Luke 12:24 Meaning and Explanation
“Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and God feeds them — and you are worth far more than birds.
What Does Luke 12:24 Mean?
Jesus appoints an unlikely teacher. Consider means more than glance: study them. Ravens neither farm nor store; they own none of the rich fool's barns. Under the law the raven was counted unclean, yet the Scriptures say God gives the young ravens the food they cry for (Lev 11:15; Ps 147:9; Job 38:41).
The argument ascends: if God sets a table even for the scavenger, how much more for you? Disciples are not told to imitate the ravens' idleness — most must still sow and reap — but to learn their freedom from dread. The bird does its day's work without anxiety, because the supply was never in the barn; it was always in God.
Luke 12:24 in the Original Language
korax (κόραξ), 'ravens' -- the raven, a bird counted unclean under the law, yet fed by God.
Frequently Asked Questions About Luke 12:24
What does Luke 12:24 mean?
Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and God feeds them — and you are worth far more than birds.