Luke 12 · Verse 16

Luke 12:16

And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
Luke 12:16, King James Version

Luke 12:16 in other translations

BSBThen He told them a parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced an abundance.
WEBHe spoke a parable to them, saying, “The ground of a certain rich man produced abundantly.
ASVAnd he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
YLTAnd he spake a simile unto them, saying, ‘Of a certain rich man the field brought forth well;
DARBYAnd he spoke a parable to them, saying, The land of a certain rich man brought forth abundantly.
BBEAnd he said to them, in a story, The land of a certain man of great wealth was very fertile:
WebsterAnd he spoke a parable to them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:

What does Luke 12:16 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Luke 12:16-19
16-19. a certain rich man, &c.--Why is this man called a "fool?" (Lu 12:20) (1) Because he deemed a life of secure and abundant earthly enjoyment the summit of human felicity. (2) Because, possessing the means of this, through prosperity in his calling, he flattered himself that he had a long lease of such enjoyment, and nothing to do but give himself up to it. Nothing else is laid to his charge.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 16. A parable. Mt 13:3.

Plentifully. His land was fertile, and produced even beyond his expectations, and beyond what he had provided for.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 16 The ground of a certain rich man, etc. - He had generally what is called good luck in his farm, and this was a remarkably plentiful year.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Luke 12:13-21

Christ's kingdom is spiritual, and not of this world. Christianity does not meddle with politics; it obliges all to do justly, but wordly dominion is not founded in grace. It does not encourage expectations of worldly advantages by religion. The rewards of Christ's disciples are of another nature. Covetousness is a sin we need constantly to be warned against; for happiness and comfort do not depend on the wealth of…

Read the full comment on Luke 12:13-21 →

Luke 12:16 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ΕἶπενEipenHe spokeG2036
δὲdethenG1161
παραβολὴνparabolēna parableG3850
πρὸςprostoG4314
αὐτοὺςautousthemG846
λέγων·legōnsaying;G3004
ἀνθρώπουanthrōpouOf a manG444
τινὸςtinoscertainG5100
πλουσίουplousiourichG4145
εὐφόρησενeuphorēsenbrought forth abundantlyG2164
ἡhētheG3588
χώρα.chōraground.G5561

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Luke 12:16

  • Genesis 26:12-14

    Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the Lord blessed him. And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great: For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him.

  • Genesis 41:47-49

    And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls. And he gathered up all the food of the seven years, which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same. And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for it was without number.

  • Hosea 2:8

    For she did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, which they prepared for Baal.

  • Psalms 73:12

    Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.

  • Matthew 5:45

    That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

  • Job 12:6

    The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.

  • Psalms 73:3

    For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

  • Acts 14:17

    Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
The ground.
Ge 26:12-14; 41:47-49; Job 12:6; Ps 73:3,12; Ho 2:8; Mt 5:45
Ac 14:17

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Luke 12:15

    And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

  • Luke 12:16

    And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:

  • Luke 12:17

    And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?

Read all of Luke 12

Luke 12:16 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y refirióles una parábola, diciendo: La heredad de un hombre rico había llevado mucho;
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et il leur dit une parabole, disant: Les champs d’un homme riche avaient beaucoup rapporté;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Er sagte aber ein Gleichnis zu ihnen und sprach: Das Land eines gewissen reichen Menschen trug viel ein.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Dixit autem similitudinem ad illos, dicens: Hominis cujusdam divitis uberes fructus ager attulit: