Luke 12:34
in Luke 12For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
KJV
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
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This verse in Luke 12
Commentary
14 notes on this verseFor every man naturally dwells upon that which is the object of his desire, and thither he directs all his thoughts, where he supposes his whole interest to rest. If any one then has his whole mind and affections, which he calls the heart, set on things of this present life, he lives in earthly things. But if he has given his mind to heavenly things, there will his mind be; so that he seems with his body only to live with men, but with his mind to have already reached the heavenly mansion.
This site's exposition
provide yourselves bags which wax not old
on Luke 12:33-34
Sell that ye have, and give alms turns the teaching about anxiety into a positive command, generosity replacing the hoarding the rich fool practiced. Provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth names a security no earthly barn could offer, safe from every loss that threatens ordinary wealth. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also closes the section with the principle behind the whole command, the heart following its treasure rather than the reverse, so that where a life stores its wealth reveals where its affections already rest.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
If you lack earthly riches, do not seek them in the world by evil deeds. If they fall to your lot, let them be stored up in heaven by good works. A manly Christian soul should neither be overjoyed at acquiring them nor cast down when they are gone. Let us instead reflect on what the Lord says: "Where thy treasure is, there your heart will be also." Surely when we hear that we should lift up our hearts, the familiar answer that we make should not be a lie.
All this is what that treasure brings about. Either through almsgiving it raises the heart of a man into heaven, or through greed it buries it in the earth. That is why he said, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." …
The Medieval Church3 voices
Now great effort must be made regarding where the treasure is placed, because the mind is also placed in the same place; therefore he adds: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Treasure is that which the mind principally loves, according …
Then, since not everyone is robbed, He adds an even greater and completely irrefutable reason. "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Let it be so, He says, that neither moth devours nor thief approaches, but what punishment does the very …
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. This is to be understood not only about money, but about all passions. The glutton's god is the belly. Therefore, there he has his heart where his treasure is. The luxurious man's treasures are …
7 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church2 voices
Now this must not only be felt concerning love of money, but all the passions. Luxurious feasts are treasures; also the sports of the gay and the desires of the lover...
Moreover, because all things are not taken away by theft, He adds a more excellent reason, and one which admits of no objection whatever, saying, For where your treasure is, there will your hearts be also; as if He says, "Suppose that neither moth corrupts nor thief takes away, yet this very thing, namely, to have the heart fixed in a buried treasure, and to sink to the earth a divine work, that is, the soul, how great a punishment it deserves."
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
For where your treasure is,.... Whether in heaven, or in earth, there will your heart be also: the heart is always set upon the treasure, and as is a man's treasure, such is his heart, that is, set upon it; if his treasure is only here, and he has not the true riches, his heart is only earthly and carnal; but if his treasure is heavenly, his heart and conversation will be in heaven; See Gill on Mat 6:21.
He stirs them up to watchfulness for their Master's coming, from the consideration of the reward of those who are then found faithful, and the punishment of those who are found unfaithful,
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
Where your treasure is - Men fix their hearts on their treasures, and often resort to the place where they have deposited them, to see that all is safe and secure. Let God be the treasure of your soul, and let your heart go frequently to the place where his honor dwelleth. There is a curious parallel passage to this in Plautus, quoted by Bishop Pearce on Mat 6:21. Nam ego sum hic; animus domi est, sc. cum argento meo. “I am here; but my heart is at home, i.e. with my money.”
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
proposed
Let us mark, firstly—what a gracious word of consolation this passage contains for all true believers. The Lord Jesus well knew the hearts of His disciples. He knew how ready they were to be filled with fears of every description: fears because of the fewness of their number, fears because of the multitude of their enemies , fears because of the many difficulties in their way, fears because of their sense of weakness and unworthiness . He answers these many fears with a single golden sentence—"Fear not, little flock—it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom!"
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
proposed
Let us mark, firstly—what a gracious word of consolation this passage contains for all true believers. The Lord Jesus well knew the hearts of His disciples. He knew how ready they were to be filled with fears of every description: fears because of the fewness of their number, fears because of the multitude of their enemies , fears because of the many difficulties in their way, fears because of their sense of weakness and unworthiness . He answers these many fears with a single golden sentence—"Fear not, little flock—it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom!" Luke 12:32 Believers are a "little flock." They always have been, ever since the world began. Professing Christians have sometimes been very many. Baptized people at the present day are a great company. But true Christians are very few. It is foolish to be surprised at this. It is vain to expect it will be otherwise until the Lord comes again. "Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way which leads unto life—and there are few who find it." (Matthew 7:14.) All true believers have a glorious "kingdom" awaiting them! Here upon earth—they are often mocked and ridiculed, and persecuted—and, like their Master, despised and rejected by men. But "the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us!" "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear—then shall you also appear with Him in glory." (Romans 8:18, Colossians 3:4.) Believers are tenderly loved by God the Father. It is "the Father's good pleasure" to give them the kingdom. He does not receive them grudgingly, unwillingly and coldly. He rejoices over them as members of His beloved Son in whom He is well pleased. He regards them as His dear children in Christ. He sees no spot in them.
The words behind it
12 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ὅπου | hopou | Where | G3699 → | 82 times |
| γάρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| ἐστιν | estin | is | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| ὁ | ho | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θησαυρὸς | thesauros | treasure | G2344 → | 17 times |
| ὑμῶν, | humon | of you, | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ἐκεῖ | ekei | there | G1563 → | 105 times |
| καὶ | kai | also | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἡ | he | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| καρδία | kardia | heart | G2588 → | 156 times |
| ὑμῶν | humon | of you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ἔσται.¶ | estai | will be. | G1510 → | 2333 times |
ὅπουWhere
hopouG3699 →82 times
γάρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
ἐστινis
estinG1510 →2333 times
ὁthe
hoG3588 →19766 times
θησαυρὸςtreasure
thesaurosG2344 →17 times
ὑμῶν,of you,
humonG4771 →2973 times
ἐκεῖthere
ekeiG1563 →105 times
καὶalso
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἡthe
heG3588 →19766 times
καρδίαheart
kardiaG2588 →156 times
ὑμῶνof you
humonG4771 →2973 times
ἔσται.¶will be.
estaiG1510 →2333 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Matthew 6:21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
it leads to
- Colossians 3:1–3
Therefore, since you have been raised with Christ, strive for the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Corinthians 4:18
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 4:23
Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life.
- Isaiah 33:6
He will be the sure foundation for your times, a storehouse of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. The fear of the LORD is Zion’s treasure.
- Hebrews 3:12
See to it, brothers, that none of you has a wicked heart of unbelief that turns away from the living God.
- Colossians 3:1–3
Through
Philippians 3:20But our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,
it leads to
- Ephesians 2:19
Therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of God’s household,
- Hebrews 12:22
Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to myriads of angels
- 1 Peter 1:3–4
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
- Ephesians 2:19
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Luke

This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Augustine of Hippo, LETTER 189; Bede, On the Gospel of Luke; Bede, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bonaventure, Commentary on Luke, Chapter 12; Eusebius of Caesarea, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Peter Chrysologus, SERMON 22; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Luke and Theophylact of Ohrid, Catena Aurea by Aquinas.
