25
"I tell you, do not worry. Don't worry about your life and what you will eat or drink. And don't worry about your body and what you will wear. Isn't there more to life than eating? Aren't there more important things for the body than clothes?
Reference
Greek: μέ (mé)
me
Hebrew: ʼănâʼ
I
Greek: ἐκλαλέω (eklaléō)
to divulge
Greek: κατατίθημι (katatíthēmi)
to place down, i.e. deposit (literally or figuratively)
Greek: οὐδαμῶς (oudamōs)
by no means
Hebrew: ʼîyn
is it not?
Greek: πρός (prós)
a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e. toward (with the genitive case, the side of, i.e. pertaining to; with the dative case, by the side of, i.e. near to; usually with the accusative case, the place, time, occasion, or respect, which is the destination of the relation, i.e. whither or for which it is predicated)
Hebrew: ʼêl
near, with or among; often in general, to
Greek: ζάω (záō)
to live (literally or figuratively)
Hebrew: chay
alive; also (as noun in plural) life
Greek: καίγε (kaíge)
and at least (or even, indeed)
Hebrew: kîy
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
Hebrew: mân
who or what (properly, interrogatively, hence, also indefinitely and relatively)
Greek: θέλησις (thélēsis)
determination (properly, the act), i.e. option
Hebrew: tsᵉbâʼ
to please
Greek: γεύομαι (geúomai)
to taste; by implication, to eat; figuratively, to experience (good or ill)
Greek: πίνω (pínō)
to imbibe (literally or figuratively)
Hebrew: çôbeʼ
potation, concretely (wine), or abstractly (carousal)
Greek: καίγε (kaíge)
and at least (or even, indeed)
Hebrew: kîy
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
Greek: πρός (prós)
a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e. toward (with the genitive case, the side of, i.e. pertaining to; with the dative case, by the side of, i.e. near to; usually with the accusative case, the place, time, occasion, or respect, which is the destination of the relation, i.e. whither or for which it is predicated)
Hebrew: ʼêl
near, with or among; often in general, to
Greek: χρώς (chrṓs)
the body (properly, its surface or skin)
Hebrew: bâsâr
flesh (from its freshness); by extension, body, person; also (by euphemistically) the pudenda of aman
Greek: καίγε (kaíge)
and at least (or even, indeed)
Hebrew: kîy
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
Hebrew: mân
who or what (properly, interrogatively, hence, also indefinitely and relatively)
Greek: θέλησις (thélēsis)
determination (properly, the act), i.e. option
Hebrew: tsᵉbâʼ
to please
Greek: ἐκεῖ (ekeî)
there; by extension, thither
Greek: ἄλλος (állos)
"else," i.e. different (in many applications)
Greek: ζάω (záō)
to live (literally or figuratively)
Hebrew: chay
alive; also (as noun in plural) life
Greek: ἤπερ (ḗper)
than at all (or than perhaps, than indeed)
Greek: βρῶσις (brōsis)
(abstractly) eating (literally or figuratively); by extension (concretely) food (literally or figuratively)
Hebrew: ʼôkel
food
Greek: ἐκεῖ (ekeî)
there; by extension, thither
Greek: ἄλλος (állos)
"else," i.e. different (in many applications)
Greek: ἀντί (antí)
opposite, i.e. instead or because of (rarely in addition to)
Hebrew: bᵉmôw
in, with, by, etc.
Greek: ὁ (ho)
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom)
Hebrew: ʼillêyn
these
Greek: χρώς (chrṓs)
the body (properly, its surface or skin)
Hebrew: bâsâr
flesh (from its freshness); by extension, body, person; also (by euphemistically) the pudenda of aman
Greek: ἤπερ (ḗper)
than at all (or than perhaps, than indeed)
Greek: χιτών (chitṓn)
a tunic or shirt
Hebrew: gᵉlôwm
clothing (as wrapped)
Verse Explanation
Jesus tells His followers not to be consumed by anxiety over food, drink, or clothing because life is more important than material necessities, beginning a sustained teaching about trusting God's provision.
History
1st century AD: Most people lived close to subsistence levels as farmers, fishermen, artisans, or laborers, making food and clothing genuine daily concerns rather than abstract worries.