· Translation: KJV

Luke 12:15He said to them, "Beware! Keep yourselves from covetousness, for a man's life doesn't consist of the abundance of the things which he possesses."

The setting

Galilee, Israel, ~30 AD. After refusing to judge the inheritance dispute, Jesus turns to address the crowd's deeper heart issue about possessions...

The emotion here: urgently warning people he loves about a deadly trap

The original word

pleonexia (πλεονεξία) — greedy desire to have more, the insatiable appetite for possessions

Why it matters

Jesus lived in a culture where 90% of people lived at subsistence level, making this warning especially pointed

Read with care

What most readers miss in Luke 12:15

Jesus says 'Beware!' — the same urgent warning used for physical danger

Common misconceptionPeople think this only applies to rich people, but Jesus spoke this to common laborers who had almost nothing yet still craved more.

Bible Genome reading

Luke 12:15 — Bible Genome reading

SpeakerJesus
Eragospel
Primary emotiongrowing
Literary typenarrative
MarkCommand

Emotional genome

Comfort power30%
Quotability85%
Memorability80%
Crisis relevance40%
Standalone75%
Themes:materialismcontentment

In context

No verse stands alone.

Read the conversation around it.

Open Luke 12

Luke 12:15 comes from the book of Luke, written during the gospel period. These words are attributed to Jesus. The dominant emotion in this verse is growing, with a comfort power of 30% and a tone that is urgent. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include materialism, contentment. Notable phrases: beware; keep yourselves from covetousness; life doesn't consist. This verse contains a command.

Your reflection

What does Luke 12:15 mean to you, today?

A short note. A question. A prayer. Saved privately to your Soul Garden, dated, and tied to this verse forever.

Speak your heart →

Get 3 verses for "growing"

Delivered to your inbox right now. Free.