Luke 12 19

Luke 12:19 kjv

And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.

Luke 12:19 nkjv

And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry." '

Luke 12:19 niv

And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry."?'

Luke 12:19 esv

And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry."'

Luke 12:19 nlt

And I'll sit back and say to myself, "My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!"'

Luke 12 verses

Luke 12 19 Meaning

Luke 12:19 portrays the internal monologue of the rich man in Jesus' parable, who believes his abundant material possessions guarantee him a long life of ease and indulgence. It highlights his complete self-centeredness, false sense of security derived from wealth, and his singular focus on earthly pleasures, utterly devoid of any recognition of God or eternal realities. His "soul" is reduced to a mere container for earthly gratifications, planned for and sustained by his own efforts and possessions.

Luke 12 19 Context

This verse is found within the parable of the Rich Fool, spoken by Jesus in response to a request from a man for Jesus to intervene in a family inheritance dispute (Lk 12:13). Jesus uses the opportunity to warn against "covetousness" (Lk 12:15), explaining that life does not consist of possessions. The parable illustrates the foolishness of those who hoard earthly wealth without any consideration for God or eternity. Following this parable, Jesus immediately instructs his disciples not to be anxious about physical needs but to seek God's kingdom and trust in His provision, storing up heavenly treasure instead of earthly ones (Lk 12:22-34), emphasizing preparedness for Christ's return.

Historically, the audience lived in an agrarian society where land and produce were primary sources of wealth. Accumulating large harvests, as the rich man does, was a common path to prosperity. However, Jewish tradition also strongly emphasized charity and stewardship. Jesus' parable implicitly challenges contemporary beliefs that equated material wealth with divine favor, a view sometimes held among certain religious groups of the time. The rich man's perspective—focusing purely on self-indulgence and assuming a long future based on his hoarded goods—was likely reflective of certain materialistic philosophies prevalent in the Greco-Roman world, such as Epicureanism, which prioritized sensual pleasure and tranquility (freedom from pain) as the highest good, without necessarily acknowledging an afterlife or divine judgment.

Luke 12 19 Word analysis

• And I will say: Reveals an internal, self-serving monologue. The rich man is speaking to himself, about himself, for himself, indicating a profound self-orientation.
• to my soul (ψυχῇ, psychē): The Greek word psychē here denotes not just the spiritual part of a person but the life-force, the individual self, the whole person. He addresses his very being, reflecting his misguided perception that his identity and well-being are rooted in his possessions and self-indulgence.
• Soul: A direct address, reinforcing the internal conversation and the man's attempt to persuade himself of his supposed good fortune and security. It highlights the profound irony: he feeds his body and neglects his eternal soul.
• you have ample goods (ἀγαθὰ πολλὰ, agatha polla): "Ample" signifies an overflowing abundance, more than enough. "Goods" (agatha) refers specifically to material possessions or produce. This emphasizes the sheer quantity of his earthly blessings, yet ironically points to their inability to truly satisfy or secure.
• laid up (κεῖται, keitai): From keimai, meaning to lie, to be laid, stored. It conveys the idea of accumulating and hoarding for future use, implying security and preservation, but in this context, it underscores his self-sufficiency and short-sighted planning.
• for many years: A fatal presumption. This phrase reveals the man's hubris and complete disregard for God's sovereignty over life and death. He acts as if his future duration is entirely within his own control and determined by his earthly provisions.
• relax (ἀναπαύου, anapauou): From anapauō, meaning to cause to cease from labor, to refresh, to give rest. Here, it implies a self-indulgent cessation of toil, a settling into comfortable, self-satisfied ease. It's a false peace based on material possessions, contrasting with the true spiritual rest Jesus offers (Matt 11:28).
• eat, drink, be merry (φάγε, πίε, εὐφραίνου, phage, pie, euphrainou): This tripartite phrase is a classical expression of hedonism, prioritizing sensual pleasure and enjoyment without higher purpose or moral constraint. It embodies the Epicurean philosophy, a direct polemic against such a worldly worldview that ignores divine accountability and eternal consequence. It paints a picture of a life completely consumed by fleeting bodily satisfactions.

Luke 12 19 Bonus section

The rich man's soliloquy is highly ironic. He speaks to his soul about feeding and resting it with physical things. The "soul," according to him, finds its highest fulfillment in material prosperity and bodily pleasure, completely contradicting the biblical understanding of the soul's yearning for God. This misidentification of his true self with his possessions leads directly to his catastrophic demise in the following verse (Lk 12:20). His emphasis on "my soul" underscores not true self-care but profound narcissism, reducing his inner being to a slave of external conditions and transient desires. The phrase "eat, drink, be merry" reflects a philosophy of life often adopted by those who dismiss eternal realities, finding solace only in the present, an ancient hedonistic slogan repeated even today. It stands in stark contrast to Jesus' teaching about seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.

Luke 12 19 Commentary

Luke 12:19 succinctly encapsulates the core delusion of materialism and self-sufficiency that Jesus warns against. The rich man's monologue reveals a tragic spiritual blindness: he addresses his soul as if it were merely a physical entity to be appeased by food and drink, rather than an eternal spirit designed for relationship with God. His "many years" are an arrogant assumption, his "ample goods" a false god, and his call to "relax, eat, drink, be merry" a prescription for immediate, fleeting gratification devoid of lasting purpose or eternal value. This verse exposes the folly of living as if life is purely horizontal (earthly existence, material accumulation, physical pleasure) while ignoring the vertical dimension (God, accountability, eternity). His plan is entirely "self-centered": focused on 'I,' 'my,' 'soul,' 'goods,' 'myself.' He builds bigger barns but does not become richer towards God, demonstrating how wealth can blind one to spiritual poverty and imminent judgment.

• Example: Consider a person whose entire life goal revolves around accumulating a vast retirement fund to simply "live it up" in comfort, neglecting community service, spiritual growth, or contributing to causes beyond themselves.