Das Leben Jesu
Warning about Division and Readiness
Jesus speaks about his coming suffering as a fire and a baptism, warns that he will bring division into households, and urges the crowd to interpret the signs of the times and seek reconciliation with their opponent before judgment.
Lukas 12,49-59
49"I came to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!
Πῦρ ἦλθον βαλεῖν ⸀ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, καὶ τί θέλω εἰ ἤδη ἀνήφθη;
50But I have a baptism to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed!
βάπτισμα δὲ ἔχω βαπτισθῆναι, καὶ πῶς συνέχομαι ἕως ⸀ὅτου τελεσθῇ.
51Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division.
δοκεῖτε ὅτι εἰρήνην παρεγενόμην δοῦναι ἐν τῇ γῇ; οὐχί, λέγω ὑμῖν, ἀλλʼ ἢ διαμερισμόν.
52From now on five in one household will be divided—three against two and two against three.
ἔσονται γὰρ ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν πέντε ἐν ⸂ἑνὶ οἴκῳ⸃ διαμεμερισμένοι, τρεῖς ἐπὶ δυσὶν καὶ δύο ἐπὶ τρισίν,
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."
⸀διαμερισθήσονται πατὴρ ἐπὶ υἱῷ καὶ υἱὸς ἐπὶ πατρί, μήτηρ ⸀ἐπὶ ⸀θυγατέρα καὶ θυγάτηρ ἐπὶ ⸂τὴν μητέρα⸃, πενθερὰ ἐπὶ τὴν νύμφην αὐτῆς καὶ νύμφη ἐπὶ τὴν ⸀πενθεράν.
54He also said to the crowds: "When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, 'A storm is coming,' and so it happens.
Ἔλεγεν δὲ καὶ τοῖς ὄχλοις· Ὅταν ⸀ἴδητε νεφέλην ἀνατέλλουσαν ⸀ἐπὶ δυσμῶν, εὐθέως λέγετε ⸀ὅτι Ὄμβρος ἔρχεται, καὶ γίνεται οὕτως·
55And when the south wind blows, you say, 'It will be scorching hot,' and it is.
καὶ ὅταν νότον πνέοντα, λέγετε ὅτι Καύσων ἔσται, καὶ γίνεται.
56Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the face of the earth and the sky. Why then do you not know how to interpret this present time?
ὑποκριταί, τὸ πρόσωπον τῆς γῆς καὶ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ οἴδατε δοκιμάζειν, τὸν ⸂δὲ καιρὸν⸃ τοῦτον πῶς ⸂οὐκ οἴδατε δοκιμάζειν⸃;
57And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right?
Τί δὲ καὶ ἀφʼ ἑαυτῶν οὐ κρίνετε τὸ δίκαιον;
58As you are going with your accuser to the magistrate, make an effort to settle with him on the way, or he may drag you off to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison.
ὡς γὰρ ὑπάγεις μετὰ τοῦ ἀντιδίκου σου ἐπʼ ἄρχοντα, ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ δὸς ἐργασίαν ἀπηλλάχθαι ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ, μήποτε κατασύρῃ σε πρὸς τὸν κριτήν, καὶ ὁ κριτής σε ⸀παραδώσει τῷ πράκτορι, καὶ ὁ πράκτωρ σε ⸀βαλεῖ εἰς φυλακήν.
59I tell you, you will not get out of there until you have paid the very last penny." [footnote: The coin named here (a lepton) was the smallest in circulation, worth a tiny fraction of a day's wage.]
λέγω σοι, οὐ μὴ ἐξέλθῃς ἐκεῖθεν ἕως ⸂καὶ τὸ⸃ ἔσχατον λεπτὸν ἀποδῷς.