Luke 12:16 kjv
And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
Luke 12:16 nkjv
Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: "The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully.
Luke 12:16 niv
And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest.
Luke 12:16 esv
And he told them a parable, saying, "The land of a rich man produced plentifully,
Luke 12:16 nlt
Then he told them a story: "A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops.
Luke 12 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lk 12:13-15 | "Someone in the crowd said to Him, 'Teacher, tell my brother to divide...' And He said to them, 'Beware of all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.'" | Immediate context: warning against covetousness. |
| Lk 12:17-21 | "And he thought to himself, 'What shall I do, since I have nowhere to store my crops?' And he said... 'I will store up my grain...'" | Rich man's self-centered plan. |
| Lk 12:33-34 | "Sell your possessions and give to the needy... for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." | Invest in eternal treasures. |
| Matt 6:19-21 | "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth... but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven..." | Contrast earthly vs. heavenly treasure. |
| Lk 16:19-31 | The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, where the rich man fared sumptuously and ignored the poor. | Misuse of wealth leading to eternal consequences. |
| Mk 10:23-25 | "How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!" | Challenge for the wealthy to follow Christ. |
| 1 Tim 6:9-10 | "Those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare... For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil." | Danger of desiring wealth. |
| Prov 11:28 | "Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf." | Futility of trust in wealth. |
| Deut 8:17-18 | "Beware lest you say in your heart, 'My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.' But you shall remember the LORD your God..." | Source of wealth is God, not self. |
| Jas 5:1-3 | "Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted..." | Divine judgment on misused riches. |
| Ecc 5:10 | "He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income." | Unsatisfying nature of material gain. |
| Psa 62:10 | "If riches increase, do not set your heart on them." | Warning against attaching heart to wealth. |
| Psa 49:6-7, 10 | "Those who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches, none of them can redeem another..." | Wealth cannot redeem or prolong life. |
| Prov 23:4-5 | "Do not toil to acquire wealth... For riches make wings for themselves; they fly away like an eagle toward heaven." | Transient nature of wealth. |
| Hag 1:6 | "You have sown much, and harvested little; you eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm..." | Inability of wealth to satisfy when God is not honored. |
| Isa 55:2 | "Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy?" | Call to seek true satisfaction in God. |
| Jer 17:11 | "Like the partridge that gathers a brood which she has not hatched, so is he who gets riches but not by justice; in the midst of his days he will leave them, and at his end he will be a fool." | Wealth obtained unjustly will be lost, folly. |
| Amos 6:4-6 | "Woe to those who lie on beds of ivory and stretch themselves out on their couches, and eat lambs from the flock... but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph!" | Condemnation of self-indulgent wealth amid suffering. |
| Lk 6:24 | "But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your comfort in full." | Warning about comfort leading away from God. |
| Acts 4:32 | "Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of his possessions was his own, but everything was held in common." | Early church's radical sharing of resources. |
| Lk 14:12-14 | "When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends... But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind..." | Use resources to bless the needy. |
Luke 12 verses
Luke 12 16 Meaning
Luke 12:16 introduces the Parable of the Rich Fool, wherein Jesus describes a wealthy landowner whose fertile land yielded an exceptionally abundant harvest. This verse sets the stage for a critical lesson on covetousness, the transient nature of earthly wealth, and the true source of security and life, highlighting that material abundance can often expose the heart's inclinations and misguided priorities.
Luke 12 16 Context
Luke 12:16 serves as the opening of the Parable of the Rich Fool (Luke 12:16-21). This parable immediately follows a request from someone in the crowd asking Jesus to intervene in a family inheritance dispute (Luke 12:13). Jesus refuses to act as a worldly judge and issues a stark warning against covetousness, stating that "one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions" (Luke 12:15). The parable is therefore a direct illustration of this truth, showing the folly of accumulating wealth without regard for eternal life or the spiritual dimension of existence. In the agrarian society of Jesus' time, land was the primary source of wealth, security, and status. A plentiful harvest was seen as a divine blessing, but it also presented a critical test of a person's priorities and stewardship. The cultural context implies that the rich man's response to his newfound abundance would be closely scrutinized, not just by God, but by the community that might expect acts of charity or hospitality.
Luke 12 16 Word analysis
- And he spake a parable (Εἶπεν δὲ παραβολὴν - Eipen de parabolēn): "Eipen" is a common verb used to introduce Jesus' teaching. "Parabolēn" refers to a comparison or story placed alongside a truth to illustrate it, a signature teaching method of Jesus, making complex spiritual ideas accessible through relatable earthly scenarios. This indicates a direct didactic purpose behind the narrative.
- unto them (πρὸς αὐτούς - pros autous): The audience includes both the disciples and the surrounding multitude, particularly the man who prompted the discussion about inheritance (Lk 12:13). The lesson is intended for all who seek guidance on how to view and handle earthly possessions.
- saying, (λέγων - legōn): Standard narrative connector, leading directly into the story's details.
- The ground (Ἀγροῦ - Agrou): From agros, meaning "field" or "land." This emphasizes the fundamental source of wealth in that agricultural society. It implies that the harvest was a gift from the land itself, rather than solely a result of the man's diligent labor.
- of a certain rich man (ἀνθρώπου τινὸς πλουσίου - anthrōpou tinos plousiou): "Anthrōpou" is generic for "man," making the story universally applicable. "Tinos" implies "a certain" or "a particular," identifying him as an ordinary yet prosperous individual. "Plousiou" (rich) highlights his pre-existing wealth, making the ensuing abundance even more significant as a test of his character, not a means to overcome poverty.
- brought forth plentifully: (εὐφορήσεν - euphorēsen): From euphoreō, meaning "to bear good fruit," "to yield abundantly," or "to prosper." This single word signifies an unusually prosperous and bountiful harvest, exceeding expectations. This unexpected surplus is the catalyst for the entire narrative, forcing the rich man to make a choice about his abundant resources, a choice that will ultimately define him. It signifies God's sovereign blessing and provision, which the rich man entirely misinterprets or misappropriates.
Luke 12 16 Bonus section
The Parable of the Rich Fool, introduced in this verse, uniquely highlights an "anonymous sin"—the sin of self-sufficiency in prosperity, often overlooked in favor of more overt vices. The rich man does not engage in external immoral acts (he doesn't defraud or exploit). His transgression is internal: his absolute absorption with himself, his possessions, and his future on earth, completely omitting God, charity, or eternal concerns from his calculations. The very abundance described in Luke 12:16, a sign of divine favor in the natural world, became the unwitting instrument that exposed the man's deep-seated spiritual poverty and his fatal misplacement of trust from God to his material gains.
Luke 12 16 Commentary
Luke 12:16 efficiently establishes the initial scene for the Parable of the Rich Fool. It's concise yet rich with meaning, painting a picture of unexpected agricultural bounty for a man already affluent. The verse emphasizes "plentifully," highlighting that the man's challenge stemmed not from scarcity but from superfluity, which often tests one's spiritual priorities more intensely. This unprecedented harvest serves as a divine provision, implicitly designed to reveal the rich man's true disposition—his stewardship (or lack thereof), his gratitude (or absence), and his reliance (or independence) upon God. The verse deliberately offers no immediate judgment on the rich man, simply stating the facts, allowing the unfolding narrative to expose his folly. It warns that material abundance, though seemingly a blessing, can become a spiritual trap if the heart is not aligned with God's will and eternal purposes.