Luke 12:20 Meaning and Explanation
“But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →God answers him: Fool, this night your soul is required of you — then whose will these things be?
What Does Luke 12:20 Mean?
For the first time in the parable someone else speaks, and it is God. Thou fool: in Scripture the fool is not the unintelligent but the wrongly oriented, the one who lives as though there were no God (Ps 14:1). All the man's many years collapse into this night, and the soul he promised ease is demanded back like a loan called due.
The closing question dismantles a lifetime of acquisition: whose shall those things be? Full barns, and nothing that follows him beyond the grave. The verse is a severe mercy to every reader still making plans: our breath is lent, not owned, and the only riches that survive the night are those held toward God — as the next verse says.
Luke 12:20 in the Original Language
apaiteo (ἀπαιτέω), 'required' -- to demand back, as a loan recalled.
Frequently Asked Questions About Luke 12:20
What does Luke 12:20 mean?
God answers him: Fool, this night your soul is required of you — then whose will these things be?