The Parable of the Rich Fool

¹³ Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

¹⁴ Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” ¹⁵ Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”^(A)

¹⁶ And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. ¹⁷ He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’

¹⁸ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. ¹⁹ And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’

²⁰ “But God said to him, ‘You fool!^(B) This very night your life will be demanded from you.^(C) Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’^(D)

²¹ “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”^(E)

Do Not Worry^(F)

²² 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. ²³ For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. ²⁴ Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them.^(G) And how much more valuable you are than birds! ²⁵ Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life^[a]? ²⁶ Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

²⁷ “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor^(H) was dressed like one of these. ²⁸ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith!^{(I) 29} And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. ³⁰ For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father^(J) knows that you need them.^{(K) 31} But seek his kingdom,^(L) and these things will be given to you as well.^(M)

³² “Do not be afraid,^(N) little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.^{(O) 33} Sell your possessions and give to the poor.^(P) Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven^(Q) that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.^{(R) 34} For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.^(S)

Watchfulness^(T)(U)

³⁵ “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, ³⁶ like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. ³⁷ It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes.^(V) Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them.^{(W) 38} It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak. ³⁹ But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief^(X) was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. ⁴⁰ You also must be ready,^(Y) because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

⁴¹ Peter asked, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?”

⁴² The Lord^(Z) answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? ⁴³ It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. ⁴⁴ Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. ⁴⁵ But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk. ⁴⁶ The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of.^(AA) He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.

⁴⁷ “The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows.^{(AB) 48} But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows.^(AC) From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

³ If anyone teaches otherwise^(A) and does not agree to the sound instruction^(B) of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, ⁴ they are conceited^(C) and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words^(D) that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions ⁵ and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth^(E) and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.

⁶ But godliness with contentment^(F) is great gain.^{(G) 7} For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.^{(H) 8} But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.^{(I) 9} Those who want to get rich^(J) fall into temptation and a trap^(K) and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For the love of money^(L) is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith^(M) and pierced themselves with many griefs.^(N)

Final Charge to Timothy

¹¹ But you, man of God,^(O) flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness,^(P) faith, love,^(Q) endurance and gentleness. ¹² Fight the good fight^(R) of the faith. Take hold of^(S) the eternal life^(T) to which you were called when you made your good confession^(U) in the presence of many witnesses. ¹³ In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate^(V) made the good confession,^(W) I charge you^{(X) 14} to keep this command without spot or blame^(Y) until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,^{(Z) 15} which God will bring about in his own time^(AA)—God, the blessed^(AB) and only Ruler,^(AC) the King of kings and Lord of lords,^{(AD) 16} who alone is immortal^(AE) and who lives in unapproachable light,^(AF) whom no one has seen or can see.^(AG) To him be honor and might forever. Amen.^(AH)

¹⁷ Command those who are rich^(AI) in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth,^(AJ) which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God,^(AK) who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.^{(AL) 18} Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds,^(AM) and to be generous and willing to share.^{(AN) 19} In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves^(AO) as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of^(AP) the life that is truly life.

²⁰ Timothy, guard what has been entrusted^(AQ) to your care. Turn away from godless chatter^(AR) and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, ²¹ which some have professed and in so doing have departed from the faith.^(AS)

Grace be with you all.^(AT)