Matthew 6 27

Matthew 6:27 kjv

Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

Matthew 6:27 nkjv

Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

Matthew 6:27 niv

Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

Matthew 6:27 esv

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

Matthew 6:27 nlt

Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

Matthew 6 verses

Matthew 6 27 Meaning

Matthew 6:27 highlights the absolute futility and senselessness of worry. Through a rhetorical question, Jesus teaches that anxiety cannot extend or improve one's life in any measure. Instead, it underscores humanity's limited control over fundamental aspects of existence, emphasizing that such matters are solely within God's sovereign domain. The verse serves as a direct counter to the prevalent human inclination to obsess over life's necessities and future uncertainties, urging trust in divine provision instead.

Matthew 6 27 Context

Matthew 6:27 is nestled within Jesus' foundational "Sermon on the Mount" (Matthew chapters 5-7), specifically within the section addressing anxiety (Matthew 6:25-34). This passage is a direct follow-up to teachings on storing up treasures in heaven rather than on earth (6:19-21) and the impossibility of serving both God and money (6:24). Jesus contrasts the life lived for material pursuits, which often leads to worry, with a life oriented toward God's kingdom and righteousness.

The immediate verses (6:25-26) state the overarching command not to worry about life, food, drink, or clothing, and offer illustrations of God's provision for birds and lilies as evidence of His care for humanity. Verse 27, therefore, logically poses a rhetorical question to underscore the ineffectiveness of worry. It serves as an argumentative point: since worry is useless, there is no logical basis for it. For the original Jewish audience, who understood a life of deep dependence on God but also faced daily struggles for existence in a largely agricultural society with limited security, Jesus' words challenged them to internalize radical trust in divine providence, distinguishing their spiritual values from the practical anxieties of surrounding pagan cultures (6:32).

Matthew 6 27 Word analysis

• Which of you: This is a rhetorical question, universally understood to imply "No one." It directly addresses the listener, inviting personal reflection and acknowledging the shared human tendency to worry.
• by worrying: (Greek: merimnōn from merimnaō)
  • Significance: This verb carries the connotation of being distracted, pulled apart, or having a divided mind. It describes a state of anxious thought, deep concern, and being preoccupied with mundane affairs to the exclusion of higher, spiritual realities. It's more than casual concern; it's debilitating anxiety that fragments one's focus and energy.
  • Biblical Context: This word is consistently used in the New Testament to denote an inappropriate, excessive, or ungodly concern that saps spiritual vitality and trust in God.
• can add: (Greek: prostheinai)
  • Meaning: To put to, add to, or make an increase. It implies human effort to extend or modify something.
• one cubit: (Greek: hena pēchun)
  • Significance: A cubit (approximately 18 inches or 45 centimeters) was a standard unit of measurement, typically from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger. Its inclusion highlights the impossibility of even a small, quantifiable increase by one's own anxious effort.
• to his stature: (Greek: epi tēn hēlikian autou)
  • Significance: The Greek word hēlikia is critical here. While it can mean "physical height" (e.g., Lk 19:3 of Zacchaeus's height), in the broader context of "Do not worry about your life" (Mat 6:25) and its parallel in Luke 12:26 ("can add a single cubit to his life span"), hēlikia is widely understood by scholars to refer to "lifespan" or "age" rather than literal physical height.
    • Interpretation (Lifespan): It's impossible for anxiety to add even the smallest measure of time (like a cubit is a small measure of length) to one's predestined life. Ironically, worry often shortens life through stress. This fits the overall context of trusting God for the necessities and span of life.
    • Interpretation (Height): While impossible to add to physical height as an adult, if interpreted this way, the verse highlights a physically obvious futility to underline the deeper futility of worrying about other unalterable aspects of life. However, "lifespan" provides a richer, more contextual meaning related to the anxieties about life itself expressed in verse 25.
• Word-group analysis:
  • "Which of you by worrying can add...": This phrase succinctly poses the challenge, demonstrating humanity's intrinsic limitation and the inherent powerlessness of anxiety to change fixed circumstances. It highlights a fundamental theological truth: control over life's essential parameters belongs to God alone, not to human striving or concern. The rhetorical nature encourages self-reflection on one's own futile worries.

Matthew 6 27 Bonus section

The seemingly small unit of a "cubit" when applied to "stature/lifespan" highlights the complete impotence of human anxiety. It's not just that one cannot add a significant amount; one cannot add even the tiniest measure. This underscores the absolute zero return on the "investment" of worrying. The shift from physical needs (food, clothing in vv. 25-26) to the foundational matter of one's very existence or lifespan in verse 27 elevates the futility of worry to its most profound level. If you can't control the most basic fact of your life's length, how much less the daily details? This implicitly points to divine sovereignty as the counterpoint to human anxiety.

Matthew 6 27 Commentary

Matthew 6:27 delivers a potent, rhetorical blow to the practice of worry. By asking, "Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?" Jesus forcefully demonstrates the sheer pointlessness of anxiety. Worry is not only unfruitful but completely ineffective in altering the realities of life, whether referring to one's physical growth (which ceases in adulthood) or, more profoundly, the divinely appointed length of one's days.

The deeper meaning, widely accepted by theological consensus, is that worry cannot extend one's lifespan. If anxiety cannot even add a tiny, seemingly insignificant increment like a cubit to the predetermined course of life, then what good is it for anything else? This truth is liberating. It pulls humanity away from self-reliant striving and places trust firmly in the hands of the all-wise, all-powerful God who sovereignly governs all aspects of life, including its duration. Worry, far from aiding, paralyzes action, consumes energy, and detracts from the vital task of seeking God's kingdom (Mat 6:33). Jesus' question redirects focus from what one cannot control to what one can – namely, trust in God.

Practical usage example:

• Instead of fretting endlessly over a potential illness or job loss, recall this verse and recognize that worry adds nothing but distress; instead, pray and trust God's provision.
• When faced with uncertainty about the future, remember that you cannot extend your life or make it better through anxiety; focus on living faithfully today.