36Christians writes:
As you already know, this exact statement is not found in the four Gospels. Yet we do find an explanation for this fact. John 21:25 says, And there are also many other which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. There are only 82,590 words in the Gospels and not all of those are quotes of Jesus. It is quite probable that Jesus did make this statement for it coincides perfectly with Matthew 10:41-42 and Luke 14:12-14.
Also, it is consistent with Luke 12:16-21:
16 And he [Jesus] spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
20 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?
21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
™ Version 4.2