Luke 12:25-36

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! 12:29 So ¹²  do not be overly concerned about ¹³  what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not worry about such things. ¹⁴  12:30 For all the nations of the world pursue ¹⁵  these things, and your Father knows that you need them. 12:31 Instead, pursue ¹⁶  his ¹⁷  kingdom, ¹⁸  and these things will be given to you as well.

12:32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is well pleased ¹⁹  to give you the kingdom. 12:33 Sell your possessions ²⁰  and give to the poor. ²¹  Provide yourselves purses that do not wear out – a treasure in heaven ²²  that never decreases, ²³  where no thief approaches and no moth ²⁴  destroys. 12:34 For where your treasure ²⁵  is, there your heart will be also.

Call to Faithful Stewardship

12:35 “Get dressed for service ²⁶  and keep your lamps burning; ²⁷  12:36 be like people ²⁸  waiting for their master to come back from the wedding celebration, ²⁹  so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him.

[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.

[12:29]  ⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate a conclusion drawn from the previous illustrations.

[12:29]  ¹⁰ 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.

[12:29]  ¹¹ 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.

[12:30]  ¹¹ tn Grk “seek.”

[12:31]  ¹³ tn Grk “seek,” but in the sense of the previous verses.

[12:31]  ¹⁴ 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.

[12:31]  ¹⁵ 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.

[12:32]  ¹⁵ tn Or perhaps, “your Father chooses.”

[12:33]  ¹⁷ sn The call to sell your possessions is a call to a lack of attachment to the earth and a generosity as a result.

[12:33]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “give alms,” but this term is not in common use today.

[12:33]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “in the heavens.”

[12:33]  ²⁰ tn Or “an unfailing treasure in heaven,” or “an inexhaustible treasure in heaven.”

[12:33]  ²¹ 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.

[12:34]  ¹⁹ sn Seeking heavenly treasure means serving others and honoring God by doing so; see Luke 6:35-36.

[12:35]  ²¹ tn Grk “Let your loins be girded,” an idiom referring to the practice of tucking the ends of the long cloak (outer garment) into the belt to shorten it in preparation for activities like running, etc.

[12:35]  ²² sn Keep your lamps burning means to be ready at all times.

[12:36]  ²³ tn That is, like slaves (who are mentioned later, vv. 37-38), although the term ἀνθρώποις (anqrwpoi") is used here. Since in this context it appears generic rather than gender-specific, the translation “people” is employed.

[12:36]  ²⁴ sn An ancient wedding celebration could last for days (Tob 11:18).