Matthew 6:25-34 teaches that worry about daily needs is a poor way to live, because your heavenly Father knows what you need and cares for you. Jesus calls his listeners to set their priorities on God’s kingdom and righteousness, and to trust him one day at a time.
These verses come from the Sermon on the Mount, in the Gospel of Matthew, where Jesus teaches his followers how life in God’s kingdom should look. They sit within a longer section about money, sight and devotion, so the call not to be anxious follows directly from the warning that no one can serve both God and wealth.
25 Therefore 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? 26 See the birds of the sky, that they don’t sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns. Your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you of much more value than they? 27 “Which of you, by being anxious, can add one moment to his lifespan? 28 Why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They don’t toil, neither do they spin, 29 yet I tell you that even Solomon in all his glory was not dressed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today exists, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, won’t he much more clothe you, you of little faith? 31 “Therefore don’t be anxious, saying, ‘What will we eat?’, ‘What will we drink?’ or, ‘With what will we be clothed?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first God’s Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore don’t be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Each day’s own evil is sufficient.
Matthew 6:25-34 (WEB)
Matthew 6:25-34 Summary
Jesus begins with a command: do not be anxious about life, food, drink or clothing. He then gives two arguments. Life is more than the things that sustain it, and God, who feeds the birds and clothes the wildflowers, will certainly care for people made for his own purposes. The argument moves from creation to the worth of the listener.
The passage ends with a clear instruction. Instead of chasing security through constant worry, his followers are to seek God’s kingdom and righteousness first, trusting that daily needs will be met. Jesus closes by reminding them that tomorrow has its own worries, and that each day has enough trouble of its own to deal with.
Context of Matthew 6:25-34
Matthew, traditionally identified as one of the twelve apostles and a former tax collector, wrote for a community that included Jewish believers and was beginning to include Gentiles. The Sermon on the Mount presents Jesus as the teacher who explains the true shape of righteousness under God’s reign, and this section speaks to disciples who lived with real financial and physical insecurity.
The verses just before this passage contrast two masters, God and Mammon, and the healthy or unhealthy eye that governs the whole body. Jesus is showing that where a person’s attention and devotion are fixed determines how that person lives, which is why he moves straight from the choice of masters to the question of anxiety about food and clothing.
Matthew 6:25-34 Verse by Verse
Philippians 4:6-7
6 In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.
(WEB)
Paul gives a similar instruction, urging believers to bring every request to God with thanksgiving. The promise of God’s peace guarding the heart shows how Jesus’s call to trust becomes a daily practice of prayer.
1 Peter 5:7
Casting all your worries on him, because he cares for you.
(WEB)
Peter echoes the same comfort, telling readers to cast all their anxiety on God because he cares for them. The verse expresses the same personal confidence that the Father knows and tends his children.
A Prayer Based on Matthew 6:25-34
Father, you know what I need before I ask, and still my heart runs ahead of me with worry. Teach me to set my attention on your kingdom and your righteousness first. Where I am anxious about money, health, work or tomorrow, help me hand those things to you and trust your care. Give me strength for the day in front of me, and let me rest in the faithfulness that has held me so far. Amen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Matthew 6:25-34 mean Christians should never plan for the future?
No, the passage does not forbid planning or responsible work. It warns against anxious worry that replaces trust in God, and Scripture elsewhere commends wise preparation. The aim is a heart free from fear, not a life without foresight.
What does it mean to seek God’s kingdom first?
It means making God’s rule and his righteousness the central concern of your decisions, relationships and priorities. When that orientation is clear, daily needs take their proper place rather than dominating every thought.
Why does Jesus mention the birds and the lilies?
The birds and flowers are everyday examples of creatures that depend on God’s provision without anxious labor. Jesus uses them to show that the Father’s care reaches even small and temporary things, so people of greater value can trust him more fully.
