Luke 12:22–26
Jesus says not to worry about food or clothing: God feeds the ravens
Study it word by word22And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will wear.
23For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing.
24Consider the ravens, that they do not sow nor reap; they have no storeroom nor barn, and yet God feeds them. How much more are you worth than the birds!
25And which of you by worrying can add a cubit to the length of his life?
26If then you cannot even do the least thing, why do you worry about the rest?
In its context
20But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night they demand your soul from you; and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’
21So it is with the one who stores up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”
…
27Consider the lilies, how they grow: they do not toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these.
28But if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, you of little faith!
Its words in the original
- ΕἶπενEipen· say
Say, speak; in the passive, "be called".
- μαθητὰςmathētas· disciple
Disciple: someone who learns from a teacher and follows him in order to live as he does.
- μεριμνᾶτεmerimnate· be anxious, care for
Be anxious, worry, be troubled; also care for, be concerned about someone or something.
- ψυχῇpsychēi· soul, life
Soul: a person's life, the person himself.
- φάγητεphagēte· eat
Eat.
- σώματιsōmati· body
Body.
- ἐνδύσησθεendysēsthe· put on, clothe
Dress, put on clothing; be clothed.
- πλεῖόνpleion· much, many
Much, great; in the plural, many.
- ἐστινestin· be
Be, exist.
- τροφῆςtrophēs· food
Food, nourishment.
- ἐνδύματοςendymatos· clothing, garment
Clothing, garment, what one wears.
- κατανοήσατεkatanoēsate· consider, notice
Notice, consider carefully, observe.
- κόρακαςkorakas· raven
Raven.
- σπείρουσινspeirousin· sow
Sow.
- θερίζουσινtherizousin· reap, harvest
Reap, harvest.
- ταμεῖονtameion· inner room, storeroom
Inner room of the house, storeroom; the most private place.
- ἀποθήκηapothēkē· barn, storehouse
Barn, granary, storehouse.
- θεὸςtheos· God, god
God. In the plural or in another sense, "gods".
- τρέφειtrephei· feed, bring up
Feed, nourish; bring up, raise a child.
- πόσῳposōi· how much, how many
How much, how great; how many.
- μᾶλλονmallon· more, rather
More, rather.
- διαφέρετεdiapherete· be worth more, carry
Be worth more, be superior; also carry through, or carry about.
- πετεινῶνpeteinōn· bird
Bird.
- δύναταιdynatai· can, be able
Can, be able.
- ἡλικίανhēlikian· age, stature
Stature; also age, length of life.
- προσθεῖναιprostheinai· add
Add, add to; do again.
- πῆχυνpēchyn· cubit
Cubit, a measure of about 45 centimeters (about 18 inches).
- ἐλάχιστονelachiston· least, smallest
Least, smallest, the lowest in size or importance.
- λοιπῶνloipōn· the rest, remaining
The rest, the others; as an adverb, "from now on", "finally".