The Parable of the Rich Fool

13 (A)Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 But he said to him, (B)“Man, (C)who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” 15 And he said to them, (D)“Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” 16 And he told them a parable, saying, (E)“The land of a rich man produced plentifully, 17 and he thought to himself, (F)‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 18 And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my (G)barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up (H)for many years; relax, (I)eat, drink, be merry.”’ 20 But God said to him, (J)‘Fool! (K)This night (L)your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, (M)whose will they be?’ 21 So is the one (N)who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

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The Parable of the Rich Fool

13 Someone from the crowd said to him, “Teacher,(A) tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

14 “Friend,”[a] he said to him, “who appointed me a judge or arbitrator over you?” 15 He then told them, “Watch out and be on guard(B) against all greed,(C) because one’s life is not in the abundance of his possessions.”(D)

16 Then he told them a parable:(E) “A rich(F) man’s land was very productive. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What should I do, since I don’t have anywhere to store my crops? 18 I will do this,’ he said. ‘I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones and store all my grain and my goods there. 19 Then I’ll say to myself, “You have many goods stored up for many years. Take it easy;(G) eat, drink, and enjoy yourself.”’(H)

20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool!(I) This very night your life is demanded of you. And the things you have prepared—whose will they be?’(J)

21 “That’s how it is with the one who stores up treasure(K) for himself and is not rich toward God.”(L)

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Footnotes

  1. 12:14 Lit Man