Luke 12:25

THE MESSAGE

"Has anyone by fussing before the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? If fussing can't even do that, why fuss at all? Walk into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They don't fuss with their appearance—but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them. If God gives such attention to the wildflowers, most of them never even seen, don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you?

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Can any of you add one moment to his life span

King James Version (1611)
And which of you with taking thought can adde to his stature one cubite?

King James Version
And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?

English Standard Version
And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?

New American Standard Bible
"And which of you by worrying can add a day to his life's span?

New Century Version
You cannot add any time to your life by worrying about it.

Amplified Bible
"And which of you by worrying can add one hour to his life's span?

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"And which of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life's span?

Legacy Standard Bible
And which of you by worrying can add a single cubit to his life span?

Berean Standard Bible
Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

Contemporary English Version
Can worry make you live longer?

Complete Jewish Bible
Can any of you by worrying add an hour to his life?

Darby Translation
But which of you by being careful can add to his stature one cubit?

Easy-to-Read Version
None of you can add any time to your life by worrying about it.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And which of you with taking thought, can adde to his stature one cubite?

George Lamsa Translation
Who is among you, who by worrying, can add to his stature one cubit?

Good News Translation
Can any of you live a bit longer by worrying about it?

Lexham English Bible
And which of you by being anxious is able to add an hour to his life span?

Literal Translation
And who of you by being anxious is able to add one cubit to his stature?

American Standard Version
And which of you by being anxious can add a cubit unto the measure of his life?

Bible in Basic English
And which of you by taking thought is able to make himself any taller?

Hebrew Names Version
Which of you by being anxious can add a cubit to his height?

International Standard Version
Can any of you add an hour to your span of lifeadd one cubit to your height">[fn] by worrying?

Etheridge Translation
And which of you by being anxious could add to his stature one cubit ?

Murdock Translation
And which of you, by taking pains, can add one cubit to his stature?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Which of you, with takyng thought, can adde to his stature one cubite?

English Revised Version
And which of you by being anxious can add a cubit unto his stature?

World English Bible
Which of you by being anxious can add a cubit to his height?

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And which of you by taking thought, can add the least measure to his age?

Weymouth's New Testament
And which of you is able by anxious thought to add a moment to his life?

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And who of you bithenkynge may put to o cubit to his stature?

Update Bible Version
And which of you by being anxious can add a cubit to the measure of his life?

Webster's Bible Translation
And which of you by solicitude can add to his stature one cubit?

New English Translation
And which of you by worrying can add an hour to his life?

New King James Version
And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

New Living Translation
Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

New Life Bible
"Which of you can make yourself a little taller by worrying?

New Revised Standard
And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, who from among you, though anxious, can, unto his stature, add a cubit?

Douay-Rheims Bible
And which of you by taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?

Revised Standard Version
And which of you by being anxious can add a cubit to his span of life?

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Which of you with takynge thought can adde to his stature one cubit?

Young's Literal Translation
and who of you, being anxious, is able to add to his age one cubit?

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Which of you (though he toke thought therfore) coulde put one cubyte vnto his stature?

Mace New Testament (1729)
but which of you, with all his disquietude, can add one moment to the period of his life?

Simplified Cowboy Version
Can frettin' about something add even one minute to a day?

Contextual Overview

²²He continued this subject with his disciples. "Don't fuss about what's on the table at mealtimes or if the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your inner life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the ravens, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, carefree in the care of God. And you count far more. ²⁵"Has anyone by fussing before the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? If fussing can't even do that, why fuss at all? Walk into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They don't fuss with their appearance—but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them. If God gives such attention to the wildflowers, most of them never even seen, don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? ²⁹"What I'm trying to do here is get you to relax, not be so preoccupied with getting so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep yourself in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Don't be afraid of missing out. You're my dearest friends! The Father wants to give you the very kingdom itself. ³³"Be generous. Give to the poor. Get yourselves a bank that can't go bankrupt, a bank in heaven far from bankrobbers, safe from embezzlers, a bank you can bank on. It's obvious, isn't it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being. ³⁵"Keep your shirts on; keep the lights on! Be like house servants waiting for their master to come back from his honeymoon, awake and ready to open the door when he arrives and knocks. Lucky the servants whom the master finds on watch! He'll put on an apron, sit them at the table, and serve them a meal, sharing his wedding feast with them. It doesn't matter what time of the night he arrives; they're awake—and so blessed! ³⁹"You know that if the house owner had known what night the burglar was coming, he wouldn't have stayed out late and left the place unlocked. So don't you be slovenly and careless. Just when you don't expect him, the Son of Man will show up."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Luke 19:3, Matthew 5:36, Matthew 6:27

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 28:8 - storehouses Matthew 6:25 - Take

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And which of you with taking thought,.... In an anxious and distressing manner, for food and raiment, in order to preserve and continue life,

add to his stature one cubit? The Persic version reads, "to his stature and height", as if this referred to the height of stature; whereas it seems rather to regard the age of a man, and the continuance of his life; :-.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See this passage explained in the notes at Matthew 6:25-33.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 25. To his stature one cubit? — Matthew 6:27; Matthew 6:27.