Bible Strands
Luke 12:17
So he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, since I have nowhere to store my crops?’
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The narrator describes a rich man in a parable addressing his own dilemma after his land yields an abundant harvest. He stands at a moment of self-directed calculation regarding his surplus produce.
The words — διελογίζετο (dielogizeto) translates literally as “he was reasoning” or “he was debating within himself.” λέγων (legōn) means “saying,” framing his internal monologue as a spoken declaration.
The thread — The theme of storing earthly wealth appears in the parable’s immediate context (Luke 12:16, Luke 12:18), while the call to share surplus with the needy echoes Matthew 5:42, Isaiah 58:7, and Romans 12:13.
Why it lands — The verse demands recognition of self-reliance as a spiritual blind spot before any practical solution is offered. It requires the reader to examine where they place their security when facing surplus or scarcity.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
Cross-references
- Matthew 5:42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
- Isaiah 58:7 Isn’t it to share your bread with the hungry, to bring the poor and homeless into your home, to clothe the naked when you see him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
- Romans 12:13 Share with the saints who are in need. Practice hospitality.
- 2 Corinthians 9:6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.
- Luke 11:41 But give as alms the things that are within you, and behold, everything will be clean for you.
- Luke 16:9 I tell you, use worldly wealth to make friends for yourselves so that when it is gone, they will welcome you into eternal dwellings.
- Luke 18:22 On hearing this, Jesus told him, “You still lack one thing: Sell everything you own and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”
- Luke 19:17 His master replied, ‘Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very small matter, you shall have authority over ten cities.’
- Acts 16:30 Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
- 1 John 3:16 By this we know what love is: Jesus laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.