And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
Parallel translations
- WEB He said, ‘This is what I will do. I will pull down my barns, and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.
- BSB Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and will build bigger ones, and there I will store up all my grain and my goods.
- NKJV So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods.
- NASB And he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and I will store all my grain and my goods there.
- NLT Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods.
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
He resolves to tear down his barns and build bigger ones to store all his grain and goods. His solution is greater accumulation for himself alone.
Overview
The rich man's plan is to expand his storage capacity so he can keep ever more for himself. Notably absent is any sense of stewardship, gratitude to God, or generosity toward others. His vision extends no further than securing his own comfort, revealing a heart enslaved to possessions.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Jas 3:15This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
- Jas 4:15For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
- Luke 12:21So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
- Luke 18:6And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.
- Luke 18:4And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
- Ps 17:14From men which are thy hand, O LORD, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 12:18 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.