Proverbs 23:23

23:23 Acquire ¹  truth and do not sell it –

wisdom, and discipline, and understanding.

Matthew 13:44-46

Parables on the Kingdom of Heaven

13:44 “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure, hidden in a field, that a person found and hid. Then because of joy he went and sold all that he had and bought that field.

13:45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. 13:46 When he found a pearl of great value, he went out and sold everything he had and bought it.

Matthew 19:21

19:21 Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go sell your possessions and give the money ²  to the poor, and you will have treasure ³  in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

Luke 12:33

12:33 Sell your possessions ⁴  and give to the poor. ⁵  Provide yourselves purses that do not wear out – a treasure in heaven ⁶  that never decreases, ⁷  where no thief approaches and no moth ⁸  destroys.

Acts 2:45

2:45 and they began selling ⁹  their property ¹⁰  and possessions and distributing the proceeds ¹¹  to everyone, as anyone had need.

Acts 4:34-37

4:34 For there was no one needy ¹²  among them, because those who were owners of land or houses were selling ¹³  them ¹⁴  and bringing the proceeds from the sales 4:35 and placing them at the apostles’ feet. The proceeds ¹⁵  were distributed to each, as anyone had need. 4:36 So Joseph, a Levite who was a native of Cyprus, called by the apostles Barnabas (which is translated “son of encouragement”), ¹⁶  4:37 sold ¹⁷  a field ¹⁸  that belonged to him and brought the money ¹⁹  and placed it at the apostles’ feet.

¹ tn Heb “buy” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NLT); CEV “Invest in truth.”

² tn The words “the money” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

³ sn The call for sacrifice comes with a promise of eternal reward: You will have treasure in heaven. Jesus’ call is a test to see how responsive the man is to God’s direction through him. Will he walk the path God’s agent calls him to walk? For a rich person who got it right, see Zacchaeus in Luke 19:1-10.

⁴ sn The call to sell your possessions is a call to a lack of attachment to the earth and a generosity as a result.

⁵ tn Grk “give alms,” but this term is not in common use today.

⁶ tn Grk “in the heavens.”

⁷ tn Or “an unfailing treasure in heaven,” or “an inexhaustible treasure in heaven.”

⁸ 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.

⁹ tn The imperfect verb has been translated as an ingressive (“began…”). Since in context this is a description of the beginning of the community of believers, it is more likely that these statements refer to the start of various activities and practices that the early church continued for some time.

¹⁰ tn It is possible that the first term for property (κτήματα, kthmata) refers to real estate (as later usage seems to indicate) while the second term (ὑπάρξεις, Juparxeis) refers to possessions in general, but it may also be that the two terms are used together for emphasis, simply indicating that all kinds of possessions were being sold. However, if the first term is more specifically a reference to real estate, it foreshadows the incident with Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5:1-11.

¹¹ tn Grk “distributing them” (αὐτά, auta). The referent (the proceeds of the sales) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹² tn Or “poor.”

¹³ tn Grk “houses, selling them were bringing.” The participle πωλοῦντες (pwlounte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

¹⁴ tn The word “them” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

¹⁵ tn Grk “It” (or “They,” plural). The referent of the understood pronoun subject, the proceeds from the sales, of the verb διεδίδετο (diedideto) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹⁶ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author. Note how the actions of Barnabas are in keeping with the meaning of his nickname. He stands in contrast to Ananias and Sapphira in 5:1-11.

¹⁷ tn Grk “selling a field that belonged to him, brought” The participle πωλήσας (pwlhsa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

¹⁸ tn Or “a farm.”

¹⁹ tn Normally a reference to actual coins (“currency”). See L&N 6.68.