Greed Denounced

¹³ Now someone ^[a]in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.” ¹⁴ But He said to him, “^[b](A)You there—who appointed Me a judge or arbitrator over the two of you?” ¹⁵ But He said to them, “^(B)Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one is affluent does his life consist of his possessions.” ¹⁶ And He told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man was very productive. ¹⁷ And he began thinking to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’ ¹⁸ And he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and I will store all my grain and my goods there. ¹⁹ And I will say to ^[c]myself, “^(C)You have many goods stored up for many years to come; relax, eat, drink, and enjoy yourself!”’ ²⁰ But God said to him, ‘^(D)You fool! This very night ^[d](E)your soul is demanded of you; and ^(F)as for all that you have prepared, who will own it now?’ ²¹ Such is the one who ^(G)stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich in relation to God.”

²² And He said to His disciples, “^(H)For this reason I tell you, ^[e]do not worry about your ^[f]life, as to what you are to eat; nor for your body, as to what you are to wear. ²³ For life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. ²⁴ Consider the ^(I)ravens, that they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom nor ^(J)barn, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds! ²⁵ And which of you by worrying can add a ^[g](K)day to his ^[h]life’s span? ²⁶ Therefore if you cannot do even a very little thing, why do you worry about the other things? ²⁷ Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither labor nor ^[i]spin; but I tell you, not even ^(L)Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. ²⁸ Now if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you? ^(M)You of little faith! ²⁹ And do not ^[j]seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not ^(N)keep worrying. ³⁰ For ^[k]all these things are what the nations of the world ^[l]eagerly seek; and your Father knows that you need these things. ³¹ But ^[m]seek His kingdom, and ^(O)these things will be ^[n]provided to you. ^32 [o](P)Do not be afraid, ^(Q)little flock, because ^(R)your Father has chosen to give you the kingdom.

³³ “^(S)Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts that do not wear out, ^(T)an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor does a moth destroy. ³⁴ For ^(U)where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.