Luke 12:15
And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
Study Note
Study Note
Jesus' warning 'take heed and beware of covetousness' (pleonexia) is prompted by a man asking Jesus to settle an inheritance dispute, and Jesus' refusal to serve as judge (v. 14) is itself a statement about the appropriate scope of his mission. The rationale — 'a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth' — constitutes a counter-cultural thesis in a Mediterranean honor-economy where material abundance publicly signified divine favor and social worth. The immediately following parable of the rich fool (vv. 16–21) illustrates the thesis with a narrative of fatal category error: mistaking accumulated goods for security while being 'not rich toward God.' The verse stands as a concise summary of Jesus' consistent teaching on the theological danger of wealth and the incompatibility of covetousness with the kingdom's logic of sufficiency.
Other Translations
And he said unto them, Take heed, and keep yourselves from all covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
And he said unto them, `Observe, and beware of the covetousness, because not in the abundance of one's goods is his life.'
And he said to them, Take care to keep yourselves free from the desire for property; for a man's life is not made up of the number of things which he has.
Cross References
When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of …
And Satan answered the Lord, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for …
If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence;
If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had gotten much;
For the wicked boasteth of his heart’s desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the Lord abhorreth.
A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.
Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.
Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.
Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way.
Better is little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith.