Luke 12:1

Meanwhile, when a multitude of many thousands had gathered together, so much so that they trampled on each other, he began to tell his disciples first of all, “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

World English Bible
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WEBBE

Meanwhile, when a multitude of many thousands had gathered together, so much so that they trampled on each other, he began to tell his disciples first of all, “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

BSB

In the meantime, a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling one another. Jesus began to speak first to His disciples: “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

KJV

In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

ASV

In the mean time, when the many thousands of the multitude were gathered together, insomuch that they trod one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

BBE

At that time, when thousands of the people had come together, in such numbers that they were crushing one another, he said first to his disciples, Have nothing to do with the leaven of the Pharisees, which is deceit.

Original Greek

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Ἐν En In G1722 οἷς hois these [times] G3739 ἐπισυναχθεισῶν episunachtheisōn when were gathering G1996 τῶν tōn the G3588 μυριάδων muriadōn myriads G3461 τοῦ tou of the G3588 ὄχλου ochlou crowd G3793 ὥστε hōste so as G5620 καταπατεῖν katapatein to trample upon G2662 ἀλλήλους allēlous one another G240 ἤρξατο ērxato He began G757 λέγειν legein to say G3004 πρὸς pros to G4314 τοὺς tous the G3588 μαθητὰς mathētas disciples G3101 αὐτοῦ autou of Him G846 πρῶτον prōton first G4413 προσέχετε prosechete do take heed G4337 ἑαυτοῖς he'autois to yourselves G1438 ἀπὸ apo of G575 τῆς tēs the G3588 ζύμης zumēs leaven G2219 ἥτις hētis which G3748 ἐστὶν estin is G1510 ὑπόκρισις hupokrisis hypocrisy G5272 τῶν tōn of the G3588 Φαρισαίων.¶ Pharisaiōn Pharisees G5330

The early church

When leaven is praised it is as composing the bread of life, but when blamed it signifies a lasting and bitter maliciousness.
Gregory of Nazianzus · d. 390Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
Our Lord has introduced a most forcible argument for preserving simplicity, and being zealous for the faith, that we should not after the manner of faithless Jews put one thing in practice, while in words we pretend another, namely, that at the last day the hidden thoughts accusing or else excusing one another, shall be seen to reveal the secrets of our mind. Whence it is added, There is nothing hid which shall not be revealed.
Ambrose of Milan · d. 397Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
For they were false accusers; therefore Christ warned His disciples against them.
Cyril of Alexandria · d. 444Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
For as a little leaven leaveneth a whole lump of meal, (1 Cor. 5:6.) so hypocrisy will rob the mind of all the purity and integrity of its virtues.
Bede · d. 735Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
The Pharisees sought indeed to catch Jesus in His talk, that they might lead away the people from Him. But this design of theirs is reversed. For the people came all the more unto Him gathered together by thousands, and so desirous to attach themselves to Christ, that they pressed one upon another. So mighty a thing is truth, so feeble every where deceit. Whence it is said, And when there were gathered together a great multitude, insomuch that they trode upon one another, he began to sag unto his disciples, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. He calls their hypocrisy leaven, as perverting and corrupting the intentions of the men in whom it has sprung up. For nothing so changes the characters of men as hypocrisy.
Theophylact of Ohrid · d. 1107Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 1–12

A firm belief of the doctrine of God's universal providence, and the extent of it, would satisfy us when in peril, and encourage us to trust God in the way of duty. Providence takes notice of the meanest creatures, even of the sparrows, and therefore of the smallest interests of the disciples of Christ. Those who confess Christ now, shall be owned by him in the great day, before the angels of God. To deter us from denying Christ, and deserting his truths and ways, we are here assured that those who deny Christ, though they may thus save life itself, and though they may gain a kingdom by it, will be great losers at last; for Christ will not know them, will not own them, nor show them favour. But let no trembling, penitent backslider doubt of obtaining forgiveness. This is far different from the determined enmity that is blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, which shall never be forgiven, because it will never be repented of.

Read Matthew Henry on Luke 12 →

Parallel passages

2

The same words or events elsewhere.

Matthew 16:6Mark 8:15

Cross-references

17

Topics

Jesus, The ChristMinister, ChristianHypocrisyInfluencePhariseesLeaven (Yeast)

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.