Luke 12:29-33

12:29 So ¹  do not be overly concerned about ²  what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not worry about such things. ³  12:30 For all the nations of the world pursue ⁴  these things, and your Father knows that you need them. 12:31 Instead, pursue ⁵  his ⁶  kingdom, ⁷  and these things will be given to you as well.

12:32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is well pleased ⁸  to give you the kingdom. 12:33 Sell your possessions ⁹  and give to the poor. ¹⁰  Provide yourselves purses that do not wear out – a treasure in heaven ¹¹  that never decreases, ¹²  where no thief approaches and no moth ¹³  destroys.

¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate a conclusion drawn from the previous illustrations.

² tn Grk “do not seek,” but this could be misunderstood to mean that people should make no attempt to obtain their food. The translation “do not be overly concerned” attempts to reflect the force of the original.

³ tn The words “about such things” have been supplied to qualify the meaning; the phrase relates to obtaining food and drink mentioned in the previous clause.

⁴ tn Grk “seek.”

⁵ tn Grk “seek,” but in the sense of the previous verses.

⁶ tc Most mss (Ì⁴⁵ A D¹ Q W Θ 070 Ë^1,13 33 Ï lat sy) read τοῦ θεοῦ (tou qeou, “of God”) instead of αὐτοῦ (autou, “his”; found in א B D* L Ψ 579 892 pc co). But such a clarifying reading is suspect. αὐτοῦ is superior on both internal and external grounds. Ì⁷⁵ includes neither and as such would support the translation above since the article alone can often be translated as a possessive pronoun.

⁷ sn His (that is, God’s) kingdom is a major theme of Jesus. It is a realm in which Jesus rules and to which those who trust him belong. See Luke 6:20; 11:20; 17:20-21.

⁸ tn Or perhaps, “your Father chooses.”

⁹ sn The call to sell your possessions is a call to a lack of attachment to the earth and a generosity as a result.

¹⁰ tn Grk “give alms,” but this term is not in common use today.

¹¹ tn Grk “in the heavens.”

¹² tn Or “an unfailing treasure in heaven,” or “an inexhaustible treasure in heaven.”

¹³ tn The term σής (shs) refers to moths in general. It is specifically the larvae of moths that destroy clothing by eating holes in it (L&N 4.49; BDAG 922 s.v.). See Jas 5:2, which mentions “moth-eaten” clothing.