Parable of the Rich Fool

13 Then one from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

14 But He said to him, n“Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?” 15 And He said to them, o“Take heed and beware of 3covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”

16 Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. 17 And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ 18 So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, p“Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; qeat, drink, and be merry.” ’ 20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night ryour soul will be required of you; sthen whose will those things be which you have provided?’

21 “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, tand is not rich toward God.”

Seek the Kingdom of God

Matt. 6:25–33

22 Then He said to His disciples, “Therefore I say to you, udo not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. 23 Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and vGod feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? 25 And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? 26 If you then are not able to do the least, why 4are you anxious for the rest? 27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even wSolomon in all his glory was not 5arrayed like one of these. 28 If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of xlittle faith?

29 “And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. 30 For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father yknows that you need these things. 31 zBut seek 6the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.

32 “Do not fear, little flock, for ait is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 bSell what you have and give calms; dprovide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Parable of the Expectant Steward

35 e“Let your waist be girded and fyour lamps burning; 36 and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. 37 gBlessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them. 38 And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. 39 hBut know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would 7have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 40 iTherefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”