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Exhortation Not to Worry

22 Then[a] Jesus[b] said to his[c] disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry[d] about your[e] life, what you will eat, or about your[f] body, what you will wear. 23 For there is more to life than food, and more to the body than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens:[g] They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn, yet God feeds[h] them. How much more valuable are you than the birds! 25 And which of you by worrying[i] can add an hour to his life?[j] 26 So if[k] you cannot do such a very little thing as this, why do you worry about[l] the rest? 27 Consider how the flowers[m] grow; they do not work[n] or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these! 28 And if[o] this is how God clothes the wild grass,[p] which is here[q] today and tomorrow is tossed into the fire to heat the oven,[r] how much more[s] will he clothe you, you people of little faith! 29 So[t] do not be overly concerned about[u] what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not worry about such things.[v] 30 For all the nations of the world pursue[w] these things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 Instead, pursue[x] his[y] kingdom,[z] and these things will be given to you as well.

32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is well pleased[aa] to give you the kingdom.

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 12:22 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative. Jesus’ remarks to the disciples are an application of the point made in the previous parable.
  2. Luke 12:22 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  3. Luke 12:22 tc αὐτοῦ (autou, “his”) is lacking in P45vid,75 B 1241 c e. Although the addition of clarifying pronouns is a known scribal alteration, in this case it is probably better to view the dropping of the pronoun as the alteration in light of its minimal attestation.
  4. Luke 12:22 tn Or “do not be anxious.”
  5. Luke 12:22 tc Most mss (P45 Ψ 070 ƒ13 33 M) supply the pronoun ὑμῶν (humōn, “your”) here, although several significant and early witnesses omit it (P75 א A B D L Q W Θ ƒ1 700 2542 al lat). Externally, the shorter reading is superior. Internally, the pronoun looks to be a scribal clarification. In context the article can be translated as a possessive pronoun anyway (ExSyn 215), as it has been done for this translation.
  6. Luke 12:22 tc Some mss (B 070 ƒ13 33 1424 al) supply the pronoun ὑμῶν (humōn, “your”) here, although the witnesses for the omission are early, significant, and varied (P45vid,75 א A D L Q W Θ Ψ ƒ1 M lat). See previous tc note for more discussion.
  7. Luke 12:24 tn Or “crows.” Crows and ravens belong to the same family of birds. English uses “crow” as a general word for the family. Palestine has several indigenous members of the crow family.
  8. Luke 12:24 tn Or “God gives them food to eat.” L&N 23.6 has both “to provide food for” and “to give food to someone to eat.”
  9. Luke 12:25 tn Or “by being anxious.”
  10. Luke 12:25 tn Or “a cubit to his height.” A cubit (πῆχυς, pēchus) can measure length (normally about 45 cm or 18 inches) or time (a small unit, “hour” is usually used [BDAG 812 s.v.] although “day” has been suggested [L&N 67.151]). The term ἡλικία (hēlikia) is ambiguous in the same way as πῆχυς. Most scholars take the term ἡλικία (hēlikia) to describe age or length of life here, although a few refer it to bodily stature (see BDAG 435-36 s.v. 1.a for discussion). Worry about length of life seems a more natural figure than worry about height. However, the point either way is clear: Worrying adds nothing to life span or height.
  11. Luke 12:26 tn This is a first class condition in the Greek text.
  12. Luke 12:26 tn Or “why are you anxious for.”
  13. Luke 12:27 tn Traditionally, “lilies.” According to L&N 3.32, “Though traditionally κρίνον has been regarded as a type of lily, scholars have suggested several other possible types of flowers, including an anemone, a poppy, a gladiolus, and a rather inconspicuous type of daisy.” In view of the uncertainty, the more generic “flowers” has been used in the translation.
  14. Luke 12:27 tn Traditionally, “toil.” Although it might be argued that “work hard” would be a more precise translation of κοπιάω (kopiaō) here, the line in English scans better in terms of cadence with a single syllable.
  15. Luke 12:28 tn This is a first class condition in the Greek text.
  16. Luke 12:28 tn Grk “grass in the field.”
  17. Luke 12:28 tn Grk “which is in the field today.”
  18. Luke 12:28 tn Grk “into the oven.” The expanded translation “into the fire to heat the oven” has been used to avoid misunderstanding; most items put into modern ovens are put there to be baked, not burned.sn The oven was most likely a rounded clay oven used for baking bread, which was heated by burning wood and dried grass.
  19. Luke 12:28 sn The phrase how much more is a typical form of rabbinic argumentation, from the lesser to the greater. If God cares for the little things, surely he will care for the more important things.
  20. Luke 12:29 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate a conclusion drawn from the previous illustrations.
  21. Luke 12:29 tn Grk “do not seek,” but this could be misunderstood to mean that people should make no attempt to obtain their food. The translation “do not be overly concerned” attempts to reflect the force of the original.
  22. Luke 12:29 tn The words “about such things” have been supplied to qualify the meaning; the phrase relates to obtaining food and drink mentioned in the previous clause.
  23. Luke 12:30 tn Grk “seek.”
  24. Luke 12:31 tn Grk “seek,” but in the sense of the previous verses.
  25. Luke 12:31 tc Most mss (P45 A D1 Q W Θ 070 ƒ1,13 33 M lat sy) read τοῦ θεοῦ (tou theou, “of God”) instead of αὐτοῦ (autou, “his”; found in א B D* L Ψ 579 892 co). But such a clarifying reading is suspect. αὐτοῦ is superior on both internal and external grounds. P75 includes neither and as such would support the translation above since the article alone can often be translated as a possessive pronoun.
  26. Luke 12:31 sn His (that is, God’s) kingdom is a major theme of Jesus’ teaching. The nature of the kingdom of God in the NT and in Jesus’ teaching has long been debated by interpreters and scholars, with discussion primarily centering around the nature of the kingdom (earthly, heavenly, or both) and the kingdom’s arrival (present, future, or both). An additional major issue concerns the relationship between the kingdom of God and the person and work of Jesus himself. See Luke 6:20; 11:20; 17:20-21.
  27. Luke 12:32 tn Or perhaps, “your Father chooses.”

22 He said legō · de to pros · ho his autos disciples mathētēs, “ Therefore dia houtos I tell legō you hymeis, do not be anxious merimnaō about your ho life psychē, what tis you will eat esthiō, nor mēde about your ho body sōma, what tis you will wear endyō. 23 · ho For gar life psychē is eimi more polys than ho food trophē, and kai the ho body sōma more than ho clothing endyma. 24 Consider katanoeō the ho ravens korax: for hoti they do not ou sow speirō, neither oude do they reap therizō; for them hos there is eimi neither ou storehouse tameion nor oude granary apothēkē, yet kai · ho God theos feeds trephō them autos. Of how posos much more mallon value are diapherō you hymeis than the ho birds peteinon! 25 And de which tis of ek you hymeis by worrying merimnaō can dynamai add prostithēmi a single hour pēchus to epi · ho his autos span hēlikia of life ? 26 If ei then oun, you are dynamai unable oude to accomplish dynamai such an insignificant elachistos thing , why tis do you worry merimnaō about peri · ho other loipos things ? 27 Consider katanoeō the ho lilies krinon, how pōs they grow auxanō. They neither ou toil kopiaō nor oude spin nēthō, yet de I tell legō you hymeis, not oude even Solomon Solomōn in en all pas · ho his autos glory doxa clothed periballō himself like hōs one heis of these houtos. 28 If ei · de God theos so houtōs clothes amphiezō the ho grass chortos in en the field agros, which is alive eimi today sēmeron and kai tomorrow aurion is thrown ballō into eis the oven klibanos, · ho how posos much more mallon will he clothe you hymeis, you people of little faith oligopistos! 29 And kai you hymeis, do not have as an overriding concern zēteō what tis to eat esthiō and kai what tis to drink pinō; · kai do not let such things bother meteōrizomai you . 30 For gar all pas the ho nations ethnos of the ho world kosmos have these houtos things as their overriding concern epizēteō, and de your hymeis · ho Father patēr knows oida full well that hoti you need chrēzō them houtos. 31 Instead plēn, have zēteō · ho his autos kingdom basileia as your overriding concern, and kai these houtos things will be given prostithēmi to you hymeis in addition . 32 Do not be afraid phobeomai, · ho little mikros flock poimnion, because hoti your hymeis Father patēr has determined eudokeō in his pleasure · ho to give didōmi you hymeis the ho kingdom basileia.

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