Yǝcu mɔŋgwɔ ɔlici lizi lǝṯi arri-ri ŋidiny.
(Maṯṯa 10:26, Maṯṯa 27)1 Nǝ lizi raaythi dɔŋw alf-ŋwɔna kwittǝzir, mindaŋ nǝr allathisi naana ṯɔvo-ṯɔvoc lɔrtannalɔ ŋwaara-ŋi, mindaŋ nǝ Yǝcu andaci ṯalaamiiza ṯuuŋwun kerreny nɔŋwsǝccǝŋw, “Aŋricar khamiirǝ kǝthi Lifirriisiiyyiin, ŋǝniŋw ṯǝrrǝ ṯǝthi ŋothɽor ŋeeŋen ŋir ŋidiny. 2 Mǝ kwomne naani kwette nyithak kwuluccunǝ ŋwɔ ruwǝnnǝlɔ, nǝ ŋgwa tatap kwir ŋejmeṯ ŋwelŋithine ǝzir. 3 Ŋwɔṯaŋw kweere nyithak kwǝ-gi andisalɔ nyiidi-nyiidi kirim-nǝ, ŋwo niŋnini ki-fɔɔri, nǝ ŋgwa kwǝ-gi andisalɔ ṯilla nyiidi-nyiidi ǝrgi opɔna ler-ler ki-yiŋna-la kider.
Ǝyǝ kwɔrɔ kwǝthi ṯeenye.
(Maṯṯa 10:28-31)4 “Limǝthgǝri liinyi nyii kwǝccǝ-ŋǝsi-mǝ ŋwɔ, ǝṯiseere ṯeenye kila lǝṯi ɽeenye aŋna, laakin ǝṯireere ǝthi ŋɔma kwokwony mac ethisi ǝrri ŋithaathɔ ŋigii beṯṯen. 5 Nyii kwɔŋǝsi ilŋithini kwizi kwǝthi ṯeenye: ṯiinyar Allah wǝthi ŋɔma ethi ɽeenye, mindaŋ kwaathan-tǝ nɔŋwɔthi sɔlṯa kwǝthi-gi kaṯṯo ki-jahannam-nǝ. Aw nyii kwɔŋǝsi andaci ethi ṯeenye ŋundu-ŋwɔ!
6 “Kill ṯɔthni kiti kǝṯir iila girishǝ kɔtɔpɔt mac-a? Laakin nɔŋweere keere mac kǝṯi-gi Allah ṯɔɔthina. 7 Laakin ǝwɽu wǝthi ŋwɔɽa ŋwaalɔ wǝni wiiɽǝnnǝ ndendeṯ. Ŋwɔṯaŋw ǝṯeere ṯeenye mac; kaka nǝniŋǝ-gwɔ lithǝmthi killǝ kuuru pur-pur!
Ya ethoro kwǝthi Yǝcu ya ethi dirnathalɔ.
(Maṯṯa 10:32-33Maṯṯa 12:32Maṯṯa 10:19-20)8 “Nyii kwǝccǝ-ŋǝsi-mǝ ŋwɔ, kweere nyithak kwǝnyii ruwǝzǝlɔ kiyǝnǝ yǝthi lizi, a Tɔr tǝthi Kwiziŋwunǝŋ ruwǝzǝlɔ tok kiyǝnǝ yǝthi limeleka lǝthi Allah. 9 Nǝ kwǝnyii ǝvrinni kiyǝnǝ yǝthi lizi, a Tɔr tǝthi Kwizigwunǝŋ ǝvrinni tok kiyǝnǝ yǝthi limelekǝ lǝthi Allah.
10 “Kweere nyithak kwandisasa Tɔɔrɔ naana tǝthi Kwizigwunǝŋ ŋiɽaŋali ŋigii, ǝrsi fivrici; laakin kweere nyithak kwandisasa Ṯigɽimǝ naana Ṯirllinǝlɔ ter ŋiɽaŋali ŋeere ŋigii, ǝrseere fivrici ḏuṯ.
11 “Mǝrŋǝsi mɔmlɔttatha kiyǝnǝ yǝthi lizi lǝthi limajma@, nǝ yǝthi limuḏiir-ŋǝ lisɔlṯaan-li, ǝṯeere pinni rɔgwor-na mac, ethaarɔŋw lǝnyji aŋnici aatha-gi alla lǝnyji andaci aatha-ŋwɔ. 12 Kaka ninḏi-gwɔ Ṯigɽim Ṯirllinǝlɔ ter ethi ǝccǝ ŋaaŋwɔ @allima ŋiɽaŋali ŋa ŋinḏi-ŋǝsi ethisi andasi ki-saa@-la ṯǝ ŋgwa.”
Mǝthǝl kwǝthi ṯamɽa ṯǝthi ŋɔrṯɔ.
13 Nǝ kwɔr kwette kwɔnaanɔ ki-lɔdɔŋw-na ǝccǝ Yǝcu-ŋwɔ, “Yaa Mɔ@allim andica ǝŋgǝri-ŋw ethi-gi kanni ŋɔɔrɔ-na ŋithayyica-nyji ṯǝrnyǝri-lɔ ṯǝri.”
14 Nǝ Yǝcu ǝŋnici nɔŋwɔccǝŋw, “Kwɔr kwaalɔ ǝyǝ kwɔrɔ kwuruusǝ-nyii gaaḏi ethi kannaci ŋaaŋwɔsi ŋɔɔrɔ ndǝndǝk ŋǝthi ṯarnyalɔ ṯaalɔ?” 15 Nɔŋwaari isṯimir nɔŋw-sandaci tatap nɔŋwsǝccǝŋw, “Kitticarsi yǝy, aŋraci rogɽo raalɔ ki-ṯigiirɔ-na tatap; kaka niti nǝṯi-gwɔ ŋimiitha ŋir rerrem ŋǝthi kwizigwunǝŋ ere naani kavindiny-na wǝṯɔŋw ǝthi mac, alla mɔŋw kinnǝni oro kwɔrṯɔ kaka aatha kweere.”
16 E-ta nǝsi Yǝcu andaci mǝthǝlǝ-ŋgwɔ nɔŋwsǝccǝŋw, “Kwɔr kwɔnaanɔ kwette kwir kwɔrṯɔ ceg-cegi, nɔŋwɔthi ṯɔrɔny ṯiriiɽɔ riṯṯak. 17 Mndaŋ nɔŋwaari ibṯǝḏi ethaari fǝkirǝ ki-rogɽo-na ruuŋwun nɔŋwaarɔŋw, ‘Nyii kwende kwǝthi ǝzir-nǝ wǝthi-gwɔ kette kwomne-ŋgwɔ kwiinyi tatap. Aatha kwǝnyii ǝrri?’ 18 Nɔŋwaarɔŋw ki-rogɽo-na ruuŋwun-ŋwɔ, ‘Ŋindǝr-ṯǝ ŋɔ ŋǝnyji ǝrri, nyii kwippi nyuuluŋǝ nyiinyi kithaay, mindaŋ nyjacci nyithaathɔ nyɔppa, nyinḏiny-gwɔ ethi balsi ŋwaana-na kwomne-gi tatap kwiinyi kwɔthaathɔ’. 19 E-ta nyǝccǝ rogɽo riinyi-ŋwɔ, ‘Rogɽo, a kwir-mba kwir kwɔr kwǝthi bakhatha gaa! A kwɔmǝthi kwomne tatap kwisaaw-kwisaaw kwɔnaŋna-ŋa kwinḏi ethi nannatha yithlǝyu yittǝzir. Ǝlli yiithi, ethne nǝ ii tok, mindaŋ arri-ri surṯǝnnǝ’. 20 Laakin nǝ Allah ǝccǝŋw, ‘Ŋaa-ŋgwɔ kwithii kii ŋgwɔ! Kulŋǝ-ṯǝ ŋgɔ rɔkwɔ-rɔkwɔ ǝrŋǝ dimmǝthǝ ṯigɽimǝ ṯɔɔŋwa; e-ta ǝyǝ kwɔrɔ kwaavi kwomne-ŋgwɔ tatap kwɔgittica-ŋa rogɽo rɔɔŋwa?’” 21 Nǝsi Yǝcu ṯimmaci nɔŋwsǝccǝŋw, “Ŋinḏi-ṯǝ ethoroŋw ki-lizi-nǝ kila lǝṯi immǝci rogɽo reeŋen ŋɔrṯɔwa, laakin ǝṯireere oro lɔrṯɔ kiyǝnǝ yǝthi Allah mac.”
Ethi allitha Allah ṯɔgwɔri naana.
(Maṯṯa 6:25-34)22 Nǝ Yǝcu andaci ṯalaamiiza ṯuuŋwun nɔŋwsǝccǝŋw, “Ǝṯeere pinni rɔgwor-na mac ŋiɽaŋal-ŋi ŋǝni ethnǝ wǝthi ŋimiitha ŋǝǝlɔ, ya ethaarɔŋw, aatha kwǝnyii yee, ya yaŋna-yi yaalɔ ethaarɔŋw, aatha kwǝnyii kenne. 23 Ŋimiitha ŋithǝmthi-pǝ ethneya-la, nǝ aŋna ṯamthɔ yirethi-la. 24 Iisar-ṯi yothŋoroŋi yende yǝṯi kwee ŋwaana wala ethi ɔni; wala ǝthǝthi limǝghzǝnǝ, wala nyuuluŋǝ; laakin ǝṯisi-tǝ Allah ithni! Ŋaaŋa lithǝmthi-pǝ ndǝwǝ-lǝ pur-pur! 25 A kwǝthi ŋɔma ethi nanni kwokwo lǝlu-ttuk ṯipinnǝ-thi ṯɔgwor-na ṯɔɔŋwa? 26 Mǝseere ǝthici ŋɔma-na ethisi ǝrri ŋɔ ŋokɔɽoc mac, e-ta ŋotho ŋurtunǝŋǝ-ŋinǝ ŋithaathɔ 27 Iisar-ṯi ɔvɽɔnya wǝthi yaaɽi-na wǝṯi peŋe aŋgwɔrɔ; wende wǝṯi akkɔ ŋothɽor ŋeere, wala ethi ɔgɽi yirethi yǝthi rogɽo reeŋen. Laakin nyii kwǝccǝ-ŋǝsi-mǝ ŋwɔ, mǝlik kwǝni Sulemaan ŋinith-ŋinǝ ŋuuŋun tatap, nɔŋweere kenne yirethi yisaaw beṯṯen yir kaka ɔvɽɔnya mac. 28 Laakin mǝ Allah kinnini karaawa kǝthi wuthǝr kǝṯi miithi aŋwɔnɔ nǝ ŋɔrpɔ-ŋgwa ǝṯɔŋw kǝṯṯini kiigǝ-nǝ, e-ta ŋweere kǝniny kinnini ŋaaŋwɔsi beṯṯen mac-a? Ŋaaŋa lirmba lir lizi lette lǝthi ṯǝmminǝ ṯokwɔɽony gaa! 29 Ŋwɔṯaŋw ǝṯeere naŋninnalɔ ŋgwa kwǝthi yee-ŋa mac, nǝ ŋgwa kwǝthi ii, na ǝṯi pinnǝ rɔgwor-na mac. 30 Kaka nǝṯi-gwɔ lizi lǝthi ṯurmun-nǝ naŋninni kwomne ŋgwɔ tatap. Papa kwaalɔ kwilŋithi kwomne tatap kwǝṯi naŋninni. 31 Nǝ ki-lɔɔbi lǝthi ŋiɽaŋal ŋɔ tǝ, naŋnar Ŋeelenyi ŋuuŋun mindaŋ kwɔŋǝsi inḏǝthǝ kwomne ŋgwa tatap.
Ŋɔrṯɔ ki-leere-na.
(Maṯṯa 6:19-21)32 “Ǝṯi ṯiinya maǝc yaaŋal yiinyi yir dɔŋw lokwɔɽony, kaka naami-gwɔ Papaǝ-na kwaalɔ, ethi inḏǝthǝ ŋaaŋwɔsi Ŋeelenyi. 33 Liṯṯir kwomne kwaalɔ kithaay kwǝthi-ŋǝ, mindaŋ a inḏǝthǝ lɔwaaya gwuruushǝ. Ǝthir lujɔzlaana liti lǝṯi kee mac, mindaŋ awanni ŋɔrṯɔwa ŋaalɔ ki-leere-na ŋiti ŋǝṯi ernene mac, wala ethisi lɔɔɽam nyiimi wala ethisi livɽitir kiirasalɔ tok mac. 34 Kǝzir wǝṯi-gwɔ ŋɔrṯɔ ŋaalɔ nanni, ǝṯi-gwɔ rɔgwor raalɔ nanni tok.
Yaḏaam yǝti aŋranni naana.
35 “Ǝṯisi nanyjalɔ ŋette nyithak cɔgwo-cogwop ŋinḏi ethiila, likǝkkinǝ-nǝ tetter ŋwombo-ŋi ŋwaalɔ ŋwɔvɔɔdɔ, 36 kaka yaḏaama kiya yǝkkicǝ sǝyyiḏǝ kweeŋen kizǝn ethaaɽa kǝzuumǝ-nǝ wǝthi ṯaaga. Mɔŋw iila ŋwɔ ippi lɔbaaba mindaŋ ǝri kiṯicǝnni fittak. 37 Nǝ yaḏaam kiya yindǝr-ṯǝ yinḏi ethaami ɔrtannɔŋw mǝsi sǝyyiḏ kweeŋen aaɽa mɔŋwsi kaṯṯasi ligɽiṯɔ linaanalɔ cɔgwo-cɔgwop! Nyii kwɔŋǝsi andaci rerrem, kwinḏi ethi allitha ibaaya-lɔ wuuŋwun mindaŋ ŋwɔsi nǝnǝlɔ mindaŋ ŋwɔsi ithni. 38 Linḏi-mbǝ ethaami ɔrtannɔŋw mɔŋwsi iila mɔŋwsi kaṯṯasi linaanalɔ cǝgwo-cɔgwop, mɔŋw iila kinnǝ kulŋǝ-nǝ, wala mɔŋw ɽindaŋnalɔ! 39 Laakin ilŋithirsi ŋɔ ethaarɔŋw, ǝŋgi kwizi kwǝthi dɔɔnɔ-ŋwɔ elŋe ethaarɔŋw kwɔɔram kwinḏi ethiila ki-saa@-la kwǝndu ǝŋgi-ŋweere duŋgwǝci dɔɔnɔ-ŋwɔ kwuuŋwun mac mindaŋ ethi kwɔɔɽam ere iila ethi kii ethi ǝnḏi mac. 40 Nǝ ŋaaŋa tok laazim a-naana-lɔ cogwo-cɔgwop, kaka ninḏi-gwɔ Tɔr tǝthi Kwizigwunǝŋ ethiila ki-saa@-la ŋgwa kwiti kwigittathiŋa-gi duŋgwun mac ethiila.”
Khaḏaam kirllalɔ nǝ kiti kirllalɔ mac.
(Maṯṯa 24:45-51)41 Nǝ Bɔṯrɔs ǝccǝŋw, “Kweeleny mǝthǝl ŋgwɔ kwǝri kwirii alla kwɔɽɔmasa-nyji-galɔ tatap?”
42 Nǝ Kweeleny ǝŋnici nɔŋwɔccǝŋw, “Ǝyǝ kwɔrɔ kwir khaḏaam kirllalɔ kǝthi yǝnǝ? Kindǝr-ṯǝ ŋga kinḏi sǝyyiḏ kwuuŋwun ethi ruusi wǝkiil ethi aŋraci dɔɔnɔŋwu kwuuŋwun, nǝ ethisi ithni ki-wǝkiṯ-lǝ dap-dap. 43 Khaḏaam ŋga kǝmbaami ɔrtannɔŋw, mǝ sǝyyiḏ kwuuŋwun aaɽitha dɔɔnɔ ethi kaṯṯasi ŋǝrrǝ-ŋwsi ŋɔ! 44 Nyii kwɔŋǝsi andaci rerrem, kwinḏi ethi sǝyyiḏ kwuuŋwun ruusi wǝkiil wǝthi kwomne tatap kwuuŋwun. 45 Laakin ma khaḏaam-ŋga aarinaŋw, ‘Sǝyyiḏ kwiinyi kwinḏi ethi ɽindaŋnalɔ’, mindaŋ mɔŋwaari ibṯǝḏi ethi ippi yaḏaama yithaathɔ yir lɔr-ŋa laaw-li, mindaŋ mɔŋw ethne, ŋwɔ ii mindaŋ mɔŋw urlǝli tɔk, 46 e-ta mǝ sǝyyiḏ kwuuŋwun aaɽa ki-laamin-la lette nyithak liti ligittathi-li khaḏaam-ŋga mac, wala ki-lɔɔmɔr-la kila liti lilŋicaŋw-li mac. E-ta ŋwɔ inḏǝthǝ jiizǝ, nǝ ŋwɔ kaṯṯɔ ki-lizi-nǝ kila luuɽu yǝni-nǝ.
47 “Laakin mǝ khaḏaam elŋece rac kwomne-ŋgwa kwɔnaŋnathi sǝyyiḏ kwuuŋwun ethǝrrici ŋunduŋw mindaŋ mɔŋweere naanalɔ cɔgwo-cɔgwop ethi ǝrrici mac tǝ, ǝri inḏǝthǝ jiizǝ kwɔppa kwir ǝpǝ. 48 Laakin khaḏaam-ŋga kiti kilŋithi mac ŋiɽaŋali ŋa ŋinaŋnathisi sǝyyiḏ kwuuŋwun, nǝ mɔŋwsi ǝrri ŋeere ŋǝthi ṯǝppǝ tǝ, ǝri inḏǝthǝ jiizǝ kwokwo kwǝwrǝ naana. Ŋgwa kwinḏǝthǝr kwuuru, ǝri naŋnatha kwuuru; nǝ ŋgwa kwinḏǝthǝr kwɔthǝmthǝlɔ ethi aŋraci ǝri naŋnatha kwɔthǝmthǝlɔ tok.
Yǝcu kwir sǝbǝb kwǝthi ṯundǝnnǝnǝ ṯǝthi lizi.
(Maṯṯa 10:34-36)49 “Nyii kwinḏi ethi ǝnyji kǝmruŋǝ ki-ṯurmun-nǝ. Nǝnyii naŋni beṯṯen kerreny tuk etheese kigwuɽutǝthɔ! 50 Nyii kwǝthi ma@muuḏiiyya laazim nyaavi, nyii-ŋgwɔ kwɔppinnǝ ṯɔgwor-na beṯṯen mindaŋ mǝr ṯimmanni kimaaraǝ. 51 Ŋaaŋa ligittathɔ ethaarɔŋw nyii kwǝvicǝ ṯurmunǝ ṯaama naana? Bǝri-mǝ, ṯaama naana ṯiti ṯir mac, laakin ṯundǝnnǝnǝ ṯirɔ. 52 Mǝr naani ṯɔthni dɔɔnɔ kwɔtɔpɔt, ǝri uɽǝnninǝ, ǝroro ṯoɽol ṯuwǝn tǝthi kila lir ndǝn; nǝ kila lir ndǝn, ǝroro ṯiwǝn tǝthi kila lir ṯoɽol. 53 A papa-ŋa oro ṯuwǝn ṯǝthi nyɔr nyeeŋen nyir nyoŋwor, nǝ nyir nyoŋwor ǝroro ṯuwǝn ṯǝthi rǝrnyin-ŋa reeŋen; a ayya-ŋa oro ṯuwǝn ṯǝthi nyǝr nyeeŋen nyir nyiira; nǝ nyɔr nyir nyiira ǝroro ṯuwǝn ṯǝthi lǝnyin-ŋǝ leeŋen; a laaw lir luunǝ oro ṯuwǝn tǝthi luunǝyin leeŋen lir nyiira, nǝ nyiira nyir luunǝ ǝroro ṯiwǝn ṯǝthi luunǝyin-ŋǝ leeŋen lir laaw.”
Ṯilŋiṯṯana ṯǝthi ŋwɔɔmɔr
(Maṯṯa 16:2-3)54 Nǝ Yǝcu andaci lizi kwokwony nɔŋwsǝccǝŋw “Meese leblethi ǝzir-yi wǝṯi-yi aaŋwɔn ɔɽi, ǝṯaarinaŋw tɔc kaaw kinḏi ethi dɔnni, mindaŋ ǝṯit-ṯǝ oroŋw dap. 55 Na mǝ iccini kɔrɔn-gi kǝthi ŋwɔdoŋw-ŋala kaarɔ, ǝṯaarɔŋw kiijaŋ kinḏi ethi fuuthi, mindaŋ ǝṯir-ṯǝ oroŋw dap. 56 Ŋaaŋa kila lǝṯi arri-ri ŋidiny! Mǝsi elŋe ethisi uppinǝ ŋa ŋǝṯi iijini kwurǝyu-lu nǝ leereya naana tok, nǝ ŋaaŋa lotho lithimthi ethisi uppinǝ ŋǝthi lɔɔmɔr kɔlɔ?
Ǝṯi ammithina kaasim-gi kɔɔŋa.
(Maṯṯa 5:25-26)57 “Nǝ athrɔ-pa ŋaaŋa lende lǝccǝ rogɽo raalɔ haakima ŋiɽaŋal-ŋi ŋa ŋɔvthanna? 58 Mǝŋǝ kaasim keere allasi lɔɔma naana, mindaŋ mɔŋw mɔlthatha ŋaaŋwɔ ki-mahkama-na, ǝɽi kǝniny ǝsi naŋnalɔ ŋeere ŋisaaw ŋǝthi-ŋi ammithina ŋundu-gi kinaŋw niti nɔppathi-ŋa kinnǝni ki-mahkama-na mac. Mǝseere ǝrri ŋɔ mac tǝ, kɔŋǝ iili naanɔ-gwɔ gaaḏi, mindaŋ ǝŋǝ gaaḏi inḏǝthǝ bǝuliisa, mindaŋ mǝŋǝ bǝuliis kaṯṯɔ ki-sijin-nǝ. 59 Nyii kwǝccǝŋǝ-mǝ ŋwɔ, a kwɔnannitha kinaŋw mindaŋ a ɽaanyasi girishǝ kǝjinnǝ kǝthi hɔkwɔm.”
A Warning against Hypocrisy
(Matthew 10.26Matthew 27)1 As thousands of people crowded together, so that they were stepping on each other, Jesus said first to his disciples, “Be on guard against the yeast of the Pharisees—I mean their hypocrisy. 2 Whatever is covered up will be uncovered, and every secret will be made known. 3 So then, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in broad daylight, and whatever you have whispered in private in a closed room will be shouted from the housetops.
Whom to Fear
(Matthew 10.28-31)4 “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot afterward do anything worse. 5 I will show you whom to fear: fear God, who, after killing, has the authority to throw into hell. Believe me, he is the one you must fear!
6 “Aren't five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one sparrow is forgotten by God. 7 Even the hairs of your head have all been counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth much more than many sparrows!
Confessing and Rejecting Christ
(Matthew 10.32Matthew 33Matthew 12.32Matthew 10.19Matthew 20)8 “I assure you that those who declare publicly that they belong to me, the Son of Man will do the same for them before the angels of God. 9 But those who reject me publicly, the Son of Man will also reject them before the angels of God.
10 “Whoever says a word against the Son of Man can be forgiven; but whoever says evil things against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
11 “When they bring you to be tried in the synagogues or before governors or rulers, do not be worried about how you will defend yourself or what you will say. 12 For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.”
The Parable of the Rich Fool
13 A man in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide with me the property our father left us.”
14 Jesus answered him, “Friend, who gave me the right to judge or to divide the property between you two?” 15 And he went on to say to them all, “Watch out and guard yourselves from every kind of greed; because your true life is not made up of the things you own, no matter how rich you may be.”
16 Then Jesus told them this parable: “There was once a rich man who had land which bore good crops. 17 He began to think to himself, ‘I don't have a place to keep all my crops. What can I do? 18 This is what I will do,’ he told himself; ‘I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, where I will store the grain and all my other goods. 19 Then I will say to myself, Lucky man! You have all the good things you need for many years. Take life easy, eat, drink, and enjoy yourself!’ 20 But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night you will have to give up your life; then who will get all these things you have kept for yourself?’”
21 And Jesus concluded, “This is how it is with those who pile up riches for themselves but are not rich in God's sight.”
Trust in God
(Matthew 6.25-34)22 Then Jesus said to the disciples, “And so I tell you not to worry about the food you need to stay alive or about the clothes you need for your body. 23 Life is much more important than food, and the body much more important than clothes. 24 Look at the crows: they don't plant seeds or gather a harvest; they don't have storage rooms or barns; God feeds them! You are worth so much more than birds! 25 Can any of you live a bit longer by worrying about it? 26 If you can't manage even such a small thing, why worry about the other things? 27 Look how the wild flowers grow: they don't work or make clothes for themselves. But I tell you that not even King Solomon with all his wealth had clothes as beautiful as one of these flowers. 28 It is God who clothes the wild grass—grass that is here today and gone tomorrow, burned up in the oven. Won't he be all the more sure to clothe you? What little faith you have!
29 “So don't be all upset, always concerned about what you will eat and drink. 30 (For the pagans of this world are always concerned about all these things.) Your Father knows that you need these things. 31 Instead, be concerned with his Kingdom, and he will provide you with these things.
Riches in Heaven
(Matthew 6.19-21)32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the Kingdom. 33 Sell all your belongings and give the money to the poor. Provide for yourselves purses that don't wear out, and save your riches in heaven, where they will never decrease, because no thief can get to them, and no moth can destroy them. 34 For your heart will always be where your riches are.
Watchful Servants
35 “Be ready for whatever comes, dressed for action and with your lamps lit, 36 like servants who are waiting for their master to come back from a wedding feast. When he comes and knocks, they will open the door for him at once. 37 How happy are those servants whose master finds them awake and ready when he returns! I tell you, he will take off his coat, have them sit down, and will wait on them. 38 How happy they are if he finds them ready, even if he should come at midnight or even later! 39 And you can be sure that if the owner of a house knew the time when the thief would come, he would not let the thief break into his house. 40 And you, too, must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you are not expecting him.”
The Faithful or the Unfaithful Servant
(Matthew 24.45-51)41 Peter said, “Lord, does this parable apply to us, or do you mean it for everyone?”
42 The Lord answered, “Who, then, is the faithful and wise servant? He is the one that his master will put in charge, to run the household and give the other servants their share of the food at the proper time. 43 How happy that servant is if his master finds him doing this when he comes home! 44 Indeed, I tell you, the master will put that servant in charge of all his property. 45 But if that servant says to himself that his master is taking a long time to come back and if he begins to beat the other servants, both the men and the women, and eats and drinks and gets drunk, 46 then the master will come back one day when the servant does not expect him and at a time he does not know. The master will cut him in pieces and make him share the fate of the disobedient.
47 “The servant who knows what his master wants him to do, but does not get himself ready and do it, will be punished with a heavy whipping. 48 But the servant who does not know what his master wants, and yet does something for which he deserves a whipping, will be punished with a light whipping. Much is required from the person to whom much is given; much more is required from the person to whom much more is given.
Jesus the Cause of Division
(Matthew 10.34-36)49 “I came to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50 I have a baptism to receive, and how distressed I am until it is over! 51 Do you suppose that I came to bring peace to the world? No, not peace, but division. 52 From now on a family of five will be divided, three against two and two against three. 53 Fathers will be against their sons, and sons against their fathers; mothers will be against their daughters, and daughters against their mothers; mothers-in-law will be against their daughters-in-law, and daughters-in-law against their mothers-in-law.”
Understanding the Time
(Matthew 16.2Matthew 3)54 Jesus said also to the people, “When you see a cloud coming up in the west, at once you say that it is going to rain—and it does. 55 And when you feel the south wind blowing, you say that it is going to get hot—and it does. 56 Hypocrites! You can look at the earth and the sky and predict the weather; why, then, don't you know the meaning of this present time?
Settle with Your Opponent
(Matthew 5.25Matthew 26)57 “Why do you not judge for yourselves the right thing to do? 58 If someone brings a lawsuit against you and takes you to court, do your best to settle the dispute before you get to court. If you don't, you will be dragged before the judge, who will hand you over to the police, and you will be put in jail. 59 There you will stay, I tell you, until you pay the last penny of your fine.”