Luke 12:13-21

International Children’s Bible

Jesus Warns Against Selfishness

¹³ One of the men in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide with me the property our father left us.”

¹⁴ But Jesus said to him, “Who said that I should be your judge or decide how to divide the property between you two?” ¹⁵ Then Jesus said to them, “Be careful and guard against all kinds of greed. A man’s life is not measured by the many things he owns.”

¹⁶ Then Jesus used this story: “There was a rich man who had some land, which grew a good crop of food. ¹⁷ The rich man thought to himself, ‘What will I do? I have no place to keep all my crops.’ ¹⁸ Then he said, ‘I know what I will do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones! I will put all my grain and other goods together in my new barns. ¹⁹ Then I can say to myself, I have enough good things stored to last for many years. Rest, eat, drink, and enjoy life!’

²⁰ “But God said to that man, ‘Foolish man! Tonight you will die. So who will get those things you have prepared for yourself?’

²¹ “This is how it will be for anyone who stores things up only for himself and is not rich toward God.”