Luke 12:13-21

Covetousness Denounced

13 Someone in the crowd said to Him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me."

14 But He said to him, "¹Man, who appointed Me a judge or arbitrator over you?"

15 Then He said to them, "²Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions."

16 And He told them a parable, saying, "The land of a rich man was very productive.

17 "And he began reasoning to himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?'

18 "Then he said, 'This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.

19 'And I will say to my soul, "Soul, ³you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry."'

20 "But God said to him, '⁴You fool! This very night ⁵your soul is required of you; and ⁶now who will own what you have prepared?'

21 "So is the man who ⁷stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."

Cross References

• 1. Micah 6:8; Romans 2:1, 3; Romans 9:20
• 2. 1 Timothy 6:6-10
• 3. Ecclesiastes 11:9
• 4. Jeremiah 17:11; Luke 11:40
• 5. Job 27:8
• 6. Psalms 39:6
• 7. Luke 12:33

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "out of"
• [b]. Lit "they are demanding your soul from you"