Luke 12:13-21

New International Reader's Version

The Story of the Rich Fool

¹³ Someone in the crowd spoke to Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “tell my brother to divide the family property with me.”

¹⁴ Jesus replied, “Friend, who made me a judge or umpire between you?” ¹⁵ Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against wanting to have more and more things. Life is not made up of how much a person has.”

¹⁶ Then Jesus told them a story. He said, “A certain rich man’s land produced a very large crop. ¹⁷ He thought to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have any place to store my crops.’

¹⁸ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones. I will store my extra grain in them. ¹⁹ I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain stored away for many years. Take life easy. Eat, drink and have a good time.” ’

²⁰ “But God said to him, ‘You foolish man! Tonight I will take your life away from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’

²¹ “That is how it will be for whoever stores things away for themselves but is not rich in the sight of God.”