Luke 12:22
New International Version
Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear.

New Living Translation
Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear.

English Standard Version
And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on.

Berean Standard Bible
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear.

Berean Literal Bible
And He said to His disciples, "Because of this I say to you, do not be anxious for life, what you should eat, nor for your body, what you should put on.

King James Bible
And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.

New King James Version
Then He said to His disciples, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on.

New American Standard Bible
And He said to His disciples, “For this reason I tell you, do not worry about your life, as to what you are to eat; nor for your body, as to what you are to wear.

NASB 1995
And He said to His disciples, “For this reason I say to you, do not worry about your life, as to what you will eat; nor for your body, as to what you will put on.

NASB 1977
And He said to His disciples, “For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious for your life, as to what you shall eat; nor for your body, as to what you shall put on.

Legacy Standard Bible
And He said to His disciples, “For this reason I say to you, do not worry about your life, as to what you will eat; nor for your body, as to what you will put on.

Amplified Bible
Jesus said to His disciples, “For this reason I tell you, do not worry about your life, as to what you will eat; or about your body, as to what you will wear.

Christian Standard Bible
Then he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, don’t worry about your life, what you will eat; or about the body, what you will wear.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then He said to His disciples: “Therefore I tell you, don’t worry about your life, what you will eat; or about the body, what you will wear.

American Standard Version
And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on.

Contemporary English Version
Jesus said to his disciples: I tell you not to worry about your life! Don't worry about having something to eat or wear.

English Revised Version
And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then Jesus said to his disciples, "So I tell you to stop worrying about what you will eat or wear.

Good News Translation
Then Jesus said to the disciples, "And so I tell you not to worry about the food you need to stay alive or about the clothes you need for your body.

International Standard Version
Then Jesus told his disciples, "That's why I'm telling you to stop worrying about your life—what you will eat—or about your body—what you will wear,

Majority Standard Bible
Then Jesus said to His disciples, ?Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear.

NET Bible
Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear.

New Heart English Bible
He said to his disciples, "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious for your life, what you will eat, nor yet for your body, what you will wear.

Webster's Bible Translation
And he said to his disciples, Therefore I say to you, Be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.

Weymouth New Testament
Then turning to His disciples He said, "For this reason I say to you, 'Dismiss all anxious care for your lives, inquiring what you are to eat, and for your bodies, what you are to put on.'

World English Bible
He said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, don’t be anxious for your life, what you will eat, nor yet for your body, what you will wear.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And He said to His disciples, “Because of this, to you I say, do not be anxious for your life, what you may eat; nor for the body, what you may put on;

Berean Literal Bible
And He said to His disciples, "Because of this I say to you, do not be anxious for life, what you should eat, nor for your body, what you should put on.

Young's Literal Translation
And he said unto his disciples, 'Because of this, to you I say, Be not anxious for your life, what ye may eat; nor for the body, what ye may put on;

Smith's Literal Translation
And he said to his disciples, Therefore I say to you, Have no anxiety for your soul, what ye eat; nor for the body what ye put on.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said to his disciples: Therefore I say to you, be not solicitous for your life, what you shall eat; nor for your body, what you shall put on.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And he said to his disciples: “And so I say to you: Do not choose to be anxious about your life, as to what you may eat, nor about your body, as to what you will wear.

New American Bible
He said to [his] disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life and what you will eat, or about your body and what you will wear.

New Revised Standard Version
He said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And he said to his disciples, Therefore I say to you, Do not worry for your life, what you will eat; nor for your body, what you will wear.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And he said to his disciples, “Because of this, I say to you that you shall not be taking pains for yourselves what you will eat, neither for your bodies, what you will wear.”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
And he said to his disciples: For this reason I say to you, Be not anxious for your life, what you shall eat; nor for your body, what you shall put on.

Godbey New Testament
And He spoke to His disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Be not solicitous for your soul, what you may eat; nor for your body, what you may put on.

Haweis New Testament
Then said he to his disciples, For this reason I tell you, Be under no anxiety about your life, what ye shall eat, nor for your body, how ye shall be clothed.

Mace New Testament
Wherefore (said he to his disciples,) be not sollicitous for your life, what ye shall eat; nor for the body, what ye shall put on.

Weymouth New Testament
Then turning to His disciples He said, "For this reason I say to you, 'Dismiss all anxious care for your lives, inquiring what you are to eat, and for your bodies, what you are to put on.'

Worrell New Testament
And He said to His disciples, "Therefore, I say to you, be not anxious for your soul, what ye shall eat; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on;

Worsley New Testament
And He said to his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat; nor for the body, what ye shall put on:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Do Not Worry
21This is how it will be for anyone who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich toward God.” 22Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. 23For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.…

Cross References
Matthew 6:25-34
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? / Look at the birds of the air: They do not sow or reap or gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? / Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? ...

Philippians 4:6-7
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. / And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

1 Peter 5:7
Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.

Matthew 10:19-20
But when they hand you over, do not worry about how to respond or what to say. In that hour you will be given what to say. / For it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

Matthew 10:29-31
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. / And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. / So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Psalm 55:22
Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken.

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; / in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.

Isaiah 41:10
Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

Jeremiah 17:7-8
But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him. / He is like a tree planted by the waters that sends out its roots toward the stream. It does not fear when the heat comes, and its leaves are always green. It does not worry in a year of drought, nor does it cease to produce fruit.

2 Corinthians 9:8
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

Romans 8:32
He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, freely give us all things?

Hebrews 13:5-6
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, for God has said: “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.” / So we say with confidence: “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”

1 Timothy 6:6-8
Of course, godliness with contentment is great gain. / For we brought nothing into the world, so we cannot carry anything out of it. / But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these.

Psalm 37:3-5
Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. / Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart. / Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him, and He will do it.

Psalm 37:25
I once was young and now am old, yet never have I seen the righteous abandoned or their children begging for bread.


Treasury of Scripture

And he said to his disciples, Therefore I say to you, Take no thought for your life, what you shall eat; neither for the body, what you shall put on.

Take.

Luke 12:29
And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.

Matthew 6:25
Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

1 Corinthians 7:32
But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord:

Jump to Previous
Anxious Bodies Body Care Careful Cause Clothed Disciples Dismiss Eat Food Inquiring Jesus Life Reason Thought Turning Wear Worry
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Anxious Bodies Body Care Careful Cause Clothed Disciples Dismiss Eat Food Inquiring Jesus Life Reason Thought Turning Wear Worry
Luke 12
1. Jesus preaches to his apostles to avoid hypocrisy
13. and warns against covetousness, by the parable of the man who set up greater barns.
22. We must not worry about earthly things,
31. but seek the kingdom of God;
33. give alms;
35. be ready at a knock to open to our Lord whensoever he comes.
41. Jesus' disciples are to see to their charges,
49. and look for persecution.
54. The people must take this time of grace;
57. because it is a fearful thing to die without reconciliation.














Then Jesus said to His disciples
This phrase indicates a direct teaching moment from Jesus to His closest followers. The context is a continuation of Jesus' teachings on the Kingdom of God and the attitudes required of its citizens. The disciples, often seen as representatives of all believers, are being prepared for their mission and the challenges they will face. This setting is likely in the region of Judea, where Jesus spent much of His ministry. The disciples are being taught to rely on God rather than earthly provisions, a theme consistent with Jesus' teachings throughout the Gospels.

Therefore I tell you
The word "therefore" connects this teaching to the preceding verses, where Jesus speaks about the parable of the rich fool, emphasizing the futility of storing up earthly wealth. Jesus is making a logical conclusion based on the previous lesson, urging His disciples to adopt a heavenly perspective. This phrase underscores the authority of Jesus as a teacher and prophet, whose words carry divine weight and truth.

Do not worry about your life
This command addresses the common human concern for survival and well-being. In the cultural context of first-century Palestine, life was often precarious, with many living in poverty and under Roman occupation. Jesus' instruction to not worry is radical, calling for a trust in God's provision that transcends immediate circumstances. This echoes the teachings found in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:25-34), where Jesus similarly instructs His followers to seek first the Kingdom of God.

What you will eat
Food scarcity was a real issue in ancient times, and meals were central to social and religious life. Jesus' assurance that His followers should not worry about food is a call to trust in God's provision, reminiscent of God's provision of manna to the Israelites in the wilderness (Exodus 16). This reliance on God for daily sustenance is a recurring theme in Scripture, highlighting God's faithfulness and care for His people.

Or about your body
The body, in biblical terms, is often seen as the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Jesus' teaching here suggests that the physical body, while important, should not be a source of anxiety. This reflects a broader biblical principle that spiritual well-being and trust in God should take precedence over physical concerns. The body is to be respected and cared for, but not idolized or worried over.

What you will wear
Clothing in the ancient world was a sign of status and identity. Jesus' instruction not to worry about clothing challenges societal norms that equate worth with appearance. This teaching aligns with the biblical theme of God providing for His people, as seen in the provision of garments for Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:21) and the Israelites' clothing not wearing out during their desert wanderings (Deuteronomy 8:4). Jesus is emphasizing the value of inner spiritual richness over external appearances.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jesus
The central figure in this passage, offering teachings to His disciples. He is the Son of God, the Messiah, and the teacher of divine wisdom.

2. Disciples
The immediate audience of Jesus' teaching. They are followers of Christ, learning from His words and actions to spread His message.

3. The Setting
This teaching occurs during Jesus' ministry, likely in a setting where He is addressing a crowd, focusing on His disciples to impart wisdom about reliance on God.
Teaching Points
Trust in God's Provision
Jesus calls us to trust in God's ability to provide for our needs. This trust is rooted in the understanding of God as a loving Father who knows what we need.

Freedom from Anxiety
By focusing on God's kingdom and righteousness, we can experience freedom from the anxieties of daily life. This freedom allows us to live more fully in the present, serving God and others.

Prioritizing Spiritual Over Material
Jesus' teaching encourages us to prioritize spiritual growth and reliance on God over material concerns. This shift in focus helps align our lives with God's purposes.

Living by Faith
Faith is central to overcoming worry. By cultivating a deep faith in God's promises, we can navigate life's uncertainties with confidence and peace.

Community Support
As a community of believers, we are called to support one another in times of need, reflecting God's provision through our actions and generosity.(22) And he said unto his disciples.--The previous words had been spoken generally to all who needed their warning against greed. What follows is addressed to those who had already been called to the consciousness of a higher life.

Take no thought for your life.--Another reproduction, in a distinct context, and as drawn forth by a special occasion, of the general teaching of Matthew 6:25.

Verse 22. - And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. A better rendering for "Take no thought" is Be not anxious about. This, too, suggests a more practical lesson. "What ye shall eat." How repeatedly in the Master's sermons do we find the reminder against the being careful about eating! We know from pagan writers in this age how gluttony, in its coarser and more refined forms, was among the more notorious evils of Roman society in Italy and in the provinces. This passion for the table more or less affected all classes in the empire.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Then
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

[Jesus] said
Εἶπεν (Eipen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2036: Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say.

to
πρὸς (pros)
Preposition
Strong's 4314: To, towards, with. A strengthened form of pro; a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e. Toward.

His
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

disciples,
μαθητὰς (mathētas)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3101: A learner, disciple, pupil. From manthano; a learner, i.e. Pupil.

“Therefore
Διὰ (Dia)
Preposition
Strong's 1223: A primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through.

I tell
λέγω (legō)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 3004: (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.

you,
ὑμῖν (hymin)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

{do} not
μὴ (mē)
Adverb
Strong's 3361: Not, lest. A primary particle of qualified negation; not, lest; also (whereas ou expects an affirmative one) whether.

worry
μεριμνᾶτε (merimnate)
Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 3309: To be over-anxious; with acc: To be anxious about, distracted; I care for. From merimna; to be anxious about.

about
τῇ (tē)
Article - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

your life,
ψυχῇ (psychē)
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 5590: From psucho; breath, i.e. spirit, abstractly or concretely.

what
τί (ti)
Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 5101: Who, which, what, why. Probably emphatic of tis; an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what.

you will eat,
φάγητε (phagēte)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 5315: A primary verb; to eat.

[or]
μηδὲ (mēde)
Conjunction
Strong's 3366: And not, not even, neither?nor. From me and de; but not, not even; in a continued negation, nor.

about
τῷ (tō)
Article - Dative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

your
ὑμῶν (hymōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

body,
σώματι (sōmati)
Noun - Dative Neuter Singular
Strong's 4983: Body, flesh; the body of the Church. From sozo; the body, used in a very wide application, literally or figuratively.

what
τί (ti)
Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 5101: Who, which, what, why. Probably emphatic of tis; an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what.

you will wear.
ἐνδύσησθε (endysēsthe)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Middle - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 1746: To put on, clothe (another). From en and duno; to invest with clothing.


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