Luke 12:29 kjv
And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.
Luke 12:29 nkjv
"And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind.
Luke 12:29 niv
And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it.
Luke 12:29 esv
And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried.
Luke 12:29 nlt
"And don't be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don't worry about such things.
Luke 12 29 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Matt 6:25 | "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink..." | Direct parallel to Luke 12:29-31 on not worrying. |
| Matt 6:31 | "Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?'..." | Reinforces the instruction against anxious questioning. |
| Matt 6:33 | "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." | Core command to prioritize spiritual over material. |
| Phil 4:6 | "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving..." | Broad instruction to present worries to God. |
| 1 Pet 5:7 | "casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you." | Direct encouragement to transfer burdens to God. |
| Ps 55:22 | "Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved." | Old Testament wisdom on trusting God for sustenance. |
| Is 26:3 | "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you." | Connection between trust in God and peace of mind. |
| Prov 16:3 | "Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established." | Trusting God with life's endeavors leads to stability. |
| Gen 28:15 | "Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go..." | God's promise of protection and provision throughout life. |
| Ex 16:4 | "Behold, I am raining bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a sufficient daily portion..." | Manna illustrates God's daily provision for His people. |
| Deut 8:3 | "...that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone but every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD." | Spiritual sustenance as ultimate, transcending physical needs. |
| 1 Kin 17:15-16 | The widow of Zarephath's oil and flour miracle. | Example of God's miraculous and continuous provision for basic needs. |
| Luke 12:22 | "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on." | Initial exhortation preceding Luke 12:29, sets the context. |
| Luke 12:30 | "For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need them." | Contrasts Gentile (unbeliever) anxieties with the Father's knowledge. |
| Luke 12:31 | "Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you." | Reiteration of the central command to prioritize the Kingdom. |
| John 6:27 | "Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life..." | Prioritizing spiritual over perishable food. |
| Luke 10:41-42 | Martha worried and distracted, Mary choosing the "better part." | Jesus correcting misplaced priorities and unnecessary anxiety. |
| Heb 13:5 | "...be content with what you have, for he has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.'" | Contentment and reliance on God's unwavering presence and provision. |
| Prov 3:5-6 | "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding..." | Foundational principle of trusting God completely. |
| Is 30:15 | "In quietness and in trust shall be your strength." | Quiet reliance on God brings strength, countering anxiety. |
| Luke 6:35 | "But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil." | Encourages giving freely without anxiety over personal provision, trusting God. |
| Ps 23:1 | "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want." | Statement of absolute contentment and provision under God's care. |
| Hab 3:17-19 | "Though the fig tree should not blossom...yet I will rejoice in the LORD..." | Finding joy and reliance on God even in scarcity. |
Luke 12 verses
Luke 12 29 Meaning
Luke 12:29 commands believers not to excessively strive or be perpetually unsettled concerning their basic physical necessities like food and drink. It highlights the spiritual danger of a worried or anxious mind, urging instead a tranquil reliance on God's provision and a focus on Kingdom priorities rather than material sustenance.
Luke 12 29 Context
Luke 12:29 is situated within a longer discourse by Jesus on various aspects of discipleship, immediately following the parable of the rich fool (Luke 12:13-21) and the teaching not to worry (Luke 12:22-34). The parable of the rich fool serves as a warning against earthly greed and materialism, setting the stage for Jesus' exhortation against anxiety. From Luke 12:22 onward, Jesus directly addresses His disciples, teaching them not to worry about basic necessities, using analogies of ravens and lilies. He contrasts the "nations of the world" (Luke 12:30), who typically strive for these things, with believers who have a Father who knows their needs. Historically, for a first-century Palestinian audience, anxieties over food and drink were very real due to precarious agricultural cycles, economic instability, and lack of social safety nets. Jesus' teaching here is a direct challenge to the common human preoccupation with survival, urging a spiritual trust that transcends typical human worries. It implicitly corrects a worldly perspective that makes material security paramount, reorienting the disciples towards the kingdom of God as their ultimate priority and source of provision.
Luke 12 29 Word analysis
And do not seek (καὶ ὑμεῖς μὴ ζητεῖτε - kai hymeis mē zēteite):
- καὶ (kai): "And" or "Also." Connects this thought directly to the preceding exhortation not to worry.
- ὑμεῖς (hymeis): "You (plural)." This highlights that Jesus is specifically addressing His disciples, differentiating them from others (the "nations of the world" in v. 30) who typically worry. It implies a higher standard of trust is expected from His followers.
- μὴ ζητεῖτε (mē zēteite): A negative command using mē (for prohibition) with a present imperative verb, meaning "do not be continuously seeking/striving." It suggests a constant preoccupation or anxious quest for these things. The word zēteō (seek) implies a determined pursuit, research, or earnest effort to find. Jesus is forbidding an obsessive, worry-driven pursuit of these basic needs.
what you will eat (τί φάγητε - ti phagēte) or what you will drink (ἢ τί πίητε - ē ti piēte):
- These phrases refer to the most fundamental necessities for human survival. By naming them, Jesus directly addresses the root causes of everyday material anxiety.
- They serve as synecdoche, representing all basic provisions and, by extension, general material security. The focus is not on gluttony or luxury but on the sheer anxieties of subsistence.
nor be of anxious mind (καὶ μὴ μετεωρίζεσθε - kai mē meteōrizesthe):
- καὶ μὴ (kai mē): "And not" or "nor," extending the prohibition.
- μετεωρίζεσθε (meteōrizesthe): This is a powerful and key word. It is a passive verb (present passive imperative) derived from meteōros (up in the air, lofty).
- Literal Meaning: "to be lifted up in the air," "to be suspended." Imagine something tossed back and forth, like a ship without an anchor or rudder in a storm.
- Figurative Meaning: "to be wavering," "to be in suspense," "to be uncertain," "to be anxious," "to be tossed about in one's mind." It speaks to a mental state of instability, indecision, restlessness, and agitation due to anxiety or worry.
- Significance: It’s more than just "worry"; it implies a profound unsettledness of spirit, an emotional and intellectual instability caused by uncertainty about the future, especially regarding basic needs. This word highlights the spiritual state Jesus wants to deliver His followers from—a mind constantly elevated by fears, unable to find peace or anchor in God's promises. It implies a distracting preoccupation that diverts attention from higher pursuits.
Luke 12 29 Bonus section
This verse implicitly challenges both a mindset of self-reliance (where provision depends solely on one's own anxious effort) and a fatalistic outlook. Instead, it promotes active trust and a theological worldview where God is sovereign and caring. The language choice for "anxious mind" (μετεωρίζεσθε) distinguishes true Christian tranquility from worldly stoicism or indifference. While stoicism aims for emotional detachment through willpower, Christian peace comes from active, confident trust in a personal God. The repetition of negative commands ("do not seek," "nor be of anxious mind") underscores the strength of Jesus' emphasis on freeing His disciples from this spiritual burden. This teaching liberates believers to devote their energy and focus to God's kingdom work, knowing their temporal needs are addressed by their heavenly Father. It emphasizes a faith that radically reorders life's priorities from material accumulation to spiritual flourishing.
Luke 12 29 Commentary
Luke 12:29 is a profound injunction against living a life dominated by material anxiety. Following the parables highlighting the transience of earthly riches, Jesus narrows His focus to the disciples' daily struggle with worry. He commands them not to "seek" (ζητεῖτε), implying a forceful, continuous, and often anxious pursuit of basic necessities. This is not a call to idleness but to prioritize differently. The phrase "nor be of anxious mind" uses the vivid Greek term meteōrizesthe, picturing a mind perpetually "tossed about" or "suspended in mid-air" like a boat in a storm. This state is the opposite of the deep-seated peace found in trust in God. Jesus critiques not just the worry itself, but the resulting unstable mental and spiritual state. The solution, provided in subsequent verses (12:30-31), is not self-help but a recognition that the Heavenly Father already knows their needs, and their primary calling is to "seek His kingdom" rather than fret over earthly sustenance.