Luke 12:15

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.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)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."
• 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.”

Context of Luke 12:15

13Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to give me my share of the inheritance that our father left us.” 14Jesus said to him, “Who appointed me to be your judge or to divide ⌞your inheritance⌟?” He told the people, “Be careful to guard yourselves from every kind of greed. Life is not about having a lot of material possessions.” 16Then he used this illustration. He said, “A rich man had land that produced good crops. 17He thought, ‘What should I do? I don’t have enough room to store my crops.’

Luke 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 8:14The seeds that were planted among thornbushes are people who hear the word, but as life goes on the worries, riches, and pleasures of life choke them. So they don’t produce anything good.
• Luke 16:14The Pharisees, who love money, heard all this and were making sarcastic remarks about him.
• Luke 21:34“Make sure that you don’t become drunk, hung over, and worried about life. Then that day could suddenly catch you by surprise
• Joshua 7:21I saw a fine robe from Babylonia, five pounds of silver, and a bar of gold weighing about one pound among the loot. I wanted them, so I took them. You will find them buried inside my tent with the silver beneath them.”
• Job 31:24“If I put my confidence in gold or said to fine gold, ‘I trust you’….
• Psalms 10:3The wicked person boasts about his selfish desires. He blesses robbers, but he curses the Lord.
• Psalms 62:10Do not count on extortion ⌞to make you rich⌟. Do not hope to gain anything through robbery. When riches increase, do not depend on them.
• Psalms 119:36Direct my heart toward your written instructions rather than getting rich in underhanded ways.
• Proverbs 23:4Do not wear yourself out getting rich. Be smart enough to stop.
• Proverbs 28:16A leader without understanding taxes ⌞his people⌟ heavily, but those who hate unjust gain will live longer.
• Jeremiah 6:13“All of them, from the least important to the most important, are eager to make money dishonestly. All of them, from prophets to priests, act deceitfully.
• Jeremiah 22:17“But your eyes and your mind are set on nothing but dishonest profits. You kill innocent people and violently oppress your people.”
• Micah 2:2They desire ⌞other people’s⌟ fields, so they seize them. They desire ⌞people’s⌟ houses, so they take them. They cheat a man and his family, a man and his inheritance.
• Habakkuk 2:9“ ‘How horrible it will be for the one who uses violence to get things for his own household in order to set his nest up high and save himself from disaster.’
• Mark 7:22adultery, greed, wickedness, cheating, shameless lust, envy, cursing, arrogance, and foolishness come from within a person.
• 1 Corinthians 5:10I didn’t tell you that you could not have any contact with unbelievers who commit sexual sins, are greedy, are dishonest, or worship false gods. If that were the case, you would have to leave this 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

• Commandments
• Covetousness
• Jesus, the Christ
• Rich, the
• Riches
• Watchfulness

In the dictionaries

• Ask
• Beat
• Divide
• Divider
• Forewarn
• Hell
• Hypocrisy
• Teach
• Visit
• Watch

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