Luke 12:29
New International Version
And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it.

New Living Translation
“And don’t be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don’t worry about such things.

English Standard Version
And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried.

Berean Standard Bible
And do not be concerned about what you will eat or drink. Do not worry about it.

Berean Literal Bible
And you, do not seek what you might eat, and what you might drink, and do not be in suspense;

King James Bible
And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.

New King James Version
“And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind.

New American Standard Bible
And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not keep worrying.

NASB 1995
“And do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not keep worrying.

NASB 1977
“And do not seek what you shall eat, and what you shall drink, and do not keep worrying.

Legacy Standard Bible
And do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not keep worrying.

Amplified Bible
So as for you, do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink; nor have an anxious and unsettled mind.

Christian Standard Bible
Don’t strive for what you should eat and what you should drink, and don’t be anxious.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Don’t keep striving for what you should eat and what you should drink, and don’t be anxious.

American Standard Version
And seek not ye what ye shall eat, and what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.

Contemporary English Version
Don't keep worrying about having something to eat or drink.

English Revised Version
And seek not ye what ye shall eat, and what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"Don't concern yourself about what you will eat or drink, and quit worrying about these things.

Good News Translation
"So don't be all upset, always concerned about what you will eat and drink.

International Standard Version
"So stop concerning yourselves about what you will eat or what you will drink, and stop being distressed,

Majority Standard Bible
And do not be concerned about what you will eat or drink. Do not worry about it.

NET Bible
So do not be overly concerned about what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not worry about such things.

New Heart English Bible
Do not seek what you will eat or what you will drink; neither be anxious.

Webster's Bible Translation
And seek ye not what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.

Weymouth New Testament
"Therefore, do not be asking what you are to eat nor what you are to drink; and do not waver between hope and fear.

World English Bible
“Don’t seek what you will eat or what you will drink; neither be anxious.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And you—do not seek what you may eat, or what you may drink, and do not be in suspense,

Berean Literal Bible
And you, do not seek what you might eat, and what you might drink, and do not be in suspense;

Young's Literal Translation
'And ye -- seek not what ye may eat, or what ye may drink, and be not in suspense,

Smith's Literal Translation
And ye, seek ye not what ye eat, or what ye drink, and keep not in anxiety.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And seek not you what you shall eat, or what you shall drink: and be not lifted up on high.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And so, do not choose to inquire as to what you will eat, or what you will drink. And do not choose to be lifted up on high.

New American Bible
As for you, do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not worry anymore.

New Revised Standard Version
And do not keep striving for what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not keep worrying.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
So do not be anxious what you will eat, and what you will drink, and let not your mind be disturbed by these things.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
“You should not seek what you will eat and what you will drink, neither should your mind be distracted by these things.”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
And seek not what you shall eat, or what you shall drink, and be not in anxious suspense.

Godbey New Testament
And do not seek what you may eat, and what you may drink, and with what you are clothed;

Haweis New Testament
So then be not ye inquisitive what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, nor be agitated with restless anxiety.

Mace New Testament
therefore don't be concern'd about what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; but lay aside all your anxiety:

Weymouth New Testament
"Therefore, do not be asking what you are to eat nor what you are to drink; and do not waver between hope and fear.

Worrell New Testament
And seek ye not what ye shall eat, and what ye shall drink; nor be troubled with anxiety;

Worsley New Testament
And seek ye not what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; neither be ye in careful suspense:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Do Not Worry
28If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith! 29And do not be concerned about what you will eat or drink. Do not worry about it. 30For the Gentiles of the world strive after all these things, and your Father knows that you need them.…

Cross References
Matthew 6:31-33
Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ / For the Gentiles strive after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. / But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.

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 6:25-27
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?

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.

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.

John 14:1
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe in Me as well.

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?”

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?

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.

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.

Isaiah 26:3-4
You will keep in perfect peace the steadfast of mind, because he trusts in You. / Trust in the LORD forever, because GOD the LORD is the Rock eternal.

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.


Treasury of Scripture

And seek not you what you shall eat, or what you shall drink, neither be you of doubtful mind.

seek.

Luke 12:22
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.

Luke 10:7,8
And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house…

Luke 22:35
And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing.

neither, etc.

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Anxiety Anxious Doubtful Drink Eat Fear Food Full Heart Hope Mind Overmuch Seek Suspense Thought Waver Worry Worrying
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Anxiety Anxious Doubtful Drink Eat Fear Food Full Heart Hope Mind Overmuch Seek Suspense Thought Waver Worry Worrying
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.














And do not be concerned
The phrase "do not be concerned" is derived from the Greek word "μεριμνάω" (merimnao), which means to be anxious or overly concerned. In the context of first-century Judea, where daily sustenance was a constant struggle for many, Jesus' command not to be anxious is both radical and comforting. It calls believers to trust in God's provision, echoing the teachings found in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:25-34). This trust is not passive but an active reliance on God's faithfulness, encouraging believers to focus on spiritual priorities rather than material needs.

about what you will eat or drink
The focus on "what you will eat or drink" highlights basic human needs. In the ancient world, food and water were not as readily available as they are in many parts of the modern world. Jesus addresses these fundamental concerns to illustrate a broader principle of divine provision. The historical context reveals a society where famine and drought were real threats, making this assurance of God's care even more profound. This phrase invites believers to shift their focus from temporal needs to eternal truths, trusting that God, who provides for the birds of the air and the lilies of the field, will also provide for His children.

Do not worry about it
The repetition of the command "do not worry" reinforces the call to a life of faith over fear. The Greek word "μεριμνάω" (merimnao) is again used here, emphasizing the importance of releasing anxiety. This directive is not a denial of life's challenges but an invitation to experience peace through trust in God's sovereignty. Historically, this teaching would have been countercultural, as worry was a natural response to the uncertainties of life. Scripturally, it aligns with Philippians 4:6-7, where believers are encouraged to present their requests to God with thanksgiving, resulting in the peace of God guarding their hearts and minds. This peace is a testament to the transformative power of faith, offering a serene confidence in God's provision and care.

Verse 29. - And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink. Again, after the moving, touching words we have been commenting on, does the Lord return to the pressing injunction with which he began his lessons to his disciples upon the parable of the "rich fool." Trouble not yourselves about your eating and drinking. This repeated insistence of the Master upon this point in the future lives of his disciples has evidently a deeper significance than a mere injunction to cast all their care on him, and not to be over-anxious about their poor earthly maintenance. This was, of course, the first lesson they had to learn from these words; but beneath all this they could, and no doubt often in later days did, read in the words a clear expression of their dear Lord's will in favor of the utmost simplicity in all matters of food and drink. His own must be marked men here, ever frugal and temperate even to abstemiousness. It is a grave question whether his Church has ever fully grasped the Master's meaning here. Neither be ye of doubtful mind; literally, do not toss about like boats in the offing (so Dr. Farrar very happily). The word is not found elsewhere in New Testament writers, but it is known in classic writers. Its use here is one of the many signs of St. Luke's high culture.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
And
Καὶ (Kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

{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.

be concerned about
ζητεῖτε (zēteite)
Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 2212: To seek, search for, desire, require, demand. Of uncertain affinity; to seek; specially, to worship, or to plot.

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]
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

drink.
πίητε (piēte)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4095: To drink, imbibe. A prolonged form of pio, which poo occurs only as an alternate in certain tenses; to imbibe.

{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 about [it].
μετεωρίζεσθε (meteōrizesthe)
Verb - Present Imperative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 3349: From a compound of meta and a collateral form of airo or perhaps rather aer; to raise in mid-air, i.e. suspend.


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NT Gospels: Luke 12:29 Don't seek what you will eat (Luke Lu Lk)
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