English Standard Version
Luke 12:15
15And he said to them, "Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."
Luke 12:15 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
- New International Version (NIV)Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
- New King James Version (NKJV)And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”
Context of Luke 12:15
13Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me." 14But he said to him, "Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?" And he said to them, "Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." 16And he told them a parable, saying, "The land of a rich man produced plentifully, 17and he thought to himself, 'What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?'
Read all of Luke 12Luke 12:15 word by word
Εἶπεν δὲ πρὸς αὐτούς· ὁρᾶτε καὶ φυλάσσεσθε ἀπὸ πάσης πλεονεξίας, ὅτι οὐκ ἐν τῷ περισσεύειν τινὶ ἡ ζωὴ αὐτοῦ ἐστιν ἐκ τῶν ὑπαρχόντων αὐτῷ.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Andδέde · thenG1161
- he saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- untoπρόςpros · to/withG4314
- themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- Take heedὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- bewareφυλάσσωphulassō · to keep/guard: protectG5442
- ofἀπόapo · away fromG575
- covetousnessπλεονεξίαpleonexia · greedinessG4124
- forὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
- a man’sτιςtis · oneG5100
- lifeζωήzōē · lifeG2222
- consistethεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- notοὐou · noG3756
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- the abundanceπερισσεύωperisseuō · to exceedG4052
- ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
- the things whichὑπάρχωhuparchō · be alreadyG5225
Cross-references for Luke 12:15
- Luke 8:14And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.
- Luke 16:14The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him.
- Luke 21:34"But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap.
- Joshua 7:21when I saw among the spoil a beautiful cloak from Shinar, and 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels, then I coveted them and took them. And see, they are hidden in the earth inside my tent, with the silver underneath."
- Job 31:24"If I have made gold my trust or called fine gold my confidence,
- Psalms 10:3For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul, and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the Lord.
- Psalms 62:10Put no trust in extortion; set no vain hopes on robbery; if riches increase, set not your heart on them.
- Psalms 119:36Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain!
- Proverbs 23:4Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist.
- Proverbs 28:16A ruler who lacks understanding is a cruel oppressor, but he who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.
- Jeremiah 6:13"For from the least to the greatest of them, everyone is greedy for unjust gain; and from prophet to priest, everyone deals falsely.
- Jeremiah 22:17But you have eyes and heart only for your dishonest gain, for shedding innocent blood, and for practicing oppression and violence."
- Micah 2:2They covet fields and seize them, and houses, and take them away; they oppress a man and his house, a man and his inheritance.
- Habakkuk 2:9"Woe to him who gets evil gain for his house, to set his nest on high, to be safe from the reach of harm!
- Mark 7:22coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness.
- 1 Corinthians 5:10not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world.
Commentaries on Luke 12:15
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15Beware of covetousness - Or rather, Beware of all inordinate desires. I add , all, on the authority of ABDKLM-Q, twenty-three others, both the Syriac, all the Persic, all the Arabic, Coptic, Ethiopic, Armenian, Vulgate, all the Itala, and several of the primitive fathers. Inordinate desires. , from , more, and , to have; the desire to have more and more, let a person possess whatever he may. Such a disposition of mind is never satisfied; for, as soon as…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15Beware of covetousness - One of these brothers, no doubt, was guilty of this sin; and our Saviour, as was his custom, took occasion to warn his disciples of its danger. Covetousness - An unlawful desire of the property of another; also a desire of gain or riches beyond what is necessary for our wants. It is a violation of the tenth commandment Exodus 20:17, and is expressly called idolatry Colossians 3:5. Compare, also, Ephesians 5:3, and Hebrews 13:5. A…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-21Verses 13-21 Christ's kingdom is spiritual, and not of this world. Christianity does not meddle with politics; it obliges all to do justly, but wordly dominion is not founded in grace. It does not encourage expectations of worldly advantages by religion. The rewards of Christ's disciples are of another nature. Covetousness is a sin we need constantly to be warned against; for happiness and comfort do not depend on the wealth of this world. The things of…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15Guard yourselves against every form of greed: See Exodus 20:17; Deuteronomy 5:21; Job 31:24–25; Psalm 49; Ecclesiastes 2:1–11.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. unto them--the multitude around Him (Lu 12:1). of covetousness--The best copies have "all," that is, "every kind of covetousness"; because as this was one of the more plausible forms of it, so He would strike at once at the root of the evil. a man's life, &c.--a singularly weighty maxim, and not less so because its meaning and its truth are equally evident.Read the comment
Topics related to Luke 12:15
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Luke 12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Catena Aurea
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- John Lightfoot Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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