12:33a
In the previous verse Jesus assured his disciples that God would care for them as their king. That gave his disciples the assurance they needed to do what Jesus told them here in 12:33. He advised them to share their possessions with the poor. If they did that, they would have lasting wealth in heaven.
In some languages it may be natural to make the connection between 12:33 and the previous verse explicit. For example:
⌊Therefore/So⌋ sell… (Translator’s Reference Translation)
Sell your possessions: Sell your possessions means “sell the things you own.” Jesus did not say how many of their possessions the disciples were to sell, and you should not attempt to supply this information.
and give to the poor: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as give to the poor is literally “give alms.” Several English versions, such as the New King James Version and New Revised Standard Version, translate it that way here. The same expression also occurs in 11:41a, where the Berean Standard Bible translates it as “give…alms.” It means to give money to someone in need. In this context it is implied that the disciples would give the money that they got from selling their possessions. In some languages it may be necessary to make this information explicit. For example:
give the money to the poor (God’s Word)
12:33b
The text implies a connection between 12:33a and 12:33b. When the disciples give money to the poor as Jesus said in 12:33a, they will be gaining purses that will not wear out. In some languages it may be helpful to make this connection explicit. For example:
In this way, you will provide purses…
Provide yourselves with purses that will not wear out: This is a figure of speech. Jesus was using purses that will not wear out as a figure of speech to talk about wealth that will not be used up.
In some languages the figurative meaning of purses may not be clear. It may be necessary to translate this part of the verse without using the figure of purses. For example:
Provide/Prepare for yourselves the kind of riches that will never disappear/decrease
purses: In this context the word purses refers to the contents of the purses. The kind of purses that are referred to here were small bags or pouches made of leather or fabric. The same word was used in 10:4. Both men and women carried money in these bags. In modern English, a purse generally refers to a bag that a woman carries. In your translation, use a word for something that both men and women use to carry money. For example:
moneybags (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
wallets (God’s Word)
-or-
money belt/container
wear out: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as wear out is literally “grow old.” Several English versions, such as the English Standard Version and CSB, translate it that way. When purses wear out, they get holes in them and are no longer useful for carrying money. For example:
never get old or develop holes (New Living Translation (2004))
12:33c
an inexhaustible treasure in heaven: The phrase an inexhaustible treasure in heaven explains the meaning of “purses that will not wear out” in the previous verse part. Such purses are equivalent to spiritual treasure in heaven. The text does not say what that treasure is. It probably refers to spiritual blessings rather than literal money. In some languages it may be possible to avoid a wrong meaning by using a phrase such as:
⌊spiritual/heavenly⌋ treasure
inexhaustible: The Greek adjective that the Berean Standard Bible translates as inexhaustible is literally “unfailing.” It refers here to wealth that will never decrease or be used up. Other ways to translate this verb are:
will never decrease (Good News Translation)
-or-
will be safe (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
never loses its value (God’s Word)
heaven: Here the word heaven refers to the place where God lives. Jesus also spoke of heaven as the place where believers will live with God after they die. See heaven, Meaning 2, in the Glossary.
General Comment on 12:33b–c
In some languages it may be clearer to reorder the parts of this verse so that “treasure in heaven” is mentioned before “purses.” For example:
Store up treasure for yourselves in heaven. Heavenly purses never wear out and their contents never disappear.
12:33d
where no thief approaches: The phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as where no thief approaches refers to heaven, where a thief cannot approach the riches to steal them.
and no moth destroys: A moth can eat holes in earthly clothes and destroy them. But the moth cannot harm riches that are stored in heaven. Perhaps Jesus mentioned moths here because he had already talked about clothes in 12:27–28.
moth: A moth is a flying insect that eats cloth or chews holes in cloth. If you do not have moths in your language area, other ways to translate it are:
• Use a word for another insect that can destroy clothing. For example:
termite/cricket
• Use a more general expression. For example:
chewing insect
Translate this term in a way that is natural in your language.
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