Jesus Warns Against Selfishness

¹³ Someone in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide with me the ·property our father left us [family inheritance].”

¹⁴ But Jesus said to him, “[^LMan,] Who ·said I should judge or decide [appointed me judge or arbiter] between you?” ¹⁵ Then Jesus said to them, “Be careful and guard against all kinds of greed. Life ·is not measured by [does not consist of] how much one owns.”

¹⁶ Then Jesus told this ·story [parable]: “There was a rich man who had some land, which grew a good crop. ¹⁷ He thought to himself, ‘What will I do? I have no place to keep all my crops.’ ¹⁸ Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and other goods. ¹⁹ Then I can say to ·myself [^Lmy soul], “I [^LSoul, you] have enough good things stored to last for many years. ·Rest [Take it easy], eat, drink, and ·enjoy life [celebrate; ^Tbe merry]!”’

²⁰ “But God said to him, ‘Foolish man! Tonight your ·life [^Lsoul] will be ·taken [demanded back] from you. So who will get those things you have prepared for yourself?’

²¹ “This is how it will be for those who store up ·things [wealth; treasure] for themselves and are not rich ·toward [or in what matters to; or in their relationship with] God.”