Luke 12:3-9

³You can''t whisper one thing in private and preach the opposite in public; the day''s coming when those whispers will be repeated all over town.b

⁴"I''m speaking to you as dear friends. Don''t be bluffed into silence or insincerity by the threats of religious bullies. True, they can kill you, but then what can they do? There''s nothing they can do to your soul, your core being.c

⁵Save your fear for God, who holds your entire life--body and soul--in his hands.d

⁶"What''s the price of two or three pet canaries? Some loose change, right? But God never overlooks a single one.

⁷And he pays even greater attention to you, down to the last detail--even numbering the hairs on your head! So don''t be intimidated by all this bully talk. You''re worth more than a million canaries.e

⁸"Stand up for me among the people you meet and the Son of Man will stand up for you before all God''s angels.f

⁹But if you pretend you don''t know me, do you think I''ll defend you before God''s angels?g