Luke 12:1

Fear God, Not People

12:1 Meanwhile, when many thousands of the crowd had gathered so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

Luke 12:54-57

Reading the Signs

12:54 Jesus also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, ‘A rainstorm is coming,’ and it does. 12:55 And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat,’ and there is. 12:56 You hypocrites! 10  You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how can you not know how 11  to interpret the present time?

Clear the Debts

12:57 “And 12  why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right?


tn The phrase ἐν οἷς (en Jois) can be translated “meanwhile.”

tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

tn According to L&N 27.59, “to pay attention to, to keep on the lookout for, to be alert for, to be on your guard against.” This is another Lukan present imperative calling for constant vigilance.

sn See the note on Pharisees in 5:17.

sn The pursuit of popularity can lead to hypocrisy, if one is not careful.

tn Grk “He”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here καί (kai) has been translated as “also” and δέ (de) has not been translated.

sn A cloud rising in the west refers to moisture coming from the Mediterranean Sea.

tn The term ὄμβρος (ombro") refers to heavy rain, such as in a thunderstorm (L&N 14.12).

sn The south wind comes from the desert, and thus brings scorching heat.

10 sn In Luke, the term hypocrites occurs here, in 6:42, and in 13:15.

11 tc Most mss (Ì45 A W Ψ Ë1,13 Ï lat) have a syntax here that reflects a slightly different rhetorical question: “but how do you not interpret the present time?” The reading behind the translation, however, has overall superior support: Ì75 א B L Θ 33 892 1241 pc.

12 tn Jesus calls for some personal reflection. However, this unit probably does connect to the previous one – thus the translation of δέ (de) here as “And” – to make a good spiritual assessment, thus calling for application to the spiritual, rather than personal, realm.