LUKE 12:28 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, cyan:dative/indirect object, magenta:vocative.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT And if God thus clothes the grass in the field, existing today and tomorrow being thrown into an oven, how much more you, ones of little faith!

UST God makes the plants beautiful, even though they grow for only a short time. Then people cut them down and throw them into the fire. But you are very precious to God. He will care for you even more than he cares for the plants. You should trust God more than you do.

BSB If that is how God clothes the grass of [the] field, which is [here] today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much [more will He clothe] you, O [you] of little faith!

MSB If that is how God clothes the grass of [the] field, which is [here] today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much [more will He clothe] you, O [you] of little faith!

BLB But if God thus clothes the grass in the field, being here today and tomorrow being thrown into the furnace, how much more you, O you of little faith!

AICNT “But if God so clothes the grass [of the field],[fn] is today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more [[then]][fn] will he clothe you, You of little faith!

12:28, in the field: Absent from D(05).

12:28, then: Included in 𝔓45.

OEB If, even in the field, God so clothes the grass which is living today and tomorrow will be thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, you of little faith!

WEBBE But if this is how God clothes the grass in the field, which today exists and tomorrow is cast into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith?

WMBB (Same as above)

NET And if this is how God clothes the wild grass, which is here today and tomorrow is tossed into the fire to heat the oven, how much more will he clothe you, you people of little faith!

LSV and if the herbage in the field, that today is, and tomorrow is cast into an oven, God so clothes, how much more you of little faith?

FBV So if God clothes the fields with such beautiful flowers, which are here today but gone tomorrow when they are burned in a fire to heat an oven, how much more will God clothe you, you who have so little trust!

TCNT Now if God so clothes the grass [fn]in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith?

12:28 in ¦ of ANT

T4T God makes the flowers beautiful, but they grow in the fields for only a short time. Then they are cut at the same time that the grass is cut, and thrown into an oven to be burned to make heat for baking bread. So they really are not worth very much. But you are very precious to God, and he will care for you much more than he cares for the grass by filling it with beautiful flowers. So he will certainly provide clothes for you, who live much longer than the grass. Why [RHQ] do you trust him so little?

LEB But if God clothes the grass in the field in this way, although it[fn] is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he do so for[fn] you, you of little faith?

12:28 *Here “although” is supplied as a component of the participle (“is”) which is understood as concessive

12:28 *The phrase “will he do so for” is not in the Greek text but is implied

BBE But if God gives such clothing to the grass in the field, which today is living, and tomorrow will be burned in the oven, how much more will he give clothing to you, O men of little faith?

Moff Now if God so clothes grass which blooms to-day in the field and is thrown to-morrow into the furnace, will he not much more clothe you? O men, how little you trust him!

Wymth But if God so clothes the vegetation in the fields, that blooms to-day and to-morrow will be thrown into the oven, how much more certainly will He clothe you, you men of feeble faith!

ASV But if God doth so clothe the grass in the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven; how much more shall he clothe you, O ye of little faith?

DRA Now if God clothe in this manner the grass that is today in the field, and tomorrow is cast into the oven; how much more you, O ye of little faith?

YLT and if the herbage in the field, that to-day is, and to-morrow into an oven is cast, God doth so clothe, how much more you — ye of little faith?

Drby But if [fn]God thus clothe the grass, which to-day is in the field and to-morrow is cast into [the] oven, how much rather you, O ye of little faith?

12.28 Elohim

RV But if God doth so clothe the grass in the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven; how much more shall he clothe you, O ye of little faith?
(But if God doth/does so clothe the grass in the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven; how much more shall he clothe you, Oh ye/you_all of little faith? )

SLT And if the grass, to day being in the field and to morrow cast into the furnace, God so clothes; how much rather you, ye of little faith?

Wbstr If then God so clothe the grass, which is to-day in the field, and to-morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?

KJB-1769 If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?
( If then God so clothe the grass, which is today in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, Oh ye/you_all of little faith? )

KJB-1611 If then God so clothe the grasse, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the ouen: how much more will he clothe you, O ye of litle faith?
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps If God so clothe the grasse, whiche is to daye in the fielde, and to morowe is cast into the furnasse, howe much more wyll he clothe you, O ye of litle fayth?
(If God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the furnasse, how much more will he clothe you, Oh ye/you_all of little faith?)

Gnva If then God so clothe the grasse which is to day in the field, and to morowe is cast into the ouen, howe much more will he clothe you, O yee of litle faith?
(If then God so clothe the grass which is today in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, Oh ye/you_all of little faith? )

Cvdl Wherfore yf God so cloth the grasse, yt is to daye in ye felde, and tomorow shalbe cast in to the fornace, how moch more shal he clothe you, o ye of litle faith?
(Wherefore if God so cloth the grass, it is to day in ye/you_all field, and tomorow shall be cast in to the furnace, how much more shall he clothe you, o ye/you_all of little faith?)

TNT Yf the grasse which is todaye in the felde and tomorowe shalbe cast into the fornace God so clothe: how moche moore will he clothe you o ye endued with litell faith?
(If the grass which is todaye in the field and tomorowe shall be cast into the furnace God so clothe: how much moore will he clothe you o ye/you_all endued with litell faith? )

Wycl And if God clothith thus the hey, that to dai is in the feeld, and to morewe is cast in to an ouen; hou myche more you of litil feith.
(And if God clothith thus the hey, that to day is in the field, and to morning is cast in to an oven; how much more you of little faith.)

Luth So denn das Gras, das heute auf dem Felde stehet. und morgen in den Ofen geworfen wird, GOtt also kleidet, wieviel mehr wird er euch kleiden, ihr Kleingläubigen.
(So because/than the grass, the today on/in/to to_him field stands. and morning in the oven thrown becomes, God also dresses(v), how_much more becomes he you dress(v), you(pl)/their/her Kleingläubigen.)

ClVg Si autem fœnum, quod hodie est in agro, et cras in clibanum mittitur, Deus sic vestit: quanto magis vos pusillæ fidei?[fn]
(When/But_if however grass, that today/at_this_time it_is in/into/on field, and tomorrow in/into/on clibanum is_sent, God so vestit: how_much more you(pl) pusillæ of_faith? )

12.28 Cras in clibanum. Cras in Scripturis pro futuro ponitur, dicente Jacob: Exaudiet me cras justitia mea Gen. 30..

12.28 Cras in/into/on clibanum. Cras in/into/on Scripturis for future is_placed, speaking Yacob: Hear_meet me tomorrow justice my Gen. 30..

UGNT εἰ δὲ ἐν ἀγρῷ τὸν χόρτον ὄντα σήμερον, καὶ αὔριον εἰς κλίβανον βαλλόμενον, ὁ Θεὸς οὕτως ἀμφιέζει, πόσῳ μᾶλλον ὑμᾶς, ὀλιγόπιστοι?
(ei de en agrōi ton ⱪorton onta saʸmeron, kai aurion eis klibanon ballomenon, ho Theos houtōs amfiezei, posōi mallon humas, oligopistoi?)

SBL-GNT εἰ δὲ ⸂ἐν ἀγρῷ τὸν χόρτον ὄντα σήμερον⸃ καὶ αὔριον εἰς κλίβανον βαλλόμενον ὁ θεὸς οὕτως ⸀ἀμφιέζει, πόσῳ μᾶλλον ὑμᾶς, ὀλιγόπιστοι.
(ei de ⸂en agrōi ton ⱪorton onta saʸmeron⸃ kai aurion eis klibanon ballomenon ho theos houtōs ⸀amfiezei, posōi mallon humas, oligopistoi.)

RP-GNT Εἰ δὲ τὸν χόρτον ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ σήμερον ὄντα, καὶ αὔριον εἰς κλίβανον βαλλόμενον, ὁ θεὸς οὕτως ἀμφιέννυσιν, πόσῳ μᾶλλον ὑμᾶς, ὀλιγόπιστοι;
(Ei de ton ⱪorton en tōi agrōi saʸmeron onta, kai aurion eis klibanon ballomenon, ho theos houtōs amfiennusin, posōi mallon humas, oligopistoi;)

TC-GNT Εἰ δὲ [fn]τὸν χόρτον ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ [fn]σήμερον ὄντα, καὶ αὔριον εἰς [fn]κλίβανον βαλλόμενον, ὁ Θεὸς οὕτως [fn]ἀμφιέννυσι, πόσῳ μᾶλλον ὑμᾶς, ὀλιγόπιστοι;
(Ei de ton ⱪorton en tōi agrōi saʸmeron onta, kai aurion eis klibanon ballomenon, ho Theos houtōs amfiennusi, posōi mallon humas, oligopistoi; )

12:28 τον χορτον εν τω αγρω ¦ τον χορτον του αγρου ANT ¦ εν αγρω τον χορτον CT

12:28 σημερον οντα ¦ οντα σημερον CT

12:28 κλιβανον ¦ κλειβανον TH

12:28 αμφιεννυσι ¦ αμφιεζει NA SBL TH ¦ αμφιαζει WH

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 12:22–34: Jesus encouraged his disciples to trust God to care for them

In the previous section Jesus told the crowd a parable to teach them not to be greedy. In this section he turned again to his disciples and taught them not to worry about the things they needed. Instead, they should think about the things that were important to God and share their possessions with the poor. God would provide what they needed.

Some other possible headings for this section are:

God’s Care For Those Who Trust In Him

Trust in God (GNT)

Do not Worry (NIV)

There is a parallel passage for this section in Matthew 6:25–34.

Paragraph 12:27–28

In 12:22, Jesus told his disciples not to worry about food or clothing. In 12:24 he used ravens as an example of how God provided food for insignificant birds. Here in 12:27–28, he used lilies as a parallel example of how God provided beautiful “clothing” for wildflowers.

12:28

In Greek this verse is one long sentence. In it, Jesus taught his disciples what the beauty of wildflowers shows about God. God gives even unimportant wild plants great beauty, so he will certainly provide clothes for his own children.

There are many ways to translate the clauses in this verse. In some languages it may be natural to change the order of some of the parts. See the General Comment on 12:28a–d at the end of the notes for 12:28d for translation suggestions.

12:28a

If that is how God clothes the grass of the field,

Since/If that is the way God beautifies/decorates the wild grass,
If God gives weeds/grasses and other wild flowers this kind of beauty,
God gives beauty like that/this to plants that grow in the fields,

If that is how God clothes the grass of the field: In this context If introduces a fact that is certainly true and can be used as evidence for the statement in 12:28b. There is no doubt that God clothes the grass of the field in a beautiful way. Consider how to express such evidence in your language. Some other ways to do this in English are:

Since God clothes the grass in the field like that

That’s the way God clothes the grass in the field…. So… (GW)

To “clothe” the grass is a figure of speech like the one in 12:27c. It implies that God makes the wild grass beautiful. If you have a similar figure of speech in your language, you may be able to use it here. If not, you may translate the meaning without this figure of speech. See the examples at the end of the next note.

the grass of the field: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as the grass of the field usually refers to green grass or other small, uncultivated plants that grow in a field or meadow.BDAG (p. 1087) and Louw & Nida (p. 30) both indicate that this word usually refers to green grass. It clearly refers here to wild grasses or flowers that grow in the countryside. In this context it is used in a more general way that includes the wildflowers in 12:27. Such flowers look like tall grass during much of the year. They produce flowers only for brief periods. The word grass probably emphasizes that such flowers are insignificant and temporary compared to the disciples.

In some languages a translation such as grass or “plants” is confusing because those things are not considered beautiful. If that is true in your area, you may be able to use an expression that refers to an uncultivated plant that has flowers that last only a short time. For example:

If God cares so wonderfully for wild flowers and other weeds/grasses

since God gives insignificant plants in the fields great beauty like this

12:28b

which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace,

which exists today, and the next day is tossed into the fire/oven,
even though they live only a short time before people use them for kindling/fuel,

which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace: These two clauses describe the short life of wild flowering grasses. Their beauty is unexpected since they last such a short time. Some other ways to translate this clause are:

Today it’s alive, and tomorrow it’s thrown into an incinerator. (GW)

even though it is here today and thrown into a fire tomorrow (CEV)

which is here: The Greek word that the BSB translates as which is here is literally “being.” It refers to the existence of the grass. Other ways to translate it are:

which is alive (NCV)

which exists

today and tomorrow: The words that the BSB translates literally as today and tomorrow emphasize the temporary life of wildflowers. They do not mean that such plants live for only one day. If a literal translation would cause this misunderstanding, you may wish to say something like:

which live/bloom for a little while and then

is thrown into the furnace: In the summer in Israel, plants dried up quickly because of the heat. Then people often used the dried-up plants along with wood as fuel for a fire.

The verb is thrown is passive. If it is more natural in your language to use an active verb, you may supply a general subject. For example:

people put them into their cooking fires for fuel

thrown into the furnace: The Greek word that the BSB translates here as furnace refers to a clay oven in which people baked bread. They burned wood and grass as fuel to heat the oven before they put in the bread to bake. Some ways to translate the phrase thrown into the furnace are:

Use a general expression. For example:
tossed into the fire
used as fuel/kindling
Use a more specific expression. For example:
thrown into the oven (RSV)

12:28c

how much more will He clothe you,

he/God will certainly give you^(plur) the clothes that you^(plur) need.
isn’t it even more certain that he will cause you^(plur) to be clothed?

how much more will He clothe you: The clause that the BSB translates as how much more will He clothe you is literally “how much more you.” The BSB has supplied “will He clothe” from the context. This clause is an exclamation that implies: “it is much more certain that God will provide clothes for you whom he values more than flowers.”

Some other ways to translate this exclamation are:

As a rhetorical question. For example:
Won’t he be all the more sure to clothe you? (GNT)
As an emphatic statement. For example:
he will certainly care for you (NLT)

Translate this exclamation in a way that is most natural in your language.

12:28d

O you of little faith!

You^(plur) trust him so little!
Why is your faith/trust in him so small?

O you of little faith!: This part of the verse is one word in Greek, literally “little-faith-ones.” Jesus used this word as a description to address his disciples. In some languages it may be necessary to translate it as a clause: For example:

You have such little faith.

This description is a criticism. It implies that they should have more faith in God. Consider how to express this in your language. For example:

Don’t have so little faith! (NCV)

You should have more faith!

In some languages it may be necessary to translate faith more specifically. For example:

You trust God so little.

Your faith in God is too small!

In some languages it may be more natural to express this criticism with a rhetorical question. For example:

Why do you have so little faith? (NLT)

Why don’t you trust God more?

General Comment on 12:28a–d

In some languages it may be helpful to reorder the parts of this verse. For example:

^28dListen, you people who have so little faith! ^28aGod clothes the wild plants so wonderfully, ^28beven though they live only a day or two and are then burned up. ^28cEven more certainly will he provide clothing for you!

^28bThis grass lives only a day or two, and then people throw it into the fire, ^28abut God clothes it with such beauty. ^28dSo you should have more faith in him! ^28cHe is certainly going to clothe you!

Another possible way to translate 12:28 is:

The wild plants that are alive today will soon be dry and dead. Then people will burn them in the fire. Even though they last such a short time, God still causes them to appear beautiful. Since he does this for the plants, he will certainly ensure that you his people have the clothes you need. Why is your faith in him so lacking?

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

εἰ & ἐν ἀγρῷ τὸν χόρτον ὄντα σήμερον, καὶ αὔριον εἰς κλίβανον βαλλόμενον, ὁ Θεὸς οὕτως ἀμφιέζει

if & in ˓the˒_field (Some words not found in SR-GNT: εἰ Δέ ἐν ἀγρῷ τόν χόρτον ὄντα σήμερον καί αὔριον εἰς κλίβανον βαλλόμενον ὁ Θεός οὕτως ἀμφιέζει πόσῳ μᾶλλον ὑμᾶς ὀλιγόπιστοι)

Jesus speaks of God making the wild plants beautiful as if God were putting beautiful clothing on them. Alternate translation: [if God makes the wild plants beautiful like this, even though they are alive today and are thrown into an oven tomorrow]

Note 2 topic: grammar-connect-condition-fact

εἰ & ἐν ἀγρῷ τὸν χόρτον ὄντα σήμερον, καὶ αὔριον εἰς κλίβανον βαλλόμενον, ὁ Θεὸς οὕτως ἀμφιέζει

Jesus speaks as if this were a hypothetical situation, but he means that it must be true. If your language does not state something as a condition if it is certain or true, and if your readers might think that what Jesus is saying is uncertain, then you can translate his words as an affirmative statement. Alternate translation: [since God makes the wild plants so beautiful, even though they are alive today and are thrown into an oven tomorrow]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ἐν ἀγρῷ τὸν χόρτον ὄντα σήμερον, καὶ αὔριον εἰς κλίβανον βαλλόμενον

in ˓the˒_field (Some words not found in SR-GNT: εἰ Δέ ἐν ἀγρῷ τόν χόρτον ὄντα σήμερον καί αὔριον εἰς κλίβανον βαλλόμενον ὁ Θεός οὕτως ἀμφιέζει πόσῳ μᾶλλον ὑμᾶς ὀλιγόπιστοι)

While Jesus uses a term that typically means grass, in this context he must implicitly mean wild plants in general, since he is referring back to the wild lilies he has just mentioned. So you could express this with a general term in your translation. Alternate translation: [the wild plants, which are alive today and tomorrow are thrown into an oven]

Note 4 topic: translate-unknown

ἐν ἀγρῷ τὸν χόρτον ὄντα σήμερον, καὶ αὔριον εἰς κλίβανον βαλλόμενον

It would be particularly appropriate to use a general term in your translation if your readers would not know what grass is. Alternate translation: [the wild plants, which are alive today and tomorrow are thrown into an oven]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

ἐν ἀγρῷ τὸν χόρτον ὄντα σήμερον, καὶ αὔριον εἰς κλίβανον βαλλόμενον

If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this with an active form, and you could state who does the action. Alternate translation: [the grass in the field, which exists today, but tomorrow someone throws it into an oven] or, if you decided to say “plants”: [the wild plants, which exist today, but tomorrow someone throws them into an oven]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ἐν ἀγρῷ τὸν χόρτον ὄντα σήμερον, καὶ αὔριον εἰς κλίβανον βαλλόμενον

The implication is that dried plant matter would be used for fuel, for heating and cooking. If your readers would not be familiar with this practice, you could describe it explicitly. Alternate translation: [the grass in the field, which exists today, but tomorrow people use it for fuel] or, if you decided to say “plants”: [the wild plants, which exist today, but tomorrow people use them for fuel]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

πόσῳ μᾶλλον ὑμᾶς

˱for˲_how_much rather you_all

Jesus is leaving out some of the words that in many languages a sentence would need in order to be complete. If it would be helpful in your language, you could supply these words from earlier in the sentence. Alternate translation: [how much more will God clothe you]

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / exclamations

πόσῳ μᾶλλον ὑμᾶς

˱for˲_how_much rather you_all

This is an exclamation, not a question. Jesus is emphasizing that God will certainly take care of people even better than he takes care of grass. Alternate translation: [God will certainly clothe you even better]

Parallel LUKE 12:28

Section 12:22–34: Jesus encouraged his disciples to trust God to care for them

Paragraph 12:27–28

12:28

12:28a

12:28b

12:28c

12:28d

General Comment on 12:28a–d