Luke 12:25-28

12:25 And which of you by worrying ¹  can add an hour to his life? ²  12:26 So if ³  you cannot do such a very little thing as this, why do you worry about ⁴  the rest? 12:27 Consider how the flowers ⁵  grow; they do not work ⁶  or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these! 12:28 And if ⁷  this is how God clothes the wild grass, ⁸  which is here ⁹  today and tomorrow is tossed into the fire to heat the oven, ¹⁰  how much more ¹¹  will he clothe you, you people of little faith!

[12:25]  ¹ tn Or “by being anxious.”

[12:25]  ² tn Or “a cubit to his height.” A cubit (πῆχυς, phcu") can measure length (normally about 45 cm or 18 inches) or time (a small unit, “hour” is usually used [BDAG 812 s.v.] although “day” has been suggested [L&N 67.151]). The term ἡλικία (Jhlikia) is ambiguous in the same way as πῆχυς. Most scholars take the term to describe age or length of life here, although a few refer it to bodily stature (see BDAG 435-36 s.v. 1.a for discussion). Worry about length of life seems a more natural figure than worry about height. However, the point either way is clear: Worrying adds nothing to life span or height.

[12:26]  ³ tn This is a first class condition in the Greek text.

[12:26]  ⁴ tn Or “why are you anxious for.”

[12:27]  ⁵ tn Traditionally, “lilies.” According to L&N 3.32, “Though traditionally κρίνον has been regarded as a type of lily, scholars have suggested several other possible types of flowers, including an anemone, a poppy, a gladiolus, and a rather inconspicuous type of daisy.” In view of the uncertainty, the more generic “flowers” has been used in the translation.

[12:27]  ⁶ tn Traditionally, “toil.” Although it might be argued that “work hard” would be a more precise translation of κοπιάω (kopiaw) here, the line in English scans better in terms of cadence with a single syllable.

[12:28]  ⁷ tn This is a first class condition in the Greek text.

[12:28]  ⁸ tn Grk “grass in the field.”

[12:28]  ⁹ tn Grk “which is in the field today.”

[12:28]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “into the oven.” The expanded translation “into the fire to heat the oven” has been used to avoid misunderstanding; most items put into modern ovens are put there to be baked, not burned.

[12:28]  ¹¹ sn The phrase how much more is a typical form of rabbinic argumentation, from the lesser to the greater. If God cares for the little things, surely he will care for the more important things.