Matthew 6 25

Matthew 6:25 kjv

Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

Matthew 6:25 nkjv

"Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?

Matthew 6:25 niv

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?

Matthew 6:25 esv

"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

Matthew 6:25 nlt

"That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life ? whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn't life more than food, and your body more than clothing?

Matthew 6 verses

Matthew 6 25 Meaning

This verse initiates a core teaching of Jesus, strongly commanding His followers not to be consumed by worry for their basic earthly needs such as food, drink, and clothing. It presents a rhetorical question that inherently affirms God's priority and His capacity to provide: if God gives life itself and forms the body, which are far greater gifts, then He will certainly sustain them with their necessary provisions. It highlights that excessive concern over material sustenance reflects a lack of trust in God's providence and distracts from higher spiritual priorities.

Matthew 6 25 Context

This verse is a pivotal part of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, found within the specific section that contrasts worldly values with Kingdom principles (Matthew 6:19-34). It immediately follows Jesus' teaching against serving two masters – God and money (Matthew 6:24) – thereby establishing a direct logical connection: since undivided devotion to God requires freedom from mammon's grip, worry over material things is therefore contrary to true service to God. The command against worry serves as an exposition of how faith impacts daily life and material pursuits. The original audience lived in a agrarian society where daily sustenance was a constant and pressing concern, making Jesus' words directly relevant to their daily anxieties about food security and clothing. This teaching subtly opposes contemporary beliefs that either excessively relied on human effort/wealth for security or were influenced by pagan views of indifferent or capricious deities.

Matthew 6 25 Word analysis

• Therefore (Διὰ τοῦτο - Dia touto): A strong inferential conjunction. It explicitly links this command against worry to the preceding truth: if one cannot serve two masters (God and material wealth, or mammon), then worry about earthly provisions becomes illogical and unfaithful. It signifies a necessary consequence.

• I say to you (λέγω ὑμῖν - legō hymin): Demonstrates Jesus' direct authority and personal teaching. This is not a suggestion but a definitive declaration from the Messiah.

• Do not worry (μὴ μεριμνᾶτε - mē merimnate): The Greek verb merimnaō (derived from merizo meaning "to divide," and nous meaning "mind") denotes anxious distraction, fretful concern, or troubling thought that divides one's mind and pulls it in different directions. The use of mē with the present imperative signifies "stop an action already in progress" or "do not habitually do this." It is not a prohibition against prudent planning or responsible provision but against an obsessive, anxious, and distrustful preoccupation.

• about your life (τῇ ψυχῇ ὑμῶν - tē psychē hymōn): Psychē here refers to the physical life, the living organism, or one's bodily existence on earth. It encompasses the entirety of physical well-being and sustenance, implying that worry threatens the very core of one's being and energy for life.

• what you will eat (τί φάγητε): Refers to the fundamental necessity of food for physical sustenance. This reflects the most basic daily concern in an ancient economy.

• or what you will drink (καὶ τί πίητε): Refers to another essential requirement, particularly vital in the arid Middle East, symbolizing fundamental hydration and refreshment.

• nor about your body (μηδὲ τῷ σώματι ὑμῶν - mēde tō sōmati hymōn): Sōma means the physical body. This extends the scope of worry from mere sustenance to the physical self, emphasizing concerns about physical appearance, health, and dignity.

• what you will put on (τί ἐνδύσησθε): Refers to clothing. Beyond mere covering for warmth or modesty, clothing also conveyed social status and public identity in that culture, thus reflecting a common anxiety about appearance and acceptance.

• Is not life (οὐχὶ ἡ ψυχὴ - ouchi hē psychē): A strong rhetorical question. Ouchi expects a resounding "yes" answer, implying that life is indeed far more significant and precious. It highlights the profound value of life as a direct gift from the Creator.

• more than food (πλεῖον τροφῆς - pleion trophēs): Food is temporal and perishable; life is a continuous, God-given state. This contrast underscores the divine origin and immense value of life compared to its means of sustenance.

• and the body (καὶ τὸ σῶμα - kai to sōma): The physical self.

• more than clothing (πλεῖον ἐνδύματος - pleion endymatos): Clothing is external and transient; the body is divinely formed and more intricately precious. This highlights that if God created the complex, magnificent body, He will surely provide for its covering.

• "Therefore I say to you, do not worry": This opening phrase asserts Jesus' teaching authority and frames the subsequent command as a direct consequence of earlier lessons on loyalty. It sets a foundation of trust for His disciples' mindset.

• "about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on": This grouping provides specific, practical examples of basic human needs that often become sources of anxious preoccupation. It illustrates the comprehensive scope of material anxieties Jesus addresses.

• "Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?": This rhetorical question presents Jesus' foundational logical argument. It shifts the listener's perspective from the anxiety of provision to the profound value of the gifts already given (life and body), implying God's greater capacity to provide the lesser necessities.

Matthew 6 25 Bonus section

The immediate "Therefore" in Matthew 6:25 powerfully links this command directly to the preceding warning in 6:24 against serving both God and mammon (material wealth). This connection implies that anxiety over material needs is, in essence, a manifestation of trying to serve mammon, dividing one's heart and allegiance away from God. This command counters the pervasive worldview, common in both pagan and sometimes even nominal Jewish contexts, which placed ultimate reliance on personal effort, uncertain gods, or fickle fortune for survival. Jesus redirects focus to a consistent, trustworthy Heavenly Father. The passage teaches that trust in God frees believers from the self-imposed burden of perpetual concern, allowing them to pursue spiritual priorities without distraction. It's a foundational verse for the larger discussion on seeking first God's Kingdom.

Matthew 6 25 Commentary

Matthew 6:25 serves as a clear and emphatic command from Jesus against the specific spiritual and psychological bondage of anxious worry. It directly challenges the misplaced priorities of those who pursue fleeting earthly treasures and security over an unwavering trust in God's divine provision. This prohibition on "worry" (merimnaō) is not a call to idleness or irresponsibility, but rather to a radical shift in mindset, rejecting debilitating anxiety that corrodes faith and hinders spiritual growth.

Jesus appeals to a profound logical and theological truth: if God, in His supreme creative power, has already bestowed the greater gifts of life itself and the intricately formed body, He is infinitely more capable and willing to provide the lesser needs—food, drink, and clothing—necessary for their sustenance. The core issue is one of faith versus a divided heart; true discipleship requires a singleness of devotion to God that is unburdened by anxious concern for the morrow. This verse encapsulates the Sermon on the Mount's call to align one's internal disposition with Kingdom values, demonstrating that spiritual righteousness extends to one's approach to material existence.