Luke 12:24

Worry and anxiety God's faithfulness Identity and self-worth

²² And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.

²³ The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.

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?

²⁵ And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?

²⁶ If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?

Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: 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!
KJV: 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?
WEB: 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!
ASV: 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!
DARBY: Consider the ravens, that they sow not nor reap; which have neither storehouse nor granary; and God feeds them. How much better are *ye* than the birds?
BLB: Consider the ravens, that they do not sow nor reap; unto them there is not a storehouse nor a barn—and God feeds them. How much more valuable are you⁺ than the birds!

ÅB: Gi akt på ravnene: de hverken sår eller høster, de har ikke matbod eller lade, og Gud før dem allikevel. Hvor meget mere er ikke dere enn fuglene!
OTB: Se på ravnene: de sår ikke og høster ikke, de har verken lagerrom eller låve, likevel gir Gud dem mat. Hvor mye mer verdifulle er ikke dere enn fuglene!
B1930: Gi akt på ravnene: de hverken sår eller høster, de har ikke matbod eller lade, og Gud før dem allikevel. Hvor meget mere er ikke I enn fuglene!

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Luke 12:7
But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.
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Matthew 10:31
Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
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Psalms 147:9
He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry.
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Job 38:41
Who provideth for the raven his food? when his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat.
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Psalms 145:15–16
The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season.
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Job 35:11
Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven?
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Luke 12:30–32
For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.
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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.
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