LUKE 12:33 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.)

OET (OET-RV) Sell what you own and give to the poor and so store your wealth in heaven where it won’t deteriorate or get lost or stolen from you,

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object, red:negative.
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 Sell your possessions and give alms. Make for yourselves purses that do not wear out—unfailing treasure in the heavens, where thief does not come near, nor moth destroy.

UST So sell the things you own and give the money to people who need food or clothing or a place to live. Get yourselves wallets that do not wear out. I mean store up treasure in heaven where it will always be safe. There no thief can steal anything and no moths will destroy your clothing.

BLB Sell your possessions and give alms; make to yourselves purses not growing old, an unfailing treasure in the heavens, where thief does not draw near, nor does moth destroy.

AICNT “Sell your possessions and give to charity; make for yourselves purses that do not wear out, an inexhaustible[fn] treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys;

12:33, inexhaustible: Or unfailing

OEB ‘Sell what belongs to you, and give in charity. Make yourselves purses that will not wear out – an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near, or moth works ruin.

WEBBE Sell what you have and give gifts to the needy. Make for yourselves purses which don’t grow old, a treasure in the heavens that doesn’t fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide yourselves purses that do not wear out – a treasure in heaven that never decreases, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.

LSV sell your goods, and give alms, make to yourselves bags that do not become old, a treasure unfailing in the heavens, where thief does not come near, nor moth destroy;

FBV Sell what you have, and give the money to the poor. Get yourselves purses that don't wear out: treasure in heaven that will never run out, where no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it.

TCNT Sell your possessions and give to the needy. Make yourselves moneybags that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.

T4T So now sell the things that you own. Give the money that you get for those things to poor people. If you do that, it will be as though you are providing for yourselves purses that will not wear out, and God will give you a treasure in heaven that will always be safe. There, no thief can come near to steal it, and no termite can destroy it.

LEB Sell your possessions and give charitable gifts. Make for yourselves money bags that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven[fn] where thief does not approach or moth destroy.

12:33 Or “in the heavens”

BBE Give what property you have in exchange for money, and give the money to the poor; make for yourselves money-bags which will not get old, wealth stored up in heaven which will be yours for ever, where thieves will not come nor worms put it to destruction.

Moff Sell what you possess and give it away in alms,
⇔ make purses for yourselves that never wear out:
⇔ get treasure in heaven that never fails,
⇔ that no thief can get at, no moth destroy.
¶ 

Wymth Sell your possessions and give alms. Provide yourselves with purses that will never wear out, a treasure inexhaustible in Heaven, where no thief can come nor moth consume.

ASV Sell that which ye have, and give alms; make for yourselves purses which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief draweth near, neither moth destroyeth.

DRA Sell what you possess and give alms. Make to yourselves bags which grow not old, a treasure in heaven which faileth not: where no thief approacheth, nor moth corrupteth.

YLT sell your goods, and give alms, make to yourselves bags that become not old, a treasure unfailing in the heavens, where thief doth not come near, nor moth destroy;

Drby Sell what ye possess and give alms; make to yourselves purses which do not grow old, a treasure which does not fail in the heavens, where thief does not draw near nor moth destroy.

RV Sell that ye have, and give alms; make for yourselves purses which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief draweth near, neither moth destroyeth.
(Sell that ye/you_all have, and give alms/donations; make for yourselves purses which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth/fails not, where no thief draweth near, neither moth destroyeth. )

SLT Sell your possessions, and give alms; make to yourselves purses not growing old, an inexhaustible treasure in the heavens, where the thief approaches not, nor moth corrupts.

Wbstr Sell what ye have, and give alms: provide yourselves bags which become not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.

KJB-1769 Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.
( Sell that ye/you_all have, and give alms/donations; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth/fails not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. )

KJB-1611 Sell that yee haue, and giue almes: prouide your selues bagges which waxe not old, a treasure in the heauens that faileth not, where no theefe approcheth, neither moth corrupteth.
(Sell that ye/you_all have, and give alms/donations: provide yourselves bagges which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth/fails not, where no thief approcheth, neither moth corrupteth.)

Bshps Sell that ye haue, and geue almes: and prepare you bagges whiche waxe not olde, euen a treasure that fayleth not in heauen, where no thiefe cometh, neither moth corrupteth.
(Sell that ye/you_all have, and give alms/donations: and prepare you bagges which wax not old, even a treasure that faileth/fails not in heaven, where no thief cometh/comes, neither moth corrupteth.)

Gnva Sell that ye haue, and giue almes: make you bagges, which waxe not old, a treasure that can neuer faile in heauen, where no theefe commeth, neither mothe corrupteth.
(Sell that ye/you_all have, and give alms/donations: make you bagges, which wax not old, a treasure that can never fail in heaven, where no thief cometh/comes, neither mothe corrupteth. )

Cvdl Sell that ye haue, and geue almesse. Make you bagges, which waxe not olde: euen a treasure that neuer fayleth in heauen, where no thefe commeth, and no moth corruppeth:
(Sell that ye/you_all have, and give alms/donationsse. Make you bagges, which wax not old: even a treasure that never faileth/fails in heaven, where no thief cometh/comes, and no moth corruppeth:)

TNT Sell that ye have and geve almes. And make you bagges which wexe not olde and treasure that fayleth not in heaven where noo these commeth nether moth corrupteth.
(Sell that ye/you_all have and give alms/donations. And make you bagges which wax/grow not old and treasure that faileth/fails not in heaven where noo these cometh/comes neither moth corrupteth. )

Wycl Selle ye tho thingis that ye han in possessioun, and yyue ye almes. And make to you sachels that wexen not oolde, tresoure that failith not in heuenes, whidir a theef neiyith not, nether mouyt destruyeth.
(Selle ye/you_all those things that ye/you_all have in possession, and give ye/you_all alms/donations. And make to you sachels that wexen not oolde, treasuree that faileth/fails not in heavens, whether a thief approacheth/approaches not, neither mouyt destruyeth.)

Luth Verkaufet, was ihr habt, und gebt Almosen. Machet euch Säckel, die nicht veralten, einen Schatz, der nimmer abnimmt im Himmel, da kein Dieb zukommt, und den keine Motten fressen.
(Verkaufet, what/which you(pl)/their/her have, and give Almosen. Maket you sackclothl, the not obsolescence, a treasure(n), the/of_the never decreases in_the heaven, there no/not thief zukommt, and the no moths eat.)

ClVg Vendite quæ possidetis, et date eleemosynam. Facite vobis sacculos, qui non veterascunt, thesaurum non deficientem in cælis: quo fur non appropriat, neque tinea corrumpit.[fn]
(Vendite which ownsis, and date alms. Facite to_you(pl) sacculos, who/which not/no oldscunt, treasure not/no deficientem in/into/on the_heavens: where a_thief not/no appropriat, nor moth corrumpit. )

12.33 Vendite. Non tantum non timeatis ne propter regnum militantibus vitæ necessaria desint, sed etiam possessa vendite propter eleemosynam, quæ est via ad regnum, dum per eam peccata redimuntur. Non tantum cibos vestros communicate pauperibus, sed etiam vendite vestras possessiones, ut omnibus vestris semel pro Domino spretis postea labore manuum vestrarum operemini, unde vivatis vel eleemosynam faciatis. Date eleemosynam. Qui pro cœlo omnia mundana spernit vendat quæ habet et distribuat: qui non est tantæ virtutis, de his quæ habet eleemosynam det. Non deficientem. Temporalia, vel ex sua fragilitate deficiunt, vel si quid solidum superest, ut lapides pretiosi, a furibus possunt tolli. Sed data pro Christo æternum fructum conferunt in cœlis.

12.33 Vendite. Not/No only not/no be_afraid not because kingdom militantibus of_life necessary desint, but also possessa sellse because alms, which it_is way/road to kingdom, while through her sins redimuntur. Not/No only food yours communicate to_the_poor, but also sellse your possessions, as to_all yours once/first for Master spretis afterwards with_hard_work hands of_yours by_workmini, from_where/who he_livesis or alms do_it. Give alms. Who for sky everything cleanna spernit vendat which has and distribuat: who/which not/no it_is tantæ of_virtue, from/about his which has alms det. Not/No deficientem. Temporalia, or from his_own fragilitate deficiunt, or when/but_if what solidum superest, as stones at_a_pricesi, from furibus they_can tolli. But data for to_Christ/Messiah eternal fruit conferunt in/into/on heavens.

UGNT πωλήσατε τὰ ὑπάρχοντα ὑμῶν, καὶ δότε ἐλεημοσύνην; ποιήσατε ἑαυτοῖς βαλλάντια μὴ παλαιούμενα, θησαυρὸν ἀνέκλειπτον ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, ὅπου κλέπτης οὐκ ἐγγίζει οὐδὲ σὴς διαφθείρει.
(pōlaʸsate ta huparⱪonta humōn, kai dote eleaʸmosunaʸn; poiaʸsate heautois ballantia maʸ palaioumena, thaʸsauron anekleipton en tois ouranois, hopou kleptaʸs ouk engizei oude saʸs diaftheirei.)

SBL-GNT πωλήσατε τὰ ὑπάρχοντα ὑμῶν καὶ δότε ἐλεημοσύνην· ποιήσατε ἑαυτοῖς βαλλάντια μὴ παλαιούμενα, θησαυρὸν ἀνέκλειπτον ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, ὅπου κλέπτης οὐκ ἐγγίζει οὐδὲ σὴς διαφθείρει·
(pōlaʸsate ta huparⱪonta humōn kai dote eleaʸmosunaʸn; poiaʸsate heautois ballantia maʸ palaioumena, thaʸsauron anekleipton en tois ouranois, hopou kleptaʸs ouk engizei oude saʸs diaftheirei;)

RP-GNT Πωλήσατε τὰ ὑπάρχοντα ὑμῶν καὶ δότε ἐλεημοσύνην. Ποιήσατε ἑαυτοῖς βαλάντια μὴ παλαιούμενα, θησαυρὸν ἀνέκλειπτον ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, ὅπου κλέπτης οὐκ ἐγγίζει, οὐδὲ σὴς διαφθείρει·
(Pōlaʸsate ta huparⱪonta humōn kai dote eleaʸmosunaʸn. Poiaʸsate heautois balantia maʸ palaioumena, thaʸsauron anekleipton en tois ouranois, hopou kleptaʸs ouk engizei, oude saʸs diaftheirei;)

TC-GNT Πωλήσατε τὰ ὑπάρχοντα ὑμῶν καὶ δότε ἐλεημοσύνην. Ποιήσατε ἑαυτοῖς [fn]βαλάντια μὴ παλαιούμενα, θησαυρὸν ἀνέκλειπτον ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, ὅπου κλέπτης οὐκ ἐγγίζει, οὐδὲ σὴς διαφθείρει·
(Pōlaʸsate ta huparⱪonta humōn kai dote eleaʸmosunaʸn. Poiaʸsate heautois balantia maʸ palaioumena, thaʸsauron anekleipton en tois ouranois, hopou kleptaʸs ouk engizei, oude saʸs diaftheirei; )

12:33 βαλαντια ¦ βαλλαντια ANT CT

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 12:32–34

This paragraph concludes Section 12:22–34. If you have a special way to introduce the conclusion of a section, you may want to use it here. For example:

So don’t be afraid (NLT)

12:33a

Sell your possessions and give to the poor.

Sell the things you^(plur) own and give the money to poor people.
So sell what you^(plur) have and give the money that you gain to those who do not have what they need.

In the previous verse Jesus assured his disciples that God would care for them as their king. That gave his disciples the assurance they needed to do what Jesus told them here in 12:33. He advised them to share their possessions with the poor. If they did that, they would have lasting wealth in heaven.

In some languages it may be natural to make the connection between 12:33 and the previous verse explicit. For example:

Therefore/So sell… (TRT)

Sell your possessions: Sell your possessions means “sell the things you own.” Jesus did not say how many of their possessions the disciples were to sell, and you should not attempt to supply this information.

and give to the poor: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as give to the poor is literally “give alms.” Several English versions, such as the NKJV and NRSV, translate it that way here. The same expression also occurs in 11:41a, where the BSB translates it as “give…alms.” It means to give money to someone in need. In this context it is implied that the disciples would give the money that they got from selling their possessions. In some languages it may be necessary to make this information explicit. For example:

give the money to the poor (GW)

12:33b

Provide yourselves with purses that will not wear out,

Get/make for yourselves the sort of money bags/belts that do not grow old/useless.
In this way, you will provide for yourselves the kind of wealth that will last forever.

The text implies a connection between 12:33a and 12:33b. When the disciples give money to the poor as Jesus said in 12:33a, they will be gaining purses that will not wear out. In some languages it may be helpful to make this connection explicit. For example:

In this way, you will provide purses…

Provide yourselves with purses that will not wear out: This is a figure of speech. Jesus was using purses that will not wear out as a figure of speech to talk about wealth that will not be used up.

In some languages the figurative meaning of purses may not be clear. It may be necessary to translate this part of the verse without using the figure of purses. For example:

Provide/Prepare for yourselves the kind of riches that will never disappear/decrease

purses: In this context the word purses refers to the contents of the purses. The kind of purses that are referred to here were small bags or pouches made of leather or fabric. The same word was used in 10:4. Both men and women carried money in these bags. In modern English, a purse generally refers to a bag that a woman carries. In your translation, use a word for something that both men and women use to carry money. For example:

moneybags (CEV)

wallets (GW)

money belt/container

wear out: The Greek verb that the BSB translates as wear out is literally “grow old.” Several English versions, such as the ESV and CSB, translate it that way. When purses wear out, they get holes in them and are no longer useful for carrying money. For example:

never get old or develop holes (NLT)

12:33c

an inexhaustible treasure in heaven,

I am speaking of riches in heaven. That sort of riches will never decrease/disappear.
It is spiritual treasure/wealth in heaven, and it will never be used up.

an inexhaustible treasure in heaven: The phrase an inexhaustible treasure in heaven explains the meaning of “purses that will not wear out” in the previous verse part. Such purses are equivalent to spiritual treasure in heaven. The text does not say what that treasure is. It probably refers to spiritual blessings rather than literal money.According to Marshall (pp. 531–32), this treasure refers to spiritual blessings that God gives in heaven. These spiritual blessings contrast with material wealth. In some languages it may be possible to avoid a wrong meaning by using a phrase such as:

spiritual/heavenly treasure

inexhaustible: The Greek adjective that the BSB translates as inexhaustible is literally “unfailing.” It refers here to wealth that will never decrease or be used up. Other ways to translate this verb are:

will never decrease (GNT)

will be safe (NLT)

never loses its value (GW)

heaven: Here the word heaven refers to the place where God lives. Jesus also spoke of heaven as the place where believers will live with God after they die. See heaven, Meaning 2, in the Glossary.

General Comment on 12:33b–c

In some languages it may be clearer to reorder the parts of this verse so that “treasure in heaven” is mentioned before “purses.” For example:

Store up treasure for yourselves in heaven. Heavenly purses never wear out and their contents never disappear.

12:33d

where no thief approaches

No one can come there to steal them,
No thief approaches it,

where no thief approaches: The phrase that the BSB translates as where no thief approaches refers to heaven, where a thief cannot approach the riches to steal them.

and no moth destroys: A moth can eat holes in earthly clothes and destroy them. But the moth cannot harm riches that are stored in heaven. Perhaps Jesus mentioned moths here because he had already talked about clothes in 12:27–28.

moth: A moth is a flying insect that eats cloth or chews holes in cloth. If you do not have moths in your language area, other ways to translate it are:

Use a word for another insect that can destroy clothing. For example:
termite/cricket
Use a more general expression. For example:
chewing insect

Translate this term in a way that is natural in your language.

12:33e

and no moth destroys.

and no moth/insect can destroy/eat them.
and nothing spoils or destroys it.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: translate-unknown

πωλήσατε τὰ ὑπάρχοντα ὑμῶν, καὶ δότε ἐλεημοσύνην

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Πωλήσατε τά ὑπάρχοντα ὑμῶν καί δότε ἐλεημοσύνην Ποιήσατε ἑαυτοῖς βαλλάντια μή παλαιούμενα θησαυρόν ἀνέκλειπτον ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς ὅπου κλέπτης οὐκ ἐγγίζει οὐδέ σής διαφθείρει)

This culture referred to charitable donations or gifts to the poor as alms. Alternate translation: [Sell your possessions and give the proceeds to the poor]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ποιήσατε ἑαυτοῖς

The implication is that this will be the result of selling one’s possessions and giving the proceeds to the poor. Alternate translation: [In this way you will make for yourselves]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / parallelism

βαλλάντια μὴ παλαιούμενα, θησαυρὸν ἀνέκλειπτον ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς

purses (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Πωλήσατε τά ὑπάρχοντα ὑμῶν καί δότε ἐλεημοσύνην Ποιήσατε ἑαυτοῖς βαλλάντια μή παλαιούμενα θησαυρόν ἀνέκλειπτον ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς ὅπου κλέπτης οὐκ ἐγγίζει οὐδέ σής διαφθείρει)

These two phrases mean basically the same thing. If it would be helpful in your language, you could combine them, especially if putting both phrases in your translation might be confusing for your readers. Alternate translation: [treasure that will always be safe in heaven]

Note 4 topic: translate-unknown

βαλλάντια μὴ παλαιούμενα

If you would like to reproduce the figure of speech that Jesus uses, but you think your readers might not know what purses are, you could explain that term, or you could use the name of a different container that people in your culture use to keep valuable things safe. Alternate translation: [moneybags that will not get holes in them] or [a jar that will never break]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

βαλλάντια μὴ παλαιούμενα

Jesus is describing valuable things that will last by reference to purses or moneybags that will keep these things safe because they will never wear out. He makes this clear by speaking literally of unfailing treasure right afterwards. Alternate translation: [wealth that will always be safe]

θησαυρὸν ἀνέκλειπτον

You could state this in a positive form. Alternate translation: [treasure that will always last]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

ὅπου κλέπτης οὐκ ἐγγίζει

where thief not ˓is˒_nearing

Jesus speaks of a thief coming near to wealth to mean stealing it. Alternate translation: [where no thief ever steals anything]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

οὐδὲ σὴς διαφθείρει

Jesus leaves 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 the context. Alternate translation: [and where no moth ever destroys anything]

Note 8 topic: translate-unknown

σὴς

A moth is a small insect that eats holes in fabric. If your readers would not know what a moth is, you could use the name of a different insect they would recognize that destroys materials, such as an ant or termite.

Parallel LUKE 12:33