Luke 12:27-29 New English Translation
27 Consider how the flowers[a] grow; they do not work[b] or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these! 28 And if[c] this is how God clothes the wild grass,[d] which is here[e] today and tomorrow is tossed into the fire to heat the oven,[f] how much more[g] will he clothe you, you people of little faith! 29 So[h] do not be overly concerned about[i] what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not worry about such things.[j]
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- Luke 12:27 tn Traditionally, “lilies.” According to L&N 3.32, “Though traditionally κρίνον has been regarded as a type of lily, scholars have suggested several other possible types of flowers, including an anemone, a poppy, a gladiolus, and a rather inconspicuous type of daisy.” In view of the uncertainty, the more generic “flowers” has been used in the translation.
- Luke 12:27 tn Traditionally, “toil.” Although it might be argued that “work hard” would be a more precise translation of κοπιάω (kopiaō) here, the line in English scans better in terms of cadence with a single syllable.
- Luke 12:28 tn This is a first class condition in the Greek text.
- Luke 12:28 tn Grk “grass in the field.”
- Luke 12:28 tn Grk “which is in the field today.”
- Luke 12:28 tn Grk “into the oven.” The expanded translation “into the fire to heat the oven” has been used to avoid misunderstanding; most items put into modern ovens are put there to be baked, not burned.sn The oven was most likely a rounded clay oven used for baking bread, which was heated by burning wood and dried grass.
- Luke 12:28 sn The phrase how much more is a typical form of rabbinic argumentation, from the lesser to the greater. If God cares for the little things, surely he will care for the more important things.
- Luke 12:29 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate a conclusion drawn from the previous illustrations.
- Luke 12:29 tn Grk “do not seek,” but this could be misunderstood to mean that people should make no attempt to obtain their food. The translation “do not be overly concerned” attempts to reflect the force of the original.
- Luke 12:29 tn The words “about such things” have been supplied to qualify the meaning; the phrase relates to obtaining food and drink mentioned in the previous clause.
New English Translation (NET)
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