Matthew 6:31 tells you not to be anxious about the basic needs of daily life, such as food, drink, and clothing. Jesus gives this command because worry about these things is a common pattern of the human heart, and he wants his followers to trust their Father instead. The verse is part of the Sermon on the Mount, which Jesus preached to a crowd of disciples and listeners gathered on a hillside in Galilee.
“Therefore don’t be anxious, saying, ‘What will we eat?’, ‘What will we drink?’ or, ‘With what will we be clothed?’
Matthew 6:31 (WEB)
What Matthew 6:31 Means
The word “therefore” links this verse to what comes before it. Jesus has just pointed to the birds and the wildflowers, which receive daily care without any labor of their own. Because God feeds and clothes them, he reasons, the people he created have even more reason to trust him. The command “don’t be anxious” is not a call to ignore practical responsibilities. It addresses the gnawing, repeated fear that rehearses worst-case scenarios about tomorrow’s meals and wardrobe.
The three questions in the verse, “What will we eat?”, “What will we drink?”, and “With what will we be clothed?”, name the everyday concerns that most often steal peace. Jesus does not promise that his followers will never go hungry or cold, and history shows that faithful people have sometimes suffered want. What he promises is that God knows these needs and that worry is not the right response to them. The verse calls for trust, not for passivity.
The Context of Matthew 6:31
Matthew, traditionally identified as the tax collector turned apostle, wrote this Gospel mainly for a community of Jewish Christians who needed to see how Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament. The Sermon on the Mount presents Jesus as a teacher who describes the character and practices of God’s kingdom. In the verses just before this one, Jesus speaks about storing treasure in heaven rather than on earth, and he says that where your treasure is, your heart will be also. Worry about provision is presented as the anxious counterpart to hoarding.
The verses that follow (Matthew 6:32-34) deepen the meaning. Jesus contrasts the way “the Gentiles” pursue these things with the way his disciples are called to live, seeking God’s kingdom and righteousness first. He then adds that you should not be anxious for tomorrow, because each day has enough trouble of its own. Read in this setting, the verse is not a stand-alone promise about money. It is a call to reorder your priorities around God’s reign.
Key Phrases in Matthew 6:31
Philippians 4:6
In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.
(WEB)
Paul gives a parallel instruction to bring every anxious thought to God in prayer and petition, with thanksgiving. This shows that the call not to worry is paired with a practical pathway of prayer.
1 Peter 5:7
Casting all your worries on him, because he cares for you.
(WEB)
Peter writes that you can cast all your anxiety on God because he cares for you. This echoes Jesus’ point that the Father’s care is the foundation for releasing worry.
A Short Prayer From Matthew 6:31
Father, you know what I need before I ask, and still my mind keeps circling the same questions about food, money, and clothing. Quiet my heart today. Help me to do the work you give me without carrying tomorrow’s weight before its time. Teach me to seek your kingdom first and to trust that you will provide what is needed. Thank you for the daily bread already on my table and for your faithful care. Amen.
