Now someone in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.”
Parallel translations
- WEB One of the multitude said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”
- KJV And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.
- BSB Someone in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”
- NKJV Then one from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”
- NLT Then someone called from the crowd, “Teacher, please tell my brother to divide our father’s estate with me.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
A man asks Jesus to make his brother share an inheritance with him. He treats Jesus merely as a means to material gain rather than as Lord.
Overview
Interrupting Jesus' teaching on weighty spiritual matters, this man is preoccupied with money and a family dispute. His request reveals a heart focused on possessions rather than on the kingdom Jesus proclaims. It sets up Jesus' warning against covetousness and His parable about the folly of trusting in wealth.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- 1 Tim 6:5constant friction of people of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. Withdraw yourself from such.
- Luke 6:45The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings out that which is good, and the evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings out that which is evil, for out of the abundance of the heart, his mouth speaks.
- Ezek 33:31They come to you as the people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear your words, but don’t do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goes after their gain.
- Acts 8:18–19Now when Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money,
- Ps 17:14from men by your hand, Yahweh, from men of the world, whose portion is in this life. You fill the belly of your cherished ones. Your sons have plenty, and they store up wealth for their children.
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Christ at the center
Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.
How Luke 12:13 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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