Luke 12:24
New International Version
Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!

New Living Translation
Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds!

English Standard Version
Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds!

Berean Standard Bible
Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storehouse or barn; yet God feeds them. How much more valuable you are than the birds!

Berean Literal Bible
Consider the ravens, that they do not sow, nor reap; to them there is not a storehouse, nor barn--and God feeds them. How much more valuable are you than the birds!

King James Bible
Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?

New King James Version
Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds?

New American Standard Bible
Consider the ravens, that they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom nor barn, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds!

NASB 1995
“Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom nor barn, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds!

NASB 1977
“Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; and they have no storeroom nor barn; and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds!

Legacy Standard Bible
Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom nor barn, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds!

Amplified Bible
Consider the ravens, for they neither sow [seed] nor reap [the crop]; they have no storehouse or barn, and yet God feeds them. How much more valuable are you than the birds!

Christian Standard Bible
Consider the ravens: They don’t sow or reap; they don’t have a storeroom or a barn; yet God feeds them. Aren’t you worth much more than the birds?

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Consider the ravens: They don’t sow or reap; they don’t have a storeroom or a barn; yet God feeds them. Aren’t you worth much more than the birds?

American Standard Version
Consider the ravens, that they sow not, neither reap; which have no store-chamber nor barn; and God feedeth them: of how much more value are ye than the birds!

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
“Consider the ravens that they do not sow, neither do they reap; there is no inner chamber or granary for them, and God feeds them; therefore, how much more important are you than the birds?”

Contemporary English Version
Look at the crows! They don't plant or harvest, and they don't have storehouses or barns. But God takes care of them. You are much more important than any birds.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Consider the ravens, for they sow not, neither do they reap, neither have they storehouse nor barn, and God feedeth them. How much are you more valuable than they?

English Revised Version
Consider the ravens, that they sow not, neither reap; which have no store-chamber nor barn; and God feedeth them: of how much more value are ye than the birds!

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Consider the crows. They don't plant or harvest. They don't even have a storeroom or a barn. Yet, God feeds them. You are worth much more than birds.

Good News Translation
Look at the crows: they don't plant seeds or gather a harvest; they don't have storage rooms or barns; God feeds them! You are worth so much more than birds!

International Standard Version
Consider the crows. They don't plant or harvest, they don't even have a storeroom or barn, yet God feeds them. How much more valuable are you than birds!

Literal Standard Version
Consider the ravens, that they do not sow, nor reap, to which there is no barn nor storehouse, and God nourishes them; how much better are you than the birds?

Majority Standard Bible
Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storehouse or barn; yet God feeds them. How much more valuable you are than the birds!

New American Bible
Notice the ravens: they do not sow or reap; they have neither storehouse nor barn, yet God feeds them. How much more important are you than birds!

NET Bible
Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn, yet God feeds them. How much more valuable are you than the birds!

New Revised Standard Version
Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds!

New Heart English Bible
Consider the ravens: they do not sow, they do not reap, they have no warehouse or barn, and God feeds them. How much more valuable are you than birds.

Webster's Bible Translation
Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap: which neither have store-house, nor barn; and God feedeth them: How much more are ye better than the fowls?

Weymouth New Testament
Observe the ravens. They neither sow nor reap, and have neither store-chamber nor barn. And yet God feeds them. How far more precious are you than the birds!

World English Bible
Consider the ravens: they don’t sow, they don’t reap, they have no warehouse or barn, and God feeds them. How much more valuable are you than birds!

Young's Literal Translation
'Consider the ravens, that they sow not, nor reap, to which there is no barn nor storehouse, and God doth nourish them; how much better are ye than the fowls?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Do Not Worry
23For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storehouse or barn; yet God feeds them. How much more valuable you are than the birds! 25Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?…

Cross References
Job 38:41
Who provides food for the raven when its young cry out to God as they wander about for lack of food?

Matthew 3:12
His winnowing fork is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and to gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

Matthew 6:26
Look at the birds of the air: They do not sow or reap or gather into barns--and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

Luke 12:18
Then he said, 'This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and will build bigger ones, and there I will store up all my grain and my goods.

Luke 12:23
For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.


Treasury of Scripture

Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them: how much more are you better than the fowls?

the ravens.

1 Kings 17:1-6
And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word…

Job 38:41
Who provideth for the raven his food? when his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat.

Psalm 145:15,16
The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season…

how.

Luke 12:7,30-32
But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows…

Job 35:11
Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven?

Matthew 10:31
Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.

Jump to Previous
Barn Better Birds Consider Earth Far Feedeth Feeds Food Fowls Gives Grain Granary Greater Observe Precious Ravens Reap Seeds Sow Storehouse Store-House Store-Houses Storeroom Thought Together Valuable Value
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Barn Better Birds Consider Earth Far Feedeth Feeds Food Fowls Gives Grain Granary Greater Observe Precious Ravens Reap Seeds Sow Storehouse Store-House Store-Houses Storeroom Thought Together Valuable Value
Luke 12
1. Jesus preaches to his apostles to avoid hypocrisy
13. and warns against covetousness, by the parable of the man who set up greater barns.
22. We must not worry about earthly things,
31. but seek the kingdom of God;
33. give alms;
35. be ready at a knock to open to our Lord whensoever he comes.
41. Jesus' disciples are to see to their charges,
49. and look for persecution.
54. The people must take this time of grace;
57. because it is a fearful thing to die without reconciliation.














(24, 25) Consider the ravens.--See Notes on Matthew 6:26-27. Here, however, we have the more specific "ravens" instead of the wider "fowls of the air," as another example of independence. The choice of the special illustration was possibly determined by the language of the Psalmist, "He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry" (Psalm 147:9).

Verses 24-27. - Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them... Consider the lilies... they toil not, they spin not: and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. What a contrast between the life of the rich and prosperous landowner just related, whose whole heart and soul were concentrated on a toil which should procure him dainty food and costly raiment, and these fowls fed by God so abundantly, and those flowers clothed by God so royally! The ravens knew nothing of the anxious care and the restless toil of the rich man in the midst of which he died, and yet they lived. The lilies simply grew, and God's hand painted the rich and gorgeous clothing for each golden-jewelled flower; Solomon, the splendid Jewish king, the example of all that was magnificent, was never arrayed, men knew, like one of these lilies. With such a God above them, who surely loved each one as he never loved a bird or flower, was it worth while to wear a life away in toiling for tess than what God simply gave to raven and to lily? Such was the Master's argument, adorned, we may well conceive, with all the beauty and force of Eastern illustration. We possess, after all, but a scant resume of these Divine sermons. To apostle and chosen missionary his words had a peculiar interest. He bade them, in coming days of poverty and abandonment, never to lose heart. They would remember then their loved Teacher's words that day when he spoke of the fate of one whose life had been wasted in filling his storehouses and his barns; would remember how he turned from the foolish, toiling rich man, and told them of the birds and flowers, and how God tenderly cared even for such soulless things. Did they think he would ever lose sight of them, his chosen servants? They might surely reckon on the loving care of that Master to whose cause they were giving their life-service. Yet have these and other like words of the great Teacher been often misunderstood; and St. Paul's earnest and repeated exhortations to his converts - not to neglect honest toil, but by it to win bread for themselves, and something withal to be generous with to those poorer than they - were his protest against taking the Masterwords in too literal a sense, and using them as a pretext for a dreamy and idle life. Paul's teaching, and perhaps still more Paul's life - that life of brave, simple toil for himself and others - were his comment upon this part of the Master's sermon. The lilies. It is a little doubtful whether our Lord meant to speak of the red anemone, a very common but beautiful flower, with which the meadows throughout all Palestine are enamelled (Anemone coronaria), or the great white lily (Lilium candidum), or the exquisite red lily (Lilium rubrum); these latter are more rare. The Savior, probably, had each of these and other specimens of the flora of Palestine in his mind, when he spoke of the inimitable beauty and the matchless splendor of these flowers of God.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Consider
κατανοήσατε (katanoēsate)
Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 2657: To take note of, perceive, consider carefully, discern, detect, make account of. From kata and noieo; to observe fully.

the
τοὺς (tous)
Article - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

ravens:
κόρακας (korakas)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 2876: A raven, crow. Perhaps from korennumi; a crow.

They do not sow
σπείρουσιν (speirousin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 4687: To sow, spread, scatter. Probably strengthened from spao; to scatter, i.e. Sow.

[or]
οὐδὲ (oude)
Conjunction
Strong's 3761: Neither, nor, not even, and not. From ou and de; not however, i.e. Neither, nor, not even.

reap;
θερίζουσιν (therizousin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 2325: To reap, gather, harvest. From theros; to harvest.

they
οἷς (hois)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Dative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that.

have
ἔστιν (estin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

no
οὐκ (ouk)
Adverb
Strong's 3756: No, not. Also ouk, and ouch a primary word; the absolute negative adverb; no or not.

storehouse
ταμεῖον (tameion)
Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 5009: A store-chamber, secret chamber, closet; a granary, barn.

[or]
οὐδὲ (oude)
Conjunction
Strong's 3761: Neither, nor, not even, and not. From ou and de; not however, i.e. Neither, nor, not even.

barn,
ἀποθήκη (apothēkē)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 596: A repository, granary, barn, storehouse. From apotithemi; a repository, i.e. Granary.

yet
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

God
Θεὸς (Theos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

feeds
τρέφει (trephei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 5142: A primary verb; properly, to stiffen, i.e. Fatten (with food, etc.), pamper, rear).

them.
αὐτούς (autous)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

How much
πόσῳ (posō)
Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Dative Neuter Singular
Strong's 4214: How much, how great, how many. From an absolute pos and hos; interrogative pronoun how much (plural) many).

more
μᾶλλον (mallon)
Adverb
Strong's 3123: More, rather. Neuter of the comparative of the same as malista; more) or rather.

valuable are you
διαφέρετε (diapherete)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 1308: From dia and phero; to bear through, i.e. transport; usually to bear apart, i.e. to toss about; subjectively, to 'differ', or surpass.

than the
τῶν (tōn)
Article - Genitive Neuter Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

birds!
πετεινῶν (peteinōn)
Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural
Strong's 4071: A bird, fowl. Neuter of a derivative of petomai; a flying animal, i.e. Bird.


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NT Gospels: Luke 12:24 Consider the ravens: they don't sow they (Luke Lu Lk)
Luke 12:23
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