Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
Parallel translations
- WEB “Therefore don’t be anxious, saying, ‘What will we eat?’, ‘What will we drink?’ or, ‘With what will we be clothed?’
- BSB Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
- NKJV “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
- NASB Do not worry then, saying, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear for clothing?’
- NLT “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’
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
So don't be consumed by anxious questions about food, drink, and clothing. Such worry does not befit children of a caring Father.
Overview
Jesus draws the practical conclusion from his illustrations: disciples should not be gripped by the anxious refrain of 'what will we eat, drink, or wear?' This repeated worry characterizes those who do not know God's fatherly provision. The verse calls believers to a settled trust that frees them from the tyranny of material anxiety.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- 1 Pet 5:7Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
- Luke 12:29And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.
- Matt 4:4But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
- Ps 55:22Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.
- Matt 15:33And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude?
- Ps 37:3Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
- 2 Chr 25:9And Amaziah said to the man of God, But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel? And the man of God answered, The LORD is able to give thee much more than this.
- Ps 78:18–31And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust.
- Lev 25:20–22And if ye shall say, What shall we eat the seventh year? behold, we shall not sow, nor gather in our increase:
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 6:31 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.