“And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing,
Parallel translations
- WEB Why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They don’t toil, neither do they spin,
- KJV And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
- BSB And why do you worry about clothes? Consider how the lilies of the field grow: They do not labor or spin.
- NKJV “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin;
- NASB And why are you worried about clothing? Notice how the lilies of the field grow; they do not labor nor do they spin thread for cloth,
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Why worry about clothing? Consider how the wildflowers grow without laboring. God adorns even them without their effort.
Overview
Turning from food to clothing, Jesus directs attention to the lilies of the field, which flourish in beauty without toil or spinning. The natural world testifies to a God who lavishes care on even fleeting plants. The illustration prepares for the argument that God will far more readily clothe his children, undercutting anxiety with trust.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Matt 6:25Therefore I tell you, don’t be anxious for your life: what you will eat, or what you will drink; nor yet for your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
- Phil 4:6In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.
- Luke 12:27Consider the lilies, how they grow. They don’t toil, neither do they spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
- Matt 6:31“Therefore don’t be anxious, saying, ‘What will we eat?’, ‘What will we drink?’ or, ‘With what will we be clothed?’
- Luke 22:35–36He said to them, “When I sent you out without purse, and wallet, and shoes, did you lack anything?” They said, “Nothing.”
- Luke 3:11He answered them, “He who has two coats, let him give to him who has none. He who has food, let him do likewise.”
- Matt 10:10Take no bag for your journey, neither two coats, nor shoes, nor staff: for the laborer is worthy of his food.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 6:28 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.