Luke 12:16
King James Version (KJV)
And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
Translations
Luke 12:16 - Amplified Bible
Then He told them a parable, saying, The land of a rich man was fertile {and} yielded plentifully.
Luke 12:16 - American Standard Version
And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
Luke 12:16 - Bible in Basic English
And he said to them, in a story, The land of a certain man of great wealth was very fertile:
Luke 12:16 - Darby Bible
And he spoke a parable to them, saying, The land of a certain rich man brought forth abundantly.
Luke 12:16 - English Standard Version
And he told them a parable, saying, "The land of a rich man produced plentifully,
Luke 12:16 - King James Version
And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
Luke 12:16 - La Biblia de las Americas
También les refiriò una parábola, diciendo: La tierra de cierto hombre rico habìa producido mucho.
Luke 12:16 - The Message
Then he told them this story: "The farm of a certain rich man produced a terrific crop. He talked to himself: ’What can I do? My barn isn’t big enough for this harvest.’ Then he said, ’Here’s what I’ll do: I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll gather in all my grain and goods, and I’ll say to myself, Self, you’ve done well! You’ve got it made and can now retire. Take it easy and have the time of your life!’
Luke 12:16 - New American Standard Bible
And He told them a parable, saying, "The land of a rich man was very productive.
Luke 12:16 - Nueva Biblia Latinoamericana de Hoy
Entonces les contò una parábola: "La tierra de cierto hombre rico habìa producido mucho.
Luke 12:16 - World English Bible
He spoke a parable to them, saying, "The ground of a certain rich man brought forth abundantly.
Luke 12:16 - Young's Living Translation
And he spake a simile unto them, saying, `Of a certain rich man the field brought forth well;
Luke 12:16 - Additional Comments
Wealth often begets wealth, and his wealth enabled him to possess land that produced a bumper crop. There is no criticism of the fact of his wealth, his manner of acquiring it, or its increase. What is decisive is what he chose to do with it. Even then, it was not his actions so much as his values that were crucial, that building bigger barns would complete his life, that it would guarantee pleasure and security.
But in a moment, his bubble burst. God passed sentence not only on the rich fool but on every life that is based on covetousness: "You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?" Three things stand out in the Lord's diagnosis.
1. He was a fool, not a success. In the community's eyes, he was a man to be envied. In God's eyes, he was a fool to be pitied. The term fool in biblical language is not a description of mental ability but of spiritual discernment. A fool is an individual who makes choices without considering God. Eleven times over, we hear "I" and "my" in this man's words. To him, God was not important.
2. He was a servant, not a master. The rich man was convinced that his wealth gave him control of his life. But God made it clear that he didn't. "This very night your life will be demanded from you." The word demanded was a commercial term, used of a loan. At this point he discovered a truth that everyone learns sooner or later: God owns life, and He merely loans our earthly existence to us. At any time He can call in His loan.
3. He was a pauper, not a rich man. In the moment of truth, the wealthy farmer realized that he had worked so hard for so little. This was a man who was leaving everything behind. Death stripped him bare and revealed him for who he was, a man who "stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God" (v.21).
* What makes death hard or easy is the evaluation of what we lose or gain by it. Our view of death may show what we value more - what we are losing or what we are gaining. It can be a barometer, an indicator of which is winning the battle, God or Mammon (possessions).
That last statement should force each of us to ask ourselves, "Am I a fool in God's eyes? What label would He attach to my life?"
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