Luke 12 21

Luke 12:21 kjv

So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

Luke 12:21 nkjv

"So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."

Luke 12:21 niv

"This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God."

Luke 12:21 esv

So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God."

Luke 12:21 nlt

"Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God."

Luke 12 verses

Luke 12 21 Meaning

This verse serves as the concluding punchline and direct application of Jesus' Parable of the Rich Fool, articulated in Luke 12:16-20. It profoundly defines a spiritual and existential bankruptcy: a person who exclusively hoards earthly wealth for their own benefit, without seeking or possessing spiritual riches and a relationship with God, ultimately faces tragic loss and eternal poverty. The essence is that true wealth is measured by one's standing before God, not by material accumulation.

Luke 12 21 Context

Luke 12:21 concludes the Parable of the Rich Fool, which Jesus told in response to a request from someone in the crowd to arbitrate a family inheritance dispute (Lk 12:13-14). Jesus immediately used this as an opportunity to warn against "covetousness," stating that "a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth" (Lk 12:15). The parable itself (Lk 12:16-20) describes a wealthy farmer who harvests abundantly and, instead of considering generosity or God's purposes, plans to tear down his barns and build larger ones to store all his produce, for his own ease and enjoyment. God's swift judgment on him ("Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee...") sets the stage for verse 21, serving as a solemn conclusion not only to the parable but also to the larger discourse on proper priorities and trust in God, extending into topics like anxiety, seeking the Kingdom of God, and being ready for Christ's return. Historically, the audience lived in an agrarian society where accumulation of harvests signified security, and Jewish thought often linked wealth with divine blessing; Jesus' teaching strongly challenged this by emphasizing that ultimate security and true blessing lay not in earthly gain but in a relationship with God and heavenly treasure. It was also a polemic against the idea that material wealth itself brought honor or assured one of a favored standing before God.

Luke 12 21 Word analysis

• So is he (Οὕτως ὁ / houtōs ho):

  • This phrase acts as a definitive summary and direct application. Houtōs means "thus" or "in this manner." It explicitly links the preceding narrative (the Parable of the Rich Fool) to a general spiritual principle applicable to anyone. It signals that the rich fool's outcome is not an isolated incident but a universal spiritual truth about those who share his mindset.
  • Significance: It makes the parable immediately relevant and inescapable for the listener, shifting from a story to a direct warning.

• that layeth up treasure (θησαυρίζων / thēsaurizōn):

  • Thēsaurizōn is a present active participle, implying an ongoing, habitual action of accumulating and storing. The root thēsaurus refers to a storehouse, chest, or treasure itself. Here it's the active process of acquiring and saving wealth.
  • Significance: It highlights the sustained effort and focus placed on accumulating earthly possessions, revealing a primary life ambition. It also carries a nuance of "hoarding" rather than simply managing.

• for himself (ἑαυτῷ / heautō):

  • The dative reflexive pronoun "for himself" intensely emphasizes the self-centered nature of the accumulation. The entire motivation and ultimate beneficiary of the rich fool's labor is himself alone. There is no consideration for God, others, or divine purposes.
  • Significance: This is the crux of the issue; it's not the wealth itself but its exclusive devotion to self that condemns the rich fool and those like him. It reveals a life void of true charity or submission to God's will.

• and is not rich (καὶ μὴ... πλουτῶν / kai mē... ploutōn):

  • "And not" (kai mē) marks a stark, absolute contrast. Ploutōn (from plouteō) means "to be rich" or "to grow rich," also a present active participle, denoting a continual state or process.
  • Significance: It highlights the concurrent state of being materially abundant but spiritually impoverished. It is possible, and common, to possess much worldly wealth while utterly lacking true riches.

• toward God (εἰς Θεόν / eis Theon):

  • The preposition eis denotes direction, purpose, or relation "into" or "towards." To be "rich toward God" implies actively building up spiritual assets, accumulating good deeds (which are stored up with God), investing in His Kingdom, and cultivating a relationship with Him based on faith, obedience, and love. It includes generosity, living righteously, and placing God as the ultimate priority.
  • Significance: This is the divine criterion for true wealth. It redefines riches from earthly accumulation to heavenly investment and spiritual well-being. It underscores the ultimate reality of accountability before God.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "So is he that layeth up treasure for himself": This phrase captures the essence of the rich fool's fatal flaw: his life's direction was wholly self-focused on material acquisition. His telos (end goal) was his own comfort and security, reflecting an underlying lack of faith in God or disregard for His divine commands. This behavior is symptomatic of idolatry, where material possessions supplant God as the object of trust and desire (Col 3:5).
• "and is not rich toward God": This contrasting clause highlights the complete absence of any spiritual wealth or connection to God. It is a state of spiritual deficit, signifying that while one might excel in worldly terms, they are bankrupt in the ultimate reality of their standing before the divine. "Rich toward God" implies aligning one's life, resources, and priorities with God's will and eternal purposes, such as investing in people, pursuing righteousness, spreading the Gospel, and developing a profound relationship with the Creator. The lack of this spiritual wealth means a lack of God's favor, blessing, and ultimately, eternal life.

Luke 12 21 Bonus section

The rich fool’s planning was deeply flawed because it was made without God. His monologue (Lk 12:18-19) is filled with first-person singular pronouns ("I will," "my," "I have"), showing a total preoccupation with self and exclusion of God. His ultimate demise came precisely when he felt most secure in his worldly planning, highlighting the inherent precariousness of a life built on material possessions and ignoring the fragility of human existence. The suddenness of God's pronouncement ("this night thy soul shall be required of thee") underscores the certainty and unexpected nature of death, rendering all earthly planning futile without an eternal perspective. This verse serves as a crucial boundary and limitation: wealth is permissible, but its purpose and the heart's disposition towards it define one's true standing before God. The boundary is drawn between using wealth as a master or using it as a servant of God.

Luke 12 21 Commentary

Luke 12:21 is a succinct, potent summation of Jesus' teaching on materialism and spiritual priorities, directly stemming from the Parable of the Rich Fool. It unveils the supreme folly of a life devoted solely to earthly accumulation for selfish ends. The "so is he" declaration confirms that the rich fool's judgment awaits anyone who shares his self-serving, short-sighted approach to wealth. Being "rich toward God" is not about a specific monetary amount given to charity, but about the orientation of one's heart and life's priorities. It signifies a stewardship mindset, where earthly resources are viewed as tools to serve God and build His Kingdom, rather than ends in themselves. Such an individual cultivates faith, righteousness, love, and compassion – treasures that are eternal and cannot be taken away by death. In essence, Jesus asserts that true life is found not in abundance of possessions (as stated in Lk 12:15) but in abundance of divine connection and spiritual investment, which yields eternal reward.

Examples:

• A person relentlessly pursues career advancement and financial gain, hoarding all extra income, while neglecting family, spiritual growth, and charitable giving. When life abruptly ends, their material wealth becomes meaningless.
• Someone prioritizes volunteering their time and resources to help the poor or share the Gospel, trusting God for their needs, even if they have modest means. They are rich toward God, accumulating eternal rewards.