The Meaning of Luke 12:23 Explained

Luke 12:23

KJV: The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.

YLT: the life is more than the nourishment, and the body than the clothing.

Darby: The life is more than food, and the body than raiment.

ASV: For the life is more than the food, and the body than the raiment.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The life  is  more  than meat,  and  the body  [is more] than raiment. 

What does Luke 12:23 Mean?

Context Summary

Luke 12:22-34 - The Cure For Anxious Care
Notice this contrast between two kinds of men: the one cares for himself, is anxious for this life, worries about food and clothes and standing a cubit higher in the estimate of his fellows; the other is content to fill the niche and do the work assigned him by the Father. And he performs his life-task, not for the remuneration it will bring, but for the "well-done" of God-sure that all which is needed, whether for his soul or body, will be provided by Him who gave him being. The Father knows thy varied need, trust Him!
Do not think of God as grudging! It is your Father's good pleasure to give. Nothing delights Him more than to be able to "give good things to them that ask Him." For Him also "it is more blessed to give than to receive." Remember that the best investments are those we store, not in banks, etc., but in the lives of others: for God Himself guarantees the interest. [source]

Chapter Summary: Luke 12

1  Jesus preaches to his apostles to avoid hypocrisy
13  and warns against covetousness, by the parable of the man who set up greater barns
22  We must not worry about earthly things,
31  but seek the kingdom of God;
33  give alms;
35  be ready at a knock to open to our Lord whensoever he comes
41  Jesus' disciples are to see to their charges,
49  and look for persecution
54  The people must take this time of grace;
57  because it is a fearful thing to die without reconciliation

What do the individual words in Luke 12:23 mean?

The for life more than is the food and the body than the clothing
γὰρ ψυχὴ πλεῖόν ἐστιν τῆς τροφῆς καὶ τὸ σῶμα τοῦ ἐνδύματος

ψυχὴ  life 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: ψυχή  
Sense: breath.
πλεῖόν  more  than 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Neuter Singular, Comparative
Root: πολύς  
Sense: greater in quantity.
τροφῆς  food 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: τροφή  
Sense: food, nourishment.
σῶμα  body 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: σῶμα  
Sense: the body both of men or animals.
τοῦ  than  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Neuter Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἐνδύματος  clothing 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Neuter Singular
Root: ἔνδυμα  
Sense: garment, raiment, cloak, an outer garment.