God Knows and Cares

1Under these circumstances, after so many thousands of people had gathered together that they were stepping on one another, He began saying to His disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. 3Accordingly, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.

4“Now I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. 5But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed someone, has the power to throw that person into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him! 6Are five sparrows not sold for two assaria? And yet not one of them has gone unnoticed in the sight of God. 7But even the hairs of your head are all counted. Do not fear; you are more valuable than a great number of sparrows.

8“Now I say to you, everyone who confesses Me before people, the Son of Man will also confess him before the angels of God; 9but the one who denies Me before people will be denied before the angels of God. 10And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him. 11Now when they bring you before the synagogues and the officials and the authorities, do not worry about how or what you are to speak in your defense, or what you are to say; 12for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”