The Meaning of Luke 12:31 Explained

Luke 12:31

KJV: But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.

YLT: but, seek ye the reign of God, and all these things shall be added to you.

Darby: but seek his kingdom, and all these things shall be added to you.

ASV: Yet seek ye his kingdom, and these things shall be added unto you.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But rather  seek ye  the kingdom  of God;  and  all  these things  shall be added  unto you. 

What does Luke 12:31 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Rather than seeking after material possessions Jesus" disciples should seek after God"s messianic kingdom and the lasting things associated with it. This means preparing oneself for it and becoming an active participant in God"s program leading up to it. Jesus promised that God would provide the material provisions of those who do so. The form of the Greek sentence and the context suggest that God"s provision depends on the disciple"s seeking for His kingdom. This is a conditional promise (cf. Matthew 6:33). The paratactic construction suggests a condition. Parataxis, literally a placing side by side, is the literary device of setting clauses side by side without indicating with connecting words the co-ordinate or subordinate relation between them. Here, as in Luke 10:28 b for example, the first clause contains the condition for the realization of what the second clause contains.
However we need to understand this promise in the larger context of life in a fallen world. We must realize that sometimes disciples get caught up in the consequences of sin and suffering as do non-disciples. Even though God knows every sparrow that falls to the ground, He allows some to fall ( Matthew 10:29-31). Likewise He allows some of His disciples to experience privation and to die prematurely.

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

Greek Commentary for Luke 12:31

[]
See note on Matthew 6:33 for this verse. Luke does not have “first” nor “his righteousness” nor “all.” [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 12:31 mean?

But seek you the kingdom of Him and these things will be added to you
πλὴν ζητεῖτε τὴν βασιλείαν αὐτοῦ καὶ ταῦτα προστεθήσεται ὑμῖν

ζητεῖτε  seek  you 
Parse: Verb, Present Imperative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: ζητέω  
Sense: to seek in order to find.
βασιλείαν  kingdom 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: βασιλεία  
Sense: royal power, kingship, dominion, rule.
αὐτοῦ  of  Him 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
ταῦτα  these  things 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Nominative Neuter Plural
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
προστεθήσεται  will  be  added 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: προστίθημι  
Sense: to put to.
ὑμῖν  to  you 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative 2nd Person Plural
Root: σύ  
Sense: you.