with electricity or natural gas. The point of putting the grass into the oven is not to destroy it but to provide fuel for cooking food.

  12. l. The Greek word oligopistoi literally means “little-trusting ones.” It does not accuse people of unbelief but describes those whose trust is small, fragile, or uncertain. The phrase can carry tenderness rather than rebuke, an acknowledgment of limited trust that still exists, not its absence. Jesus has made it clear that a little trust is all that is needed for it to lead to big things, making it an affirmation of being on the right path, not a critique for missing the point.

  13. m. Or “don’t be tossed about in anxious uncertainty.” From meteorizomai (I am lifted up, suspended, unsettled). In Greek moral and philosophical usage, the term described a mind or heart unsettled, restless, or carried away by agitation, as if lifted off the ground and spun around by worry. Jesus’ wording evokes the image of being unmoored and swept away by panic, contrasting the grounded steadiness of trust with the frantic instability of fear.

  14. n. ‘Reign’ emphasizes God’s ways filling and transforming creation, rather than defining a set place or "kingdom." The Greek term basileia points to God’s influence, bringing about peace, justice, and restoration across lives and systems. This term highlights an active, ongoing impact that begins now and will be fully realized in the future through Jesus, focusing on transformation rather than territory.

  15. o. Or ‘little’ or ‘small’ or ‘few’

  16. p. This word is derived from the word for compassion, and it refers to almsgiving, or donations to the poor and people begging for help.

  17. q. This word can mean either the valuable belongings or the place in which the valuable belongings are kept. The context here seems to indicate this instance is referring to where the valuables are kept.

  18. r. The Greek word kardia (usually translated “heart”) describes the deepest core of a person, where thoughts, feelings, desires, motivations, and critical decision-making all come together. It serves as an “inner compass,” giving direction to a person’s life, not just with emotions or for guiding individual decisions, but in shaping the entire way someone sees, trusts, and moves through the world.

  19. s. The phrase literally says, “Let your loins be girded,” an idiom for tucking up a long robe into a belt to move freely. “Loins” refers to the lower back and hips (and euphemistically, it is sometimes used in other contexts to refer to genitals), and “gird” is an outdated word meaning to secure loose clothing around one’s middle. It evokes readiness for action—servants preparing to travel, work, or serve a meal. Translating it as “dressed to move” keeps the image of alert, practical readiness without the archaic phrasing. The imagery echoes Exodus 12:11, where the Israelites eat the Passover meal with their loins girded, ready to begin their journey to freedom.

  20. t. The Greek word kurios can mean “lord,” “master,” or “owner.” Here it refers to a person who holds authority over people enslaved in their household. Translating it as “slave holder” keeps the social reality visible instead of spiritualizing or softening the reality of the cultural context and hierarchical language.

  21. u. Another instance of kurios, (traditionally translated here as ‘Lord’). It is used here as a respectful form of address

  22. v. Traditionally, ‘Lord.’ The Greek word kurios, when applied to Jesus, can be translated in several ways, including ‘sir,’ ‘master,’ or ‘sovereign.’ Rendering it as “Lord” reflects the feudal, patriarchal, and imperial assumptions embedded in early English translations, which often reinforced hierarchical power structures. In both Greco-Roman and American history, kurios and “lord” were titles used for slaveowners. As Rev. Dr. Wilda C. Gafney notes, “Lord is a slavery word,” and when used without theological and historical framing, it risks reinscribing the very systems of domination that Jesus came to upend (A Women’s Lectionary for the Whole Church: Year A, Introduction). In the Roman imperial context, kurios was also a title for Caesar—as was soter (‘savior’ or ‘liberator’). The New Testament’s application of kurios to Jesus is thus not only theological but also politically subversive. The Christ of the Christian scriptures is not an overlord but a radically different kind of sovereign—one who liberates through justice, solidarity, and self-giving love. Rendering kurios as “Liberating Sovereign” preserves the subversive edge of the title while resisting the hierarchical and enslaver connotations embedded in the English word “Lord.”

  23. w. Or ‘prudent’ or ‘sensible’ or ‘conscientious’

  24. x. Literally “doing so” but it is referring to the action in verse 36, so it is translated here as “ready for him” for clarity.

  25. y. Traditionally, ‘blessed.’ There is not one English word that covers what is being described here. There is a sense of satisfaction or contentedness but also receiving something that meets a need. Sometimes it’s translated ‘happy’ to capture the mental/emotional component, and historically it was translated ‘blessed’ to capture the endowment aspect of it, of receiving something as a gift from God. It is about receiving something that inspires or is worthy of gratitude.

  26. z. Literally, “cut in two” and could refer to a literal chopping in half or a more figurative use in which a severe beating with a whip is given until the skin and muscles are torn open.

  27. aa. Literally, “does things of equivalent weight with blows.” The adjective axios (“of equivalent weight”) is often rendered as “worthy” or “deserving,” but it draws from the image of a balanced scale, indicating an assessed equivalence, not moral merit. This translation adds “the slave holder” to clarify that it is the slave holder who “counts” the acts as warranting blows, reflecting a hierarchical judgment rather than divine or moral justice.

  28. bb. In English, translations have traditionally simply taken the Greek word and put it in English letters: ‘baptize.’ The historical reason for this was that the first translators of the Bible into English practiced infant baptism, and the Greek word literally means ‘dip’ or ‘immerse something in a liquid,’ it didn’t fit with their doctrine and practice. Other languages translate it fully, so in Dutch, for example, John is known as ‘John the Dipper.’ In addition to the literal action of dipping or immersing in the water, this is clearly a reference to ceremonial cleansing, preparing people for a sacred calling.

  29. cc. The Greek word sunechomai is typically translated “distressed” or “pressed,” but it literally means “to be held together,” “contained,” or “hemmed in.” It can describe physical confinement, emotional tension, or being compelled by circumstance or purpose. Rendering it as “constrained” preserves the image of inward pressure without suggesting anxiety or despair. Here, Jesus speaks of being bound within the path set before him not by distress but by an urgent focus on completing his purpose.

  30. dd. The Greek word eirene is traditionally translated “peace,” but it refers less to an inner sense of calm or the absence of conflict and more to social wholeness, order, or unity. In Greco-Roman contexts, eirene could describe the societal stability of a well-ordered household, city, or empire, which in that culture was assumed to be maintained by domination. Rendering it as “unity” clarifies that Jesus is not rejecting genuine, mutual well-being and reconciliation but the expectation of imposed or superficial stability and order. His mission divides false unity to make way for just and truthful relationships.

  31. ee. The Greek word diamerismos is often translated “division,” but 'split' better reflects the sense of something once whole being torn in two. “Division” in modern English usually suggests disagreement or quarrel, but diamerismos evokes a rupture within existing relationships—a painful separation of what once belonged together. Rendering it as “split” highlights the cost of faithfulness to truth and justice, not a spirit of hostility or contention.

  32. ff. Traditionally translated as "hypocrites," the Greek hupocrites was commonly used to describe stage actors or people playing a role, emphasizing pretended or performed actions. Translating it as “pretenders” clarifies the original Greek sense of someone who outwardly displays devotion for attention, rather than genuine faithfulness—a meaning similar but not identical to the English "hypocrite," which now primarily implies moral inconsistency.

  33. gg. This phrase is often translated “settle with them,” but the Greek wording points instead to full release from debt, the cancellation of what is owed. In modern legal language, “settling” a case usually implies negotiation or partial payment, which misrepresents the image here. The Greek phrasing evokes complete forgiveness, not compromise, making “be released by them” a more accurate reflection of the language and the justice-oriented imagery of release.

  34. hh. A lepton was an extremely small copper coin, the least valuable in circulation, each worth about one one-hundred-twenty-eighth of a denarius, which was the standard day’s wage for a laborer. If we compare that to an eight-hour workday at a $15 wage, a single lepton would be worth just under two cents.