The Parable of the Rich Fool
Luke 12:16-21 · Berean Standard Bible
The Parable of the Rich Fool (Luke 12:16-21) tells of a wealthy man whose land produces so much that he tears down his barns to build bigger ones, planning to 'take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.' That very night God says, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you.' Jesus warns against storing up treasure for yourself while not being rich toward God.
16Then He told them a parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced an abundance.
17So he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, since I have nowhere to store my crops?’
18Then 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.
19Then I will say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take it easy. Eat, drink, and be merry!”’
20But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be required of you. Then who will own what you have accumulated?’
21This is how it will be for anyone who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich toward God.”
Read the wider context: Luke 12.
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Related passages
- What Does the Bible Say About Money? — 1 Timothy 6:6-10
- The Rich Young Ruler — Mark 10:17-27
- Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42) — Luke 10:38-42
- The Secret of Being Content — Philippians 4:11-13