Matthew 6:20

Matthew 6:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
• New International Version (NIV)But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
• English Standard Version (ESV)but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
• New King James Version (NKJV)but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

Context of Matthew 6:20

18Then your fasting won’t be obvious. Instead, it will be obvious to your Father who is with you in private. Your Father sees what you do in private. He will reward you. 19“Stop storing up treasures for yourselves on earth, where moths and rust destroy and thieves break in and steal. Instead, store up treasures for yourselves in heaven, where moths and rust don’t destroy and thieves don’t break in and steal. 21Your heart will be where your treasure is. 22“The eye is the lamp of the body. So if your eye is unclouded, your whole body will be full of light.

Matthew 6:20 word by word

θησαυρίζετε δὲ ὑμῖν θησαυροὺς ἐν οὐρανῷ, ὅπου οὔτε σὴς οὔτε βρῶσις ἀφανίζει καὶ ὅπου κλέπται οὐ διορύσσουσιν οὐδὲ κλέπτουσιν·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Butδέde · thenG1161
• lay upθησαυρίζωthēsaurizō · to store upG2343
• for yourselvesσύsu · youG4771
• treasuresθησαυρόςthēsauros · treasureG2344
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
• whereὅπουhopou · where(-ever)G3699
• neitherοὔτεoute · neitherG3777
• mothσήςsēs · mothG4597
• rustβρῶσιςbrōsis · eatingG1035
• doth corruptἀφανίζωaphanizō · to destroyG853
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• thievesκλέπτηςkleptēs · thiefG2812
• doδιορύσσωdiorussō · to break inG1358
• notοὐou · noG3756
• norοὐδέoude · norG3761
• stealκλέπτωkleptō · to stealG2813

Cross-references for Matthew 6:20

• Matthew 19:21Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, sell what you own. Give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then follow me!”
• Isaiah 33:6He will be the foundation of your future. The riches of salvation are wisdom and knowledge. The fear of the Lord is ⌞your⌟ treasure.
• Luke 12:33“Sell your material possessions, and give the money to the poor. Make yourselves wallets that don’t wear out! Make a treasure for yourselves in heaven that never loses its value! In heaven thieves and moths can’t get close enough to destroy your treasure.
• Luke 18:22When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still need one thing. Sell everything you have. Distribute the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then follow me!”
• 1 Timothy 6:17Tell those who have the riches of this world not to be arrogant and not to place their confidence in anything as uncertain as riches. Instead, they should place their confidence in God who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.
• Hebrews 10:34You suffered with prisoners. You were cheerful even though your possessions were stolen, since you know that you have a better and more permanent possession.
• Hebrews 11:26He thought that being insulted for Christ would be better than having the treasures of Egypt. He was looking ahead to his reward.
• James 2:5Listen, my dear brothers and sisters! Didn’t God choose poor people in the world to become rich in faith and to receive the kingdom that he promised to those who love him?
• 1 Peter 1:4We have been born into a new life which has an inheritance that can’t be destroyed or corrupted and can’t fade away. That inheritance is kept in heaven for you,
• 1 Peter 5:4Then, when the chief shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
• Revelation 2:9I know how you are suffering, how poor you are—but you are rich. I also know that those who claim to be Jews slander you. They are the synagogue of Satan.

Commentaries on Matthew 6:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Lay up - treasures in heaven - "The only way to render perishing goods eternal, to secure stately furniture from moths, and the richest metals from canker, and precious stones from thieves, is to transmit them to heaven by acts of charity. This is a kind of bill of exchange which cannot fail of acceptance, but through our own fault." Quesnel. It is certain we have not the smallest portion of temporal good, but what we have received from the unmerited…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven - That is, have provision made for your eternal felicity. Do not exhaust your strength and spend your days in providing for the life here, but let your chief anxiety be to be prepared for eternity. Compare the notes at Isaiah 55:2. In heaven nothing corrupts; nothing terminates; no enemies plunder or destroy. To have treasure in heaven is to possess evidence that its purity and joys will be ours. It is to be heirs…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 19-24Verses 19-24 Worldly-mindedness is a common and fatal symptom of hypocrisy, for by no sin can Satan have a surer and faster hold of the soul, under the cloak of a profession of religion. Something the soul will have, which it looks upon as the best thing; in which it has pleasure and confidence above other things. Christ counsels to make our best things the joys and glories of the other world, those things not seen which are eternal, and to place our…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20Treasures in heaven: For Jews during the time of Jesus, this was a common image. Obeying God’s commands was seen as storing up treasures with God. The context (6:19; Luke 12:33) shows that Jesus was mainly referring to acts of charity.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven--The language in Luke (Lu 12:33) is very bold--"Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not," &c. where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal--Treasures these, imperishable and unassailable! (Compare Col 3:2).Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 6:20

• Commandments
• Covetousness
• Heaven
• Moth
• Religion
• Riches
• Theft and Thieves

In the dictionaries

• Add
• Appear
• Closet
• Consider
• Corrupt
• Countenance
• Covetousness
• Despise
• Dwell
• Fast

Commentaries on Matthew 6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings