Matthew 6 11

Matthew 6:11 kjv

Give us this day our daily bread.

Matthew 6:11 nkjv

Give us this day our daily bread.

Matthew 6:11 niv

Give us today our daily bread.

Matthew 6:11 esv

Give us this day our daily bread,

Matthew 6:11 nlt

Give us today the food we need,

Matthew 6 verses

Matthew 6 11 Meaning

Matthew 6:11, part of Jesus' model prayer, is a direct petition for God to provide our daily sustenance. It signifies a fundamental dependence on God for basic physical needs, cultivating humility, trust, and contentment. This request for sufficient provision for the immediate present discourages anxiety about tomorrow and promotes a rejection of greed or hoarding. While primarily addressing physical needs, "bread" in Christian tradition also carries a deeper spiritual connotation, alluding to Christ as the Bread of Life.

Matthew 6 11 Context

Matthew 6:11 is found within the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew chapters 5-7), specifically as part of the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13), which Jesus presents as a model for authentic prayer. Jesus contrasts this prayer with the public displays of the hypocrites and the meaningless repetitions of the Gentiles (Mt 6:5-8). Following petitions that hallow God's name, His kingdom, and His will, this verse introduces personal human needs. In an ancient agrarian society, daily provision was often uncertain, making this request profoundly relevant to everyday life. The request also subtly counters worldly anxieties about material security, urging trust in divine provision instead of self-sufficiency or excessive accumulation, a theme Jesus elaborates on later in Matthew 6.

Matthew 6 11 Word analysis

• Give (Greek: dos, δός): This is an imperative verb, functioning as a direct command or request. It signifies that God is the sovereign giver and ultimate provider, highlighting our role as humble recipients dependent on His gracious gift rather than earning or demanding sustenance.
• us (Greek: hēmin, ἡμῖν): A plural pronoun. It underscores the communal nature of prayer and Christian life. Believers are called to pray not just for their own needs but also for the sustenance of their wider community and fellow humanity, reflecting shared reliance on God.
• this day (Greek: sēmeron, σήμερον): An adverb emphasizing the immediate present. It directs focus to current needs, discouraging anxious worry about the future (as reinforced in Mt 6:34) and implicitly condemning hoarding. This teaches a present-moment trust and continuous dependence on God.
• our (Greek: hēmōn, ἡμῶν): A possessive pronoun. It acknowledges that the requested "bread" is intended for us, for our personal or communal consumption. It implies provision sufficient for what is needed for our existence, obtained through a combination of divine gift and, often, diligent labor, rather than desiring another's portion.
• daily (Greek: epiousion, ἐπιούσιον): This is a unique and widely debated term, appearing only here and in Luke 11:3 in the entire Greek New Testament, and rarely elsewhere in ancient Greek literature.
  • Meaning 1 (Sufficient for subsistence): The most widely accepted interpretation translates to "necessary for our existence," "for our subsistence," or "sufficient for today/the coming day." It signifies basic, essential provision. This meaning aligns well with Jesus' teachings against anxiety about daily needs.
  • Meaning 2 (For the coming day/tomorrow): Some ancient interpreters, like Jerome (translating it as supersubstantialem for "super-substantial"), favored this, potentially linking it to the manna (Ex 16:4) that was given for that day. This interpretation emphasizes provision for future (imminent) needs.
  • Significance: Its rarity suggests it carries specific theological weight, underscoring God's precise and timely care. It encourages reliance on God for immediate, ongoing necessities, preventing both greed and worry. It is sometimes seen to carry deeper spiritual connotations alongside the physical.
• bread (Greek: arton, ἄρτον): The staple food in the ancient Near East, symbolizing all essential physical sustenance necessary for life. This includes food, drink, and all basic necessities for human well-being. Theologically, and especially in light of John 6, "bread" is also profoundly understood as Christ Himself, the "Bread of Life," or can refer to the Eucharist/Holy Communion, extending the petition to include vital spiritual nourishment.

Words-group analysis

• Give us this day: This phrase is a humble, communal, and immediate plea for divine provision. It highlights a present and continuous reliance on God's grace and providence, contrasting with self-sufficiency, anxious planning, or accumulating for the distant future. It teaches a posture of dependence rather than presumption or material ambition.
• our daily bread: This petition encapsulates the request for all necessary sustenance, understood both physically and, within deeper theological readings, spiritually. The unique meaning of "daily" (epiousion) makes the "bread" not a luxury, but precisely what is sufficient, essential, and provided for immediate and continuous well-being. It frames the request around basic necessities for life, teaching contentment and trust in God's appropriate and timely care.

Matthew 6 11 Bonus section

The specific meaning and etymology of the Greek word epiousion ("daily") have been a subject of scholarly debate for centuries. Some early Church Fathers and mystics understood it to mean "supersubstantial" or "for our being," suggesting a profound connection to spiritual food—the Word of God and the Eucharist—as being essential for the soul's existence, not just physical life. This interpretation does not negate the physical meaning but rather expands it, making the petition for "daily bread" a plea for a dual provision: the tangible necessities that sustain our earthly life, and the spiritual nourishment of Christ that sustains our eternal life and spiritual well-being. This deeper dimension encourages believers to cultivate an awareness of their constant need for both material provision and divine presence.

Matthew 6 11 Commentary

Matthew 6:11 distills profound theological truths into a concise plea. By requesting "Give us this day our daily bread," Jesus instructs His followers in fundamental reliance on God as the faithful provider. It teaches active dependence rather than anxious self-sufficiency, embodying the lesson of the manna in the wilderness, which required daily gathering and forbade hoarding. This simplicity in asking for "bread"—basic necessities rather than excess—cultivates humility, gratitude, and contentment, subtly countering societal pressures towards materialism and covetousness. Furthermore, within Christian understanding, "bread" extends beyond mere physical nourishment. It reaches into the realm of spiritual sustenance, referring to Christ Himself as the "Bread of Life," the nourishment provided by His Word, and the symbolic bread of the Eucharist. Thus, this petition is holistic, a prayer for all that sustains human life—body, soul, and spirit—in a spirit of trust that God knows and supplies His children's every genuine need.