And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This rich man's plan is startlingly self-contained. His "I will do this" and "I will build" reveals a man making monumental decisions entirely apart from God or any sense of his neighbor. He's not just hoarding wealth; he's entirely excluding God from his plans and his possessions.
And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus has just told a parable about a rich man whose crops overflowed, prompting the man to plan to tear down his old barns and build bigger ones to store his wealth. This verse is the rich man's immediate response and plan, revealing his self-centered focus on earthly possessions. The parable and this verse are part of a larger teaching on guarding against greed and living a life rich towards God, not just in material wealth.
Imagine finally hitting it big – a massive harvest! What's your first thought? For the rich man in this story, it wasn't gratitude, but a very specific, self-centered plan.
This man's response to abundance is all about himself. He immediately decides to dismantle his current storage and construct something even larger, solely for the purpose of housing his grain and his possessions. Notice the repeated use of 'my' – 'my barns,' 'my grain,' 'my goods.' His entire focus is on accumulation and security for his own future, with no thought for anyone else or for God. It's a plan driven by a desire for greater earthly comfort and control, completely bypassing any consideration of divine will or the needs of others.
This man's decision was swift and decisive. But was it wise? His grand architectural project completely missed a crucial, eternal reality.
The rich man’s plan is a classic example of misplaced priorities. While he's busy with the logistics of expanding his physical storage, he completely ignores the reality of his own mortality and accountability to God. His focus is so intensely on the 'here and now' – on his produce and his possessions – that he has no capacity to consider eternity. This isn't just about having lots of stuff; it's about building one's life on a foundation that will ultimately crumble, neglecting the lasting treasures that truly matter.
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This passage describes the same kind of frantic building and accumulating of possessions, ultimately concluding that it's all vanity, mirroring the rich fool's short-sighted focus on earthly goods.
Proverbs 27:1This verse directly challenges the rich fool's plan by stating we should not boast about tomorrow, as we don't know what a day will bring, highlighting the folly of his self-assured planning without regard for God's sovereignty.
Luke 12:20This verse is the immediate continuation of the parable, directly condemning the rich fool's plan by declaring 'You fool! This night your life will be demanded of you,' showing the ultimate futility of his earthly focus.
Matthew 6:19-20Jesus contrasts storing treasures on earth with storing them in heaven, a direct counterpoint to the rich fool's intention to store all his goods in his earthly barns for his own future comfort.
1 Timothy 6:6-10This passage speaks to the danger of loving money and the pursuit of wealth, warning that such desires can lead people astray from faith, paralleling the rich fool's misplaced trust in his material abundance.
jfbLuke 12:13-53: "And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me."
Lu 12:13-53. Covetousness—Watchfulness—Superiority to Earthly Ties.13. Master, &c.—that is, "Great Preacher of righteousness, help; there is need of Thee in this rapacious world; here am I the victim of injustice, and that from my own brother, who withholds from me my rightful share of the inheritance that has fallen to us." In this most inopportune intrusion upon the sole…
clarkeLuke 12:18: "And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods."
I will pull down, etc. - The rich are full of designs concerning this life, but in general take no thought about eternity till the time that their goods and their lives are both taken away.
This rich man's plan is startlingly self-contained. His "I will do this" and "I will build" reveals a man making monumental decisions entirely apart from God or any sense of his neighbor. He's not just hoarding wealth; he's entirely excluding God from his plans and his possessions.
Jesus has just told a parable about a rich man whose crops overflowed, prompting the man to plan to tear down his old barns and build bigger ones to store his wealth. This verse is the rich man's immediate response and plan, revealing his self-centered focus on earthly possessions. The parable and this verse are part of a larger teaching on guarding against greed and living a life rich towards God, not just in material wealth.
Jesus has just told a parable about a rich man whose crops overflowed, prompting the man to plan to tear down his old barns and build bigger ones to store his wealth. This verse is the rich man's immediate response and plan, revealing his self-centered focus on earthly possessions. The parable and this verse are part of a larger teaching on guarding against greed and living a life rich towards God, not just in material wealth.
"And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods." — This rich man's plan is startlingly self-contained. His "I will do this" and "I will build" reveals a man making monumental decisions entirely apart from God or any sense of his neighbor. He's not ju…
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Last reviewed October 2026