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And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
Luke 12:17 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB He reasoned within himself, saying, ‘What will I do, because I don’t have room to store my crops?’
  • BSB So he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, since I have nowhere to store my crops?’
  • NKJV And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’
  • NASB And he began thinking to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’
  • NLT He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’

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

The rich man deliberates with himself over where to store his surplus crops. His thoughts revolve entirely around himself and his goods.

Overview

The man's inner reasoning is strikingly self-centered, with no thought of God, the needy, or eternity. His 'problem' is merely an abundance he wants to hoard rather than share. This self-absorbed planning sets up the divine verdict that he is a fool for ignoring his soul and his Maker.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 20

  • Matt 5:42Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
  • Isa 58:7Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?
  • Rom 12:13Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.
  • 2 Cor 9:6–15But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
  • Luke 18:22Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.
  • Luke 19:17And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.
  • 1 Jn 3:16Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
  • Luke 11:41But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you.
  • Luke 16:9And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.
  • Acts 16:30And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
  • 1 Tim 6:17Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;
  • Eccl 11:2Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.
  • Acts 2:37Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
  • Luke 12:33Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.
  • Luke 12:29And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.
  • Luke 3:11He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.
  • Luke 12:22And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.
  • Luke 14:13–14But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:
  • Luke 10:25And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
  • Luke 16:3Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (6)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Luke videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Luke 12:17YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on LukeMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

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 12:17 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

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.