Luke 12:33-34
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. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
Jesus here uses the imagery of "bags" for money – the Greek word suggests a kind of purse or wallet where things are tossed in – to contrast earthly, perishable wealth with heavenly riches. The crucial insight is that the "bags" of heaven aren't literal purses but the eternal treasures we lay up through acts of generosity.
Jesus is teaching his disciples about the dangers of greed and anxiety, urging them to trust God's provision rather than hoarding wealth. This teaching follows a man's request for Jesus to settle an inheritance dispute, highlighting the pervasive issue of covetousness Jesus is addressing. The instruction to sell possessions and give to the needy, with the promise of heavenly treasure, is a direct call to reorient their priorities away from earthly security towards eternal riches.
Jesus drops a bombshell: 'Sell your possessions!' What does this radical command mean for us today, and who was it really for?
This command to 'sell what you have and give to the needy' wasn't just a suggestion; it was a call to a complete reorientation of life for those who were to be Jesus' closest disciples. Think of it like this: if you're joining a new nation with entirely different values and priorities, you'd likely shed your old, incompatible belongings. For these early followers, the Kingdom of God was that new nation.
A Call to Detachment
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Luke 12:33-34 is available in the Sola app.
Jesus talks about 'moneybags that do not grow old' and 'treasure in the heavens.' What are these investments, and how do we make them?
Jesus uses vivid imagery to contrast the fleeting nature of earthly wealth with the enduring value of heavenly riches. He's not talking about literal purses or bags, but about the purpose and destination of our resources.
Earthly vs. Heavenly Assets
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.
kardia · Greek Noun
The central seat of a person's life, including the emotions, will, intellect, and moral center. It is the core of human identity from which all actions flow.
Jesus' command to sell possessions and give to the needy was a radical call for his immediate disciples, preparing them for a life of faith and service. While the early church in Jerusalem and Paul's teachings show instances of literal application, the enduring lesson is about spiritual detachment from earthly wealth and investing in heavenly treasures.
c. AD 27-30— this verse
Jesus' Galilean Ministry
During Jesus' ministry in Galilee, he gathered disciples, teaching them about the Kingdom of God. This context includes teachings on detachment from earthly wealth and preparation for a future in God's kingdom.
c. AD 30-33
Early Jerusalem Church
Following Jesus' ascension, the early Jerusalem church practiced communal living, selling possessions to provide for all members, as described in Acts. This shows a literal application of Jesus' teachings on detachment from wealth.
c. AD 49
Council of Jerusalem
The Council of Jerusalem addressed issues of Jewish and Gentile believers' relationship within the early church, indirectly impacting how resources were shared and managed among diverse communities.
c. AD 50-60
Paul's Missionary Journeys and Letters
The Apostle Paul's extensive travels and letters (e.g., to Corinth) frequently address the importance of generosity, stewardship of resources, and supporting the needs of the broader Christian community, including the poor.
c. AD 64
Great Fire of Rome
This event, and the subsequent persecution under Nero, created extreme hardship and likely increased the need for Christians to rely on faith and communal support rather than material possessions.
This passage directly parallels Jesus' teaching on where to store treasure, contrasting earthly possessions that decay with heavenly treasures that are eternal. It reinforces the idea of prioritizing spiritual wealth over material wealth.
Acts 4:32-35This text describes the early Jerusalem church selling their possessions and distributing the proceeds to meet everyone's needs. It shows a practical, communal outworking of the principles Jesus taught about detachment from possessions and radical generosity.
1 Timothy 6:17-19Paul instructs Timothy to charge the rich not to be haughty or to trust in uncertain riches, but to be rich in good deeds and generous in sharing. This echoes Jesus' call to use wealth for eternal purposes rather than clinging to it.
Proverbs 19:17This proverb states that whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and that God will repay. It provides the theological underpinning for why giving to the needy is an investment with an eternal return, as suggested in Luke 12:33.
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 here uses the imagery of "bags" for money – the Greek word suggests a kind of purse or wallet where things are tossed in – to contrast earthly, perishable wealth with heavenly riches. The crucial insight is that the "bags" of heaven aren't literal purses but the eternal treasures we lay up through acts of generosity.
Jesus is teaching his disciples about the dangers of greed and anxiety, urging them to trust God's provision rather than hoarding wealth. This teaching follows a man's request for Jesus to settle an inheritance dispute, highlighting the pervasive issue of covetousness Jesus is addressing. The instruction to sell possessions and give to the needy, with the promise of heavenly treasure, is a direct call to reorient their priorities away from earthly security towards eternal riches.
Jesus is teaching his disciples about the dangers of greed and anxiety, urging them to trust God's provision rather than hoarding wealth. This teaching follows a man's request for Jesus to settle an inheritance dispute, highlighting the pervasive issue of covetousness Jesus is addressing. The instruction to sell possessions and give to the needy, with the promise of heavenly treasure, is a direct call to reorient their priorities away from earthly security towards eternal riches.
"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. For where your treasure is, there will…" — Jesus here uses the imagery of "bags" for money – the Greek word suggests a kind of purse or wallet where things are tossed in – to contrast earthly, perishable wealth with heavenly riches. The cruci…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
