Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus uses the imagery of "bags that do not grow old" to highlight that true, lasting provision isn't found in earthly wealth, which is temporary and prone to decay. He's not just talking about money, but about a whole different kind of economy – one where generosity to the needy yields an eternal, incorruptible return.
Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Earlier in Luke 12, Jesus had just warned against greed after a man interrupted his teaching to ask for help dividing an inheritance. Now, Jesus is speaking directly to his disciples, urging them to detach from worldly possessions. He contrasts earthly treasures, which are temporary and vulnerable, with heavenly treasures that are eternal and secure.
Jesus issues a command that sounds extreme: 'Sell your possessions!' What did he mean, and for whom was this a direct command?
A Counter-Cultural Command
Jesus is speaking directly to his disciples, and in this specific context, the call to 'sell what you have and give to the needy' was a radical instruction.
It's about recognizing that our true security and worth are not found in what we own, but in God.
Jesus contrasts 'moneybags that do not grow old' with the purses we carry. What's the difference, and where should we be storing our wealth?
Investing in the Unseen
Jesus uses vivid imagery to contrast earthly wealth with heavenly treasure:
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The core idea is opportunity cost. What are you investing in? What will ultimately provide for you and last?
Jesus makes a profound connection between where our treasure lies and where our heart resides. What does this mean for our daily choices?
The Anchor of Your Affections
Jesus states a fundamental truth: 'For where your treasure is, there your heart will also be.' This isn't just a suggestion; it's a law of human nature.
This principle challenges us to examine our lives: are our actions and desires aligning with our stated faith, or is our treasure leading our heart astray?
Understand the original words
hyparchonta · Greek Noun
Material assets or wealth. The Bible frequently warns against attachment to these as they are temporal and can distract from eternal devotion to God.
eleēmosynē · Greek Noun
Those in a state of lack or poverty. Scripture consistently commands the people of God to show compassion and provide practical assistance to those in need.
thēsauros · Greek Noun
Metaphorically, that which is held as most valuable. In Scripture, it represents the object of ultimate human affection and the priority of one's life.
Jesus' radical call to sell possessions and give to the needy was spoken directly to his disciples as they prepared to follow him, a context exemplified by the early Jerusalem church's communal living. This teaching highlights the impermanence of earthly riches and the eternal value of heavenly treasure.
c. AD 27-30— this verse
Jesus' Galilean Ministry
Jesus travels throughout Galilee, teaching and healing. During this time, crowds gather to hear him, and he delivers teachings like the Sermon on the Mount and this discourse on anxiety and possessions.
c. AD 30
Jesus' Jerusalem Ministry
Jesus makes his final journey to Jerusalem, where his teachings on wealth and priorities intensify in the face of his approaching death.
c. AD 30-33
Early Jerusalem Church
Following Jesus' ascension, the earliest Christians in Jerusalem practice radical communal living, selling possessions to support the needy among them, as described in Acts.
c. AD 40s-60s
Paul's Missionary Journeys
The Apostle Paul travels widely, establishing churches and teaching on Christian stewardship, including the importance of generous giving and the temporary nature of earthly wealth.
c. AD 62
Destruction of Jerusalem Temple
The Roman-Jewish War culminates in the destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple, a cataclysmic event that underscored the impermanence of earthly structures and wealth.
This passage directly parallels Jesus' teaching on where to store treasures, contrasting earthly possessions that decay with heavenly treasures that are eternal and secure.
Acts 2:44-45This passage shows the early Christian community embodying the spirit of Luke 12:33 by sharing their possessions and meeting the needs of all.
1 Timothy 6:17-19This instruction to Timothy echoes Jesus' call to generosity, urging believers not to fix their hope on uncertain riches but to be rich in good deeds and generosity, storing up a good foundation for the future.
Proverbs 19:17This verse provides a foundational principle for Jesus' teaching, stating that whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and God will repay them, underscoring the divine return for acts of charity.
vincentLuke 12:33: "Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth."
Bags (βαλλάντια)From βάλλω, to throw. Something into which money and other things are cast. Rev., purses. See on Luke 10:4 :. Wyc., satchels.MothCompare James 5:2.
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…
Jesus uses the imagery of "bags that do not grow old" to highlight that true, lasting provision isn't found in earthly wealth, which is temporary and prone to decay. He's not just talking about money, but about a whole different kind of economy – one where generosity to the needy yields an eternal, incorruptible return.
Earlier in Luke 12, Jesus had just warned against greed after a man interrupted his teaching to ask for help dividing an inheritance. Now, Jesus is speaking directly to his disciples, urging them to detach from worldly possessions. He contrasts earthly treasures, which are temporary and vulnerable, with heavenly treasures that are eternal and secure.
Earlier in Luke 12, Jesus had just warned against greed after a man interrupted his teaching to ask for help dividing an inheritance. Now, Jesus is speaking directly to his disciples, urging them to detach from worldly possessions. He contrasts earthly treasures, which are temporary and vulnerable, with heavenly treasures that are eternal and secure.
"Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys." — Jesus uses the imagery of "bags that do not grow old" to highlight that true, lasting provision isn't found in earthly wealth, which is temporary and prone to decay. He's not just talking about money…
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Last reviewed October 2026